5 comments about The Real George Washington (American Classic Series).

1. Having read all 3 books in this series, the Real George Washington is the longest and most comprehensive. This book, naturally, focuses more on the revolutionary war than the politics of independence. The great thing about these books is that they let you read our founders actual words instead of the twisted version of history presented by academia & popular culture. These men had more courage, humility and wisdom than pretty much anyone I can think of. We own them a debt of gratitude for what they sacrificed for us. Highly recommend reading all 3.



2. A must read for every American! I loved this book. It gave me the whole story behind the founding of the USA, and cleared up a lot of the questionable items found in abridged history books. Every HS/College student should read this book.



3. After reading just the first part of this book, to the point where young George gets his first military command, I cannot read further as it is an obvious revision of history in order to distort the fact that Gorge Washington was a Christian. Despite the fact, proven through numerous documents, and thru Mr. Washington's own writings, that he was a Christian, this book purposely voids all traces of this from this story. Shame on the author for this as the very fact that Mr. Washington was a practicing Christian is a very powerful part of his story. Shame on the author for promoting distorted truths as facts. Shame on the author for declaring his book as "The Real George Washington" as it is NOT! I do not recommend this book to anyone.
   
   I would have liked to have been warned, before I purchased this book, that it was written by a history revisionist in order to fit current secular humanist religius philosophy.



4. This book should be required reading for all high school students and all American citizens, for that matter. It reveals what a true and brave hero George Washington was as a General, but also what an incredibly good man he was as a person. This book gave me a real appreciation for the tremendous cost of our free country. When you read the book you will come to understand that there are so many times when things could have happened just a little differently and the USA would never have been born! It's a very thick book, but the last third of it or so is references and extra stuff. Please read this and then give it to someone else to read!



5. This is book was a pleasant surprise. I recently finished reading His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis and was let down, I don't recommend it. Ellis' work is sterile and cynical. It accentuates Washington's flaws, and makes a point of deconstructing one of our nations heroes. I wanted a book with all the information but without the agenda. I didn't want the author to stand out more than the subject. I found what I wanted in The real George Washington.
   It's a large volume, over 900 pgs. (The last 300pgs or so are texts and excerpts written by Washington himself) but the book isn't unwieldy. It's thick, but not the dictionary-size I thought it would be, it's about 8 x5 inches, a perfect size for easy reading. The text is on the large side and there are paintings, maps and letters scattered throughout. It ended up being a very quick read.

5 comments about New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America.

1. Some good information, but written from such an obvious point of view that it detracts overall. I much prefer Amity Schlaes' "The Forgotten Man" or Joshus Goldberg's "Liberal Fascism"



2. A great book for everyone interested in history or economics. This should be required reading for everyone in Congress!



3. Our whole lives we've lived thinking black is black and white is white. as we get older most of us hope that people start seeing the grays and the blends... but now, in this age, a growing portion of the population are becoming quite, quite disturbed... claiming black to be white and white to be black. And there is no room for discussion. You must now understand that all attempts by anyone from the past to make humanity a little more humane, or to wrest some control away from power and put it in the hands of labor, or just to have say in our own destiny... well, turns out that is pure evil. we have begun a time where good is evil, and evil is good.
   We are doomed, and if we can do no better... than good riddance to us.



4. I am convinced that most of those leaving one-star reviews have not read this book, but were grinding their own ideological axe. Note that I used the word "balanced" in the review title. Folsom presents all sides of the issue and does not hesitate to give FDR credit for those programs that actually worked; reducing tariffs and the bank holiday among them. He also lets FDR off the hook where he (Folsom) is admittedly benefiting from 20/20 hindsight. I think what irks the FDR worshipers is that this book lifts the veil most historians place around FDR and his presidency.
   
   Folsom's work is thoroughly researched. And he benefits enormously (as does the reader!) from personal accounts of those closest to FDR. Those very people kept their allegiance to the President while he was alive, but who also recognized their duty to history once he was gone. The accounts from their personal recollections, journals and other writings give a true insider's look into FDR's administration.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in American history, regardless of personal politics. For those under 30 it should be mandatory reading, as I doubt you were taught much about the depression of the 1930s ... other than the myth that FDR alone saved the nation. It should also be mandatory reading for all elected officials and government employees. The only thing scarier than some of the policies detailed in this book, is that we seem to be ready to repeat history.



5. This Book is an eye opener. It explains a lot of things that go on in government today. FDR was not as much trying to be president he as he was trying to be a dictator!

5 comments about The Real Thomas Jefferson (American Classic Series) (American Classics Ser.).

1. Wow what a wonderful book on T. Jefferson!! This book should be required reading in all of our schools. It is hard to believe that one man could accomplish all this man did! It is mind blowing! A must read for anyone going to the Lincoln Memorial to meet Glenn Beck and Company August 28, 2010. Restores your faith in what this country could be again.



2. Thomas Jefferson book was basic interview reading. The outling and meaning section was helpful to review. I would recommend this to start research and go to other more detailed material on the subject matter you choose.



3. Haven't been able to read this yet, but I've heard great things about it. It was easy to find and order and was shipped fast. I love the free shipping!



