3 comments about The Morning the Sun Went Down.

1. Every once in a while a book is written that changes everything. This is one of those books. This autobiography written by Darryl Babe Wilson about his Achomawi/Atsugewi (Pit River) Indian childhood in northern California is filled with wonder and lyrical beauty, and at the same time with painful tragedy and brutality. This is the masterful recounting of a personal journey that enfolds us warmly in a child eye's view ofWilson'sfamily and tribal relations, as well as the intrinsic and permanent relationship with theland in its ancient and essential dimensions. This book is simultaneously literature, an autobiography and the history of a People. Thebook begins with a dream in which Wilson is tested and reminded by the Elders of his responsibility to his People. It combines observations both minute and practical with those that sweepinglyencompass infinate place and time, understood both by the heart and mind. We are deftly drawn into a world that is simultaneously rugged and sweet. The family tragedy, the death of his mother and baby brother, and the subsequent family separation are described in wrenching detail, mirroring and paralleling the descriptions of historic events resulting from the lethal coming of whites into his homeland following the discovery of gold in California. Wilson places us, as readers, in a spot that is at the same time ancient, historical and contemporary. This is a story of growingself-assurance and human understanding as Wilson matures and comes to see the world from a broader vision, as well as his place and potential role within that world. He says, "...we must seek a power or a series of powers outside of ourselves which we identify as 'helpers.' Helpers can be a tree or animals, rocks or mountains, stars or flowers, frogs or rainbows. Helpers come to us in our time of need, and they guide our dreams." This book is utlimately the story of strength and power. Near the end of the book, he says, "For it was a song, according to our narratives, that caused all of the universe to have a beginning. We must seek within ourselves the spiritual terrain from our watu/ah'lo (spiritual umbilical cord) to the Great Power, cultivating our personal power and creating wholesomeness with our thoughts and intentions...It is taught in our lessons and legends, and by our Elders, that The People are responsible for life upon earth. Honoring the lessons then becomes a mandate from Great Power/GReat Wonder/Great Spirit that we are bound to obey. All people must obey the Great Law, so the sweetness of life can continue."



2. Every once in a while a book is written that changes everything. THE MORNING THE SUN WENT DOWN is one of those books. This autobiography written by Darryl Babe Wilson about his Achomawi/Atsugewi (Pit River) childhood in northeastern California is filled with wonder and lyrical beauty, and at the same time with painful tragedy and brutality. This is the masterful recounting of a personal journey that enfolds us warmly in a child eye's view of Wilson's family and tribal relations, as well as the intrinsic and permanent relationship with the land in its ancient and essential dimensions. This book is simultaneously literature, an autobiography and the history of a People. It is highly recommended.//This is a portion of the review by Susan Lobo that will appear in the journal NATIVE AMERICAS (Cornell)



3. from "Kirkus Reviews" (starred review): A slim, modest, and altogether extraordinary memoir of rural Native American life. Wilson, a poet and scholar from the Achumawe and Atsugewi tribes of northeastern California, came into adolescence in the mid-1950s, when his people had all but disappeared through assimilation or extermination. Blame for part of that disappearance he lays squarely at the door of whites; but, he adds, "the neglect of our Elders to teach us our traditions was equally damaging." His own parents did their best to teach Wilson and his siblings something of the old ways: how to hunt deer, how to tame rattlesnakes, how to listen for mountain lions, lessons that he imparts to his readers with precision and grace- and not a little humor. But when his mother and younger brother were killed in a collision with a logging truck, Wilson was sent off to live with white foster parents among unfriendly neighbors (he remembers, touchingly, one young girl "who did not accuse me with her eyes or attitude," principally "because we were not enemies"). Whe it appeared that his foster parents wanted to strip away his Indian identity, Wilson rebelled, for which he was sent off to a boarding school where the young California Indian charges were locked in their rooms at nights and punished by day for minor infractions. Wilson recounts these horros matter-of-factly but doesn't dwell on them; instead, he celebrates a teacher who sagely corrected his compositions, encouraged him to improve himself, and urged him to become a writer. Readers have reason to be grateful to that teacher as well. Wilson is a careful and compassionate obeserver of his life and those of other young Indians, and his book is a fine addition to the growing library of Native American autobiography.

No comments about Abraham Lincoln (Grandes biografias series).

