5 comments about THE GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA.

1. Let us face the facts. Mr. Gingrich is a hypocrite. While talking about how awful President Clinton was, Mr. Gingrich was fooling around behind his wife's back. None of this is included in this book so I am left to wonder what else is missing. A white wash of a book. I give it 2 stars for effort.



2. Followers of the career of Newt Gingrich will be disappointed by this biography. The book is at its best in describing the ins and outs of the local elections Newt fought and won in Georgia, with a lot of background information on each election. But the sections on Newt's Washington career are culled mostly from newspaper articles and interviews with some of the players in the Gingrich era that--surprisingly--add few insights into the nature and character of Gingrich. Steely's prose is often wooden and the numerous changes of tense are jarring. The text in fact at times reads more like a first draft manuscript than a polished biography. Gingrich is clearly the most influential Republican figure of the 1990's and political history demands a sweeping documentation of his career. We'll just have to wait for one.



3. Followers of the career of Newt Gingrich will be disappointed by this biography. The book is at its best in describing the ins and outs of the local elections Newt fought and won in Georgia, with a lot of background information on each election. But the sections on Newt's Washington career are culled mostly from newspaper articles and interviews with some of the players in the Gingrich era that--surprisingly--add few insights into the nature and character of Gingrich. Steely's prose is often wooden and the numerous changes of tense are jarring. The text in fact at times reads more like a first draft manuscript than a polished biography. Gingrich is clearly the most influential Republican figure of the 1990's and political history demands a sweeping documentation of his career. We'll just have to wait for one.



4. Newt Gingrich is one of the more remarkable and misunderstood statemen in the history of the American Republic. He embodies in one man a genius for ideas and a genius for action.
   
   The latter is not entirely belied by his fall from the pinnicle of power. In his short years as Speaker he accomplished much. He ended welfare as an entitlement. He turned chronic deficits into lasting surpluses. The man who was nominally in charge of the United States, Bill Clinton, is a cipher by comparison. History will show that the most influential politician of the 1990s was Speaker Gingrich.
   
   He was hated by his enemies, whose power he had taken away. He was distrusted by his friends, to whom he gave power. That latter fact is the irony of Gingrich's triumph. Those who owed Gingrich everything in the end drove him from elected politics.
   
   Nevertheless it may be comforting that the story of Newt Gingrich is not over yet. He continues in the private sector to do what he does so well, to drive ideas and foster change. If George W. Bush rises to the Presidency, he could do far worse than to offer the former Speaker a cabinet post. That certainly would make for an excellent second volume.
   
   --Mark R. Whittington http://curmudgeons.blogspot.com/



5. In the Gentlemen from Georgia: The Biography of Newt Gingrich, University of West Georgia History professor Mel Steely profiles one of the most remarkable individuals to ever to serve the American public from Capital Hill.

   I have known Mel Steely for over two decades as a friend, professor, Congressional intern, Campaign Aid & mentor. This book is something that many, including myself, have long wanted to see released.

   Mel Steely, as Newt's most loyal and trusted aid, as well as an accomplished historian in his own right, is uniquely qualified to profile Newt Gingrich. Steely comments on the public Newt, the one that millions of Americans know from the portrayals of Dan Rather C-SPAN & CNN as well as the Newt that was rarely seen in public.

   This story is compelling at so many levels. Newt was the only GOP candidate in the terrible GOP election year of Watergate to nearly knock off a 32 year incumbent Democratic. Later as a backbencher Newt earned a name for himself on C-SPAN as the intellectual hard charger to a bloated & corrupt Democratic Party with institutionalized power. Several times Newt nearly escaped political disaster with razor thin re-election margins both in the GOP Primary and the General election and at other times he was the most popular politician in Georgia. He quarterbacked the Contract with America and took back the House after 40 years of liberal Democratic control.

   Uncluttered with the inside the beltway mentality that so often is the source for boiler plate political bios, this story is compelling because it was written by someone who really knows the man. Steely brings an academic objectivity combined with a personal experience that no other author could ever hope to match.

   From the Social(ist) Science building on the University of West Georgia campus where Mel Steely has lectured students for the last quarter century, he became a lightning rod for the radical campus left. They could never accept that a young brash college professor of humble beginnings could become the leader of the Conservative movement in the United States and third in line to the U.S. President. In this hostile environment Mel served his students as well as his country and found for himself a most unique vantage point for the chronicle he was so uniquely suited to write.

