5 comments about We'll Never Be Young Again: Remembering the Last Days of John F. Kennedy.

1. The collaborative effort of Chuck Fries, Irv Wilson, and Spencer Green, "We'll Never Be Young Again": Remembering The Last Days of John F. Kennedy combines history, narratives, and personal testimonies of the final days of America's 35th President. Over 125 letters written by notable individuals such as Senator John Kerry, Jerry Lewis, Dominick Dunne, Liz Smith and more offer a compelling, collective human testimony to the loss of a charismatic, strong-willed and truly unforgettable and martyred "Camelot" era political leader. "We'll Never Be Young Again" is a superb and highly commended contribution to the growing library books on and about JFK.



2. I was moved and emotionally caught up in the great memories of JFK and Camelot from the thoughts and stories of the many great people interviewed here. The selections here are terrific, and rather than the oft-told, dry history of our greatest president, the personal reflections that are recounted in the excellent book reflect who what and where we were as a country then, what we lost, and what we can aspire to be in the future. An amazing book.



3. This isn't really my kind of book, but it's nicely crafted and attractive to flip through. I bought copies for my grandparents for Christmas.



4. Growing up I remember two prominent portraits on the wall of my home. Jesus and JFK. I almost didn't read this book. I felt I already knew everything there was to know about that fateful day and I didn't want to remember the painful details. But I did and I don't regret a minute of it. This book is filled with vivid recollections from a cross-section of people that moved me from tears to laughter with a flip of a page. I found the narrative fresh and the timeline helpful. I know what I'm buying my loved ones for Christmas -- this book!



5. I thoroughly enjoyed the many comments by people great and small on their remembrances of November 22, 1963. This well-written narrative of the last days of JFK also provided some unusual comments and insights from friends of JFK from Robert McNamara to Jerry Lewis that I had not read before, as well as the the feelings of shock and despair that prevailed with ordinary people on hearing the horrific news of the assasination. This book has certainly supplemented my information on this well documented tragedy.

1 comments about The Life & Times of William Howard Taft (VOL. 1).

1. I have read nearly every book in print about WHT. Pringle's effort is quintessential. Pringle begins his treatment by admitting that his interest in Taft is superficial: He decided to write these books only after completing works on Teddy Roosevelt. Taft is usually treated as a moon to Roosevelt's planet. Pringle typifies this treatment. One gets the impression that Pringle is a lifeguard forced to rescue a man whom he loathes. In the end, the entire effort devolves into an apologia. The lifeguard, after struggling against the currents of his own indifference, pulls his lifeless charge to shore, explaining to a hostile crowd: "Every man, even this loathsome creature, deserves a chance." He then walks away while Taft turns blue. I give this book three stars because it is better than nothing, but just barely.
   
   If you truly want a picture of the man, read his own writings. His collected works are now widely available.

2 comments about The Presidency of John F. Kennedy (American Presidency Series).

1. While it was shorter than most, that did not prevent the Kennedy presidency from being eventful, even without including the tragic end. The closest the world ever came to thermonuclear war was during the Cuban missile crisis, which is still a model for the management of a crisis between great powers. And the greatest public failure of a CIA sponsored action was the disastrous invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.
   While necessarily short, the description of the Cuban missile crisis was still amazing to read, as the hawkish position of the U. S. military commanders was clearly a harbinger of the same policy of ratcheting up the force that failed so badly in Vietnam. Some, although not all, of the commanders were for massive force, thinking that it would so intimidate the Cubans that it would be all over quickly. This event is one of the strongest arguments in favor of political control over the military and Kennedy showed himself to be strong-willed in doing all he could to find a political solution that allowed the Soviets a face-saving way to retreat.
   Given all that has happened since then, it is amazing to be reminded that in the early years of the Kennedy administration the country in Southeast Asia that was considered most likely to fall under communist control was Laos. Here again, Kennedy showed himself willing to do whatever it took to find a political settlement. He was most reluctant to commit American combat forces in Southeast Asia, considering it dangerous and fraught will all kinds of unknown consequences.
   This backdrop brings up the natural question as to whether Kennedy would have followed the path in Vietnam that Lyndon Johnson did. Giglio avoids spending a great deal of time on that continuous point of contention. However, he does bring up several very important points.

   1) The disaster at the Bay of Pigs made him very skeptical of CIA and military "rosy scenarios."
   2) His dealing with hawkish elements during the Cuban missile crisis made him skeptical of military statements about the effect of overwhelming military power. It also showed that he was willing to restrict the military in its' desire to blow things up.
   3) Kennedy would most certainly have been re-elected in 1964 and as a President who would not face another election, he could have made unpopular, but correct decisions.
   4) Kennedy and Khrushchev were beginning the process that was later known as détente, and that could have led to more of a political settlement in Vietnam along the model that was a modest success in Laos.

