1 comments about Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands (Schomburg Library of 19th Century Black Women Writers).

1. Mary Seacole's reputation after the Crimean War certainly rivalled that of her counterpart Florence Nightingale but for a very long time she was a forgotten footnote in history, and this probably had a lot to do with the fact she was not a white middle class woman, but was instead the offspring of two races, that of a Scottish father and a black Jamaican mother.
   
   She was a born healer and a woman of tremendous energy, she overcame official indifference and racial prejudice as she strove to prove her worth as a Nurse on par with Nightingale herself.
   
   Seacole got herself out to the war by her own efforts and at her own expense, she risked her life to bring comfort to the wounded and dying soldiers; and became one of the first black woman to make a mark on British public life.
   
   But while Florence Nightingale has gone down in history, Mary Seacole was relegated to obscurity until very recently.
   
   This book tells her story in her own words, of her travels, her experiences, her life as a woman in colour living in a time of bigotry, prejudice and racial hatred.
   
   It's a fantastic book and brings to life in its many pages a woman of courage and moral conviction that what she was doing with her life was the right thing to do. To me Mary Seacole optimises the Crimean War in a way that Nightingale never can. A book worthy to be read in schools in the way that Anne Frank is read even now in the 21st century.

4 comments about American Connections: The Founding Fathers. Networked..

1. Having greatly enjoyed Mr. Burkes books in the past, I was looking forward to one of his based on my soil. But proving that a name reappears (unrelated) later in history on some nameless board or committee sounds like an exercise best left to the student. The thought that the progeny of significant men in American history would have an effect later was a good idea, but not realized in this book.
   
   Disappointing, but I still look forward to his next novel.



2. I have read nearly all of James Burke's work, and his Connections started my fascination with History of all kinds; nowadays, that's all I read. I also became a research historian and have co-authored a book; for that, I offer my unending thanks to Mr. Burke. Unfortunately, this book is nothing more than a collection of parlor tricks, one that wears thin after 2 or 3 chapters. There's no history here nor story telling nor insights; only a compendium of extremely poorly documented linkages connecting the signers of the Declaration of Independence to a current person of the same name. Within each chapter is a set of linkages or connections that typically number above 20, not the six degrees of networking that Burke alludes to. With that many degrees of networking, I could even play this game. All this book does is showcase Burke's knowledge of fairly inconsequential people over the past 200+ years and does nothing to stimulate interest in the reader. This is one book I couldn't bear to read or finish. Mr. Burke should be ashamed to have written it; it simply is not up to his previous standards. There is nothing here...nothing at all; how unfortunate.



3. James Burke, well known for pursuing the stranger paths of history, has done just that once more. This time, he follows the signers of the Declaration of Independence, following paths leading away from each one to something within the last fifty years sharing that name. If what you want is a straight history book, try a different author. This is Burke's area of expertise, and he has done a wonderful job. Again.



4. I have read several of James Burke's earlier works, and I had hoped that his venture into my own field would illuminate a subject in ways that would not have occurred to conventional historians. Unfortunately, this book is nothing of the kind. On first glance, It is organized in a structure giving one chapter to each Signer of the Declaration of Independence (Mr. Burke seems not to have thought of the framers of the Constitution as belonging in his phrase "founding fathers.") However, each Signer lasts barely one paragraph with Mr. Burke connecting him to someone else, and then to someone else, and then to someone else, and then on and on he goes forming a daisy-chain of references, skittering across the surface of history like a spider sliding across a sheet of ice, until he gets to someone in modern times who shares the same name as that of the Signer [or, in the case of Benjamin Franklin, to a reference back to the original Signer]. The book is slipshod, superficial, and all too often fraught with ominous undocumented claims often introduced or accompanied by such phrases as "Some say" or "according to some." I am sorry that I bought this book; it makes the otherwise-useless book by Richard Brookhiser, WHAT WOULD THE FOUNDERS DO? OUR QUESTIONS, THEIR ANSWERS, read like a marvel of scholarly comprehension.

5 comments about Theodore Roosevelt: (The American Presidents Series).

1. History never ends; it merely repeats similar but never identical challenges and opportunities and thus determines the fate of nations and leaders by the response to old events in new settings.
   
   And so, President Theodore Roosevelt is a prototype for Barack Obama. It makes this 2002 book a guide to the next four years, perhaps a forecast for the next century.
   
   The popular image of Roosevelt is a Rough Rider vigorously charging up San Juan Hill like a Bull Moose -- the Rambo, or perhaps Dumbo, of his generation. This book offers a more astute portrait of a complex intellect who used bravado and the Bully Pulpit as images and not as a crutch.
   
