5 comments about The History of Alexander (Penguin Classics).

1. Another book written on Alexander the Great,but different from the others. So many have written books about Alexander and yet in this book so many things I read for the first time.The book is very easy to read, ofcourse it is about the wars,conquers,of Alexander.The details that are not written in Arrian for example and Plutarch are several.I will give a few examples.
   One of Alexander's speeches,outstandingly written to pursue the killer of Darius.
   The Amazon queen meeting Alexander and what she demands of him.The Caspian discovered by the soldiers, what they see and feel about the salted water.The speech of Coenus on behalf of the soldiers, and Alexander's speech.The fight of the Indus river.
   The Gedrosian desert,and the judgement of Philotas. All is strongly suggest that if you are an Alexander lover you should add this book to your reading. Enjoy.



2. Alexander the Great, was born on or around July 20, 356 B.C.E., and is my favorite personality to read about in history. To me he is the whole package general, statesman, conqueror, and philosopher. The smartest man who ever lived, Aristotle, tutored him. Alexander conquered more of the known world than any other figure in history, accomplishing all this before he dies at the ripe old age of 33. Some people called him conqueror and violent overlord. Some other called him civilizer and even God! All of them yet, called him "The Great". He was the first man in modern history that took this name, "The Great"! Even as a young boy, he shows great promise.
   Curtius' work is the oldest extant work available and based on eyewitness accounts. He does a better job than most in explaining the battle scenes, and seems to be more balanced in his admiration and criticism of Alexander then any of the other early biographers. I love his Bucephalus Story, and I recount it here so you get a flavor of the promise this young Alexander shows.
   
   The legend begins with Philoneicus, a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip for him to buy. None of the hands was able to handle it, and Philip grew upset at Philoneicus for bringing such an unstable horse to him. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. The bet between Philip and Alexander was that if Alexander could ride the horse, Philip would buy it, if not, Alexander would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.
   
   Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear, (Alexander seems to be the original horse whisperer). Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching. The incident so impressed Alexander's father, King Philip that he told the boy "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of you, for Macedonia is too little for thee". He named the horse Bucephalus, which means Ox head, and rode it across Asia, founding a city in its honor in India after its death. This story gives you an inkling about the man.
   
   This book is a must read for students of Alexander, I also recommend Plutarch's and Arrian's work. Contemporary writers, J.F. C. Fuller and Tarn. Most of Alexander's greatest military traits are in the area of military logistics and to understand his genius in this area I highly recommend reading, "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army," by Donald W. Engels.
   
   As a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.



3. I recently read a slew of books about Alexander the Great in anticipation of the movie. I have to admit that hile this academic text might be required reading of many college and high school history classes, I found Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy much more engaging, insightful, and fun to read. The battle descriptions in the this book are phenomenal. One feels like one is right in the middle of a battle. Rufus doesn't do such a great job.



4. Though not the definitive work on Alexander, Curtius provides detail not included by other sources. Sometimes hypocritical and biased, Curtius details the campaigns of Alexander with heavy focus on Alexander the person. To read this book is a must for anyone interested in Alexander. It is one of the primary sources and the fact that he is not as nice about Alexander (such as Plutarch or Arrian) may indeed do justice to the reader. This book can best be understood with the addition of Fuller's "The Generalship of Alexander The Great".



5. The most interesting and controversial, but not necessarily the most accurate, ancient biography of Alexander the Great. In addition to Arrian and Plutarch, you can't say you know all about Alexander until you read this book. Full of information not found in the other two biographies. Though it is often touted as not reliable, contemporary scholarship owes much of their increasingly negative opinion of Alexander the Great to this book.

5 comments about The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln.

1. Mr. Burlingame's book takes us where many scholars of Lincoln hesitate to go: into the inner-workings of strained marriage, the grief over the loss of two sons and the heavy load of a presidency at war. I found it a facinating read, but one to be taken in small bites, as the reality of the grief and dispair of Abraham and Mary were etched in every page. I felt their pain and sacrifice of real history as it was being made.



2. A very good read, focusing on Lincoln's depression and how it affected his life and presidency. Being a clinical psychologist who utilizes CBT for the treatment of depression, it was a bit too psychodynamic for my taste, however.