   Together, these elements make one believe that Kennedy would not have made the same mistakes that Johnson did in Vietnam.
   Kennedy's record on civil rights is far more mixed and it is clear that brother Bobby, who was also Attorney General, did a great deal to push John towards more involvement. Once more, John Kennedy was politically cautious in trying to avoid alienating southern Democrats. And yet, he did press the issue, showing that he did understand how important it was. Giglio rightly takes Kennedy to task on this battle that needed to be fought.
   Finally, the descriptions of Kennedy's health problems and sexual exploits remind us of an earlier day when the press did have some standards in pressing into a public official's private life. Kennedy was a very sick man who took drugs to cope, and there is some reason to believe that he would have been an invalid by the time he completed his second term. The much celebrated sexual escapades of Bill Clinton are trivial in comparison, as Kennedy seemingly would sleep with any woman willing to do so. As ironic as it sounds so many years later, most people felt that the greatest danger to his person was a consequence of his sexual adventures, where he often had sex with women where the only screening done was the verification that they were female.
   The Kennedy presidency was successful in many ways, most notably in foreign affairs, as he managed to reach political accords that were reasonable and certainly better than all possible alternatives. He was a strange combination of strong will and weak flesh, both in the literal and figurative sense. Giglio captures all of this, describing a man and an era named after him that was the precursor of the turbulence of the late sixties, where the world seemed to be tearing itself apart.




2. This book is neither an uncritical appraisal of Kennedy nor a damning account. Rather, the author has managed to give a critical but not biased view of Kennedy's presidency. Naturally, this involves disproving a couple of myths about "Camelot". I had to read this book for a university course about Kenndey's presidency and can recommend it to anyone interested in a fair account.

No comments about Thinking How to Live.

1 comments about The Life of Alexander the Great (Modern Library Classics).

1. I was impressed with this translation of Plutarch's Life of Alexander the Great. The prose was very clear and readable, and I finished the book very quickly. You shouldn't expect a detailed treatment of military or historical topics; the book is less than 100 pages in length, and such was not Plutarch's object anyway. Plutarch's Lives are really discussions of morality and character as evidenced in the lives of great men, and the history surrounding these men is really only a backdrop against which these things are portrayed. Use this book to begin to get a picture of Alexander the man; use other books to flesh out your understanding of Alexander the soldier, the king, and the politician.

2 comments about Herbert Hoover: Forgotten Progressive.

1. Hoover was blamed for the Great Depression. He had trouble with the Federal Reserve and the New York Stock Exchange. Seven months into his term, the stock market crashed. By 1932, 12 million were out of work. The good thing to come from his term was Hoover Dam, located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas. This hydroelectric dam harnesses the Colorado River to produce electricity for Arizona, Nevada and California. There was controversy about the dam's name. Democrats wanted it called Boulder Dam because of Hoover's failed presidency and because it was originally to be built upriver across Boulder Canyon.



2. I'm reading a bio of each President and was actually excited to get to Hoover. I figured he couldn't be nearly as bad as his reputation and there might be some insight as to how he was so successful in most of his life, but failed so miserably as president. Alas, there is not. The book seems well-researched, but there is a stunning lack of personal detail. Almost nothing other than Hoover's offical writings are cited. No anecdotes from friends. No personal correspondance. Before he went into government, he spent most of his adult life overseas. Surely there would be some interesting tales from those adventures, I thought. None. If you have to do research on Hoover, I suppose this is a fine place to start. However, if you're a bio fan and looking for some insight into the man and the times, don't bother. To be fair, such a book may not exist or even be feasible with Hoover. This one definitely isn't it.

5 comments about A President in the Family: Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, and Thomas Woodson.

1. If you've followed the Jefferson-Hemings controversy, you know that the DNA tests have shown that Jefferson was almost certainly the father of Sally Hemings' children. This conclusion is supported by virtually all historians and informed observers, with the only holdouts being the Old Virginia types (as exemplified by some of the reviewers here) who simply refuse to accept that their hero, Thomas Jefferson, had an affair with his African-American slave.
   
   But if you've followed the Hemings controversy you also know that the DNA tests indicated that the Woodson family, the branch with the most robust oral history of their descent from the President, are apparently not related to Thomas Jefferson at all. And that while their oral history is emphatic that their ancestor, Thomas Woodson, was Jefferson's son -- in fact the "Black Tom" alluded to in Callender's contemporary attack on the President -- this young person cannot even be definitively placed on the Monticello plantation.
   
