No comments about Decision Points.

5 comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Written by Himself (The Bedford Series in History and Culture).

1. We had to read this in 11th grade when I was in high school. Like many people, I just skimmed it and now I regret the decision so I decided to try it again. This is a fantastic edition. First, to hear about slavery in America from a former slave's own words is powerful. Many times we just hear slavery was horrible and that's it. This narrative makes it personal. You see an individual and what has happened in his personal life and that always makes it more real. Secondly, the reason why this edition is so fantastic, is the footnotes that it provides. It tells you who the people in the narrative are and even points out mistakes that Douglas made which makes it more authentic for me. I literally read this in a few hours as it is a short book but I have gained much from the exercise.



2. This is a brief life story, written in 1845, by an ex-slave. At the time of writing he was technically an escaped slave. He later had his freedom bought for him by some English people.
   
   Douglass is a very intelligent, brave and resourceful man and he describes slavery in Maryland, a state supposedly kinder to slaves than the deep South.
   
   Apart from the horror of the living conditions and treatment, what stands out for me is his denunciation of the Christian society which the slaveowners subscribed to. This is in the Appendix, which I think some editions don't have. (The Penguin does). According to Douglass the more pious they were, the more likely to be cruel. I hasten to add Douglass himself was a Christian too. Towards the end of the book is a long quotation from the New Testament about Philistines and hypocrites.
   
   It's powerful stuff.



3. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is one of the few books that every American should read and is also essential for anyone even remotely interested in American history, African Americans, or slavery's sad story. It is a fine piece of writing in itself and also of immense historical value - a true American classic.
   
   The most obvious aspect is of course autobiographical. American literature has a long, prestigious autobiographical tradition, and this is one of the best entries. Douglass' account of his life is profoundly moving and immensely thought-provoking. He begins with his first memories and carries his story all the way to what was then the present. Needless to say, the inside look at slavery from a slave's perspective is the most valuable part; there are numerous such narratives, but this is surely preeminent. The story is heart-wrenching, vividly and unforgettably detailing humanity's inhumanity; we see what it was like to be a slave in regard to everything from food, clothing, and shelter to labor. Many of the incidents are almost painful to even read; actually living through them - or even being alive when such things happened - is now thankfully unimaginable. Douglass gives several examples of physical cruelty, but the most harrowing stories may well be those of psychological torture and simple denial of basic human feelings, as in the heartless breaking up of families. Such things are inherently moving, and this would be one of the most emotional works ever if it were fiction, but the stunning fact that it is not makes it all the more meaningful. The dread weight of its truth is particularly shocking when we realize that Douglass came from one of the areas where slavery was least harsh. The horrors here related are thankfully long past, but such books will always be immensely valuable as reminders of just how cruel people can be - and have been quite recently. We must never forget, lest they happen again.
   
   Douglass in this way is more representative than individual, and he indeed took it on himself to speak for all slaves. The book was in this sense propagandistic and did its job better than anyone could have expected, laying slavery's evils bare to many who were previously unaware or unable - possibly unwilling - to believe. It was an abolitionist milestone and had a real effect in moving slavery toward its end. Yet Douglass' story is extremely interesting in itself; indeed, in many ways he was the spiritual successor of Benjamin Franklin, founder of the American autobiographical tradition. Franklin practically invented the American dream by showing how hard work and perseverance could raise one from humble beginnings to wealth, fame, and acclaim. Douglass had infinitely worse circumstances yet managed to rise far above them - not only teaching himself to read but becoming a genuine autodidact, not only escaping slavery but becoming a noted abolitionist, orator, writer, black leader, and racial authority with world fame and reverence. Few stories are more inspirational, and the work is thus on top of everything else the best kind of self-help book. Douglass unforgettably shows that it is possible to overcome even the most adverse circumstances and gives a good idea of how to do so.
   
   One must not neglect to mention that, incredible as it is, Douglass is a premier prose stylist. Considering his circumstances, the fact that he was able to write at all is amazing; anyone would make great allowance for poor or even semi-literature writing. In fact, though, Douglass is a top-level writer; this is not only one of the very few autobiographies that is true literature but simply great writing per se. The writing is simple in the best sense; Douglass truly embodied Jonathan Swift's good style definition: "Proper words in proper places." He is admirably clear and concise. That said, he works himself up to a rhapsody when appropriate, reaching near-lyrical heights; the passage where he compares himself to the free is one of the most affecting and best-written I have seen in the hundreds or thousands of books I have read. That Douglass' Narrative has this totally unlooked for virtue in addition to all others is thoroughly impressive.
   
   Simply put, anyone who has not read this should do so as soon as possible; few books are more important or memorable. Douglass is an American giant, and this is his enduring fame's base. No one who reads it can forget it, and that may be the highest praise of all.