4. Anything carrying the National Center for Constitutional Studies (NCCS) label is bound to be excellent. The Real Thomas Jefferson is no exception. It so well presented that you actually feel his presence as you read. Along with The Real Benjamin Franklin, The Real George Washington, The 5000 Year Leap, *** this is a wonderful way learn U.S.History as well as to get to know the man, Thomas Jefferson, as he was.



5. This should be required reading for all, starting as young as possible. Read it and educate your children and other family members. This series presents the subjects in an honest way that isn't twisted by time. Look for all their books including the ones on Ben Franklin and George Washington and see what god-gifted and god-fearing men our founding fathers truly were.

5 comments about Churchill.

1. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO AMAZON IS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHEN YOU GET YOUR BULK SHIPMENTS OF DVD'S, THAT THEY ARE NOT DEFECTIVE.
   OTHER THAN THAT YOU ARE TERRIFIC.



2. Just excellent! Paul Johnson does a masterful job of illuminting the man who saved western civilization.



3. This is one of the very best biographies I have ever read. It's got just the right amount of detail, moves briskly, and is incredibly well written. The author brings his personal knowledge of Churchill in with a light hand, and doesn't shy away from advocating why he believes Churchill saved Europe and possibly the world. I loved the Epilog, with the examination of why and how Churchill was such an effective person. Very uplifting and positive. A fitting tribute to the man.



4. Johnson gives someone unfamiliar with Churchill a wonderful description of the action packed and extraordinay life of possibly the greatest leader of all time, and certainly of World War 2. Churchill was also a prolific author who wrote perhaps the definitive books on both World Wars. Few know that he had more words published than Charles Dickens, and that his Nobel Prize was for Literature. In addition he was a talented painter and a visit to his beloved home "Chartwell" allows the visitor to view hundreds of his works.
   
   Johnson amazingly gives the reader a good view of Churchill the man, the leader, and the icon, all in only 166 pages. There is enough here to give even the most devoted and well read Churchillian new information. A terrific achievement.
   
   Highly recommended



5. We're pretty North American-centric here in the U.S. Watching the Winter Olympics reminds us that we Yanks are hardly the center of the universe. Plus, I've always felt a tad guilty that my reading list had never included anything on Winston Churchill. No more guilt.
   
   Paul Johnson's 166-page chronicle of Churchill's amazing life and leadership has received excellent reviews. The page count also works. The author's masterful scan of Churchill's 90 years (1874 to 1965) includes insightful detail, laugh-out-loud sidebars and absolutely relevant commentary on leadership and politics, war, success and failure (lots of failure).
   
   If you're under 40, don't skip this book--thinking it irrelevant to our Twitter times. Churchill was a member of Parliament for 55 years, 31 years as a government minister, and almost nine years as prime minister. He served in the trenches of (and reported from) 15 battles, was awarded 14 campaign medals, "had been a prominent figure in the First World War, and a dominant one in the Second."
   
   And get this: he published nearly 10 million words, including his 880-page book, The World Crisis: 1911-1918. His five-volume War Memoirs book deal in 1947 paid him $2.23 million ($50 million in today's dollars). And in his spare time, Churchill painted over 500 canvases. In 1953, he received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
   
   He overcame family challenges. His cousin noted, "Few fathers had done less for their sons. Few sons had done more for their fathers." Yet the author writes, "Among all the twentieth-century ruling elites, the Churchills must be judged to have had the most successful marriage."
   
   In the epilogue, the author includes five specific ways that leaders can learn from Churchill. Number 2: "There is no substitute for hard work." Yet, this giant of a world leader "also manifestly enjoyed his leisure activities," including his painting, which created a sanctuary-like retreat for his mind and body. He worked 16-hour days (often with full working mornings in bed--to conserve energy). "The balance he maintained between flat-out work and creative restorative leisure is worth study by anyone holding a top position."
   
   He knew the value of face time. He forced himself "to travel long distances, often in acute discomfort and danger, to meet the top statesmen face-to-face where his persuasive charm could work best."
   
   Speaking of charm, the writing enticed me page after page. Churchill's famed oratory: 111 words per minute, "with Gladstone's 100 as the standard." After touring Africa, he wrote My African Journey (completed on his honeymoon): "...full of schemes for industrializing Africa and harnessing the Nile." His politics: "Churchill was carried forward by intellectual conviction, but his reverence for tradition acted as a brake."
   
   He ribbed others, including the Labour Party leader, Clement Attlee. "Yes, he is a modest man, but then he has so much to be modest about." And this: "An empty taxi drew up outside the House of Commons, and Mr. Attlee got out."
   
   He popularized (if not invented) the terms "cold war" and "iron curtain." Dependent on U.S. help to win World War II, he became a student of FDR and wrote more than 1,000 letters to him. With pen and cigar (up to 12 a day) he was a brute force writing factory. He documented all verbal orders in writing, and his results-driven memos began with the famous headline, "Action This Day."
   
   "So did the endless series of brief, urgent queries: `Pray inform me on one half-sheet of paper, why...' Answers had to be given, fast." (This from Johnson's insightful list of 10 ways that Churchill saved Britain. Number 4: "a personal example of furious and productive activity.")
   