   Roosevelt inherited the Gilded Age excesses, just as Obama inherits the wreckage of the Greedy Age; his guiding principle, shaped by his vigorous response to devastating asthmatic attacks as a child, was "the classic credo that every man is master of his fate."
   
   He became president when the Great Powers, real or in sorry delusions, were Britain, France, Germany, Austria/Hungary, Russia and Japan. Due to his intellect and ability, he became the moderator of their disputes. The Great White Fleet was a powerful image; Roosevelt was the intellect to which they listened.
   
   Had he been president in 1914, could he have prevented or stopped World War I? Auchincloss raises this issue and concludes Roosevelt was deluding himself; however, based on his successes in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the Moroccan Crisis of 1906, he might have succeeded.
   
   Roosevelt's words were often bravado, but his actions were common sense and realistic. For example, in 1895 he advocated "an immediate war with Great Britain for the conquest of Canada." In 1903, when faced with the Alaska-Canada border dispute, he settled for negotiation (Canada has never lost a war with the U.S., or won an argument).
   
   In conclusion, this is a brief but superb study of Roosevelt's character and major decisions. In some ways he was greatly flawed, but it many ways greatly talented and wise. It's easy to be president if no major decisions are required -- think of Millard Fillmore, president from 1850-53; Roosevelt is an example of the ability to respond to great challenges.
   
   May America do as well in the next four to eight years.



2. Louis Auchincloss is one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and while he has certainly received a notable number of awards and sold great numbers of books during a 50+ year career, he is underappreciated in my estimation.
   
   This short and imminently readable biography of Theodore Roosevelt shows Auchincloss the historian, not Auchincloss the novelist, at his finest -- though of course, his narrative powers developed in writing novels certainly add to the liveliness. Weighing in at about 150 pages, including notes and timelines, this book is a great introduction to TR for either the serious student of history or the political gadfly.
   
   I can also imagine it being used to great effect in a classroom, given its length and the clarity of its prose.



3. Want to know more about American presidents? The American Presidents series is one approach. This volume in the series focuses on the old Rough Rider himself, Theodore Roosevelt. First, a confession. I have read 2 of the 3 volume set by Edmund Morris. Obviously, I have an interest in depth (the second volume alone features 555 pages of text). But most people would welcome a shorter--but still good--view of TR. And this volume will meet the needs of such people.
   
   Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. has a standard Introduction to each volume. With respect to TR, some of his observations are apposite. On page xv, he says: "Great presidents possess, or are possessed by, a vision of an ideal America." Surely, that describes Roosevelt. At another point, Schlesinger says that (Page xv): "To succeed, presidents must not only have a port to seek but they must convince Congress and the electorate that it is a port worth seeking." Both observations seem to fit TR, where they did not fit Warren Harding or Chester Arthur or Rutherford Hayes or Benjamin Harrison or. . . .
   
   The book begins by describing TR's rather well off childhood. Some problems. His beloved father dies prematurely. He had physical ailments. To address the latter, he exercised and even spent time in the Wild West, building himself up physically.
   
   His public life began in rather exotic positions, such as president of New York City's Board of Police Commissioners. He was named as Assistant Secretary of the Navy after William McKinley's victory in the presidential campaign of 1896. After the Maine's destruction and the road to war with Spain, he resigned and, as we all know, became head of a group of troops named "The Rough Riders." After estimable service in Cuba, he returned as a war hero. The governorship of New York and then nomination as vice president to William McKinley (perhaps to get him out of New York?).
   
   He became an accidental president after McKinley's assassination. The book chronicles his views and actions as president, when he was known as a "trust buster" and as the advocate of a "Square Deal." He was known for many accomplishments (some of which might raise eyebrows), such as the construction of the Panama Canal (as some Senator said years later, "We stole it fair and square!"). He left the presidency, followed by his handpicked successor, William Howard Taft. Then, the tale of his disillusionment with Taft, his Bull Moose campaign, his disgust with Woodrow Wilson is depicted.
   
   Auchincloss is a fine writer, and this book reads well. For those who want a "quick and dirty" introduction to TR, this will fill the bill.



4. The short biographies that form the American Presidents series do an admirable job in capturing the heart of the accomplishments and characters of our country's leaders. Some of the volumes succeed further in offering, in addition to an introduction, challenging reassessments of their subject's place in history. Bunting's book on Grant and Diggins's study of John Adams are in this latter category. With a leader as complex and energetic as Theodore Roosevelt, (1858 - 1919), the task of a brief portrayal is daunting indeed. Louis Auchincloss has generally succeeded in offering a portrait of TR and his presidency that will serve for basic information. For a more complex and detailed view, the book should encourage the reader to explore further.
   