   Perhaps, one day, they may even rename that Social(ist) Science Building to Gingrich Hall in honor of the University's most famous professor, who later became a professor to all American people.

   It would be a fitting commentary to the Psychology Department hippie commune and the Political Science true believers of Karl Marx to have to conduct their classes in such an environment.

   This is a great book about a great man. I highly recommend it to anyone interested interested in government and the renewal of the Republican Party. I would even go so far to say it ought to be required reading for Political Science Students @ the University of West Georgia.

   BigEd@SCOUTER.com

3 comments about Saladin: All-Powerful Sultan and the Uniter of Islam.

1. Stanley Lane-Poole's biography of Saladin was published in 1898 but remains the best source of information about the sultan. The author has done his research consulting Christian and Muslim contemporary sources - some of which he quotes from - and conveys Saladin's life in beautiful prose. An excellent example is the following except concerning Crusader ambassadors given the unique privilege of seeing the Fatimid Caliph of Egypt.
   
   "They were led by mysterious corridors and through guarded doors, where stalwart Sudanis saluted with naked swords. They reached a spacious court, open to the sky, and surrounded by arcades resting on marble pillars; the paneled ceilings were carved and inlaid in gold and colours; the pavement was rich mosaic. The unaccustomed eyes of the rude knights opened wide with wonder at the taste and refinement that met them at every step; - here they saw marble fountains, birds of many notes and wondrous plumage, strangers to the western world..."
   
   Mr. Lane-Poole provides an invaluable look at the world of Saladin giving us the history of the Seljuk Turks and the First Crusade, and the life of Saladin is presented with no information lacking and with a critical eye for his subject. The struggle between Christians and Muslims is well presented and we are given completed accounts of the Third Crusade from both sides. The book is illustrated with many photographs, maps and drawings; it also includes a list of the principle contemporary historians of the period.
   I wanted to know more about Saladin having seen the film Kingdom of Heaven, and this book was perfect.



2. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a facsinating story of a great warrior who fought for his country. I can recommend this book to anyone interested in the histroty of the muslim world.



3. Written by the late British historian Stanley Lane-Pools (1854-1931), Saladin: All-powerful Sultan And The Uniter Of Islam is an informed and informative biography of the great warrior, statesman, and faithful believer in Islam, Salah ad-Din ibn Ayyub, more commonly known as Saladin (A.D. 1138-1193). From his early years in a Kurdish military family to the beginning of his military service at age fourteen, to his conquest of Jerusalem marked by an unprecedentedly humane treatment of the citizens within, to his belief and application of civilized justice, Saladin: All-powerful Sultan And The Uniter Of Islam is the life story of a truly unique leader who deservedly earned his legendary status both in the West as well as throughout Islam.

5 comments about Jack: A Life Like No Other.

1. Jack is a nice easy read but one tends to wonder where Perret got some of his ideas or if in fact he got them from anywhere but his own imagination. There are times when Perret seems to make up small insignificant happenings to forshadow the inevitable outcome of his life. That aside, Jack is a good book portraying a President so unique and so different than most ex-Presidents. This would be a good first Kennedy read.



2. The life of Jack Kennedy has been covered countless times in books, magazines and movies. Having made the transformation from assassinated president to tabloid favorite, one wonders if there is anything new to be learned about Kennedy, or if there is anything to be gained by buying Geoffrey Perret's book. If you're at all like me -- a fan of history, an admirer of JFK, but not too swayed by rose colored revisionism -- then this book will prove to be well worth the money. Perret starts at the beginning and fully explores the odd psychological uprbinging Kennedy experienced in a family that was extremely eccentric and neurotic -- quite a far cry from American royalty. He follows Kennedy through his pratfalls as a high school and college student, and laments on the never-ending health problems Kennedy ran into throughout his life. I, for one, never knew that our movie star president was often in a frail and precarious state. By the book's end, you walk away with a new appreciation for all of the complexities of Kennedy's character -- and there enough here to make Freud blink a few times -- and for the truly unique life that he led.



3. Mr. Perret somehow succeeded in writing an incredibly boring book about a man who lived an extrodinary life. The book is also marred by continuous misstatements of fact and poor research. To those looking for a good book on JFK, I advise you to take a look at Nigel Hamilton's "JFK: Reckless Youth" for illumination on his early life, Richard Reeves' "Profile in Power" for a broad look at his presidency, and Arthur Schlessinger Jr.'s "A Thousand Days" for an intimate look at his presidency that also gives you an excellent sense of who he was as a person. "Jack" isn't worth the time.