   All of this, and more, in just 166 action-packed pages. This is a fantastic book!

5 comments about JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy.

1. In Oliver Stone's film "JFK" in the Mall Scene meeting between D.A. Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner) and "Man X" (played by Donald Sutherland), a flashback scene presented a nameplate from the desk of an Air Force military general speaking on the phone, and partialy showing his name as Maj/Gen. E.G. (unknown)?
   
   
   Who was Stone attempting to make reference to and cast aspersions upon Maj. General E.G. Lansdale?
   
   Does anybody know?? Will check back from time-to-time is see "IF" any comments are posted to my inquiry. Thanks!



2. This is an excellent book.I personally own a harback edition that is autographed by Colonel Prouty to me. I am a firm believer in what he said and I believe that this sort of behavior still goes on today. War is money and it always will be. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the murder of President Kennedy.



3. Prouty's autobiography is very revealing indeed.
   Of course, it contains controversial items (Would JFK have stopped the Vietnam War?). But, it is the general picture that counts, and here, the author is prophetic.
   Prouty presents his world view as follows: `The world is ruled by a power elite. The basic motivations are always the same. Money lays at the root ... the enormous amount spent on military matériel.'
   This elite wields its power partly and most importantly through invisible intelligence agencies. `The power of any agency allowed to operate in secrecy is boundless'.
   
   Nationally, JFK would probably be reelected in 1964, also via carefully directed investments, which should have influenced favorably the voting in heavily contested states. This reelection for another 4 years was very hard to swallow for a part of the power elite. JFK had promised to cut the defense budget and destroy one of its power bases (`split an intelligence agency into a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds.')
   JFK's masterfully planned assassination was a coup d'état, not less than a total takeover of the US government. The cover-up of the assassination, which is still going on, shows the immense power of the culprits. They controlled the Warner Commission and could (can) force, until today, the media and Congress to pay lip service to them. Congress was never capable to launch an adequate investigation into the murder.
   
   Internationally, `the world's power elite benefited splendidly from the staggering sums involved in the Vietnam War.' The author's moving evocation of the fate of a pastoral Vietnamese village shows that `people's lives are valueless when they get in the way of elitist interests.' (Mark Curtis)
   The powerful show absolutely no respect for national sovereignty (e.g., Vietnam, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Panama, Iraq, the Philippines, even Grenada), which is the principle on which `the family of nations exists, with its property rights and the rights of man.'
   
   At the end, Prouty is even prophetic: `the power elite utilizes all manner of plots to achieve their ambitious goal. That gamesmanship is called `Terrorism'.
   
   This book is a must read for all those wanting to understand the world we live in.



4. In this volume, Colonel Fletcher Prouty captures both the secret history of the United States from 1945 to 1975 and the reasons behind the plot to kill President Kennedy. Herein, the courageous Colonel illustrates quite clearly that the clandestine history and the assassination plot were intrinsically linked.
   
   From the important information in this book, we learn that the war in Vietnam actually began on September 2, 1945, when Ho Chi Minh was established as the new leader of Vietnam by our OSS, the predecessor of the CIA, and the US Army. The United States was thoughtful enough to provide all the weapons, ammunition, and supplies necessary for Ho and Giap to pursue their war against the French, which culminated in the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. Following that defeat, the CIA arranged for the transfer of 1.1 million "refugees" from the North of Vietnam to the South. These folks caused such disruption in the fragile agricultural economy of the South that their arrival ultimately drove the orginal residents to banditry in order that they might survive. These displaced bandits became what was later known as the Viet Cong. Hence, the CIA created the conditions necessary for a full scale war in Vietnam.
   
   On coming to office, Kennedy, a brilliant and studious man, came soon to understand the perfidy of the CIA. One of first his acts on realizing this was to fire CIA director Allen Dulles. Soon thereafter, he issued one the most important, and unknown, documents of US history, NSAM 263. Issued in October of 1963, this document called for 1,000 US military personnel to come home from Vietnam by that Christmas. The remainder were to be out of Vietnam by the end of 1965. Had John Kennedy lived, what Americans know as the war in Vietnam would never have happened.
   
   Prouty demonstrates herein that the powers that be ultimately made the decision that they could not allow Kennedy to live. He makes it clear that assassination researches who make a career of examining the details of the government's false cover story truly miss the point. What matters is not how the President was killed, but why. And the answer to that question is that the assassination was a coup d'etat, transferring control of the government of the United States to a power elite, which has been in control ever since. Hence, we have the strange silence of every succeeding President on the issue of the cover up of the Kennedy assassination.
   
   The book is well written and extraordinarily important. He would understand our nation and how it came to be in the condition that now obtains would be well advised to read carefully this terribly important book. God bless.



5. Finally, those involved are getting old enough not to place concern about their own welfare above truth anymore.
   
   This book provides so many connections, such a depth of behind the scenes knowledge and inner workings of the specific programs operating at the time, you can't help but be bowled over.
   
   ***Note: Anyone interested in the Kennedy Assassination should realize that there is a "misinformation plant" in the Library Journal review department. Every honest book on the subject has been unconvincingly discredited by them, while they praise and try to steer you towards known flake CIA-financed writers such as Gerald Posner.
   