   The American composer Scott Joplin wrote a delightful ragtime called "The Strenuous Life" in honor of TR but with a hint of satire as well. The phrase aptly describes TR and his era. A sickly child born to great wealth, the twelve-year old TR took seriously his father's injunction to "make your body!" as well as his mind. TR became a dynamo, moving out west to become the owner of a cattle ranch in Dakota in the 1880s and leading the fabled charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. In the midst of a busy life, TR found time to write about 40 books, including his autobiography and innumerable letters.
   
   In his politics, TR developed a unique position as a Republican party regular and as a progressive. He served in the 1880s' as a New York State assemblyman and as Governor of New York, among other accomplishments, before being called to the vice-presidency. He became the 26th president upon the death of McKinley in 1901, and then was elected to a term of his own. TR famously declined to run for a second elected term, a decision he lived to regret.
   
   TR's presidency had many accomplishments, striking out in as many directions as the man himself. He was a trust-buster who believed in American capitalism, individualism and business. He was also a famous conservationist. In foreign policy, he was a mixture of calmness and bellicosity, acquiring the Panama Canal, expanding the Navy, and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for settling a dispute between Russia and Japan.
   
   Following his term, TR took a lengthy safari as a big-game hunter in Africa and upon his return became disillusioned with the presidency of his chosen successor, William H. Taft. TR bolted the Republican party and, alas, took the progressives with him. The split in the GOP between its progressives and its conservatives has lasted to this day. The immediate result was the election of Woodrow Wilson to the presidency.
   
   Auchincloss tells the story of TR simply and well. But I came away from this book curious to know more. In particular, I would have liked to learn more about TR's writings, some of which are available in a two-volume set published by the Library of America. Auchincloss evidences a certain skepticism about TR, pointing out ways in which TR's America, as well as TR's values, differ from contemporary America and from the choices of many contemporary Americans. As explained by Auchincloss, these values, which seem closely interrelated, center upon TR's elevation of the worth of toughness -- "machismo", -- his sexual restraint and even prudery, and his views on the relationship between men and women, which today would commonly be regarded as sexist. I remain fascinated with TR's strength, vigor, and sense of purpose, combined with his high powers of intellect. His forcefulness and belief in our country, tempered as it usually was with prudence, still has much to teach us.
   
   Robin Friedman



5. A nice concise summary of the life of Teddy Roosevelt. Auchincloss does a good job of detailing the essentials of his life. Roosevelt was a Republican with a progressive bent. The author showed how his policies were often at odds with the pro business Republican party. However, TR managed to compromise and get a program through Congress that was progressive. He also used power overtly as in the Panama Crisis, even though it was for the good of the country and world.
   
   The American Presidents series are all nice reads. Although some presidents do not merit the full book, TR certainly deserves more space and attention. He was truly one of the better presidents as the author points out.

No comments about Robert Clifton Weaver and the American City: The Life and Times of an Urban Reformer.

5 comments about St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography.

1. Slight but well-researched and -written biography of St. Patrick. The little reliable history and biography of St. Patrick is based on two surviving letters he wrote. But the amazing thing is he lived from approximately 390-360 AD, and his letters and what little we know about him are the earliest record of Christianity in that part of the world.
   
   And forget St. Patrick's Day and four-leaf clovers and everything else you think you know about Patrick. His life was at once more mundane and more amazing, and his Christian influence on that island nation covered incredible breadth and depth.
   
   Thomas Cahill's modern classic How the Irish Saved Civilization (Hinges of History) puts St. Patrick's story into the context of the present world that in saving he helped create.



2. Wanting to read a scholarly biography of St. Patrick, this book came up first in my library search so I went with it. I was at first skeptical of the author because of his name and alma mater. What possible legitimate interest, I thought, could some Harvard professor with a Jewish-sounding name have in St. Patrick, except to throw dirt on him? I was expecting an secular Ivy League scholar of Jesus Seminar pedigree, who would delight in discrediting cherished beliefs and tearing down the icons of the faithful from their place of honor. Now, I was specifically looking for nothing but the whole truth, and I accept that medieval legends should be discounted in a scholarly work, but after seeing what academic higher criticism has done to the rest of what Christians hold sacred, from the accuracy of the Bible to the very existence of Jesus Christ, I was a bit suspicious of Philip Freeman. I'm glad to say that my initial prejudices were (almost) totally proven wrong. This is a work of exceptional scholarship, with obvious respect and even affection for St. Patrick.
   
