No comments about Lord North: The Prime Minister Who Lost America.

No comments about A Disjointed Search for the Will to Live.

No comments about A Glowing Dream: A Memoir.

1 comments about More Time for Politics: Diaries 2001-2007.

1. Commenting yesterday evening on the current infighting within the governing Labour party, a famous British tycoon said that whether in a business organisation or in a government if the team are not all on-side you're sunk. The latest volume (2001-7) of Tony Benn's diaries brings us the latest thoughts of the most celebrated serial dissident in British politics. Throughout his long career as successively the Rt Hon Anthony Wedgwood Benn then Viscount Stansgate and latterly plain Tony Benn, the author has been a cabinet minister, almost deputy leader of the Labour party, and longest-serving member of the House of Commons. He is now well over 80, widowed and retired from Parliament, no longer in robust health but still phenomenally active with speeches, broadcasts, interviews and journalism, and of course as articulate and nonconformist as ever.
   
   Benn is not an intellectual of the stamp of Richard Crossman, whose background and career were similar and whose diaries were in their time as famous. By political instinct he is a man of the people, by temperament a perfect gentleman. He is almost a kind of English Chou En-lai, but less cerebral and with a passionate commitment to the politics of consent. The strongest thread running through this volume is his detestation of the politics of Tony Blair, which he represents as manipulative, messianic, egotistical and deeply undemocratic. On every page this diary prompts, but does not resolve, the question `How is representative democracy compatible with any kind of effective action?' He laments the slowness of the earnest left-wing talking shops, he knows what Labour committees can be like, specifically the one immediately after 9/11 which he had difficulty in getting to discuss that pivotal event because it was concerned as usual with leaflet distribution, but when it comes to what he perceives as Blair's answer, namely just ignore everyone else and `do what you think is right', every instinct in his makeup revolts.
   
   That Blair achieved the electoral success he did largely through contempt for the processes of the party he led I don't doubt, and I wish Benn had addressed this matter with the candour he shows elsewhere. He is pretty dismissive himself of rigmarole and flummery, and I have to quote one jewel of his typical style, following the death of John-PaulII
   
   `The election announcement has been delayed, the royal wedding has been delayed, because the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prime Minister want to go to Rome and therefore couldn't be there for the wedding. The whole thing is a complete farce really.'
   
   As well as the manner in which Blair drove through his policies, Benn is of course in complete opposition to the policies themselves. `Modernising the poor out of existence just won't work' is memorable and, one suspects, true, as the inherent nature and particularly the ongoing cost of the `reforms' become evident. Again I wish Benn had addressed the public perception that the kind of socialism he represents is cumbrous, but he is more concerned with attacking what `New' Labour has put in its place, which it is hard to view as any model of efficiency either, though of course some are still trying to. He opposes the war in Iraq as you might expect, but also the campaigns in Afghanistan and in the former Yugoslavia, and he charts his own descent into disillusion with Israel, of which he had once been a fervent supporter.
   
   Benn will talk to anyone, and his interview with Saddam is given in extenso here. He is on friendly terms with Conservative opponents, and his patrician courtesy and impeccable good manners have even made him good buddies with Dr Paisley, despite his open support for Sinn Fein and a united Ireland. What complete oafs he makes some of our leaders seem, and while on the topic of Mr Bush I recall another delicious remark regarding the President's supposed fondness for giving people nicknames `I wonder what nickname he gave Tony Blair.'
   
   More than in previous diaries, we meet the family man here, now elderly, living alone and bereaved of his beloved American wife Caroline de Camp Benn. There are numerous accounts of how he was reduced to tears, and I have no difficulty with this image of him despite the composure that he so rarely loses in public. There are several photographs of the clan, and also numerous accounts of his interactions with his children and grandchildren. One particularly interesting facet of the diaries is of course that one member of the cabinet appointed by his abhorred Blair is none other than his own able and adored son Hilary, currently Secretary of State for International Development and uncannily reminiscent of his father in face, voice and gesture. We hear a bit of their conversations, but not as much as I would have liked to hear. You could not make Tony Benn stay on-side for any government or Labour party establishment if he did not happen to agree, but this is something different.
   