   It's rather common to hear of wrongdoing by the CIA. I saw a graph recently that showed American citizen's belief in their government plummetting after the Kennedy Assassination. Almost no one accepted the Warren Commission Report and such a cover up has casted doubt on our government ever since.
   
   This "High Cabal" as Churchill called them obviously doesn't start with the CIA, or the Federal Reserve. It predates Christianity, but it's quite simple. There are bums who seek handouts and never try to rise, and there are bums who gain a position over others but still yearn for that same handout, taking it by force, by skimming, whatever is neccessary to defeat justice, honor and civility. These are not great men and they will not be remembered like an Edison or a Ford. They are the most creative parasites on the planet, and the most deeply engrained.
   
   Currency control has changed EIGHT times since America's inception. The most vocal fighter against irrational banking was Andrew Jackson; not Kennedy or Lincoln (google "Jackson Bank Veto"). He fought and defeated in his time what has morphed into the Federal Reserve Bank. Before the Civil War, such bankers were buying politicians, planting press stories, steering elections, stealing freedoms, killing people--anything to assure a fascist cushion between themselves and existence.
   
   Do we ever hear anything bad about the Federal Reserve? In Jackson's time, they were entrenched 16 years deep and it was difficult to rout them out then. They did try to kill him. Now they are ninety years deep. They have owned many Presidents, they control the Justice and State Departments, and the CIA secretly furthers their agenda.
   
   Nothing happens at the Assassination Level without their approval. In today's world, America is struggling in recession (bankruptcy) mostly due to the $360 Billion we now pay to the Fed for their generous "Debt-Money" System, and that is an exponentially increasing burden. EVERY dollar in our country has interest being paid on it as if it were borrowed! Due to this, bankruptcy for America is a mathematical certainty. (Imagine if you had to pay interest not just on every dollar you owed, but on every dollar you made! America IS!)
   
   With changes in the laws, soon none of us will be permitted to walk away from our debts and start over--as if our hard economic times is our own personal fault.
   
   We are all about to become debt slaves, as they intend. If you want to have a chance at recovery, if you want your kids to have a chance at a decent future, join me and I'll give you the Moral Armor neccessary to beat down these parasites and restore America to what it was meant to be. They CAN be defeated, but not without YOUR empowerment. If you can't stand up or are afraid to, I'll show you how. Invest in yourself right now and let's save this ship!

5 comments about John Adams.

1. A new found respect is gained for John Adams in the pages of this book. He was a bigger and more important figure in American history than people realize and greater than many of his more famous contemporaries.



2. I learned so much reading this book and have a newfound admiration for John Adams. If not for his keen foresight, his tireless work in Congress we may well not have the government and freedoms we now enjoy. What a true patriot who did all he could without the fanfare and adulation he absolutely deserves, but he probably wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you, David, for your thorough research on a man whose life, one among a choice few, has touched every American.



3. A wonderful history lesson not devoid of intrigue. If you like American history and don't like it dry, this is for you. Mccullough can plod (The Great Bridge took effort) but this was a page turner.



4. I have had a very positive experience with the purchase not only was the price unbeatable the condition was perfect and the delivery was on time in fact early. Thank you, How do you do all that with such small profit margins?



5. Title: John Adams by David McCullough
   
   Pages: 656
   
   Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 ½ years
   
   Days spent reading it: 10 days.
   
   Why I read it: I read 1776 by David McCullough and really enjoyed it. I thought I might like his biography of John Adams as well.
   
   Brief review: I am not usually a biography person. David McCullough is changing my mind. John Adams is a phenomenal account of one of our founding fathers. McCullough, rightly, throws us right into the American Revolution and fills in John Adams' back story as the biography progresses. McCullough is in control of the story the whole time. He masterfully weaves the primary sources of John Adams' life into the narrative. There is enough to keep us in touch with how the characters themselves felt, but not so much to overwhelm the reader.
   
   John Adams' story really is remarkable. I was totally drawn into Adams' world. In this biography you feel his triumphs, and his failures. If there is anything that falls short in McCullough's telling, it is that we love Adams too much. Even though Adams has faults, it is difficult for the reader to recognize those faults or accept them.
   
   There were a number of highlights in this book for me. First, it is interesting to see that the political scene during Adams' day had striking similarities to today. Newspapers were one-sided. Politicians were accused of (and committed) adultery. This sometimes ruined or advanced their careers. Political parties made clear lines that hurt the nation, fighting for their party instead of what is right for America as a whole. The world seemed like it was in moral decay. There were even boring sermons, and thankfully some not so boring . And I could say something about the French (like here), but I'll (sort of) refrain.
   
   Second, issues surrounding the Civil War were not absent from the founding of the country. The North/South divide was evident even in the founding of the nation. There were issues of economics, culture, slavery, and state's rights even in the beginning. They would simply come to a head in the Civil War. Slavery especially was a real issue during this time. One question that is constantly raised, but never resolved, is: How could men like Jefferson and (gasp!) even Washington promote the God-given freedom of all men, but kept slaves even until their deaths? Adams did not have slaves and abhorred the idea. He was true to his principles even when it was not popular or advantageous. I respect that a lot.
   