   The first problem in dealing with the life of St. Patrick is the paucity of primary source evidence. His two extant letters provide a wealth of biographical details relative to most other historical figures from the era, but certainly not enough to fill a book. The gaps in his biography have to be filled in with historical context and historical speculation and Professor Freeman excels in both. As a Professor of Classics, he is well qualified to tell us about the Roman-British world in which Patrick was born and the ecclesiastical structure in which he worked. As an expert on the Celts, he is also an authority on the culture, religion and language of the Irish people among whom Patrick spent the better part of his life. And because the details of Patrick's life are so few, Professor Freeman is of course forced to fill in the gaps with speculation. At no time did I find his conjectures anything but judicious, educated and utterly plausible. Apart from scholarly suppositions about the methods Patrick employed and the places he visited, Professor Freeman also beautifully imagines the inner dialogues Patrick must have endured and recreates the various dramas he must have experienced. I quote his wonderful visualization of the scene when Patrick told his family that God was ordering him back to Ireland:
   
   "They probably sat stunned, perhaps thinking it was some kind of joke. When they finally realized he was serious, they surely begged him to reconsider. To leave a prosperous villa, to abandon a promising political career, all for the sake of an island of hideous barbarians who had done nothing except cause pain to Patrick and those who loved him- unbelievable! Fine, become a priest if you must, they probably said, your grandfather Potitus did that, but he never left behind his wealth and position to run off and preach to savages. We'll even build you a chapel here at the villa, have services every day if you want. If you're looking for miscreants to convert, there are plenty here in your own neighborhood!" (page 54)
   
   My only complaint is that for some bizarre reason the word "Catholic" was used a grand total of 1 time in this book, and that was only to describe someone from the 17th century. Throughout the book, the author vaguely refers to Patrick as a "Christian" missionary for the "Christian" Church, to Brigid and others after her as "Christian" saints, to "Christian" monks, "Christian" bishops, "Christian" clergy, etc. That language is very odd. The adjective "Christian" is accurate as far as it goes, but not very descriptive and actually slyly deceitful. Patrick and his faith were indeed "Christian", but also more specifically "Catholic", a name the Church had been using since at least the late 1st century to describe itself and distinguish its divine legitimacy and Apostolic lineage from the various heresies that sprung up every now and then. If the Church used the word "Christian" as often as the word "Catholic" in those days, it was because there weren't 30,000 Protestant denominations around at the time to confuse the issue. The myriad sects birthed by the Reformation necessitated the use of more precise language. So, except for use in the most general terms, (such as "the cross is a Christian symbol") the word "Christian" is an amorphous glop of linguistic and theological goo in this day and age that no serious scholar can claim describes anything specific or tangible, such as a "Christian doctrine" or "the Christian Church". A similarly absurd evasion would be if a scholarly book about the Revolutionary War only described the patriots as "men" (Italians? Lithuanians? Aztecs?) who wanted independence from their "European" colonial overlord (Prussia? Turkey? Switzerland?). Such word usage is superficially true, but that kind of hazy equivocation serves to obscure the full truth rather than illuminate it. Patrick was a bishop in something called the Catholic Church, with a clerical hierarchy of deacons, monks, nuns, priests, bishops and Popes, and which was the direct doctrinal and historical forbear of the modern institution of the same name. So why did the author efface the Catholic Church from his history in an act of almost Stalinist historical revisionism?
   
   Could it have been for pusillanimously pecuniary reasons? Might his editor have told him that being Irish is trendy these days, so it would be advisable to make Patrick as ecumenically friendly as possible and not alienate the Protestant section of the market? Or was it for sectarian reasons? I don't know his faith, but he does teach at a Lutheran college in Iowa. Was he subliminally trying to advance a Protestant understanding of Church history and imply that the Catholic Church of today has no connection with the church that evangelized Ireland? After all, it is a widely-understood code word among evangelical Protestants in America that "Christian" refers to their particular brand of faith. (For example, you don't find Catholic or Orthodox books in "Christian" bookstores). The Protestants who colonized Ireland have long misappropriated Patrick as one of their own, in order to further their cause of religious and cultural genocide. Was this book an example of that kind of sectarian misuse of history? For whatever reason, Mr. Freeman's strange omission is unforgivable in a serious scholar. This book is excellent and valuable, but I'd only recommend reading it if you're savvy enough to read between the lines.
   
   Postscript: This reviewer has learned that Professor Freeman is a "practicing Catholic" who deliberately avoided use of the name of his and Patrick's church in order to "get away from modern divisions of Catholic vs. Protestant that are totally foreign to Patrick's time." Judge for yourselves, readers, whether such reasoning should be respected.