2 comments about Stonewall Jackson (Great Generals).

1. Stonewall Jackson by Donald A. Davis
   (Palgrave Macmillan (2007), Hardcover, 224 pages)
   
   A review
   by
   Colin J. Edwards
   
   Stonewall or Oddball?
   
   I have to come clean immediately and confess that I have difficulty with the description, `tough fighting generals'. What they are describing are heartless individuals who send men to death or mutilation with reckless abandon. Let us remind ourselves that wars are started by politicians, fought by generals and won by soldiers. The American Civil War was the exception: the generals prolonged that one.
   Before you cast me aside as a peace-nik lefty, let me assure you that I saw action as an infantry officer, and know a little of what I speak.
   
   Books about wars: and this is a book about a war more than a biography of an individual, are either from an officer's perspective, or the enlisted man. Donald Davis is the exception being quite at home writing about either. His best seller `Lightening Strike', records the active service of a gunnery sergeant. However, I could find little sympathy for the fighting man in this volume. Mr Davis wrote with touching tenderness of the separation of General Jackson from his wife and new baby girl. A separation that didn't last long as the general called them to his side. Tens of thousands of ordinary soldiers from North and South would have thought precious, just a moment with their loved ones. Rank has its privilege it seems.
   
   Davis' detailed descriptions of the various battles are excellent, if a little tedious. This is due perhaps to a lack of information about Jackson who was such a secretive individual, that it's a wonder Davis was able to write the book at all.
   
   Born at Clarksburg West Virginia on January 21 1824 into an attorney's family, he preceded by four months another general and West Point chum who saw the light of day at Liberty Indiana in May: a future adversary, Ambrose Burnside.
   
   After a very unsettled childhood, he entered West Point more by luck than judgement. He struggled to keep up but had an almost eccentric ability to focus unswervingly on the subject at hand. This paid off and he was able to move up the rankings graduating 17th out of a class of 59. This was not good enough to get him into the esteemed engineers, but it did get him into the artillery as a second lieutenant. This single minded eccentricity bordering on autism became more apparent when he was under fire during the Mexican Way. Observation of his reckless valour caused him to be bumped up the ranks to acting major. Another manifestation of his disturbed mental state was his inability to work in harmony with others. His unresolved dispute with a brother officer while stationed at Fort Mead in Florida, resulted in him leaving the army and taking up a teaching post at Lexington Virginia.
   
   The general consensus was that Thomas Jackson was a poor teacher, but the eight years there gave him the opportunity to meet and marry two wives.
   
   The Civil War found him back in the army and up to his neck in muck and bullets in the battles so precisely delineated by Mr Davis. His eccentricity (or mental disturbance), new no bounds and he and his soldiers went from victory to victory even if it killed them. He even had one of his generals (A.P.Hill), dragged along behind a cart on an interminable march for some undisclosed actus reus. This so damaged the general's tender feet that he was out of action for some time. Not the action of a sound mind you might think; particularly when it concerns one of your better generals.
   
   Jackson continued to carry the whole war on his shoulders, confiding in no one until he experienced a nervous collapse. From then until the end of his life he was conspicuous for his ability to fall asleep anywhere. On one occasion he was summoned to see his boss Robert E Lee, and promptly fell asleep before he saw him.
   
   Thomas Jackson was a religious zealot who spoke more to God than anyone else. However, he did not practice what he preached, nor anything anyone else preached as he didn't stay awake long enough. He had no compunction in raking artillery fire into Mexican civilians when Mexico City failed to surrender in 1848, or later when he gunned down a retreating Mexican army. During the Civil War he showed no reluctance to destroy fellow Americans be them from the North or the South, and insisted that his officers do likewise.
   
   To experience fear while in the presence of danger is normal. To some extent it is possible to hide that fear. Jackson did not hide it; he did not have any fear. He constantly took needless risks and in front of his troops defied the conflagration to kill him.
   That was until Chancellorsville on May 2 1863. Throwing caution to the wind as usual, he took his staff beyond his own front lines to reconnoitre the enemy positions. True to form he omitted to inform anyone of his intentions. Upon his return he was fired upon by his own soldiers and hit three times. Six of his staff were killed outright. He however was not killed but was stretchered to an aid station falling off the stretcher on the way. The chief surgeon of Jackson's army, Dr Hunter McGuire, amputated his left arm, but did not notice General Jackson complaining about chest pain. The pain developed into pneumonia from which he died on May 10th 1863.
   