   This biography was fantastic. I loved reading it from start to finish. I think McCullough has a master's touch in writing history. He really pulls us into the time period. Through his writing I felt like I was actually there. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It is a must read for history lovers. And in truth, it is a book that inspires. Adams' history is America's history. Here was a man who gave everything for his country, and laid the foundation for the freedom America enjoys today. If you take the time to read this tome (and it is pretty long), you will definitely be rewarded. It is rich with lessons about life and liberty that we can all apply to our lives. I highly recommend.
   
   Favorite quote: [In commenting about the French Revolution]: "But he had 'learned by awful experience to rejoice with trembling.' He could not accept the idea of enshrining reason as religion, as desired by the philosophes. 'I know not what to make of a republic of thirty million atheists.'"
   
   Stars: 5 out of 5.
   
   Final Word: Revolutionary.

5 comments about The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey.

1. The product arrived quickly within the promised time frame in EXCELLENT condition as advertised. It is in like new condition!



2. This is wonderfully written book about the amazon exploits of Teddy Roosevelt. There is no wonder why he is considered one of the best US presidents; whether it is the Panama canal, breaking up the conglomerates of the robber barons (on hearing the news of Roosevelt's trip to Africa, J P Morgan said "America expects every lion to do its duty"), his knowledge & skills as a naturalist (Muir woods, a place I love so much, owes its existence, to a certain extent, to TR), historian, writer or his values as demonstrated in his invitation to Booker T. Washington, Teddy Roosevelt stands out. All the personal tragedies he had encountered in his life might have had an influence in the "strenuous life" he espoused.
   
   Candice Millard has done a wonderful job piecing together all the elements to create a compelling narrative of TR's Amazon trip. The trials and tribulations of the team is explained in fine detail...the book details the environment they encountered i.e. the rapids, reptiles, piranhas, diseases, threat from the local Indian population and how they (TR, Rondon, Cherrie, Kermit and others) finally managed to reach the end of a river that is now named Rio Téodoro. It is said that TR never fully recovered from this trip and it had taken a permanent toll on him.
   
   Thanks to the author for identifying the key role played by Rondon who comes across as a real-life hero.



3. This book is in the top two best books I've ever read. The "deep down" mindsets of the former president lay the bedrock for an excitingly true journey. This tale, through history, gave me education, emotion and heroic fantasy.



4. I had often heard of Theodore Roosevelt's exploration down through the Amazon Jungle, but had never read the details of this great adventure. "The River of Doubt" gave me that opportunity. Recoiling from his defeat in the 1912 election, invitations to undertake a lecture tour of South America grew into a "Last chance to be a boy." More than that, this journey of exploration down the uncharted River of Doubt, enabled Roosevelt to add his name to the list of great explorers of the earth, along with Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Hernando DeSoto and others who filled in blank spaces on the map.
   
   It takes a book like this, totally devoted to the great exploration, to really convey the enormity of the challenge which met the Roosevelt expedition. Accompanied by his son, Kermit, and Brazil's most renowned explorer this voyage of discovery began by lightening its load at the expense of discharging food and equipment which it would later need. The River of Doubt was a thousand mile ribbon of water snaking through the densest jungle on earth. Challenged by waterfalls and rapids, heat and insects, deadly predators and watchful Indians, the expedition gradually weakened as it raced to reach the outside world before its supplies were exhausted. Drowned and murdered members had to be buried, crush canoes replaced, water hazards bypassed and elusive game hunted as the explorers struggled to complete the journey alive. Toward the end, little more than raw courage kept the men going.
   
   For Theodore Roosevelt, this was a most unusual undertaking for an ex-President. Weakened by disease and infection resulting from a leg injury, TR almost died on several occasions and begged his companions to leave him behind so that the expedition would not be jeopardized. Protected by his son Kermit, he was denied the poison he had brought for just such an occasion and was brought out of the jungle broken, but alive.
   
   This book is well written and holds the reader's attention as much as any mystery novel. An unexpected feature is the detailed description of the Amazonian environment. The narration of the problems presented by the unexpected timing of the ripening of fruit and the elusive traits of the game on which they had depended, introduces the reader into the scientific perspectives of the project. Through this work the reader obtains an appreciation for TR's strength of character. It is almost unimaginable that anyone with the privileges of a former president would undertake such a taxing and dangerous journey. On further reflection, it is equally unimaginable that TR would let such an opportunity pass. As readers of my Amazon reviews know, I am a committed Ted Head and have read extensively about him. In this book, author Candice Millard admits us into the Final Triumph of a Magnificent Life.



5. I had no idea Teddy was such an adventurist. The book was a little slow to begin. I wish the book would have included more details about the dangerous foes they faced in the jungle. Overall though, the book was solid and enjoyable!

5 comments about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

1. Received item in a very timely manner...would certainly recommend this seller to others...keep up the good work! God's blessings and prosperity to you!