3. There certainly is a very large amount of information packed into a very small book (by comparison) here. This is an excellent work for those who have been curious, or are curious, about this famous Irish Saint, yet who are not so curious that they want to dig through a mind numbing academic work which would be better than xanax to provide a good nap. I am one of those people and I am one who greatly appreciated this work. In other areas of history, yes, I want something more in depth, but not on this particular subject. It is written in a scholarly manner, appears to be very well researched, yet I found not one page that I did not learn something from nor one page that caused my eyes to roll back into my head and wish the author would just get on with it. It was a good and informative read.
   
   I certainly am not going to rewrite the entire work in this form and call it a review. That has already been done. For greater detail refer to one of the well done and very in depth reviews already posted here. What I found most interesting about the book was the author's ability to paint a very vivid picture of the cultural and religious clash that too place in Ireland during St. Patrick's time. I enjoyed the brief look at the state of the Christian Church at that time and how it affected the people of that time. That story, to me, was just as fascinating as the one told by the author of the Great Saint himself. The brief look at the Celtic religious practices and beliefs was excellent. I also appreciated the author's ability to separate fact from all the fiction that has been dished out for years and years and do it in a nonoffensive way. This was quite refreshing. The author is quite careful to note fact from fiction, speculation from written and archeological fact. This was most helpful.
   
   The author has a wonderful popular history style, yet writes in a mode that does not insult your credulity nor does Freeman sensationalize events simply to hold the reader's interest. The facts alone, and the way the author presents them, are enough to keep you turning the pages on this one. The black and white maps provided are quite helpful as is the "dictionary" and foot noting. I enjoyed the translation of the two surviving letters of St. Patrick's "Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus" and the "Confession." Both are a nice touch and added much to the value of the book.
   
   A work such as this, where so much has been lost down through the years is not an easy thing to write, but this author, Philip Freeman has done an excellent job. Now there are books out there that go into much greater depth on the subject of this obviously great man and I certainly would recommend further reading for those who are interested or who want to become experts on the subject. For myself, this work fit my needs perfectly. I wanted to know a bit about the man and I certainly learned it here.
   
   Recommend this one highly.
   
   Don Blankenship



4. This is a great book for anyone interested in getting a glimpse at one of the most influential figures (in my opinion) in early Christianity. Freeman's book presents a concise, easy-to-follow account of Saint Patrick's life and ministry as well as pertinent historical and cultural information about Ireland and Roman Britain during his lifetime.



5. This is an excellent book that details the geography and history of the times, and the station of life that young Patrick hailed from. All of these background historical details are vital in understanding better Patrick's life and ministry. The author appeared to be as thorough as possible. What was startling was just how depraved, pagan, and cruel, at least the roving Irish were (slave traders, murderers, even cannibals) without the tempering influence of Christianity. It makes one realize how the conversion of Ireland did in fact bring the kind of normalcy that most of us take for granted within the context of civilized society.

5 comments about Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee (Leaders in Action Series).

1. I've read a number of civil war books. Lee is represented in this book and others as a remarkable and brilliant general, good christian, loving husband and father. Some of the anecdotes, however, left me incredulous. While under fire, he allegedly stopped to put a baby sparrow back in it's nest. Lee was no doubt a brave man, but he wasn' foolhardy nor stupid. this anecdote made me question the veracity of the others in this book. I wished the last half of the book had been incorporated into his life story portion in the first half of the book. Because of the way the author told Lee's story, it seemed to go on and on.



2. This book was deceitful and misleading, like most Confederate propaganda. J. Steven Wilkins was cunning in his choice and presentation of facts. If someone with no knowledge of the Civil War read this book, he would be left with an absolutely incorrect perspective of Robert E. Lee, the institution of slavery, and the Civil War in general.
   
   First, there are inconsistencies between "Call of Duty" and... "Call of Duty"! At one point in the book, Wilkins quotes Lee as saying, "If the slaves of the South were mine, I would surrender them all without a struggle, to avert this war." Later, Wilkins claims that Lee was offended and hurt that anyone thought slavery had anything to do with the war. So answer me this...how could freeing slaves avert a war that had nothing to do with slavery?
   
   Another instance where the book contradicts itself is regarding race relations. Wilkins tries to sell the idea that Southern whites and Southern slaves lived in perfect harmony, respecting each other without the slightest presence of racism. Once again, later in the book this changes...Wilkins tells us of a church in Richmond whose attendees were shocked by a Negro who went up to take Communion! None of the churchgoers, except for Lee, as the story goes, wanted to be the first one to participate with a colored man. How is this possible in a society where racism is absent? Wilkins tries to blame this on Reconstruction, but I doubt a society could go from having no racism whatsoever to this degree of racism in such a short period of time.
   