3. One of the finest Lincoln scholars provides an excellent examination of Lincoln's many-faceted personality. Burlingame consulted a wide variety of information sources and used them well. His thoroughly documents his narrative.



4. I have been studying Abraham Lincoln for nearly 40 years. Burlingame is inaccurate in many of his statements about Lincoln and Mary Lincoln in particular and does not present all of the information about both of them. Possibly his most faulty act is using William Herndon's information about Lincoln and Mary Lincoln. Herndon and Mary Lincoln hated each other. After Lincoln passed away, Herndon may have very well said things about Lincoln and her to hurt, degrade and disgrace Mary Lincoln. Herndon is NOT to be trusted to be accurate much of the time. Other very poor Lincoln authors are Weik, Sandburg, Gore Vidal, Lerone Bennett, Jr., Thomas DiLorenzo, Vincent Harding and Barbara Fields. Their accuracy, interpretations and images are usually wrong and at times even bizarre. If you want to read professionally researched, much more accurate material about Lincoln, read books by David Herbert Donald, Stephen Oates, Frank Williams, Mark Neely, Jr., Edward Steers, Jr. and Allen Guelzo.



5. The organization of this book is not presented in a chronological time scale as most books are. Instead, the author breaks up facets of Lincoln's emotions and personality traits, and then takes us through his whole life, examining the influence of each facet. Only thinking in this manner do I clearly imagine myself in his shoes, feeling what he felt, and in awe of the strength required to break the rebellion, and provide a land where each man's hand could feed that own man's face.

5 comments about The Bending Cross: A Biography of Eugene Victor Debs.

1. A decent, if dated, biography of Eugene V. Debs first published in the 1940's. Author Ray Ginger has a stilted and rather dated style of narrative writing reminiscent of the 19th century classic style. Ginger used good sources and information for his biography but none of it's footnoted so good luck tracking down anything that you might wish to find out more about. But that's what happens when you go back six decades for your sources.
   
   I really wish that the American labor movement had followed the Debs model of class unity instead of the AFL/Sam Gompers model. Our country would be an entirely different and to my mind, likely better place today if it had. I recommend this book for those interested in the life and times of Eugene V. Debs.



2. Ray Ginger's absolutely authoritative biography of the great man, Eugene Debs, deserves as wide a reading audience as can possibly be achieved. In this marvellous, well-written and well-researched book, the life and times of Eugene Debs are made accessible to the people of today (or rather, 1947, but it is equally readable now), and thanks to the Haymarket Books reprint Debs can continue to inspire all men of good will even now.
   
   The book describes every detail of Debs' life: his upbringing in a petty bourgeois merchant household in Terre Haute, IN, where he was taught the German and French romantic classics by his father (the name Eugene Victor comes from Eugène Sue and Victor Hugo), his first jobs and union involvement on the Vendalia railway, his early leadership in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, his subsequent higher and higher promotions in the union ranks, holding office in Terre Haute in between, then the formation of the American Railway Union, the general strike and destruction of the same, his periods in prison and conversion to Marxism, and finally his political career in the Socialist Party where he made himself immortal in the annals of radical history by winning 6% of the vote in 1912, and also being the only person in American history to win a significant amount of votes while in prison (1920).
   
   Some of these events may well be known to many Americans, but many of them probably are not, and all depict the absolute humanity, loyalty, intelligence, cordiality, and charity of Eugene Debs. Indeed sometimes it is astounding how one man could unite so many virtues and be so utterly uncorruptible, leading one to become suspicious whether Debs' reputation is not exaggerated, but fortunately biographer Ray Ginger is always careful to substantiate the claims when true (which is almost always) and to apply criticism where deserved.
   
   Less known in general perhaps, even to people with an existing knowledge of radical history, are the many connections Debs had with other important people of his time: Lincoln Steffens, Robert Ingersoll, Victor Berger, John Altgeld, Susan B. Anthony, and even a short conversation with Warren Harding in the White House. Debs was never much of a theoretician, and did not read any of Marx' own works (though he knew the popularizers like Kautsky), but he had an infallible sense of the failures of both extreme left sectarianism and excessive reformism in radical movements and labor unionism, and it is rare in the course of this history of Debs' union activities that one can conclude he made the wrong decision. Moreover, much unlike many radicals today, Debs had a supreme capacity for personal love and charity, and was capable of opposing the political decisions and strategies of many other union activists without in any way lessening his personal loyalty or affection for them, or blaming them in person for their views. While an inveterate opponent of all capitalism, he was at the same time by no means a rabid sectarian, and could make himself loved and respected even by his enemies - once he so effectively inveighed against a railroad director in his own office that the director started offering him high level jobs in the company!
   