2. Doris Kearns Goodwin has shown again why she is one of the greatest historians of this generation. I understand the scandals that have arisen about possible plagiarism, but Kearns Goodwin writes great history. In this book, she not only gives detailed stories of the lives of these great men and their families. She also probes the motivation of the men who are the characters in the book and the issues that controlled the political climate of the period from 1840 to 1860.
   But Kearns Goodwin gives us much more even than this. She takes you to the era about which she writes. She tells you what clothes were being worn, what was for sale in the stores, how influential newspapers of the time were and how dirty train rides were.
   Pick up this book and take yourself back to the 1850s and live the lives these great men lived.



3. 
   After Reading Gore Vidal's Lincoln, for the second time, I yearned to read more. I wanted to read more on Lincoln's Presidency including some of the people around him especially, Salmon Chase, William Seward,Edwin Stanton and lessor known characters as Kate Chase,John Hay and John Nicolay.
   
   I found Team of Rivals a brilliant read on the Presidency and had no trouble in devouring the whole book.
   
   The characteristic that impressed me the most, was Lincoln's refusal to carry grudges against those who opposed him and in many cases won them over to his side to help him achieve his goals in carrying him all the way to the Presidency.
   
   Lincoln had a very strong belief in himself that allowed him to pick the very best men for his cabinet, to withstand the pressures of a divided political party and to carry on a war that for a very long time contained one reversal after another, and not least of all a wife that didnot know when to stop spending, and with all of this a death of a beloved son.
   
   I found the details in the book were very informative and enteresting and were not a hinderance as some have suggested. Highly reccomended



4. A pantheon such as Abraham Lincoln and his presidential term(s) have been scrutinized and considered in uncountable written and spoken works. The trick then for any author wishing to undertake a new study is to find a fresh angle or (at best) unearth previously undiscovered and revelatory documents. Doris Kearns Goodwin chooses the former as she expertly exposes the Lincoln presidency as one which had a politically savvy, but initially overly antagonistic cabinet, which Lincoln must then manage while exhorting his administration to follow his leadership. In fact, the overriding point with this superb narrative is Goodwin extoling the seemingly limitless political acumen of Lincoln while he oversees a time in American history as crucial as any before or since.
   
   Crucial members of his administration are profiled here, providing the reader with a unique, sort of "back-door" look at the Lincoln presidency. We see how the personalities of Edward Bates (Attorney General), Simon Cameron (Secretary of War), William Seward (Secretary of State), Gideon Wells (Secretary of the Navy) and Salmon Chase (Secretary of the Treasury) are generally elitist in nature and condescending to Lincoln in particular while initially being astounded that such a seemingly torpid character could become president. Asked to then participate in the administration in cabinet level positions, they almost collectively see their role as administering and reigning over the government while Lincoln serves largely as a figurehead. Goodwin's mastery here is showing the slow evolvement of Lincoln's ability to form a cohesive advisory body while applying his heretofore unseen political prowess in managing the government in an ever broadening crisis that threatens separation of the Union.
   
   He takes office and is immediately faced with increasing southern secessionism and forced to take action to maintain the Union. The start of and subsequent prosecution of the Civil War absorbs his administration...Goodwin provides a dissecting view of the war from the government's perspective and shows again and again how Lincoln is adept at taking and managing one crisis after another. Topics such as his inserting himself into the war strategic effort where he recognizes the ineffectiveness of George McClellan, the dismissal of Cameron as Secretary of War with the brilliant decision to insert Edwin Stanton in his place and his administering of domestic policy to meet the war effort are given a fascinating review by Goodwin that goes far in further amplifying Lincoln's stature as a great executive. He finds an obscure general in Ulysses Grant and inserts him as commander of the war effort... another prescient decision that accelerates the conclusion of the war. All this while continuing to build strong and ever growing loyalties among his partisans forcing them (with the exception of Chase who continues to vehemently disagree and disparage Lincoln) to reconsider their initial perceptions of him and his leadership capabilities. Goodwin is overwhelmingly illustrative of the forming of these ties and the deep personal affection that each cabinet member thus renders.
   
   The denouement of the war and Lincoln's assassination with the subsequent actions of the government, particularly Stanton, are the highlights of the book. We see the heart wrenching outpouring of affection and respect from the American public and the administration as all recognize that a great leader is no longer among us. The disarray that follows Lincoln's death is certified when Andrew Johnson takes office and we see how his southern leaning tendencies is the arbiter of a long and unnecessarily drawn out reconstruction effort...Goodwin compares this with how Lincoln may have handled reconstruction and determines that a much more compassionate and reasoned effort would have most assuredly ensued.
   
   There are a surprising number of authors of historical biographies that are criticized for deification of their subject...and true, some of these paint their character study in an unreasonable light, but not so with this magnificent investigation of the Lincoln presidency by Doris Goodwin. An estimable scrutiny of his political faculty integrated with a marvelous historical narrative, Goodwin makes Lincoln "hero worship" chic while dispassionate at the same time, a tough combination. Highest recommendation. .



5. Team of Rivals is a sparkling history by anecdote. Kearns is a masterful writer, and the book puts the breath of life into her subjects.
   