4. Amazing.
   Inspiration for your life regardless of the kind of trials you face.
   Highly recommended.



5. In the classic slave narrative genre, Frederick Douglass' narrative of his life brings to life, in all its horrors, American slave society, and one slave's life-long protest against it.
   
   When we read Frederick Douglass in his own words, he is less the radical and more the reformer than we've been led to believe. He is also more the Christian statesmen and less the Christianity critic than we might imagine. Douglass' oft quoted comments about Christianity had much more to do with a righteous critique of distorted Christian living practiced by white masters than with any critique of Christianity or of Christ. In reality, Douglass, like so many enslaved African Americans before and after him, saw in Jesus a Savior they could identify with--a suffering Savior.
   
   Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.

5 comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. I received my book extremely quickly and it was in far better condition than I had imagined. Thank you so much!



2. Received my order much earlier than expected, in 5 days with Standard Shipping and in condition specified. Great transaction and fully satisfied!



3. This book was used in a Middle School Summer Reading Program. The students enjoyed learning about Frederick Douglass and how his life impacted African American culture during that time period. Using this book also developed students ability to understand key elements of writing and author's purpose.



4. I wish this was required reading in American History. The very real account of an inspired man's transition from slavery to freedom, from ignorance to knowledge. The only good thing that slavery created were men and women who labored to stamp it out !



5. For anyone wanting a good, quick, historical/non-fiction ebook to read in less than a day, then this ebook is definitely for you. Although, be warned, this is no substitute for the literature that Frederick Douglass wrote himself. This ebook provides a good, short synopsis of his life. Hey, my suggestion to anyone thinking about reading this would be to download it and read it when your either commuting, waiting for an appointment, in a coffee shop, or just hanging out in the park on a nice sunny day. Enjoy everyone and thanks Amazon!

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

1. Great information and words of Washington himself. (foot notes). As interesting a read as any novel.



2. I could hardly wait to read the next chapter. What a gifted & resourceful person George Washington was. I am so proud to know he was our first president & he set the bar so high for those who followed in the office. I am amazed at how much he was able to accomplish through reading & studying so many subjects and his work ethic was wonderful. Such a person of good character & such a gentleman. We need men like this in public office today.



3. The Real George Washington (American Classic Series)I've always believed that George Washington was one of how greatest Americans'. Now I know that he's the (single) greatest American that has ever lived or will live. Explore the complete life of the greatest American that ever lived. Believe, that if he had not been born or lived during this time there would not have been a United States of America.



4. Having not been interested in history until the last 8 years, I never realized what the Revolution involved nor what it cost G. Washington, nor his character and integrity. This book provides in-depth glimpses of both. It's also easy reading. Worth every dollar.



5. I rarely give out five stars, but this book was fantastic! It goes into great detail regarding Washington's life and military career. Toward the back of the book is an index containing direct quotes from Washington, clearly showing how Washington feels about certain issues. It boggles my mind how some can dispute these facts as they are direct quotes, but they are free to think how they wish. I highly recommend this book!

5 comments about A Rumor of War.

1. A fast read, excellent writing , if you really want to know about Vietnam, please read this book... the only small problem i had was in the ending, i would have like to know what happened to the other 3 men. otherwise a wonderful book...



2. The vivid descriptions of the misery and the trodding through mine laden trails and his descriptions of the dead he's seen make this book the best I've read on vietnam. Even when he goes back as a civilian the tension and horror of vietnam are still there even in the bitter end. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of joining the infantry in one of the wars we have going on now because the amount of mines and boobytraps really hasn't decreased any.



3. This is one of those books that just captivates you in a macabre kind of way. You can't put it down because you just have to keep reading to try and absorb what it is you're actually reading.
   
   As I was reading this I was reminded of the young Tom Cruise in "Born on the 4th". You could feel from the book that overwhelming Marine patriotism. After a few false starts the Marines get to Vietnam and start to do what they do best which is "dig in". Then they start to patrol. You can feel through the words the overwhelming sense of confusion but it's still subservient to the overwhelming sense of patriotism.
   
   The battalion starts to get picked apart by constant sniper fire and booby traps. Dead Guy here, blown up leg there and there's usually no one to shoot back at. Through all this the guys patrol for hours, sit in half submerged fox holes all night, endure a hellish environment of heat and bugs the likes of which we have no comprehension and they don't complain (too loudly) as they're doing what they've been told is right.
   
   The writer has a marvelous way of implicitly conveying his feelings through his choice of words as he describes life in Vietnam. You can feel his patriotism and belief in the war fray at the edges until that youthful patriotism and shiny, wide eyed outlook is basically full of holes and diminished. He reaches conclusions that are both horrible and terrifying when you are up to your eyeballs in a mess you can't get out of.
   
   Too many men have died, lost one or two limbs, or gone crazy, and it all seems for nothing as there isn't and never was a measure of success for the Marines. They'd take a hill one day and have to take the same hill a week later. Very very frustrating for men on the ground who's sole purpose as infantry is to gain ground.
   