   Google Books list over 4000 entries for General Jackson, and most of them suggest that had he lived the result at Gettysburg would have been different. The generals lost the battle for the Confederates by their bickering and lack of direction. Jackson would have only added to the confusion. The soldiers of the South fought their hearts out at Gettysburg only to be betrayed by their officers.
   
   Donald Davis's book is a myth breaker, and a `must read' for anyone who has an interest in the first modern war.
   
   
   



2. I thought this book provided a succinct and accurate assessment of General Jackson's life and career. I do, however, offer three criticisms.
   
   First, a few maps would have been most helpful. The author presumes that the reader has a working knowledge of Jackson's major battles--the places they were fought, the strategy and tactics employed, and the surrounding topography. I realize that the Great General Series must make certain accommodations in order to accomplish its goal of providing a BRIEF overview of the life and service of its subjects, but a few maps would have greatly enhanced my understanding of what Jackson accomplished.
   
   Second, I thought the comparisons between Jackson's strategy and tactics and those employed in the Iraq War were both gratuitous and a bit of stretch, a not-so-veiled attempt to make the Civil War seem somehow relevant to the conflict in the Middle East.
   
   Third, the editors should have read the text one more time before it went to print. There were several typographical and formatting errors that were a bit of a distraction.
   
   These, however, are minor complaints. If you don't know much about Stonewall and want to get a feel for the contribution he made to the Confederacy and towards the evolution of military tactics, you would do well to read this book.

1 comments about Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children.

1. Theodore Roosevelt not only wrote to his kids, but also drew great pictures. One of his best in here is a drawing of TR playing tennis. Before widespread telphones, and certainly prior to cell phones, people seemed to dash off notes to each other more frequently. One school of TR thought says Teddy simply loved writing to his kids in profusion. The revisionist school says, of course he did, since he was so frequently away.

   TR's letters to his son Quentin are especially touching, since later on Quentin took a German gunner's bullet through the head over France, driving TR into inconsolate murmerings lamenting the loss of his "Quentee-Quee." The development of these nicknames is chronicled in these letters.

   For whatever reason TR wrote them, they read very movingly. TR's own namesake, Ted Jr., tried to pull off the same thing with his kids, documented in another out-of-print book written by Ted Jr (before his early heart attack during WWII) called "All in the Family." Wherein little Ted's mistake is to too slavishly imitate big TR's way of organizing walks, going camping, and dashing off notes. So there is something inimitable here, which should also caution the modern reader from hankering too quickly to start writing letters-a-plenty. But the picture drawing might be OK. What kid wouldn't like a few more scribbled pictures from their dad?

   So at least look at the pictures here. Unlike Ronald Reagan's, these were done to and for TR's own kids. Not to dump on Ron, but to perhaps establish a reference point among competing versions of family dysfunction.

5 comments about Outside Passage: A Memoir of an Alaskan Childhood (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. I had a hard time putting this book down. I don't know if the author plans to continue this memoir by writing another one or not--but I hope so. I got great visualizations when she giving descriptions of the places she has been; that is powerful if written words can do that.



2. This was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. It is, among other things, a story of neglect, of a mother whose focus seems slightly off. She seems to care for her daughters, but distantly. The daughters are moved around from place to place, spending time in children's homes in California and Seattle, before bouncing around Alaska. Though their mother always provides food and lodging, they must fend for themselves emotionally and socially.
   
   I left the book curious about what happens next. There is, of course, a brief synopsis of the author's life -- where she went to school, what she does for a living, where she is now, etc. -- but I wonder the path that took her from Alaska to Manhattan. What a shock that must have been.



3. I was really taken with this book. It is a really good read about the resilience of a girl growing up in very difficult circumstances. But, unlike some books of this kind, it is not sad. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend. It would make a great book club selection for discussion. After reading the book, I searched for the author online and found some additional interesting information about her. This book is out of her field. It seems she has mostly been involved in photography.



4. What really affected me reading this book is this cold shattered childhood with restraint feelings and emotions which resembles the places where she grew and moved. I didn't feel any warmth, the severe cold of Alaska spread all over the novel even when she found stability for a short period of her childhood.