   In a touching postscript he leaves open, as he obviously must, the question whether he will ever publish another volume of diaries. I am still left unclear and tantalised as to how his precise way of operating would make modern governing possible, or how he would, in the top job, cope with any such figure as himself in his cabinet. However the warnings he sounds about the decline of democratic process are loud valid and clear. It is not just the fault of Blair, or of New Labour, or of politicians in my own opinion. It is a matter of our own inertia and complaisance as citizens and electors. Benn rightly castigates the House of Commons for dereliction of its duty to keep a rein on the executive, and from America I don't hear many voices from either side of the political divide averring that the Congress is doing much better in that regard. Tony Benn you do a great job and don't kill yourself doing it.

3 comments about Elizabeth Hanford Dole: Speaking from the Heart (Praeger Series in Political Communication).

1. I had not realized the depth and breadth of Ms. Dole's positions and influence throughout her varied political life until I read this book. Her career spans decades and she has served in a number of interesting political roles. This book is great in providing the comprehensive story of Elizabeth Dole, and also how her communication skills and caring concerned nature have helped promote worthy causes. This is an excellent book for all who wish to know more about this influential political figure.



2. Reading this book is like sitting down and having a personal conversation with Senator Elizabeth Dole.
   I found this book on Elizabeth Dole to be informative yet highly entertaining. The authors have shed new light on Dole that presents her like no other Dole book I've read. From her time as Red Cross spokeswoman to Senator she's given some milestone speeches that have been well detailed in the book. I highly recommend this book, even if you're not a huge Dole fan.



3. II found this book to be an outstanding perspective on such a fine,
   dedicated public servant. It was well written and very informative.
   In a a very easy to read, entertaining format, this book summarized much of Ms. Dole's long and fine dedication to her country.
   Even if you don't find Ms. Dole interesting, this work highlights her speeches and the drive behind this great American leader.
   I highly recommend this book. Reading this book was time well spent
   and opened my eyes to this positive, energetic politician.

5 comments about Citizen Coors: An American Dynasty.

1. I thought the book was outstanding. It was historical, personal, tragic, economic, political and ideological. It also included incredible lessons for the business world. I have been and will continue to recommend this book to others.



2. "Citizen Coors" is a book written about the ups and downs of the Coors family, in both the business and personal arenas. Founded by Adolph Coors, a Prussian stowaway to America, the Coors Company has been in existance now for more than 100 years and during that time, it has often found itself thrust into the spotlight over problems with employees, political involvement, and family crises and disputes.

   Author Dan Baum spends a little bit of time talking about the foundation of the company, then he heads directly into the 20th century, discussing at length the Coor's family members (Bill, Joe, Adolph II, Adolph III, Peter, Joe, and others) and their various business philosophies and personal lives. As most people know, the Coors family has always had problems with organized labor, and the company has been the target of strikes and boycotts by various pro- labor and ethnic groups. Accused of being anti- labor, anti- gay, sexist, and racist, the Coors Company has been forced to face a never- ending onslaught of criticism from various civil and political groups. Author Dan Baum covers many of these important issues thoroughly, while managing to leave out his own opinions, allowing the reader to digest the information and make his/her own decision.

   Reading a book like will make some people a little bit annoyed at the Coors family and its beliefs. The labor problems are one thing, but there are other issues that the author covers which are just as controversial. For example, it is known that Coors was very slow to accept the changes in the marketplace in the 1970's, when the other big brewers, Miller and Anheuser- Busch, were both switching to a brand marketing emphasis. Coors could visibly see the changes, but refused to make any moves until it was almost too late. Bill Coors, in particular, is incredibly rigid, refusing to even consider producing and selling a light beer, even though other family members and marketing experts all warn him that change is necessary if the Coors Company has any hope to survive.