   Excellent book. Written from the gut and devastatingly honest. I highly recommend it.



4. Wow, this guy can write. Read it. I was just sorry it wasn't longer.



5. Caputo's digestion of the Vietnam War is a merit not only to the degraded soldiers involved, but a glorification of a pushy parent. In this case, the pushy parent is the United States government. Phil Caputo, a young, daring, idealistic man who joined the Marines in search of adventure and unexpectedly come across his own meaning. Taking you into the trenches head first, Caputo exemplifies the tragic events of the war as the soldiers, who believed they living their fathers World War II legacy only found death. The journeys through the Vietnamese jungles slowly transform Caputo and in a way harden him. Being shot at, never knowing exactly why he's out there and ultimately the death of his friend blow his preconceived notions out of the blood drenched jungle waters. The thematic which rears its ugly head from time to time is `natural human inclination versus duty.' In this case, the natural inclination was the why behind the war. Many soldiers did not know why they were fighting and were never given proper answers. However, the pressure from the US government is satiable. They want the soldiers to simply kill, and much like a baseball score, would deliver the winning numbers to the American public over the nightly news. Caputo's insight gives us a window view into how in reality; the soldiers were not at fault for the loss of the Vietnam War. In fact, the blame is placed upon the US government. With all of their secrets, special interests and bizarre motivations, they push American citizens to support the war and draft as many of them as they can. Through propaganda, patriotism takes a whole different meaning.
   
   In many ways, the fight that was waged in Vietnam was one that was doomed from the very beginning. The rooted purpose as to why the Americans landed on Vietnam was uncertain. Fighting the Viet Cong or the Viet Ming was much like trying to stop a water leak. Fighting through the jungle, the Americans faced a war unlike any other. The enemy was everywhere without a land marked base for the Americans to attack. Trying to stop this leak in one area, only meant that the leak would apply its pressure in another unexpected area. And throughout all of this, the American Citizens blamed the soldiers for everything. They blamed them for going to war, for loosing the war and even blamed those who had enough foresight to not fight in the war.
   
   Caputo's in the knee deep approach is a liberating view of the world. For so many years, the war had a lot of question marks written all over it. Many, simply believed that the war was lost because American soldiers were weak hippies. Caputo brings a different machine to the table as he gives us his through the eyes experience. His testimony gives us the fall of the romanticized idea of war, with its true horror, running around the jungle with no idea why your there, the loss of dear friends, the mechanistic view of death and numbers, endless despair and the overall frustration of fighting an enemy that in many ways was much like a ghost.
   Caputo describes the war much like an exercise in dehumanization, and I completely agree with him. I enjoyed the read simply because it gave me an insight I did not have before. The soldiers of this war were confused and were riding the wave of World War II. In reality, it was a sham. These soldiers were used simply as killing machines. Forced into combat with ideas of glory and honor. Ultimately, they found death and questions.

No comments about Washington: A Life.

5 comments about The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. There are any number of reasons to read Ben Franklin's autobiography.
   
   For the fetching language and wit. As when he deviated from his vegetarianism to eat some fish that "smelt admirably well," saying, "If you eat one another, I don't see why we mayn't eat you...So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do."
   
   For his keen insights into human nature and his own flawed behavior. Such as his youthful lust for the paramour of a friend who was out of town: "I grew fond of her company, and, being at that time under no religious restraint, and presuming upon my importance to her, I attempted familiarities (another erratum) which she repulsed with a proper resentment, and acquainted him with my behaviour."
   
   For the panoramic view of this Renaissance man's interests and accomplishments: his work as printer and pamphleteer; his founding a state militia, a hospital, and a school; his work as military leader, scientist, inventor, and politician.
   
   But for me the most compelling lure of Franklin's tale is its depiction of English-speaking America in its infancy, when still a British colony. When the country was raw and manners polished, when our institutions and culture still lay unformed and malleable, and opportunity lurked around every corner.
   
   Franklin seized those opportunities, seemingly by default in some cases and, in others, by dint of discipline and determination. In the process you see how he helped shape our culture and institutions at a time when they were still mere clay.
   
   On the surface, this ascetic, cerebral, and industrious businessman seems an unlikely rebel. Abstemious, sober, principled, cautious, civil, and civic-minded, he spent his early days in long hours at the press and his nights discussing philosophy and politics with serious-minded members of a discussion group he formed. "About this time," he writes, "I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection."
   
   But we also glimpse his independence of mind--both as a religious skeptic and as a colonial who chaffed under British rule--and his contentiousness. A man who seemed to cherish conflict and won his way with preparation and persistence, whether in the marketplace, the legislature, or in the field against the French. We see in Franklin, the uniquely American characteristics that would help a lean, under-populated, and vulnerable colony grow into the world's great religious refuge, military power, and economic Mecca.
   