   Life is an open never ending experience with its ups and downs, and this is what the story is all about. Each person has his own story to tell, but what made this one different is that you actually grow with Julia, from the little girl's point of view, seeing the world through her eyes, reading her own words, to the teenage girl who tries to find answers, who expresses her wonder of certain people and behaviors, and then the woman, you sense her growth, her helplessness and her quest to understand life.




5. A terse, elegantly written account of childhood in California and then Alaska in the 1930's and 1940's. The reader can visualize, hear, taste, and smell the environment in each scene.
   My only complaint is that the book left me with a somewhat unsatisfied feeling when it was over, like a film with beautiful
   cinematography and fine acting, but no passion or climax. That the author is a distinguished photographer is no surprise--the understated yet precise images, the richness of the background detail, and the masterful use of perspective (voice in writing) are worthy of a fine photograph.
   Also, the final three paragraphs seem to be an artificial "ending" grafted onto the work at the suggestion of
   an unimaginative editor.
   Otherwise, the time spent reading this deeply felt and wonderfully re-created childhood memoir is time well spent.
   Those who like this book might want to also read a very different but equally fine childhood memoir called A PLACE IN EL PASO by Gloria Lopez-Stafford, dealing with growing up in the
   El Paso/Juarez area during the same period of late 1930's/early 1940's.

2 comments about Custer: Cavalier in Buckskin.

1. The master of the western biography has written (and added to the original version) a balanced reporting of the events that happened that day in June. The oversize pages allow for splendid photographic illustrations. All the versions as to what actually took place are presented thoughtfully and a case presented for the most logical conclusion. I had read his later book(s) including "The Lance and the Shield" about Sitting Bull, before discovering this one. It was also very interesting to find out what happened later to some of the people involved.



2. The earlier paperback edition of Cavalier was the first book I read about Custer. At the time I was expecting Utley to take a strong stand as to whether Custer was a brilliant Indian-fighting hero, or an egomaniacal upstart. So I found the objective style and even-handed treatment a little disappointing. However, several years and books later, I have come to see this as the best book on Custer and LBH ever written, mainly because of his refusal to approach the subject with the pre-conceived notions others have.

   Utley neither lauds Custer, nor does he cast blame. He makes it clear that Custer may have been somewhat over-rated in his Indian fighting abilities. Though he allows that he had gained a lot of knowledge of Plains warfare and might have become equal to the likes of Miles or Crook, had he lived. He points out that Custer did ignore the scouts who told him of the great number of warriors present in the camp on LBH. However, he also notes that Custer was not unlike other military leaders of the time in under estimating the fighting abilities of Indians, and therefore did not think that numbers really mattered. While he feels that Reno and Benteen did not support Custer as they could have, he also feels that not enough credit is given to the idea that the Indians merely outfought them all.

   Of course, this was all included in the earlier editions. So the obvious question is, do you need to read the revised edition. This depends on what you're looking for.

   With a few small exceptions the text remains the same. Utley has made a few changes based on later research, especially work by Larry Sklenar, but his overall theories have not changed. Also, for those interested in further reading, he has augmented his list of sources.

   The main difference in the editions is physical. This is definitely "over-sized," fitted better to a coffee table than a bookshelf. And it is filled with illustrations, many of which seem to have been chosen more to improve the lay-out than for their applicability to the text. Take for example the photo of a Buffalo Soldier with the caption, "Custer disapproved of black soldiers...." (p.45) Or the photo of modern-day cadets at West Point captioned, "Cadet Custer had 726 demerits...."(p.22) And, of course, there are more portraits of Custer and renditions of LBH than one would ever dream existed.

   My suggestion would be that, if you're a collector of Custeriana, or simply the type who likes to impress your guests with your choice of books, you might want to purchase this and place it somewhere prominent in your home. Otherwise you'd do just as well to stick with the paperback version.

5 comments about American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country.

1. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING BOOKS OF ITS KIND THAT I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME."AMERICAN HEROINES" IS A VERY SPECIAL BOOK AND REALLY SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING IN MOST HIGH SCHOOLS SO MOST STUDENTS CAN GET TO KNOW WHAT GREAT DEEDS THESE WONDERFUL WOMEN PERFORMED TO SHAPE AND MOLD THIS GREAT NATION OF OURS. UP UNTIL NOW ALOT OF THESE WOMEN AND THE GREAT THINGS THEY HAVE DONE HAVE GONE UNOTICED BUT SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISONS BOOK "AMERICAN HEROINES" HAS GIVEN A NEW LIGHT TO ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL WOMEN AND WHAT GREAT THINGS THEY DID. IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A GREAT GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL:A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER, A SOLDIER SERVERING OVER SEAS THEAN GET THEM "AMERICAN HEROINES" BY KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON IT WOULD MAKE A PERFECT GIFT FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE. AND WHO EVER YOU GIVE THIS BOOK TO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT SOME VERY SPIRITED PEOPLE HELPED SHAPED THIS GREAT COUNTRY.



2. Senator Hutchison is a woman who has risen above stereotypes to become the first woman in Texas elected to the Senate. That says a lot in a land where men still open doors for women and call women "ma'am" or "miss" even though you may be a complete stranger. Put aside your political beliefs and you will have a book highlighting women who conquered the "glass ceiling" despite what was the norm of the times. These women may be from Timbuktu for all we know, but they are women whom our daughters can learn how to reach beyond gender stereotypes. Of course Senator Hutchison will include more women from Texas than from elsewhere, she grew up in Texas. These are women who influenced her and helped her achieve the "first" status as well. Again, putting aside politics, this book is a good book on the power of women who can rise despite criticism and social norms.



3. In reading Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R-TX) book, American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country, I found a large error. The error was in her reference to NASA astronaut, Dr. Sally Ride;
   
   1. On page 207, 2nd paragraph Senator Hutchison writes: "Fast forward to June 18, 1983, and Dr. Ride became the first female astronaut for a mission into outer space."
   
   2. Continuing on page 207, 3rd paragraph: "In 1983, she became the first women in space..."
   
   Dr. Ride was not the first woman to fly in outer space; she was the first "American" woman to fly in outer space and the third woman in outer space. The two other women that preceded her were Valentina Tereshkova (Vostok 6 in 1963) and Svetlana Savitskaya (Soyuz T-7 in 1982), both from the former Soviet Union. Some may argue that it is correct to say that Dr. Ride was the first women "astronaunt" as the former Soviet Union women were referred to as "cosmonaunts." I do not agree, still incorrect information.
   
   One review of the book said that Senator Hutchinson's "combines biography and social history to shed light on what she calls the indomitable spirit of American women which has shaped both the country's history and its society." Dr. Sally Ride's contribution to space flight and American women should be celebrated and she is an important a role model for women but it is also important that her accomplishments be presented correctly.
   
   It is unfortunate that this information was not researched more thoroughly or corrected by the editor. Several online encyclopedias contain the correct information.
   [...]



4. Traversing the diverse footprints of America's influential women seems a daunting order for one book. American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country by United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison navigates the lives and accomplishments of America's remarkable women, spanning from Mary Austin Holley to Sandra Day O'Connor and Amelia Earhart to Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The book reads like a collection of short stories, so it's perfect for the reader-on-the go. Read a chapter an evening, and be enlightened by a brief biography of an influential American woman, then commentary on the significance of her historical impact. Hutchison keeps the narrative light and lively, and she infuses the biography with her perspective on her subjects' lasting contribution.
   Diversity of subject strengthens this book. Senator Hutchinson groups the chapters into similar sections, such as "Pioneers and Preservationists," "Education for Everyone," "Conquering the Skies," and "Public Lives, Public Service." While Hutchinson is a political conservative, her biographical praise crosses back and forth across the ideological aisle - she gives equal admiration to Geraldine Ferraro and Madeline Albright as she does to Elizabeth Dole and Condoleezza Rice. And, her esteem reaches beyond politics. She commends healthcare pioneer Clara Barton, astronaut Sally Ride, and artist Mary Cassatt.
   The colloquial writing proves a little distracting. One more word-cutting and cleaning edit would have improved the work. However, Hutchinson voice is the book's finest attribute, and that remains clear throughout the biographies. Her admiring observations provide a personal touch to the history. An extraordinary woman herself, Hutchinson is the first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate. The book highlights her own resourcefulness and intelligence and reveals her affection for her home state. She's a little partial to the ladies of Texas in her subject choice, but what Texan isn't?
   Don't read this book if you're looking for a challenging and intellectual dose of history - go buy a textbook instead. But, read American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country for an enriching, entertaining and comprehensive tour of the lives and accomplishments of 45 outstanding American women.