4. It's true that JFK lived a "life like no other," but the author completely missed his chance to tell the reader why. This is the same type of tabloid swill that's already been done to death in, for example, "JFK: Reckless Youth" and "A Question of Character." The themes of JFK's being obsessed with early death and his drive to live every day as if it were his last, are interesting ones, and could have been a good premise for this book. But this book adds absolutely nothing to what's already been written. No new ground is broken, despite promises to the contrary. Also detracting from his credibility are the author's gossipy references to such things as JFK's personal habits while having sex, how many cigarettes a day Jackie smoked (do I care?) and the homosexuality of friends like Lem Billings and Joe Alsop. Obviously JFK felt comfortable and confident enough in his own masculinity and heterosexuality, and valued the loyalty and friendship of these men enough, that he was neither concerned about nor felt threatened by their sexual orientation. Also detracting from the book's credibility is the sloppy research and annoying lack of fact-checking. For example, the author mentions several times that Bobby and Ethel were married in 1951. They were actually married in 1950. The book also states that Bobby and Ethel's first-born son was Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. In fact, he was their second-born son (he was born in 1954); Joseph P. Kennedy II (born in 1952) was the first. Also, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy is mentioned several times as JFK's "eldest" sister, and is even misidentified as such (in place of Rosemary) in one of the book's photographs. Perhaps the author fell into Joe, Sr.'s spell of pretending that Rosemary, the actual first daughter and third child, never even existed. These are just a few examples.

   This book is a waste of time.




5. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not for the research -- as many of the other reviewers and the footnotes section of the book attest, most of the information has been available to us in other forms. But for the insights and attitude. Perret seems intent on making Kennedy human, and he succeeds. Kennedy is at once a visionary legislator (one of the first advocates of abolishing the mandatory retirement age and an early friend to both labor and Israel) and a bored playboy/senator (if a bill didn't interest him, he couldn't be bothered with it). A reckless womanizer who didn't really care about the impact his escapades had on his wife or career, yet one of the first politicians to recognize the power of the women's vote. And perhaps it was his confidence in his own rampaging heterosexuality that made him so comfortable with homosexual men -- something not very common in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Most of all, Jack managed to balance overwhelming ambition and opportunism with a secret but very strong core of idealism and conscience. I wish Perret had been a bit more discerning in choosing his sources. (I mean, J. Randy Taraborelli and Seymour Hersh, for heaven's sake!) But this complaint did not detract from readability of the book. It left me feeling profoundly sad about what this nation lost nearly 40 years ago, and how different the world today would be if JFK, for all his myriad faults, had lived out his natural life.

No comments about Memoirs of Celebrated Female Sovereigns.

1 comments about Jefferson Davis, Confederate President.

1. Do not be confused by the title for this book is not a biography of Jefferson Davis. It is a biography of the Confederate government with Davis at the helm. There is some new information to be found in this book but not much and unfortunately most of the new information will be found in the form of a psychological profile of Davis. Of course the reader will find a few tidbits of interest such as the price the government would pay in certain parts of Georgia for sweet potatoes. Sadly, that is about the most interesting bit of new information one will find and one will have to persevere to get to that information for the writing is dry as dust.

   In fact, most of the information in this book comes from William Davis and William Cooper who have written excellent studies on both Davis and his era. To the authors' credit they don't try to hide this fact as again and again they openly repeat what Davis and Cooper have written. The sad but true conclusion I have come to is that one would be far better off to buy books written by William Davis and William Cooper. I have read both authors and their writing is much more clear and to the point than anything that will be found in this book. The only parts of this book I really found interesting dealt with the operation of the Confederate congress. On this book's strength on that subject alone I have to give this book three stars although two were a distinct possibility. Quite frankly, I get the feeling that the authors' ego may have gotten the best of them as they wrote this book. If they will stop trying to impress the boys at Harvard and Vanderbilt these two gentlemen could do much to further the study of the Confederacy. When not quoting W. Davis or W. Cooper their research is first rate but they have got to loosen up and have fun with their work. Then maybe their readers will be able to enjoy their subject as much as the authors have.

No comments about The Greville Memoirs. A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852: Volume 1.

No comments about John Edward Bruce: Politician, Journalist, and Self-Trained Historian of the African Diaspora.