   Along the way the reader of this truncated autobiography--which concludes in 1765, long before Franklin gained his greatest fame--is, by turns, intrigued, charmed, and seduced by Franklin's wiliness, warmth, and wit.
   
   For example: As a young man he set out from Boston to seek his fortune in Philadelphia. Even though fatigued and hungry after a difficult journey, he presses his last shilling on folks who ferried him up river in a row boat, musing: "A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps thro' fear of being thought to have but little."
   
   Time and again, both on Franklin's part and that of colleagues and strangers, you witness generosity, kindness, and blind optimism. These, too, seem American virtues, and make you wish for more trusting times.
   
   You also see his glee in making mischief. As when he convinces his early employer, Keimer, to join him in his vegetarian regimen: "He was usually a great glutton, and I promised myself some diversion in half starving him."
   
   And his ever-present if subtle humor and iconoclasm: "[Osborne] and I made a serious agreement, that the one who happened first to die should, if possible, made a friendly visit to the other, and acquaint him how he found things in that separate state. But he never fulfill'd his promise."
   
   But his serious and responsible side dominates Franklin, a man always trying to squeeze the most out of himself and others: "I grew convinc'd that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life; and I form'd written resolutions, which still remain in my journal book, to practice them ever while I lived."
   
   He helped form a militia for self-defense, led men onto the field of battle, and warned an arrogant General Braddock against marching into Iroquois country to face the French--advice that, if heeded, would have saved hundreds of lives. Also, twenty years before the coming of the Revolutionary War, Franklin saw its roots in the British mistrust of American militias, London preferring the presence of British troops supported by resented tax levies.
   
   Franklin was a frank man, plain spoken and self-critical, as we see in his portrayal of early London indiscretions: "...[T]hat hard-to-be-governed passion of youth hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women that fell in my way, which attended with some expense and great inconvenience, besides a continual risque to my health by a distemper which of all things I dreaded, though by great good luck I escaped it."
   
   So in the end we see Franklin not as a printer, politician, or statesman, but as a man--fallible and forthright, and still alive and breathing in his own words.



2. In this candid autobiography, B. Franklin unveils his vision and tactics in business, political, social, religious and sexual matters. His colonial viewpoint stands in sharp contrast with his `moral' attitude.
   
   American Dream
   B. Franklin is the perfect example of the fulfillment of the American Dream. Working from the age of 10 in his father's business, he goes to New York, `a boy of 17, without the least recommendation or knowledge of any person, with very little money in my pocket' and becomes a wealthy and influential businessman.
   
   Character, colonialism, protestant influence
   He was a ferociously independent mind with a huge aversion for arbitrary power. He was a generous, good-hearted man, who refused to patent his inventions, because `as we enjoy great advantage from the invention of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.'(!)
   But he was not so generous with the aboriginal US population: `rum may be the appointed means to extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the earth.'
   He was a perfectionist, wanting to become completely virtuous. He even composed a catalogue of moral virtues (13) with temperance (eating, drinking), frugality (no waste), industry (useful job) and chastity (sex only for health and offspring).
   
   Business, general tactics
   Under the influence of his father, he became a writer (of almanacs) and a printer and later launched his own newspaper.
   He never published pamphlets or proposals in his own name, but under pseudonyms like `some publick-spirited gentlemen', thereby avoiding `the presenting myself to the publick as the author of any scheme for their benefit.'
   Another tactic was: `I shall never ask, never refuse, nor never resign an office.'
   
   Politics, religion
   He sees through the political game: `while a party is carrying on a general design, each man has his particular private interest in view. Man primarily considered that their own and their country's interest were united.'
   In religious matters, he was a deist, but never became a member of a sect, because he saw their blatant hypocrisy: `each sect grievously calumniated other sects' and `every other sect supposing itself in possession of all truth.' Even the Quakers got easily rid of their principle `that no kind of war was lawful.'
   
   Sex, marriage
   Candidly he confesses that `that hard-to-be-governed passion of youth hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women, which were attended with some expense besides a continual risque to my health.'
   For marriage, `the business of a printer being generally thought a poor one.' `I was not to expect money with a wife, unless with such a one as I should not otherwise think agreeable.'
   
   These sincere autobiographical notes are a must read for all those interested in US history.



3. The book was in great condition I just didn't realize it wasn't the book with the foot notes....But service was great!



4. Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography is one of the very few books that all Americans should read, and virtually everyone else should also. Its greatness and importance can hardly be exaggerated. Aside from being a great autobiography, the book cuts to the very heart of what it means to be American; it is indeed hardly hyperbolic to say that Franklin created the American dream, and this details it. The work thus has strong inspirational potential, not least because it is a great and unusually practical ethics primer. In addition, it is a fascinating glimpse at late colonial America, and we get plenty of Franklin's wit and wisdom.
   