   The book ends by talking about the modern era. Coors is still around, but the boycotts and other problems have taken a toll. The company is no longer family run, like it was in the past. Now, Coors is directed by professionals who have managed to expand the product line, allocate more money toward marketing and sales, and have rescued the company from bankruptcy.

   "Citizen Coors" is a very good read. It has its share of tragedy (Adolph Coors I and great- granddaughter Missy both committed suicide and Adolph III was murdered) but it also has its share of success. Coors is credited for inventing the aluminum can and for encouraging recycling on a massive scale. Above all, though, "Citizen Coors" shows the importance of accepting change. If Coors had acted more quickly, it could possibly be a much larger brewer than it is today, rivaling A-B for the top spot in the industry. A little more flexibility and open- mindedness could have worked wonders.




3. Baum does not go easy on the Coors family, but I also found Citizen Coors sympathetic and very touching, with frank discussion of the family culture and their very human conflicts, weaknesses, and strengths. Stubbornly, and honorably, they stuck to their belief that if they made excellent beer, people would buy it with or without advertising. They finally succumbed to the need for expensive advertising campaigns in the face of market share wars that erupted when Phillip Morris bought Miller Brewing Company and applied sophisticated tobacco marketing strategies to beer.

   At times, the book portrays some Coors as very much bewildered, as when Bill Coors innocently suggested at an employee meeting that citizen's votes should count in proportion to how much each person pays in taxes. But when it came to engineering, in which most of the family members were trained, Bill Coors was creative and determined in the successful effort to develop the aluminum can, and an aluminum can recycling program.

   The Coors, and the companies they control, have expended enormous resources for the causes in which they believe, which included development of the aluminum can, and a tab that did not leave a separated ring, so prone to becoming a separate piece of litter. They also were willing to spend millions and suffer economic and public relations losses to fight for their conservative political and religious ideals. Many (but not all) of the family members have a born-again or fundamentalist Christian faith, and there is an uncomfortable conflict between their morals and the manufacture and marketing of beer.

   Sometimes they implemented their ideals about private sector action, in place of government programs. As Business Week pointed out in its review of the book, Coors "recruited urban unemployables right out of prison", because they wanted to give them a chance to become productive members of society. In another situation they did not act so responsibly. When they discovered that chlorinated organic solvents from aluminum can manufacturing had gotten into the groundwater, they decided not to report it as required by law, and secretly pumped the water into Clear Creek for ten years, before finally getting caught.

   To maintain their absolutist view of property rights, including the right to run their brewery any way they saw fit; they waged battles with labor unions, hurting Coors' image with some of its consumers. Property rights also seemed to be the basis of their 1960's opposition to civil rights laws. Baum asserts that it was the Coors' repugnance about having government inspectors coming onto their property and reviewing their records, more than the cleanup costs, that motivated them to not report the groundwater contamination.

   The history of the Coors family and Golden are very much entwined, so those interested in local Golden history will enjoy the book. Many Golden residents personally know various people in the book. Ruben Hartmeister's work with Bill Coors to develop the aluminum can is excitingly recounted. There is an astonishing story about Leo Bradley and Coors setting up private drug stings, and expanding the operations to downtown Golden to Shotgun Annie's (now The Buffalo Rose). Meanwhile its owner, whose business was put at considerable risk, was also a client of the Bradley law firm, and was therefor owed a duty of loyalty by the firm. But he was kept in the dark about the drug sting operations, set up on his property.

   With Thanks to historian Rick Gardner regarding the new name for Shotgun Annie's

   Hint: As I read the book, I found it very helpful to sketch a family tree.




4. Two of my neighbors read this book and told me, repeatedly, that I'd love it. They said they'd both finished it in two days. Finally they gave it to me for my birthday--and I spent my birthday (and most of the following night) reading it. I finished it in even less time than they did--and me, a fiction reader!