   Debs of course made American political history, not just with his prison campaign in 1920, victim to Woodrow Wilson's political terror; but also with the first campaigning train tour through America (the "Red Special"), with the highest percentage of votes in a Presidential election any left-wing candidate has ever received, and last but not least with his fierce opposition to American participation in World War I, when all tides were against him. This alone would make him a hero of socialism. But he equally deserves recognition for his remarkable goodness in his personal dealings: he refused all offers of careering and high wages, refused all attempts of union federations to lavish gifts or praise upon him, and was known for giving away large amounts of his money even when he could not afford it. When the ARU collapsed under the military terror of the American government, he personally took all the debts of the union on him, which it took him 18 years to pay off. He was even loved by all the inmates of the Atlanta prison during his stay there. Add to this his visionary and consistent support for the rights of women, blacks, and immigrants, when such things were radical even among radicals, and Eugene V. Debs indeed is nothing but an example to us all. If I had but one-tenth of the quality of Debs, I would have much to be proud of.



3. This is a beautiful portrait of America's foremost labor leader Eugene Debs---his transformation from conservative union official to revolutionary socialist. I've always admired Debs, but honestly didn't know the half of his life, personality or politics before reading Ginger's biography of him. This book is a treasure for socialists, radicals and other activists. Every page is engaging, every chapter is a lesson without didacticism.



4. 
   Originally published in 1947, The Bending Cross: A Biography of Eugene V. Debs is now in a new 2007 edition featuring an introduction by historian Mike Davis. The Bending Cross unapologetically advocates activism in its story of the life of railway organizer and socialist Eugene Debs. Yet though Debs devoted his life and his passion to his cause, neither did he turn away from people who were nonpolitical, or even anti-socialist, in their hour of need. Though Debs suffered imprisonment for "disloyalty", his moral compass and loyalty to the labor movement were both unwavering. An amazing, in-depth portrait of one of the most eloquent speakers of the socialist movement.



5. Zealot, compassionate, humane, intemperate, ambitious, intensely honest and driven to greatness despite his flaws -- such is the biographical picture aptly drawn by Ray Ginger in this highly readable biography of Eugene Debs, five time socialist candidate for President of the United States.

   Hardly ever without hope, Eugene Debs faced overwhelming odds in trying to change society for the better. His initial goal was to strengthen the labor movement, to give it suficient power to negotiate with its bosses. His intense dedication and his obsessive honesty gave new life first to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in the late 19th Century and then for nearly 50 years his great energy served the labor movement in general. Even though he came from a middle class merchant family, Debs recoiled at the cruel advantage big corporations took of its laborers who were forced to toil long hours for low pay under miserable conditions. He was their dynamic, compassionate general who led non-violent, wide-spread strikes to force employers to agree to improve the lot of the people who worked for them.

   Debs was not always successful but he succeeded in so many ways that his followers and admirers elevated him to near sainthood.

   Ray Ginger has sifted through a monumental amount of written material to produce a fascinating study of a man who deserves to join the ranks of Great Americans in History. Though a paeon to Debs, Mr. Ginger did not gloss over Debs' faults: his naivete, his drunken bouts, his inflexibility and even his bigotry.

   A minor point: Mr. Ginger incorrectly writes Vladimir Ilich Lenin's first name as "Nicolai" -- several times. How such an error escaped an otherwise thorough author or his editors was a mild distraction. Nevertheless, for those interested in the history of labor unions in the United States, this book is a 'must-have'.

1 comments about Best Little Stories of Winston Churchill.

1. Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for Reader Views (11/08)
   
   Growing up in America, the great British statesman, Winston Churchill, marginally entered my historical frame of reference. Therefore I was delighted to pick up C. Brian Kelly's 420-page book, "Best Little Stories from the Life and Times of Winston Churchill." This large, but economically priced biography, charts the life of Winston Churchill in a very readable fashion that will be agreeable for everyone, whether young teenagers to more senior readers.
   