   The book would of course be invaluable if it were only an autobiography, as Franklin is one of the most notable and interesting people to ever live. His life was long, and he accomplished more than almost anyone in history; a simple list of his achievements would almost be a book in itself. That he did not come close to completing this is thus extremely regrettable; it goes only to 1758, when Franklin was in his early 50s, well before his famed public career. Those wanting coverage of this important era will thus be disappointed and must rely on later biographies. However, Franklin's long list of accomplishments even at that point does much to atone. It is also important to realize that this is not a formal autobiography but was written in four stages over nearly twenty years. The first and probably best-known part was as a 1771 letter to Franklin's son. The much shorter Part Two was written in 1784, continuing the former narrative for the public. Part Three was written in 1788 and the very short Part Four, which breaks off somewhat abruptly because Franklin was near death, in 1790. The book - no part of which was published until after Franklin's death, and then only in French, and which did not come out in full until well into the nineteenth century - as it stands was thus not meant to be cohesive and is indeed far from it; there is a little overlap and no real transitions. No one should expect polish, but there is no arguing with what is here, though Part Four is clearly less substantial. We learn about Franklin's family background and early life, his near-literal rags to riches rise, his printing career, his writing, his scientific exploits and inventions, his early political actions, etc. This encompasses an astonishing number and variety of important and worthy deeds. The sheer number of things that Franklin began or pioneered is simply incredible - and almost unbelievable considering the circumstances. We see everything from the founding of the first American fire department and library to the founding of the University of Pennsylvania to the famous electrical experiments to the invention of the Franklin Stove and other devices - and far more. It is an excellent story well-told, and anyone at all interested in autobiography will be endlessly intrigued.
   
   Franklin's rise from humble origins to world fame and acclaim is endlessly amazing and ever-admirable. One of the first truly self-made men, he had the kind of can-do optimism, resolve, and perseverance of which few people can even conceive. Franklin details how he did it, thus delineating the American dream that has attracted the down and out but hopeful from all around the world for over two centuries. The book's influence is simply profound - and quite direct in that it is still widely read, though indirect ramifications are even more enormous. Hundreds of millions have imitated it whether they know or not - and many have known -, but probably none have equaled it, and few have even come close. Yet it shows no sign of ceasing to be inspirational; Franklin shows, as no one else has ever come close to doing, that hard work and determination really can pay off. It is remarkable enough that his story is real, but the truly remarkable thing is how little it owes to luck. Many have of course been disappointed, often tragically, in trying to emulate Franklin, and it is undeniable that monumental intelligence and a plethora of other assets gave an edge that only a very small number of people can ever come close to reproducing. For all this, though, his story's bare reality is the best kind of inspiration one could ever hope for.
   
   As if listing his accomplishments were not enough, Franklin also relays his truly noble self-improvement experiment; knowing his faults all too well but determined to be virtuous, he developed and rigorously applied a near-mathematical improvement system. He did not fully succeed, but the degree to which he did is highly noteworthy. There is much to be learned here as elsewhere; many have used his system, some with considerable success, and nearly everyone can get something valuable from it. On top of everything else, the book is thus a great ethics introduction - the kind that simply has not existed for some time. Franklin combines the best aspects of Spartan, Roman, and Puritan ideas of virtue - a combination that cannot be found in the innumerable tripe now littering self-help bookshelves. Unlike those wretched works, this is intellectually and even aesthetically pleasing - and more importantly, is eminently practical and supremely accessible.
   
   Franklin was great in nearly every sense - full of virtue and true nobility as almost no one has been. He has rightly been an American hero for centuries, revered around the world. That said, he has always had critics, and it is easy to latch onto negative things. Some - famously including D. H. Lawrence - have condemned Franklin as hopelessly materialistic, obsessed with what the latter elsewhere called "the way to wealth." There is definitely some truth here, and it would be quite hard to deny that perversion of Franklin's scheme has led to significant harm. One can of course say this is not his fault, but more to the point is that it is hard to criticize considering Franklin's circumstances - and only the envious will begrudge his success. This in any case sells him very short; Franklin after all refused to patent that would have made him unspeakably wealthy or accept money for public office. It is also very unfair to claim or even imply that he cared only for wealth. We must not forget that Franklin was one of his era's greatest scientists and intellectuals and an extremely well-read polyglot - all his own doing, as he had almost no formal education. However, he may be otherwise criticized - not least for the book's profusion of barely-disguised vanity, which he admits many times. In the end, though, this is hardly worth mentioning. Being Franklin, the only surprising thing is that he was not much vainer still; nearly anyone else would have been, and who can deny it would have been almost entirely justified? An arguably more substantial point is Franklin's infamously innumerable sexual trysts, including many with prostitutes. He refers to this himself, including what he calls "low women," but some may disparage him for not being more open. That said, it is only fair to note that he is often surprisingly honest - not only in mentioning such dalliances at all but in many other ways, not least the blunt description of his failed marriage proposal. Some will value this, while others will think Franklin honest to a fault, and still others will think it does not go far enough. We must remember in any case that this part was written to his son and that the book was meant to be practically applicable rather than confessional.
   