   The book also contradicts history...notably, regarding Robert Lee and slavery. The book says that Lee never seemed to have owned more than six slaves. This is not true. Wesley Norris, one of Lee's slaves, says in an account that almost 70 slaves were inherited by Lee upon the death of Lee's father-in-law.
   
   Following in the said account, Wesley Norris tells the story of him and his sister Mary, who tried to escape the plantation after Lee inherited it. Upon being caught, Lee took it upon himself to "teach them a lesson they would never forget." He had them stripped to the waist, flogged, and thoroughly washed in brine. We see a little glimpse of Christian chivalry peeking out of Lee as he only had Mary receive twenty lashes, whereas Wesley received fifty. This is far from the compassionate Robert Wilkins would have us know! Wesley Norris's account can be found in "Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, and Interviews, and Autobiographies".
   
   The book also implies that Lee opposed slavery. However, the supposed "proof-text" for this actually tells us quite the opposite. In the text of a letter Lee sent to his wife, which is printed in "Call of Duty", Lee actually defends slavery. Lee tries to distort the gross institution of slavery into some kind of mission work. Slavery was Christianizing the Negroes, and preparing them for freedom, and to seek to free Negroes from the clutches of slavery was to shake your fist at God, or so Lee reasons. This is ridiculous, considering how many missionaries of all religions have successfully converted people without enslaving them, and yet it is the rationale used by Lee, Wilkins, and so many other Southern partisans who seek to defend the South by justifying slavery.
   
   "Call of Duty" makes a god of Robert E. Lee, condemns the North, and justifies slavery with no regard for historical, logical, or moral facts. The Southern partisan will love it.



3. 
   A great opportunity is afforded any reader introduced to the Leaders In Action Series, and the refined biography of Robert E. Lee serves as an excellent first choice.
   
   Though written in a non-confrontational style, enough facts contradict the popular notions of Lee, the Civil War, {or the Southern appelation: The War between the States}, slavery, and the northern view of 'slavery and the South' to compel serious examination of the historical facts.
   
   It is no secret in Christian circles that Lee was an ardent disciple of the Lord Jesus, striving his entire life to follow the way of the Lord. That the General was against slavery is not as well known.
   
   Author J. Steven Wilkins' notation that Lincoln emancipated only the slaves in the enemy states held in rebellion, while leaving northern slaves to their chains is a topic that has layed untroubled since that President's proclamation of fame.
   
   Lee's Christian character and military genius are well chronicled in this immaculately manicured biography. Easy reference searches are made a joy by the editor's finely outlined table of contents, chronology of Lee's life and additional study helps.
   
   "Call of Duty," is a historical work of value for academics in many disciplines. This study of integrity unfolds for the reader the path up the Christian walk.
   
   Well done to Pastor Wilkins, though his study undoubtedly made it's own reward. Acknowledgments to those savvy enough to see not only the need for such a series, but wise enough to include enough detail in each volume to demand further consideration.
   
   "The steps of a good man are..." {Psalm 37:23, The New King James Version, Nelson Publishers.}
   
   TL Farley,
   author,
   When Now Becomes Too Late,
   Distant Reaches
   
   When Now Becomes Too Late { Print Edition }
   
   When Now Becomes Too Late { Kindle Edition }
   
   { Prophecy : The Rapture in Brief ! }
   
   
   Distant Reaches { Print Edition }
   
   { True Life Adventure in Ireland, Boston and on the North Atlantic }



4. Any accurate portrayal of Robert E. Lee, certainly one of our country's finest leaders, should definitely move anyone with an ounce of common sense to an enormous appreciation for this most outstanding human being. Lee's inspiring faith in God, his leadership by example, and lifelong message is one of love and honor. His own words and letters best exemplify this fact, and this author's liberal use of them brings it all home in this short, succinct work. However, be forewarned that Wilkins adds his own additional preaching far removed from the Gospels, most sadly detracting from an accurate historical perspective on Lee by adding his own self-serving distortions on slavery. The historical record is clear: Lee found slavery objectionable and looked forward to the day when it would end. None-the-less, Wilkins tries very hard to rationalize slavery as something good, as if his sad excuses are necessary in order to make Lee look acceptable.... so far from the truth! Wilkins does our great man, Lee, along with the rest of America, a dis-service by his disgusting blabberings. Let's hear it for Robert E. Lee, and not taint his image with such dribble. Most other Lee biographies will serve us more fairly and honorably.