   Her theme is best summed up by the remarks of Lincoln's contemporaries, quoted on page 572 of the hardback edition:
   
   "Herein, Swett concluded, lay the secret to Lincoln's gifted leadership. 'It was by ignoring men, and ignoring all small causes, but by closely calculating the tendencies of events and the great forces which were producing logical results.' John Forney of the Washington Daily Chronical observed the same intuitive judgment and timing, arguing that Lincoln was 'the most progressive man of the age, not waiting to be dragged by the force of events or wasting strength in premature struggles with them.'"
   
   As far as the story of a man always guided by principle--in Lincoln's last battle, to ramrod the Thirteenth Amendment through Congress--Kearns shows Lincoln twisting arms, dangling emollients and largess before its opponents, and dissembling if not outright lying--to successfully obtain its passage. Clearly Lincoln could be savagely expedient, despite being guided by an unswerving moral compass.
   
   But although she is always eager to burnish Honest Abe's reputation when it is clearly earned--Kearns is strangely silent on this account. This is not to dismiss the book as hagiography, but simply to point out that it is not entirely even in its judgments.

5 comments about JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters.

1. This book portrayed JFK as America's "King of Camelot" and sheds intimate light on possible reasons for why he was killed. After the near-apocalyptic experience of the Cuban Missle Crisis, JFK had a dramatic change of heart and established a secret dialog with Kruchev to work toward peace and disarmament. He was particularly concerned for the children of the world. His vision for world peace clashed (violently in the end) with the Power Elite who rather saw a struggle-to-the-death with their mortal enemy - Communism. They saw JFK as a traitor to their cause who had to be eliminated. He knew the likely personal cost to his stand for peace, but courageously continued anyway. A quote that sticks in my mind is JFK's echoing of Lincoln's quote, "I know there is a God - I see a storm coming; if he has a place for me, I believe that I am ready." America, as most Americans naively see it, also died on November 22, 1963 - they just don't know it yet.



2. By far the most comprehensive and best researched publication on the assassination of President Kennedy. The author presents fact after fact leading the reader to draw conclusions which are hard to avoid. I am surprised that this book has not had more of an impact. It is definitely worth reading, and will change your perspective on both this historical moment in US history and on the role of the intelligence community within the US government.



3. THE GOOD...
   
   - Presents a chronology of events before Douglass presents his research in 6 sections/chapters, which I believe is important to keep in mind since Douglass does not go in chronological order (understandably so when you see how he organizes the book). This will elevate the information presented in his book if you keep the chronology of the events in mind.
   
   - Douglass' unique and objective narration does a supreme job of detailing the unspeakable truth of JFK's REAL situation in the White House when he was in the midst of politically dealing with historical events (aka the Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, and Indonesia), which climactic-ally led to his controversial assassination
   
   - Like a good book, Douglass also communicates a positive, redeeming message from these ugly events and truths, which I doubt other books do on JFK's controversial assassination. This book uncovers how JFK was himself a profile in courage and candidly shows his true character during his presidency as he courageously turns towards peace. However, it does not do it in a fanatical way... the author posed questions as to why JFK did and what compelled him to advocate for more peaceful resolutions when the majority of his administration would rather be "dead than red." This book, I would say, is a redemption of what happened and I have much admiration for JFK now (which I didn't when I first read this book).
   
   
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   THE BAD...
   
   - As thorough and detailed Douglass is... this book is dense. There are sections where you're thoroughly engaged and in wonderment as to how this whole thing was uncovered and covered up, but then there are sections where it's so loaded that it can be a bit confusing and draining at the same time.
   
   - Douglass does not go in chronological order in presenting and exposing the unspeakable truth, but he does present his information in a functional manner. However, he goes back and forth so much, that sometimes I wonder if the impact is lost because of this. However, from time to time, he does a good job of reminding you the critical part of the information when he does go back and forth.
   
   - This isn't really a criticism, but it would've been nice to get RFK's viewpoint, post-assassination in there. As we all know, RFK was JFK's most trusted adviser and companion throughout this time - I'm sure having that bit of information would've created more depth and complete-ness to this already complete book. This is something I would have preferred knowing as well.
   
   
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   All in all, great book, great buy. This was the first book I bought on JFK after becoming well-versed on the Kennedys - I was curious as to why there were so many good reviews on this on Amazon and gave in and bought it. I think it's worth it and endorse this book!



4. I received this book on schedule. I'm still reading it. I find it very enteresting.



5. The assassination of JFK, and its immediate aftermath, was burned into my then sixth-grade brain by its shocking suddenness and brutality. In those days, we weren't yet used to seeing people murdered live on television. Since then, I have read literally dozens of books and watched many hours of movies and videos, in an attempt to make sense of this terrible act. And thus I've heard that the Mafia, the Communists, the Jews, and virtually every other group that "people love to hate" were behind it all.
   
   Finally I picked up this book, and it changed everything. Putting not his assassination, but Kennedy's life and spiritual journey towards true peace for all of Earth as the backdrop, "JFK and the Unspeakable" makes it crystal clear exactly what we lost. I cried when I realized for the first time exactly how close the destruction of the world was during the Cuban Missle Crisis: recently declassified information shows that Russia had *four times the number of nuclear missles in Cuba* as we previously knew about. And the author shows in exhausting, footnoted, yet never dull detail how Kennedy was literally about to pull us out of Vietnam (bitter fact: he was quoted as being greatly concerned about the 47 American dead up to then, and said the conflict wasn't worth another American life). Maybe JFK wasn't perfect in his personal life, but even as a kid I sensed how great he was as a president. He was the kind of statesman we haven't seen in a long time; the kind who looked past politics and saw what was right and what was wrong.
   