   It's a genuine mystery. It's mysterious because the Woodson family's oral history is so strong -- and in fact so accurate about many things, such as Sally Hemings' personal ancestry. It was the Woodson family's research that uncovered much of the trail that finally linked the Hemings descendants together.
   
   So who was Thomas Woodson? Who was he really? Who was his father?
   
   This book, written by a direct Woodson descendant, is an account of the family's search for the truth behind their oral history. As such it is a compelling and enlightening read. Despite the lack of DNA match and the ultimate question mark as to Thomas Woodson's real parentage, it is absurd to say that the book is not "true." It is a true account of the family lore preserved by the Woodson family, of what they found when they began to search the records, and of how they ultimately pieced the puzzle together with the other descendants of Sally Hemings (those whose genetic connection to Jefferson has been demonstrated by DNA tests).
   
   The book is also a two-century history of the Woodson family itself, a highly accomplished African-American clan that has had an important impact on this country. Even without the putative Jefferson connection, their multi-generation saga is fascinating.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. Many of the reviewers harping on whether the Woodsons were actually descendants of TJ are completely missing the significance of this book.
   
   So we're not related to TJ (I'm the son of the author). Our historical and genealogical research is accurate (we have found over 1700 living relatives) minus one speculation. For the record, as a member of the Woodson family I grew up knowing that I am related to Thomas Woodson, but thinking I might be related to Thomas Jefferson.
   
   So the Woodson's aren't related to TJ . . .So why read the book? Because it's a darn good book.
   
   I was even surprised at how well-written it is. This book aspires to be an honest account of how history is lived and made through the lives of real people as part of a family, and how history is both written and mis-written. The most ground-breaking and under-appreciated aspect of this book is that it tracks the stroy of at least seven generations of successful African Americans!
   
   This multi-generational family-centered view shows the triumphs, plights, hopes, beliefs and one mistake of generations of a family (we're not related to TJ's cousin:) and the dishonesty of historians (DNA proved TJ is related to the descendants of at least one of Sally's children, much to the chagrin of historians; and that historians physically altered national landmarks [Monticello and Jefferson's farm book] to erase evidence of the close relationship between TJ and Sally).



3. This is a well-written and fascinating story that has been passionately believed by generations of descendants of Thomas Woodson (allegedly the "Black Tom" who was the central piece of "evidence" in scandalmolnger James Thomson Callender's 1802 charge that Thomas Jefferson had a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings). But SIX different DNA tests of male-line descendants of three of Thomas Woodson's sons have proven beyond any serious doubt that the story is fiction. Serious scholars are still divided over whether Sally Hemings was more than one of his house slaves to Thomas Jefferson. A year-long study by more than a dozen senior scholars released in 2001 concluded the story was probably false with but a single mild dissent, but some scholars continue to embrace the story. But no serious scholar still contends that Thomas Woodson was the son of Thomas Jefferson. (It is not known whether he was the child of Sally Hemings.) When pressed to reconcile his claim with the DNA scientific proof that has repeatedly shown it to be false, Byron Woodson noted that there is no known sample of Thomas Jefferson's DNA (the 1998 tests used DNA from descendants of his cousins -- which should have carried the same y chromosome as the president) and reasoned that perhaps Jefferson was illegitimate. Woodson seems like a nice fellow, and it is understandable why he might hold on to his belief despite such powerful scientific proof that it is untrue. But the issue has been clearly resolved by reliable scientific testing, and this volume should now be moved to the FICTION section -- where many readers may well find it a most interesting read.



4. The existence of 'Black Tom' is highly questionable, though Woodson is quite right about the erasure in Jefferson's records, I've seen it too in a holograph edition of his Farm Book.
   Unfortunately for Mr. Woodson's thesis 'Tom's' name should certainly have appeared more than once. His 'mother' and 'brothers and sister' are listed not only on Jefferson's Slave Census but in distributions of rations and clothing as well. 'Black Tom' supposedly lived at Monticello till 1802, his name most certainly should have appeared in those records just as the rest of the Hemmings family's names did.
   However the even if the existence of 'Black Tom' were proven it would do the Woodsons no good. The famous DNA tests that proved the Eston Jeffersons are indeed descended from *A* Jefferson male, (possibly Thomas but his brother or nephew is equally probable) also proved that though Thomas Woodson was undoubtedly sired by a white man that man was *not* a Jefferson.
   The Woodson family has chosen to ignore this incontrovertable scientific evidence and cling to their family myth. Frankly I find it pitiable that this extraordinarily accomplished and successful family should be so fixated on a fictitious illegitimate descent from a Founding Father. The achievements of generations of Woodsons, against unbelievable odds, is in itself a heritage to be proud of, they don't need Jefferson's blood to validate their role in American history.