   The feistiness of Churchill comes through on every page, from childhood to the end. Here was a man who overcame numerous obstacles - physical and familial - to become one of the greatest statesmen in the 20th century, and Kelly adroitly brings it all out. There abounds seriousness and humor, as well as thoughtfulness.
   
   One of the advantageous aspects of "Best Little Stories from the Life and Times of Winston Churchill" is the way Kelly has formatted the book. Each historical episode is crafted in such a way as to stand alone, and yet every piece builds off of the previous one. Why this is so helpful is that the busy reader can effortlessly pick up the book, read a short section, garner the point, and then put the book down to rush off wherever they must go. Then the reader can come back later, pick up the book and read the next section without much frustration or work. But it will also become quickly obvious that the author has not sacrificed substance for shape.
   
   Finally, there are some little extras which add to the value of "Best Little Stories from the Life and Times of Winston Churchill." The final chapter of the book is about Churchill's mother, Jeanette "Jennie" Jerome Churchill, written by Ingrid Smyer. Next there are some of Churchill's most famous statements. And lastly there is a thorough index for the more academic reader. Overall, this is a valuable, pleasurable, well-crafted work which I highly recommend.

5 comments about John Tyler: Champion of the Old South (Signature Series).

1. This is a fine biography in terms of providing a great deal of detail and factual information about the subject, but I can't help feeling that it is, perhaps, a bit too complimentary toward someone who was, after all, a slave-owner, defender of the institution of slavery, and in the end, vehement secessionist. Tyler may well have been a fine public servant and a fine man except for those flaws, but those flaws are just too much for me to overlook as thoroughly as Chitwood seems willing to do. Perhaps this is a result of his having writting this back in 1939; the world has changed a great deal since then, and there are doubtless few if any equally detailed biographies of Tyler written with a more modern outlook, so one may have to simply accept his tolerance for Tyler's flaws for what it is, but it does keep me from wholeheartedly recommending this biography.



2. If you are going to read a biography on the life of John Tyler, this is the one to read. Well research and well written, Chitwood does an excellent job of explaining the environment, politically and socially that develops the relevancy of John Tyler as governor, senator and President.



3. This book turned out to be much more interesting than I expected. It certainly portrayed Tyler in a sympathetic light. Despite the age of this book, it was not written in the somewhat stilted manner of Freeman Cleave's biography of William Henry Harrison, which was written around the same time.
   
   Pros: Well-written, entertaining, fascinating subject, little competition (I am anxious to read Edward Crapol's new biography of Tyler which just came out!)
   
   Cons: Author tried too hard to defend Tyler--going to extremes at times (it's one thing to say history has given Tyler a raw deal--I can buy that--it's another to say that all of Tyler's problems were solely a function of his strict adherence to his Jeffersonian principles even when politically inexpedient. I don't buy that); precious little is told about Tyler's private life, including his marriages and children; author engages in much speculation and frequently puts words (and ideas) in Tyler's head without substantiation (I understand that was common to biographies of that era).
   
   Summary: Really good read on an all but forgotten and probably somewhat unjustly-maligned President, but there is definitely still an opportunity for someone to write THE definitive biography of John Tyler (unless Dr. Crapol has pulled it off already).



4. This was one very enjoyable biography and one I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the history of the US or with an interest in the biographies of the presidents. It turned out to be a surprising gem.
   
   Tyler has been slandered and mispresented throughout history, much of which has come down from the tremendous animosity felt towards him during his presidency from both parties. Much of the negative spoken about him today, is merely reiteration of the same spoken about him during the 1840s. The author does an excellent job allowing us to see the true Tyler, and to examine the man who was our 10th president.
   
   No study of the presidents or collection of presidential biographies would be complete without this volume.



5. This book does a nice job of explaining the complexities associated with John Tyler becoming president and then his challenges once he gets to the White House. Tyler's misfortunes appear to be as much an extension of circumstances as his own fault, but the author helps us understand all the influences. The struggle between the Whigs and the Democrats (with Tyler caught in the middle - left out in the cold) is well documented here and I recommend this book for anyone interested in 19th century politics and particularly our presidents.