   Practicality is indeed Franklin's core trait and the one that should get the most attention; it goes a long way toward erasing any doubts. Regardless of how famous or rich he became, Franklin was never highfalutin or pretentious, always retaining the hard common sense that served him so well. This led to great improvements not only in his life but in countless others; for example, despite a fearsome intellect, vast self-education, and highly impressive accomplishments in nearly every field, Franklin could still concern himself with things like reducing street dust and making street lights brighter. How many in his position would have even noticed such things - except perhaps to complain? Flawed as he clearly was, only a handful of people even compete with him for widespread benefits to humanity. We can - and should - admire and appreciate this, whatever else we think of him.
   
   His wisdom also comes across in many other ways, benefiting us further. Franklin had great insight into human nature and has much practical advice about virtually every interpersonal relations aspect, including how to advance agendas without making enemies and even how to turn enemies into friends. His observations on everything from literature to religion also have great value; simply put, he could hardly write boringly, and what he has to say is very far from boring in any case.
   
   Additionally, it must be pointed out that the book would be of great value even if it did not deal with someone as important as Franklin because it is an excellent primary source about a very important period. We get a very vivid idea of what it was like to live in early to mid-eighteenth century America socially, economically, politically, and otherwise. The work's historical value is probably impossible to calculate.
   
   Finally, one must not neglect to mention that Franklin is a prime American prose stylist. He deliberately wrote in a very simple style that was clear, concise, and generally accessible - a distinct contrast to the mainstream writing of his time. Some may doubt this, but it is easily proven by comparing the book to other late eighteenth century ones - or even many from less than a century ago. How many can be easily read without footnotes and other glosses or extensive introductions? Spelling and punctuation have of course changed significantly, but anyone can still pick this up and get into it quite quickly and easily, which is not its least notable feature.
   
   All told, this is absolutely essential for anyone even remotely interested in Franklin, American history, self-improvement, or any of the many other topics on which it touches despite being under 150 pages. The world would undeniably be substantially better if everyone read this and took its most inspiriting aspects to heart, and there can be no higher praise.



5. Franklin himself called it his Memoirs, and it is, sadly, incomplete. Not this book, but his autobiography. When studying nonfiction in school, particularly the autobiographical genre, the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is often the benchmark. Held to the highest esteem (with the notable exception of Mark Twain's review, which was somewhat colder than most), it his likely the most read autobiography to date. Franklin, for all his faults, was an influential man in ways that politicians today can only aspire to be. In fact, his 13 virtues are just as poignant and pertinent today as they were when he devised them.
   
   This copy is LARGE PRINT, which makes it a wonderful gift for those with poor eyesight.

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

1. I've been meaning to read this book for several years (having enjoyed Ms. Kearns-Goodwin previous works of history), but at 800 pages, I was reluctant to plunge into such a long book. It eventually took me about a week to read, but the wait was well worthwhile! I read it in anticipation of my upcoming visit to Lincoln's Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield, IL - an excellent and interactive musuem. I was singularly impressed with the level of detail in the book, and Mrs. Goodwin's ability to measure the political histories and ambitions of Lincoln's cabinet (his team of rivals who ran against him for president). Many previous foes grew to love him like a brother, such as Seward and his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. I learned many things about the life of a president in those days - such as the public receptions each week in the White House, and the lack of any real security measures taken to protect the president. He visited the battlefields of the Civil War many times during that bloody siege, and the horror of it must have truly weighed upon him heavily. Abraham Lincoln was an extremely complex man, vulnerable to chronic depressions, probably owing the many deaths of loved ones while he was young. But his outwardly cheerful personality, his great story-telling abilities,his modesty and candor, his uncanny ability to find compromise with many head-strong politicians of the day, and his sheer brilliance and oratory skills undoubtedly would impress many as the "perfect storm" of qualities desired in our nation's leader. Many think that Obama read this book before he was elected, and Hillary Clinton probably owes her Secretary of State position to this book. In my opinion, unquestionably the best researched and written book ever about Lincoln.



2. After rereading Gore Vidal's Lincoln, surely one of the great books of all time, I decided it was time I read Goodwin's book to see how it compared. I wondered how well Vidal's judgement of all the crucial characters would hold up. My conclusion is that Vidal and Goodwin picture just about every character in a very similar manner. Goodwin's book provides more detail and is written in a very readable style, but it does not entirely avoid the problem of many such massive tomes - getting excessively bogged down in detail. While I can't help but praise her effort and knowledge, it takes more than twice as much time to read her book as Vidal's. I would recommend that anyone wishing to understand Lincoln begin by reading Vidal's book; and then, if they want to delve more deeply, take on Goodwin's book.