5. If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. This book illustrates the sort of gentleman that is lacking in our society today, lacking even in our churches. Truly an example for all to follow. Well done Reverend Wilkins.

2 comments about Katherine Howard: A Tudor Conspiracy.

1. This thin account of the life of Henry V1's fifth wife is readable and enjoyable. The unwary reader may miss the obvious bias of the author against the Roman Catholic religion. Anne Boleyn was a good woman, religious, pious and wrongfully betrayed by Catholic partisans who are the bad guys.
   "Katherine had been raised as a traditional Catholic. In awe of the
   rituals, swayed by the mysticism and unquestioning theological
   doctrines. She lit candles for her dead parents, ate fish on
   Fridays and said her prayers by rote in the happy assurance that
   whatever she did would be forgiven in the confessional."
   This myth of the meaning of the sacrament of Confession betrays either a willful misrepresentation or a deliberate slur. The good guys are Reformers whose motives a pure and noble. Katherine Howard was a pawn of the same partisans and her wild sexual behavior was largely the fault of adult neglect during her formative years. According to this author. If you want entertainment then this is your book. If you want a more scholarly presentation of the issues of the day and the actors in this Tudor drama then look elsewhere.



2. This book was somewhat disapointing not because of the skill of the author. The historical material is so thin, it is difficult to fabricate a story.

5 comments about Confessions of a Yakuza: A Life in Japan's Underworld.

1. Although, I have not read this book yet, I am looking forward to reading it and I am glad that I made this purchase.



2. There is much to like about this book - it simply taking place in Japan, a culture so different than the United States, makes it interesting; another layer of interest is in the time frame, which begins in the early 1900s; and, of course, the most obvious twist of all is in its exploration of the organized crime syndicate, the Yakuza. It is important to have an account of the sort of life one would live under these circumstances in that far from the Hollywood presentation we've grown accustomed to, this tells the story very honestly and without much glamor. On the other hand, it is told in a retrospective, anecdotal fashion; as this is not a Yakuza boss's memoir but the story of a Yakuza boss's life as narrated to another, recorded on tape and transcribed to text, it loses much of the emotion and immediacy that it would have if told in the moment. Its being narrated to another presents us only with pieces of a larger picture, as well - Eiji's prison terms, military conscription and time spent as a night boatman, transporting people through the darkness, hidden from the eyes of the corrupt police force, for example, could have multiple chapters devoted to them, but instead we only get one or two of the most interesting anecdotes of each. The darker parts of the biography detailing murders and men selling their wives so as to keep up their gambling habits are disturbing but detached; one chapter ends with the sentence "It's pretty frightening, really, when you think about it...." which I think sums up the feeling pretty well - we shake our heads but do not feel truly disturbed, as we might if the story were presented in a different voice. Though the editor's note explains that he removed some of the more confusing and tedious parts, I doubt that this would alter the feeling that we are simply getting a few glimpses at a much larger picture. Another gripe is that some of the humor gets lost in translation, and when someone tries to make a joke, simply the way it is phrased ruins it. For example, the gambler Tsukada Saburo tells him, "Well, making things is just my line - I can even make babies with other men's wives! - and this was a cinch for me." I'm sure that you get the idea. But that is a small flaw, and the book as a whole, while not being entirely enveloping or emotionally gripping, is still very interesting and enjoyable, and worth a read for sure.



3. A great way to look into the yakuza world and not have Hollywood mucking it up. I recently did some research on the yakuza and out of all the books I read, this one was by far one of the best. Even though he's kind of recounting tales to this doctor, the story is still very involved and engrossing. A great read!



4. it is a great book that combines history and the orginazied crime family that played a large part of many people's lives. It is an insider view of a world that very few knows exists.



5. Somehow, I thought this would be some blood drenched melodrama, and along the way I would learn a thing or two about the Yakuza way.
   
   But this book was far more subtle and deeply real. It is clear that in the old days, a good Yakuza boss keep a low profile and maintained good connections with his community. All of this is very subtly and carefully portrayed. Many times, it is his careful and diplomatic efforts that yield some of the best results.
   
   And yet, his story is underscored by how he lived outside of society often times. On top of all this, it conveys a time in Japan long ago, and did so very graphically.
   
   All in all, an very good book.

2 comments about Lincoln: The Presidential Archives.

1. I haven't gotten into this book yet - only looked through it. I think it looks unique and very interesting. Looking forward to diving in.



2. Lincoln: The Presidential Archives, Chuck Wills, Dorling Kindersley Publications, 160 pp, b/w photographs, watercolor maps, bibliography, ephemera, September 2007.
   