5. This is pretty sad really. I started out as a believer in the Woodson story and Woodson has obviously done a lot of research on his family history. Certainly, there are many distinguished people in Woodson's family...sadly, Thomas Jefferson has been pretty definitely proven by DNA (no match after testing 6 Woodson lines!) not to be one of them! Since Woodson was the Hemings child with the strongest "oral history"/family lore--the fact that there was no link to Jefferson really calls into question the whole story since obviously Sally got pregnant by somebody else in Paris. And the allegations started about a "Black Tom"....Still and all, with irrefutable evidence that someone in Woodson's family lied to create a link that science has proven doesn't exist, Woodson still can't give it up, claiming the 'no match" was the result of illegitimacy later in the line...which Woodson still doesn't seem to get would still mean he is not related to the Great Man. Bottom line: Don't waste your money.

1 comments about Historic Photos of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

1. My parents, who grew up as very poor children in the teeth of the Great Depression, held FDR in high regard. However, they did not share in the general worship of FDR by some of their friends. For my parents' friends FDR was more than a President, even more than a Hero. He was a kind of savior to them who inspired them, provided work to their fathers, and provided food that they were often ashamed to eat. My parents recognized the leadership FDR showed, and were grateful for some of the programs, but the idea that the government could provide everything for everybody seemed absurd to them.
   
   As I grew up and read and began formulating my own ideas, I began to question the orthodox view of FDR held of these friends. I remember at one gathering of my parents' friends, a couple of us teenagers brought up some views that questioned the view of FDR as the savior of the nation. Wow, what a reaction! (Again, not from my parents, but their friends.) Later in life I met families for whom FDR was an unalloyed devil and if you had anything remotely positive to say about FDR it generated a similarly explosive reaction. Interesting stuff.
   
   Regardless of your views of FDR, there is no question that he was the most influential president of the 20th century, even more than Reagan whose dominance seems so great because he was more recent. This very interesting volume provides a couple of hundred photographs of FDR from his boyhood through his funeral. I enjoyed the way the book did not center on his three and a part terms as president, but gave us many photographs that are not commonly seen. It is the private man we see here even more than the man in office (though there are plenty of those, too). They are printed in large format and allow the reader to linger over them and notice very interesting detail.
   
   As usual in this fine series from Turner Publishing, the captions add valuable information about the photograph and the few pages of information that form chapter headings add just enough helpful information without getting in the way of the photographs.
   
   This is an especially nice addition to the library of anyone interested in FDR, American presidents, or general American history.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

5 comments about The Sage of Monticello (Jefferson and His Time).

1. When I recently finally finished the 6th and final volume of this set, I realized that I knew more about Thomas Jefferson than I do about some of my friends. There is an incredible amount of information here. Although the Sally Hemings story is barely mentioned in these books because so much information has come out since the books were written, everything else is covered in great detail.
   
   I reviewed the first 3 books as a whole under the third volume, and I'll do the same here on the final 3. I believed that the two hardest books to read were the volumes on Jefferson's presidency. Malone covered eight years in about 1,000 pages, and he went into such detail that it was actually hard to follow at times. By the time I finished reading about the Embargo Act, there was no way I could summarize it; he had written about it so much, and it was spread out throughout the volume. The same can be said, to some extent, with the Burr conspiracy.
   
   The final book was better, even though he exhaustingly covered the establishment of the University of Virginia, probably more than necessary. I would have preferred more on the correspondence with John Adams. And while Malone gets into Jefferson's family relationships here, he was, as a writer, a better presenter of facts than he is a story teller. Nothing about this series is "narrative."
   
   I would recommend the books to a very serious lover of history, and I suggest the audio book as a way of speeding up what will otherwise be a very slow read. But to one with casual interest in history who admires Jefferson, I'd suggest one of the many one-volume biographies.



2. This book is the sixth and final volume in Dumas Malone's six volume biography called "Jefferson and His Time" covering the period from the end of Jefferson's presidency to his death (1809-1826)
   
   Mr. Malone truly saved the best for last in this series resulting in the best of the six volumes, quite an achievement considering he completed this volume when he was 89 years old. This volume successfuly covers in thorough detail the most important parts of Jefferson's late life including the founding of the University of Virginia, his friendship with John Adams, his thoughts on the political issues after his presidency, and his personal and family life including his increasingly difficult situation regarding his debts. While maintaining the scholarly level of detail in the previous volumes, Malone's writing style is his most enjoyable yet.
   