3. I just completed reading this book and it was terrific. Kearns really takes you back in time and you get a great sense of how all these men developed into the men that would serve Lincoln. The amount of tragedy and perseverance this men and the families went through is almost impossible to believe.
   
   Lincoln was continually underestimated and treated a "country bumpkin" but yet, time and time again proved to his supporters, critics, and rivals that he knew what he was doing. Again, Kearns paints a vivid picture of this time period and of how Lincoln was able to keep the nation together, even though he had to work with some pretty uncooperative folks.
   
   Great read and I highly recommend it.



4. I am so glad another Lincold admirer suggested reading this book and I am glad I bought my copy from Amazon. Really fine book; quick delivery ... I am very satisfied with my purchase.



5. This is a long read but well worth it for the amount of history it contains. This isn't Lincoln gossip. It's a look at how Lincoln thought and worked. I had been a Lincoln fan, but, after this book, I felt I understood his presidency and its burdens more thoroughly and admired him in a whole new way.

5 comments about The First Tycoon.

1. Picked this up in airport for flight to Europe. Do you think that an account of an effort to short-sell a railroad stock would be riveting? I did not, but it was! As was the overthrow of that American president of Nicaragua? What's that? Read it to find out. This account of Vanderbilt's varied adventures is a welcome tonic to a century of 'robber baron' rubbish.



2. For most of us, 19th century American history starts and ends with the Civil War, our nation's bloodiest conflict which claimed an estimated 620,000 lives or almost 2% of the nation's then population. The overriding focus on this singular horrific conflict is understandable but also unfortunate, because that century is what links the ancient era of our Founding Fathers, with the 20th century America that most of us can somehow relate to.
   
   Many of the big issues in today's news, from risky Wall Street speculation to the questionable behavior of large corporations, from the interplay of government and the private sector to the effects of globalization on us all, were developing in the years preceding and following the Civil War. While Lincoln is rightfully the political giant on which the history of the 19th century focuses, the remarkable impact of "Commodore" Vanderbilt's empire-building in the middle years of that century is a little-told tale that T. J. Stiles illuminates well with this National Book Award winner. Indeed, The First Tycoon, is far more than inspired biography; it is a superbly-researched history that also provides interpretive background for a deeper understanding of this formative century.
   
   By 1817, already ferrying passengers and cargo between his home on Staten Island and Manhattan, a headstrong and self-confident 23 year old, Cornelius Vanderbilt, took a job as the captain of a small, steam-powered vessel owned by a recently resettled rice planter from South Carolina. Becoming, in effect, the right hand man of wealthy Thomas Gibbons, and getting in early on the technological jump from wind-power to steam, Vanderbilt found himself well-placed to develop a shipping business in and out of the nation's most important seaport, New York City, upon Gibbon's death in 1826.
   
   The 1830's and 1840's were a time of intense competition on passenger routes between New York and Boston, Albany, and Philadelphia. The quickest mode of transportation was the steamship, although capital requirements were high and competition was cutthroat. With the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1849, the California gold rush was on, and Vanderbilt, always looking for new markets, became a major player in the complicated transportation link to the U.S. West Coast through Central America. Indeed, he became the first of many Americans to intervene in Central American politics, when he orchestrated the overthrow of a Nicaraguan junta led by an American soldier of fortune. By then, however, he was already phasing out of sidewheel steamships in favor of the railroad industry, America's first truly massive capital-intensive industry.
   
   The Civil War proved only a small hiccup, and Vanderbilt's role in the conflict was relatively minor. He contributed to the Union effort, but post-war, he was a strong supporter of reconciliation with the South, and his namesake university, Vanderbilt, was purposely established in Nashville, a confederate town.
   
   By the time he died in 1877, Vanderbilt had a controlling interest in the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad one of four trunk lines providing rail service to Chicago. Having worked to create a dynasty that would outlive him, his son and anointed successor, William, proved unequal to the task. Family members disputed the Commodore's will and sold off controlling interest almost immediately.
   
   The Vanderbilt empire had been proportionally a much larger factor in the U.S. economy than Microsoft has been in our own era, but The First Tycoon is more than the story of one man and his life. It is the story of New York City's ascendance as the business and financial capital of the country. It is the story of large public stock corporations gradually supplanting small merchants and family-owned businesses. It describes a bygone era when the upper class summered at Saratoga and public concern about unfair monopoly power had not yet crystallized. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act and Teddy Roosevelt's battle with John D. Rockefeller were still decades away. Stiles has done a magnificent job of tying the strands together in a well-researched and thoroughly readable account of an important counterpart to the U.S. Civil War.