   The Coors family saga is fascinating. It's a classic American success story, with elements straight out of a Greek tragedy. The very qualities that made the family succeed so well for the first hundred years--attention to product quality and family concepts of integrity--nearly destroyed them in the last twenty-five.

   I can't agree with the earlier reviewer, who commented that the book was poorly organized. I thought the author did a great job of interweaving story lines, so I understood what all of the players were doing during a given period of time.

   I thought the author also did a good job of remaining unbiased. He may have had "Eastern Establishment" leanings, as one of the other reviewers commented, but I thought he painted the Coors family members in a reasonably sympathetic light. He certainly helps you understand how people with their family background--immigrant founder who built the business from scratch--would have developed some of the attitudes they hold (or held).

   My only problem with the book was that the anecdotes were so fascinating that I was compelled to read long sections to my husband--even though he fully intended to read the book himself as soon as I finished it.

   I highly recommend this book!




5. This book is particularly fascinating for those of us living in Colorado. As someone who enjoys regularly visiting Golden, (and taking Coors brewery tours), it's interesting to look at the town from a different perspective; The Coors' family's.

   While tragic in some respects, I do think that this tome paints a real and unflinching picture of the life of one immigrant family which has made in America.

1 comments about The Sovereign Ladies of Europe.

1. These "biographies" are all written before Queen Victoria died so they are a bit dated and all have "glowing" things to say about the subject ...not a HINT of scandal or inbreeding ..but it's a nice read to see how the 19th century "slanted" their news!

No comments about For The Vast Future Also: Essays from the Journal of the Lincoln Association (The North¬s Civil War Series, 10).

No comments about Rossa's Recollections, 1838 to 1898: Memoirs of an Irish Revolutionary.

3 comments about On the Finland Watch: An American Diplomat in Finland During the Cold War.

1. "This book is a big piece of me," says ex-U. S. Consul General James Ford Cooper, referring to ON THE FINLAND WATCH, which happens to contain deeply penetrating insights about the Cold War.

   Cooper examines in detail Cold War policies, which he feels succeeded in balancing many delicate vital interests, in particular Finland's success in maintaining its independence from the Soviet Union. He puts into historical perspective the difficult relationship between two such neighboring states, while introducing colorful statesmen, such as the long-time uncanny Finnish President Urho Kekkonen, who "tried to shape publc opinion 180 degrees."

   Cooper reveals how U. S. diplomatic missions fared during his two Helsinki tours, always mindful of the characters he knew personally. He and his wife Magda participated in Nordic society, enrolled their children in Finnish schools and partook in recreational activities, including Cooper's memorable finish in the 13th annual Finlandia ski race.

   Such ongoing support and understanding on the part of such a keen career officer may allow the U. S. and its allies to maneuver all the more successfully in the world's ever-changing political landscape.




2. Ford Cooper's book provides great insight into the Cold War era when tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were at their peak. He provides an interesting--and mostly sympathetic --perspective on Finland's delicate balancing act between these super powers.



3. This is a truly fascinating book about Finland and her high-wire act guarding her independence in the shadow of the Soviet Union.

   The author spent several years in the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki during the seventies and eighties, and experienced many of the crises first hand, and had access to the main players in the Finnish government and media. This made it possible for him to research the previous crises, prior to his arrival in Helsinki around 1976.

   The most important example was the "Note Crisis" around 1961-62, when the Soviet Union appeared to turn the screws on Finland quite a few turns. Living in Sweden at the time, I felt the fear emating from this incident, and seeing it described and analyzed by an insider was fascinating. The author is fluent in Finnish, unlike most diplomats posted to Finland (except, of course, the Russians, who made a career out of managing the Finland relationship).

   The only problem is that the book sometimes presupposes more knowledge than that which the average reader is likely to possess. I would recommend the book, but also that the reader arm himself with a map of the area, and a pencil, and that he make a list of the many abbreviations as they occur.

   nils@codeart.com