   That's why he was killed.
   
   Don't read this book if you're not prepared to learn the complete truth about who, how, and why. If you're a thinking person, the full impact of what was done to JFK and our country will disgust and alarm you. This book will put all the presidencies since JFK's into proper perspective. It will make you curse those literal maniacs (yes, names are named) who *wanted us to start a nuclear war* with the Soviet Union, and who did get us into Vietnam, causing the death of millions of people. It will help you realize that Nikita Khrushchev was not the nasty warmonger he was made out to be in the 1960s. And it will make you realize how much damage a small number of truly evil, power-hungry people have done to this country...and how it's not too late for honest folks to turn things around.
   
   N.B. Now my own son has borne similar witness to 9/11, at virtually the same age as I was when JFK was killed. I hope the conspiracy theorists are wrong, and 40 years from now we will be positive that it truly was bin Laden's minions that perpetrated this evil act. Still...search for "Global Guardian" and ask yourself how likely it is that multiple aircraft hijackings took place exactly when and where the military was simulating multiple aircraft hijackings taking place...and remember that the same kind of evil cynical maniacs are still in high places in our government.

5 comments about Truman.

1. Wasn't sure what to think of such a large book when I started. Easy read. Great History! I recommend this book all the time.



2. i buy lots of Kindle books but i don't pay more than $9.99 for a hardback or more than 80% of the discounted paperback price for a Kindle edition. Unfortunately therefore my copy of this book has to remain on the Amazon shelf.



3. Yes, David McCullough may have liked Truman a little too much. That has a positive and negative side. When a biographer appreciates a person and admires his or her accomplishments, the research and readability of the volume can be enhanced. On the negative side, the biographical work can at times be a bit skewed, presenting heroism or greatness without indicating the faults or humanness of the individual.
   This is very readable and I must say I enjoyed the book very much. It is also true that the author doesn't delve deeply into issues such as McCarthyism, the dropping of the atom bomb, and other issues he faced which changed the world as we know it. It would have been fascinating to know more about why Truman acted as he did in such situations. I don't necessarily expect biographers to dig up dirt about a subject but readers should at least be given the inside story as much as is knowable.
   However, I do definitely recommend this book and believe you will find it well written and informative.



4. The more US history I read, the more I am astonished how the decisions of one person can impact the course of human events so drastically. Following World War II, the US president was forced to make decisions that would impact the world for the next half century. It just so happened that the man in the White House at the time was a non college-educated regular guy from Missouri.
   
   This book brought to light a period of history that many in my generation (I was born in 1973) probably do not understand as well as they could. Truman, through his force of will, standing up to MacArthur and keeping the Korean war from turning into an all out war with China may have been his greatest achievement.
   
   All of the criticisms of this book, that it is too pro-Truman, that it doesn't delve into the details of the decisions Truman makes enough, are accurate and real. However, what McCullough has done is tell a story of a driven every day man from Missouri, who went to the White House and did the very best he could. It is a remarkable story, told with detail and care. It is also a true American story, and should be read by all.



5. Having just finished McCullough's biography of John Adams, I thought I would next read the other book for which he won a Pulitzer Prize, "Truman." I have had a certain admiration for Truman since reading Merle Miller's "Plain Speaking" and remembering newspaper stories of him out walking reporters in Independence in the 1960s. I recommend this book for any fan of American history who wants to learn about one of the greatest presidents of the 20th century. As president, his proposals or decisions continued to affect life in the US long afterward - the Atomic Age, Containment, civil rights, the CIA, universal health care, intervention in Southeast Asia...
   
   As he did in "John Adams," McCullough clearly shows admiration for his subject as a man and president. The book is extensively researched and documented. McCullough spent several years reviewing documents, interviewing relatives, friends, former staff and contemporaries. He was even able to review the infamous Merle Miller interview tapes. The book is filled with many "inside" conversations and details giving color to the major and minor decisions and turning points in Truman's life and career.
   
   I found, however, that the overall story was less compelling than John Adams. As interested as I was in learning about Truman, his early life and how he made his major decisions as president, there were points where the reading dragged. It may have been details that were not really important to the story or unanswered questions. For example, after JFK's funeral, Truman and Eisenhower talked for an hour in Blair House. There is no mention of what they talked about. Was it because there was no record made by anyone? Was it the final stage of the reconciliation between the two that McCullough mentioned late in the book? I think that it is important, but McCullough does not elaborate.
   
   After reading "Truman," I find Truman more of a paradox. He held himself to the highest standards, but tolerated less than scrupulous behavior from his appointments, many times at a high cost to his public image. He was from an inherently conservative small town, but he embraced a liberal political philosophy beyond the "New Deal." He like to say that he was a country boy and that he never wanted to be president, but relished in the attention that the presidency brought him.