3. This biography of 19th Century entrepreneur, stock market pioneer and businessman Cornelius Vanderbilt is a great read for anyone interested in American and Universal history. Its treatment of the subject is exhaustive and generally offers both sides to an argument, specially considering the disdain for the so-called "robber barons" to whom the USA owes so much. The nearly 600 pages cover his life since he was a sailor running short trips in the Hudson river to his death of course as one of the richest men in US history. The author's treatment is of true admiration and he gives you reasons why intellectuals like Mark Twain and papers like The New York Times may have been suspicious of people like "Mr V.".
   
   Only advice is to buy the hardcover instead of the paperback edition. The pages of mine fell apart after toting it in the month or so it took me to read this book.



4. I went into this book knowing next-to-nothing about Vanderbilt. Glad I read it. It was a very comprehensive, well-researched bio. Excellent book. Sorry to get to the end.



5. What a well researched biography of an man who took chances and made great gains. I would have liked to have a family tree included. The powerful son-in-laws were hard to place with the correct daughter.

5 comments about No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II.

1. Goodwin tells the inside story of the FDR's White House during World War II. To her credit, Goodwin delivers a solid, scholarly review exploring the personal motivations and complex interaction between Franklyn, Eleanor and their colorful inner circle. Goodwin could have easily cooked this book into a scandal rag. For example, both Franklyn and Eleanor carried on hushed (but by no means secret) love affairs within the White House walls. However, because of Goodwin's reserve, her book should become essential reading if you wish to fully understand FDR's White House. At the book's core is a unique couple who both first rise above their family pedigree and then overcome their personal fears and handicaps to achieve something extraordinary (i.e. the title, "No Ordinary Time"). Eleanor conquers her social shyness to champion the poor, instigating a number of new domestic programs and policies. Franklyn's personal stamina negates his hidden paralysis. His iron will is even more impressive as he defies his own party and strategically delays America's troop deployment into the battlefields of WWII. I recently tried reading (but failed to finish) Gore Vidal's "The Golden Age." It is historical fcition covering the exact same subject matter. Strangely, I found the fictional account to be stiff and the historical account to be heartfelt. Why settle for fiction when the facts are so fascinating?



2. Like all Doris Goodwin's books, this was beautifully written and easy to read.
   I recommend this book on FDR as one of the best.



3. This book was recommended to me. We were traveling to the Hudson River Valley and were going to stop at Hyde Park. Began the book before we reached FDR's house and am still reading it two weeks later. Yes, it's long, but so well written and so full of fascinating information about two exceptional people. Today's politics is disgusting and irreverent and it's helped me to learn that things haven't changed that much since FDR's days. I have come to admire Eleanor greatly through this read and feel I now have a true picture of their relationship and their contributions to history during what was "No Ordinary Time".



4. For those who say a man must be a good father and husband in order to be a good leader, I recommend this book to you. Authored by one of America's most famous female historians, this book follows the lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt thru their 2nd, 3rd and 4th terms in the White House. The book looks at their personal and public lives, and how they influenced each other, and the history of the world. Written in chronological order, the book covers war planning, domestic politics, the race issue, labor relations, the public growth of Eleanor Roosevelt, along with the lives of numerous residents and visitors to the White House such as Winston Churchill, the Roosevelt children and friends, and the many attractive women who intrigued FDR, some of whom were possible mistresses. What comes across is their respective abilities with people. There is Franklin's ability to communicate with people in person or en masse, and to steer them towards a common goal, which is the essence of leadership. Then there is Eleanor's ability to empathize with people, to understand their wants and needs and to work to help them. What also comes across is the story of Washington's first true power couple, both of whom are so occupied with longer horizons that neither can make the concessions needed to create a happy family. It is clear that FDR cheated on his wife, with multiple women most likely. And the book suggests that Eleanor in turn cheated on FDR, though of a less sexual nature. This failure in marital relations was passed onto their children. The 4 sons went thru 18 marriages between them, and their one daughter also went thru a divorce. The book clearly illustrates how sacrifices for public service often include a ruined family life. So overall, a very insightful and important book about American history, and how history is made by people making decisions on a daily basis often under less than perfect circumstances.



5. 
   Doris Kearns Goodwin hit it out of the park with this one. (Please excuse the obvious baseball metaphor.) The book is a biographical study of Franklin & Eleanor during the FDR years in the White House. The subject itself has all the potential of being a very factual yet boring Sleeper. However, with the author's skill, it turns out to be a biographical Page-Turner. So often books about the FDR administration tend to be either printed tributes to the Roosevelts OR simply a negative display of the author's political differences with the FDR legacy. The book "No Ordinary Time" shows a more humanistic view of two people that left very large foot prints as they went through life. Coincidently, they happened to be in the center of the world's stage at the time. The reader is left to interpret the consequences of those foot prints.