   In conclusion, this volume has my highest recommendation and is perfectly suited to be read as a stand alone volume, even without reading the the rest of the series.



3. Despite his clear sympathy for the late 'sage', Dumas Malone did a better job on this book, when compared to his efforts on "Jefferson and the Rights of Man".
   This book, ("The Sage of Monticello"), centered on the ex-president's life after retiring to his grand plantation. It is a well-written account, although that I disagreed with the author on certain issues.
   Yes, I may seem stubborn, but I will always like to be conscientious: I refuse to agree that a man who was a slave-holder was at the same time, the champion who fought for the rights of men. It is simply contradictory!



4. What can be said about this monument to Jefferson scholarship? I am sure that somewhere in universities around the United States there are "scholar squirrels who want to put down this invaluable resource in Jefferson studies. It is always the way that mice attempt to gnaw at lions. This is not a perfect work (and my remarks refer to all of the books in the series as a whole), there are somethings, namely Sally Hemmings references which are wrong and will not sit well with American 21st century mores. There is the issue of slavery which was handled much differently 50 years ago than it is now.
   Jefferson is not worthy of our interest because of Sally Hemmings and because he kept slaves. Jefferson is great because of the Declaration of Independence and his fight for the rights of man. While it may have been hypocritical to preach liberty and keep slaves, it is doubtful that slavery ever would have been abolished if Jefferson had never gained the prominence that he did. This book and the others that follow show why we should continue to honor the public man even though his private side may have been wanting.



5. Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello is the crowning jewel of this sixth out of six volume set. This Pulitzer Prize winning series about Thomas Jefferson took the author (Dumas Malone) a lifetime to write, as he started it in 1943 and finished it in 1981.

   This volume takes us from the end of Jefferson's second term as President to his death. But these times are Jefferson's best in terms of his satisfaction with his immediate family, even though at times were a bit rocky, Jefferson longed of retirement from public life. Long ago friendship of John Adams was rekindled with frequent correspondence... James Madison not living too far away from Jefferson was a frequent correspondent.

   Jefferson's talent wasn't wasted as he worked on the establishment and founding of the University of Virginia. He proved himself as one of the preeminent force for public education. But, Jefferson's personal debt played a role in Jefferson's energy and dreams.

   We really get to see Jefferson as a man in this volume and his works for the public good emerge here. Also, we see Jefferson's health deminish and his battle for life play a part. This volume is masterfully engaging and well written. Impeccable scholarship and a life long dedication are very apparent.

   If you like to read history and biographical history in particular and want to read about Thomas Jefferson, this series has to be on your short list.

   I highly recommend reading this series. It has been an honor reading about one of America's most extraordinary men.

2 comments about Oliver Cromwell (Historic Lives).

1. Gaunt provides a brief overview of Cromwell's life. In the introduction, he discusses the various reactions to Cromwell, from contemporary sources to the present. H has more biographies, both supporting and detracting, written about him than any other English figure. Gaunt discusses the difficulties arising from a greater reliance on primary sources. Cromwell's letters and speeches are filled with religious and biblical allusions, because he believed that his every action was God-ordained. Cromwell's childhood and early life are challenging for historians, because records are scarce. Gaunt examines closely Cromwell's employment and finances, since his political actions depended on his monetary stability; as his land and money holdings increased, so did his influence in politics. While much of Cromwell's early life consists of speculation and conjecture, enough information survives to provide a bare bones sketch. More information appears as Cromwell's political fortunes improve during his appointment to Parliament.
   Gaunt writes for a general audience, so he does not go into great detail. His language is understandable, avoids complex words, and explains clearly each point. The book functions well as an introductory work to Oliver Cromwell. While no new scholarship is presented, if a source is of debatable value, he tells the reader. He also presents various controversies regarding Cromwell. His description of Cromwell's religious conversion is fair, avoiding a condescending attitude. A detailed chronology is included, broken down into months and years. The length of the index is appropriate to the size and scope of the book. Gaunt does not include a bibliography or citations, but he does provide a suggested reading section, organized into military and political works, Cromwell's reputation through history, and collections of Cromwell's own words.



2. We bought this book for my daughter's class report. It did a decent job of going over Cromwell's life. However, it is not very in-depth and would not suffice for a report done by anyone over 9th grade. On the other hand we did not find a lot of information about Cromwell easily; so this did it's job.