3 comments about William Howard Taft: An Intimate History.

1. This book does a great job of discussing Taft's life and how he got to be President. It also provides a good deal of insight into the time in which he lived and how politics worked at that time. Overall, a great read.



2. I am reading all the presidential biographies in order.
   
   This was a very good book, even though it is nearly 30 years old. It is also the only bio that seemed to foot the bill. And boy did it!
   
   The author based this book on her dissertation that she worked on through much of the 1970s, I believe. I was a bit leary at first after hearing that, thinking, "oh great, it's going to be very dull." But I was very pleasantly surprised! It was VERY well written, read very well, and was a joy to discover.
   
   We are given a VERY complete picture of Taft -- from his overbearing mother to his overbearing wife, to his overbearing partner TR. The author really gets us inside Taft's head -- literally. I think the author was a psychology major because she gives a "diagnosis" of Taft's mental state and thinking along the way. For instance, she blames his being overweight to his overbearing parents, in particular, his mother.
   
   This was one of the better biographies I have read. I really felt bad for Taft. He seems to have been bullied by just about everyone in his life, but on the flip side it seems to have been his motivation. Only later in his life -- a lot later -- did he "grow up."
   
   Fascinating read!



3. This is an excellent biography of William Howard Taft. It not only looks at what he did but why he did it.
   
   Taft is not known for being a good president, but that was his one area of weakness. His life was one success after another, except for the presidency. In fact, he never wanted to be president, but was more interested in being on the Supreme Court, where he eventually served.
   
   This book consults letters by Taft and those around him. It includes great quotes, like Taft's saying "I would rather entertain people I don't like than not entertain at all."
   
   If you want to know more about Taft, I would highly recommend this book.

1 comments about America's Presidents: Facts, Photos, and Memorabilia from the Nation's Chief Executives.

1. Colorful images, removable memorabilia, and authoritative but easy-to-understand text combines to tell the story of all of America's Commanders in Chiefs from George Washington to George W. Bush-their personalities, their politics, and their significant contributions.

5 comments about Grant: A Biography.

1. I am currently reading a biography of every President in order. I must say that none of the preceding Presidents (even Lincoln) seem to be as difficult to pin down as Grant as to their "definitive" biography. In addition to McFeely's Pulitzer prize winning effort is Geoffrey Perret's offering, which seems to be universally derided as a scholarly farce, Jean Edward Smith's biography of Grant is clearly meant for a more popular readership (indeed Smith's commitment to scholarly research is somewhat dubious himself given he was able to produce a 1,000 page biography of FDR in less than 5 years after writing his Grant bio), and finally Brooks Simpson's projected two volume biography which when complete will certainly be the most comprehensive modern effort. McFeely's biography was the Pulitzer prize winner and that ultimately swayed me in favor of it, although I was a bit concerned about some of the poor reviews it received.
   
   I will state from the outset that I think most of the criticism of McFeely's biography I have read in other reviews is either unwarranted or overstressed. This is a straightforward "old school" biography that is directed by the research and not by some new spin that the author believes will help sell the book. McFeely won the Pulitzer Prize for this work and rightfully so. This is a comprehensive and balanced biography of Grant that is a highly enjoyable read on top of that.
   
   I'm not sure what the negative reviewers expectations were before reading this book. Obviously most feel that Grant is somehow misrepresented by McFeely, however I definitely did not reach that conclusion. I believe this is the best comprehensive one volume biography of Grant available based on extensive research and solid writing.



2. Any good biographer has to have, if not sympathy, at least some understanding of his or her subject. Unfortunately, although this book is well researched, you get the uneasy feeling that Mr. McFeely is examining Ulysses Grant like a bug under a microscope. This is the classic example of an academic who lacks understanding of real life and as a result cannot grasp the dynamics of a man of action, as Ulysses Grant certainly was.
   
   Mr. McFeely also unquestioningly adopts the prejudices of prior historians without thinking for himself. As a result, an historian who DID think for himself, Frank Scaturro in President Grant Reconsidered, has rendered Mr. McFeely's book obsolete. Every biography since Mr. Scaturro has reviewed the Grant Administration with a fresh and generally favorable eye. As the last civil rights President before Harry Truman, Grant certainly deserves that revised opinion.
   