2 comments about Madame Ambassador: The Shoemaker's Daughter.

1. I recently returned from an education/mission trip to Honduras and so was interested to find that this book is on the United Methodist Women's official reading list. Jaramillo was Ambassador to Honduras during a violent and tumultuous time in Central American politics (77-80). I looked forward to her insider's view, but found relatively little insight into U.S. policy and intervention in Central America during this time. One is left wondering what her actual role was. Perhaps she'll write a second book.



2. Madame Ambassador: The Shoemaker's Daughter is Mari-Luci Jaramillo's candid memoir as the child of poor immigrants, and who, with a lifetime of experience in solving problems and fighting poverty and prejudice, earned the distinguished post of being the U.S. ambassador to Honduras. Madame Ambassador is a very highly recommended and intensely personal testimony of personal courage, compassion, and inner strength.

1 comments about Jesse Ventura (A & E Biography).

1. Now that Jesse Ventura and his stint as governor of the Minnesota has been relegated to a footnote of American political history, this juvenile biography from the A&E "Biography" series reminds young readers of what all the excitement was about. The headlines and talking heads were all about the fact that Jesse "The Body" Ventura was a former professional wrestler, which overwhelmed what could (and perhaps should) have been the true story, which was that a third party candidate was voted into major office. The back cover of this book claims that Ventura's "upset election victory shook the structure of modern politics," but what we have seen in both Minnesota and across the United States is that his election was a political aberration. However, Keith Elliot Greenberg certainly explains why Ventura was the right person in the right place at the right time.

   (I know some of you are wondering whether or not I voted for Ventura. No, I did not, because I did not think he had a chance to win. If I had thought that he really had a chance to win I probably would have voted for him because shaking the structure of modern politics certainly appeals to me.)

   Greenberg begins with Ventura being sworn in as governor and points out that electing a professional wrestler is not the same as having a former actor Ronald Reagan be president, former NBA star Bill Bradley be senator, or Sonny Bono being a Congressman. He also emphasizes the idea that Minnesota has a reputation for being different when it comes to politics (a sidebar later in the book examines the state's renegade tradition), and points out that Arnold Schwarzenegger was sitting in the second row when Ventura was sworn in (they had been in the 1987 film "Predator" together, which speaks well for any attempt by Carl Weathers to become a governor).

   The rest of the book tells the story of how James George Janos became a Navy SEAL, a professional wrestler, Hollywood actor, radio talk-show host, and mayor of Brooklyn Park. It was those last two that came together with Ross Perot's Reform party movement and voter outrage to get Ventura into the 1998 election. The chapter on Ventura running for Governor includes lots of quotations from the campaign, most of which make some telling point about the process of contemporary politics. Greenberg also covers Ventura's more controversial ideas, such as legalizing prostitution and not having the government pay for college education, and relates how the major party nominees for Governor ignored Ventura. Consequently, young readers will have an appreciation for the various factors beyond Ventura's one-liners that brought the political stars into alignment for his election.

   This juvenile biography of Ventura does not cover his administration, which might be fitting because it was all down hill once he became Governor. That actually helps reinforce whatever lesson there is to learn here, because Ventura's term in office would be an entirely different story and a decidedly different lesson. The book is illustrated with photographs from Ventura's personal life, colorful career, and the political campaign. The back of the book includes footnotes sources and an index. Other paperback editions in the "Biography" series look at George Lucas, John Glenn, Legends of Dracula, Princess Diana, and Rosie O'Donnell (which makes me wonder why Glenn is on that list given the pop culture direction the rest of the titles seem to indicate).

2 comments about Legacy of Love: My Education in the Path of Nonviolence.

1. Please consider Mr. Gandhi's ongoing attacks against Israel as well as his latest statement that "the Jews are the biggest players" in global violence (WashPost OnFaith, Jan 10, 2008).
   
   Such statements are extremist, false, and extremely biased. Do you want to support such an author?



2. Written by Arun Gandhi (the fifth grandson of the great spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi), Legacy Of Love: My Education In The Path Of Nonviolence is an autobiographical account of one man's struggle to understand, cope with, and learn to peacefully resist social injustice in all of its forms. Born in 1934 in South Africa, Gandhi and his family were subjected to the wrongs of apartheid while he was growing up. In Legacy of Love, his reflections on the profound power of truth, morality, and the spiritual meaning of nonviolent resistance fill the pages with meaningful and insightful testimony.