   If you wish to hold reproductions of Lincoln's elementary mathematics notebook, the Lincoln-Todd marriage license, Lincoln's letter to Sheilds outlining the terms of their forthcoming duel, Lincoln's patent application, the first piece of mail delivered by the Pony Express from St. Joseph, Missouri to Julesburg, Rocky Mountains, Mary Todd Lincoln's letter from NYC to her husband in which she asks for more cash, the telegram from Tammany Hall to Lincoln informing him of the Draft Riots and many more documents, then this splendid book is for you.
   
   Not just a collection of paper documents, but also a fine biography with period photographs, maps, and illustrations on every other page, Lincoln: The Presidential Archives, is a wonderful book. In particular, rare photographs of Denton Offut's store where Lincoln clerked, the Lincoln and Berry store, and the Edwards' house in which the Abraham and Mary were wed are published.
   
   The book's heavy and glossy paper and a strong binding allows the book to stay open at every page. Lincoln: The Presidential Archives is both an attractive coffee table book and a 'hands-on' biography. The narrative contents are well organized and the eight sturdy, opaque, full-page envelopes that hold the reproductions have a paper flap that allows for easy removal and return of the reproduction documents.
   
   Lincoln: The Presidential Archives is worth every penny and will be a welcomed gift for any Lincoln enthusiast, Civil War buff, American history reader or social science teacher.

5 comments about Daughter of Persia: A Woman's Journey from Her Father's Harem Through the Islamic Revolution.

1. Monument to a charming woman's tenacity and common sense, this exceptionally enjoyable book also reveals a way of life, the customs and the transformations taking place in one of the world's most interesting and least known countries. Iran's fascinating modern history, from the Qajar period up to the Islamic revolution of 1979, is revealed here, in a most readable presentation.



2. Milo Wolff, Manhatan Beach, CA. Sattareh Farmaian, member of Persia's upper-upper class was buffeted around the world by the religious turbulence of the Middle East, and the international greed for oil to feed growing indusrialization. Admiration of her capable father caused her to spear-head establishment a graduate college of social services to serve the village needs of Persia (Iran). As the reader follows her adventures and hair-raising escapes you will feel that you are there with her ('Satty"); in the hold of a ship to Bombay, disembarking in the strange port of Los angeles, and enrolling as a student at USC. You will understand her disappointment that the Statue of Liberty is not in the port of LA but 3000 miles away in NYC. And her amazement watching college co-eds use their bodies as bait for males. Even if you have not read the poetry of Omar Khyam, you will end up in a love affair with the culture of Persia. You will not put this book down.



3. This memoir by Sattareh Farman Farmaian, a truly amazing woman, is not only a hard-to-put-down account of prerevolutionary Iran but is unusual in offering Westerners a personal way to learn about Iranians, their modern history, and why the Islamic Revolution took place -- including where the West went wrong.
   
   On a personal level, this dramatic book is about how the author broke away from her traditional harem upbringing and became a pioneering social worker, but it's also a surprisingly even-handed account of the rocky course of the Pahlevi dynasty, from its beginning in 1921 to its end in 1979. As you might expect frorm a member of the royals who preceded the Pahlevis, the author is proud of her family -- especially her father, a prince of the former dynasty who cared deeply about the welfare of the individual poor -- and she doesn't have much use for the last Shah's father, who got his start as her dad's gunnery sergeant and later executed her oldest half-brother. Farman approves of the last Shah's efforts to modernize Iran, but she's critical of him because he cared far more about getting and keeping absolute power than he did about the plight of the poor, illiterate Iranians she hersellf fought to help for twenty years. In fact, Farman's real point is that the Pahlevis' indifference to the welfare and feelings of ordinary citizens was the ultimate cause of the Islamic Revolution. Given the current state of affairs in Iraq, Afganistan, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim countries around the world, that just might be a message we should be listening to today.



4. This is a story of a remarkable person who lived a remarkable life and had great accomplishments. I salute her.
   
   However, I found the book a little disappointing in the fact that the author spent so much time trying to make out the Qajar dynasty/extended family were all good and cultured (and by inference they could do nothing wrong), while the Pahlavi family were nothing but the opposite (and could do nothing right). The truth is often somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
   
   The author's personal biases and bitterness often ignored facts and detracted from the book.



5. I truly enjoyed "Daughter of Persia"! This book is a biography that reads like a novel! It is beautifully written, fascinating, and informative. I definitely recommend it for everyone. In fact, it really SHOULD be read by Americans to better understand Iran and the Persian culture.