   Mr. McFeely's book is no longer worth reading, if it ever was.



3. The book covers the important parts of Grant's life. The book has good research on Grant's youth.



4. McFeely won the Pulitzer Prize for this book in 1982, but the conclusions he reaches about his subject have drawn fire ever since. Those sympathetic to Grant correctly point to errant assumptions and mistakes in character analysis. Most glaring is McFeely's insistence that Grant gloried in carnage, was insensitive to death and suffering, and was an incompetent chief executive.

   Actually Grant was one of the most exquisitiely sensitive men ever born and was nothing like the 'butcher' that McFeely describes. However, the research in the book is quite good and there are very few factual errors to be found, though his chapters on the civil war are relatuvely weak. This contrasts markedly to Geoffrey Perret's 1997 Grant biography, which contained inaccuracies on nearly every page. McFeely is most solid in the period of Reconstruction, though he is usually overly prone to criticize the hapless Grant. Throughout many chapters, it seems the General can't buy a break.

   McFeely's greatest admiration for Grant is contained in two areas of his life: his family relationships, specifically his loving marriage to wife Julia, and his abilities as a writer. McFeely leaves no doubt that he regards Grant's 1885 Memoirs as one of the great books ever written and the best part of this biography is in explaining the processes Grant used to produce such a masterpiece, while dying of throat cancer.

   With its flaws and uneven treatment of Grant, McFeely's book cannot be considered definitive, but it is still the only complete biography of Grant written in the past 30 years. Perret's limping entry isn't even in the same league as this book, in accuracy, writing or research. To sum up: overly critical, but a must read for Civil War buffs.




5. This is one seriously irritating book. There may be relatively few factual errors (at least, compared to Geoffrey Perret's work on Grant, a masterpiece of unintentional humor,) but McFeely's work is riddled with what I can only believe are deliberately insulting mischaracterizations and misrepresentations, tiresomely pretentious writing, and amateur psychoanalyzing of the most obnoxious sort. McFeely is particularly fond of quoting the words of Grant or his wife on some matter or another, and then proclaiming that--no matter how clear their meaning may have been to us poor dumb non-historians--what they were REALLY saying and thinking was something else altogether. If there is anything I can't abide, it's a biographer who persists in reading a subject's mind and putting words into his or her mouth and thoughts into his or her head that were never said and never thought. McFeely not only obviously believes he is much smarter than Grant (hah!) but more percipient than his readership, as well.

   If this book is worthy of a Pulitzer, then I trust my next grocery shopping list will earn me a Nobel Prize for Literature.

5 comments about A Farewell to Justice: Jim Garrison, JFK's Assassination, and the Case That Should Have Changed History.

1. Although this book is a credible continuation of Garrison's impressive work, unlike Garrison's three books, which are beautifully, coherently and convincingly written, the style of this one is self-destructively disjointed, gossipy, and just barely coherent. Sadly, it has adopted a style reminiscent of the very CIA disinformation tracts that have been used over the last 40 years to discredit Garrison and his impressive work. Despite its self-destructive style, this is still an important book --among only a handful that seem to have a secure handle on the events and people that led to JFK's assassination. It correctly ridicules the Warren Commission Report as an exercise in "exorcism," a fantasy that at least for a while, accomplished its task of "pinning the tail of the assassination donkey" on "everybody's favorite Commie," Lee Harvey Oswald.
   
   Importantly, it recognized (as did District Attorney Jim Garrison) that the epicenter of the plot that ended in JFK's death was probably hatched in Langley, but finalized in New Orleans and carried out by "hired mechanics" in Dallas. It was New Orleans and its environs where most of the dots could be connected that led up the chain to offices in Langley and inevitably on to Dallas. It was there that Clay Shaw, as the Managing Director of the "CIA front," the New Orleans International Trade Mart, was also the apparent "second line" manager of the JFK assassination plot. The New Orleans International Trade Mart was itself but one link in a longer and tighter chain connected directly to a similar "CIA front" in Rome called "Centro Mondiale Commerciale," which was a replacement for the more notorious "CIA Front" PERMINDEX, based in Switzerland. All three apparently were at Shaw's disposal for among others nefarious things, funneling untraceable money to fund CIA activities.
   
   Jim Garrison went to his death with the belief that the same team within the CIA that had carried out the overthrow of Arbenz in Guatemala, namely, Lawrence Houston, Richard Helms, James Jesus Angleton, E. Howard Hunt and David Atlee Phillips, also planned the JFK assassination. And although there is only scant circumstantial evidence presented here that this was in fact the case, it is powerful evidence nonetheless. This book demonstrates "guilty and conspiratorial connections" all along the chain of the plot: from the ground grunts, the actual shooters (probably rabid anti-Castro Cubans or hired foreign professional hitmen), to the third line managers and planners of the mechanics of the assassination (Guy Bannister and David Ferrie), to the second line manager, Clay Shaw (Bannister's handler), on up the chain to the first line managers in Langley mentioned above.
   
   It was New Orleans where the den of vipers, headed by ex-FBI SAC and CIA asset, Guy Bannister, at 544 Camp Street was engaged in all manner of nefarious activities designed to undermine and embarrass JFK and his Cuban policies: from directing Cuban exile attacks against Castro, to purchasing and storing weapons, to managing the activities that would advance the "legend" of Oswald as a patsy. New Orleans was where the mysterious but central player David Ferrie operated ubiquitously engaged in all manner of activities associated with assassination planning and execution. It was also New Orleans where mobster Carlos Marcello, lived. Recall that it was Marcello (as well as Santos Trafficani) who had accurately predicted that "JFK would be hit." It was Clinton, Louisiana, near New Orleans, where Shaw, Ferrie, Bannister and Oswald were spotted together during the summer of 1963, apparently in an effort by them to "darken" Oswald's record as a "Communist Pro-Castro malcontent." We also discover here (on page 43) that Lee Harvey Oswald at the age of 16, was recruited into the CIA via the Marine Corps by (CIA Asset) David Ferrie, who was at the time Oswald's Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Commander. Recently released document also reveal that Oswald also went on to become both a CIA, FBI, ONI, and a Customs undercover agent and asset.
   
   These are a few of the many isolated facts that are unnecessarily thrown together willy-nilly in this book. Undoubtedly one of the reasons it may have been done has been to protect anonymous sources, but it could have been done also as a way of "stretching tenuous facts." However, without the necessary connective tissue, without a context, without a convincing theory of the assassination, throwing facts together willy-nilly does not add up to a convincing case against those who are "probably guilty." This case, very much is presented like the O.J. Simpson case was presented: the evidence against "the guily" is overwhelming, but the case is so badly botched, that any sensible jury would have to give the accused (the CIA in this case) "a pass."
   
   There is no theory, no overarching theoretical framework, no hypothesis in which to place this mosaic. It gives hints and suggestions that mere hatred of the Kennedys was sufficient for CIA's clandestine services, to begin the wheels turning of a "vast right wing conspiracy" that ended in JFK's murder. How credible is that? It is simply left up to the reader to draw his own conclusions.
   
   Well, the fact is that most of us have drawn our own conclusions, what we needed but did not get here was an author who could put together a coherent and logically sound case that refuted the "cock-and-bull story" sold to us in the Warren Commission Report. This book came close, and gets "an A" for effort, but still gets no bananas.
   
   Five stars for the research, three for the writing, and four for the book as a whole.



2. The book could use some editing (the writing is ponderous and repetitious at times) but the research supporting Garrison's "trail of assassins" is edifying and compelling.



3. Joan Mellen takes on the Jim Garrison/Clay Show trial in New Orleans in this highly frustrating book on the JFK Assassination. While she presents much worthwhile information and makes a very strong case that Shaw was a CIA employee involved in the assassination, her conclusions are dragged down in a morass of poor writing. Much is out-of-order chronologically, years are not given to orient the reader, aliases are used interchangeably with real names, etc. The organization at times seems random. All in all, combined with the vast amount of information presented, this ends up being extremely difficult to read.
   
   Troublesome also is that Mellen includes well over 100 pages of end notes but many, many quotes and other salient points have no citation listed.
   
   Worthwhile, but be prepared to put in a lot of work.



4. While the information contained in this book is very interesting, it is presented so poorly, I could not finish it. There is virtually no structure to the book. Follow a timeline, or a character or anything, but pick something and give me linear story. This book made me dizzy.



5. For J. Mellen, it is an open secret that US intelligence services were directly involved in JFK's assassination. For their deadly feud with JFK, the latter himself gave the reasons: he wanted to `curb activities of spook outfits' and `splinter them in thousand pieces and scatter them to the winds.' He put all local intelligence offices under control of the US ambassadors.
   Beside intelligence (`the clandestine arm of warfare interests in the US government'), the war machine corporations wanted in no way to attach their fortunes to the Kennedys.
   
   The only legal action against the alleged perpetrators of the assassination came from a courageous district attorney, Jim Garrison. That he was very near (part of ) the truth is proven by the frontal vicious attacks launched against him and his investigation by intelligence itself. All legal and illegal means were good enough to destroy him.
   But he was only near a part of the truth: the ground staff, not near those who ordered the murder, the upper level of the plotters.
   Joan Mellen shows profusely how Oswald was continuously surrounded by intelligence agents and how the latter shared their beds with the Mafia. J. Garrison knew that he fought against `a secret state of its own' and `a major menace to the democracy we live in'.
   The author reveals also that there was an alternative scapegoat in the wings, if the framing of Oswald would not succeed, and, more controversially, that Bob Kennedy was against Garrison's investigation, because he thought he needed `to gain the presidency to deal with the facts of his brother's death.'
   
   This book throws a shrill light on the Pravda-like media (C. Johnson) who are creating a Kafkaesque world which has nothing to do with this world's political and economic realities. Another example in this book: the U2 Powers incident in 1956 was a provocation to kill détente between Eisenhower and Khrushchev.
   This book is a must read for all those who are interested in the most important coup d'état of the 20th century and who want to understand the world we live in.

3 comments about That Man: An Insider's Portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1. Robert H. Jackson's insightful and previously unpublished observations of FDR in his presidency appear and are notated in Professor Barrett's THAT MAN in a very readable arrangement. Here is a true and objective account by one who was there and witnessed the inside of the FDR years in the White House. These Jackson writing's being posthumous adds rarity and validity to the work, making it a true find for serious Roosevelt and Roosevelt period historians.



2. This is a very interesting book which adds something of great value to the ever-growing mound of books on FDR. The fact that the manuscript was uncovered in a closet some 50 years after it was written is something for which students of FDR and presidential power can give thanks. It presents an entirely unique view and highly personal perspective on interacting with Roosevelt. Some of the most interesting discussion relates to interacting with FDR and his circle on an informal basis, such as on those fishing trips FDR savored. Also of great interest is the light the book throws on Jackson's own career--from the Treasury, to the SEC, then to Justice where successively Jackson was in the Tax Division, headed the Antitrust Division, became Solicitor General and Attorney General, and ultimately was elevated to the Supreme Court. Along the way we gain a fascinating perspective on such events as the Court Packing plan. The strongest chapter is on "That Man as Politician;" the most interesting "That Man as Companion and Sportsman." The editor has done an outstanding job in providing extensive notes, material from other sources to supplement the narrative, and in providing a biographical directory. But it is Jackson's own narrative skill that makes the book read so well. With a new major biography of Jackson himself on the horizon, this book becomes even more essential.



3. As a long-time admirer of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, I am always intrigued by new books that are published regarding his life or his Presidency. A book from a contemporary source that has such "insider" knowledge of how FDR operated as Robert Jackson is a marvelous addition to the existing literature.

   Jackson does not make any promises at the outset of the book except to be objective, and he certainly does meet this goal. Jackson describes FDR as President, Commander-in-Chief, and a human being, outlining his strengths as well as his weaknesses. Jackson makes no excuses for the President when his policies and knowledge did not seem to be best for the country (Jackson even criticizes FDR for his lack of economic knowledge and business sense).

   I enjoyed Jackson's writing style (he is considered by many to be one of the best authors to ever sit on the Supreme Court of the United States), and I found that the book was easy to read.

   I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in President Franklin Roosevelt - the stories and anecdotes given in the text make it highly readable, and the examples Jackson provides to detail his points are always logical and related to the subject at hand.