5. Think of this book as more of a reference book than a cover-to-cover read. The book is made up of the heart-warming life stories of a collection of famous women in America. The book's index is available on Amazon where you can find all of the women who are covered in this book.

1 comments about Frank Lloyd Wright (Reaktion Books - Critical Lives).

1. As a non-specialist who is admittedly rather ignorant of architectural history, this book was perfect for me. It avoids both excessive detail and incomprehensible jargon, yet covers the principal steps in Wright's 60-year career. I really got an idea of what he did and accomplished and what was so unique about it, which was exactly what I hoped to find. (McCarter's other book on FLW is huge with such long descriptions of interiors that I felt intimidated to open it.)
   
   Essentially, Wright approached his buildings as personal works of art designed for the purchaser after long conversations on their desires (with a few glaring exceptions, due to a sudden excess of FLW's arrogance). He designed them from the inside out, with the greatest attention to detail as total works of art down to the furniture and even the clothes of residents, kind of like Wagner's Gesamtkunstwerk, but for living space and quality of life. He also strove to orient them wrt the sun and other natural contours of the landscape. The range of buildings is far too complex and varied to describe here, of course, and I could have used more pics in the text to supplement McCarter's wonderful descriptions (easily available on the internet). I finally get it and will study his legacy in greater detail. Also, many of his homes were designed for the middle class, rather than exclusively for an aristocracy of the rich.
   
   The wider context is also covered in just the right detail, that is, how Sullivan mentored Wright; how Wright rebelled against the neo-classical fashion as exemplified by the great Burnham; how he hated Corbusier, Mies van der Rowe, and Gropius. Finally, Wright's establishment of the two Taliesin campuses and their unique apprenticeship environment is covered, as are his many writings - a huge part of his legacy as passed on to students. (It makes me wish I had studied architecture.)
   
   While McCarter obviously loves the man and his work, he does not shy from criticizing him, particularly as his self-critical sense seemed to fail him late in life, partially as a result of the constant sycophantic praise of his entourage and the strange domination that his third wife exerted. It is a very rounded portrait that appears fair to me. He also covers Wright's bitterness at what he felt was a lack of recognition, particularly as some of his greatest triumphs came late in life.
   
   Warmly recommended. This book is a wonderfully light though substantial meal, as a preparation for deeper inquiry. It is an ideal intro.

5 comments about Forty Ways to Look at JFK.

1. I was not familiar with the small details life of JFK, and this book presenting a lot that maybe didn't explain his public actions as much as gave me a new way to look at the man. It's not a conventional biography - read at least an encyclopedia article first. The author captures different angles of his life in each chapter, using a variety of techniques. I found it an engaging read and recommend it to anyone who wants to think about JFK and really a time and slice of elite America, perhaps. A lot of the book seeks to understand why JFK captures so much imagination and generated so much excitement. I think the author succeeds in this.



2. Forty Ways to look at JFK provides the reader with an easy to use format. In addition, the book can be kept for future reference. Ms. Rubin offers the reader the good and the bad as well as the funny.



3. The "40 ways" format allows you to skip around and read the chapters in any order as opposed to reading them chronologically. This book is more accessible to the average reader who would might struggle with a more conventional biography.



4. I read Ms. Rubin's Churchill book and loved the fresh way to examine an oft-examined leader. She does the same with Kennedy, and it's as entertaining and insightful as the first book. I'm a Churchill fanatic, so Kennedy as a person is less enthralling to me, but Ms. Rubin circles him as a subject nicely, looking at Kennedy from angles that let you get a firm grip in your mind of not only what he was like as a human, but what it was like to be around him. This is worth the read.



5. In my view, Gretchen Rubin is the single most insightful and thoughtful writers about important historical figures, and how people interact in society, who has come along in many years. Her understanding of how historically signficant people became that way is unmatched. In bringing her attention to JFK, Ms. Rubin faces the additional challenge of discussing JFK's relationship with people every bit as complex and interesting as he (specifically, his wife, his father and his brother). Her "40 ways" approach cuts directly to the important questions of history and character, argues clearly both sides of the question, and provides a prospective unavailable elsewhere.
   
   Ms. Rubin does not shrink from discussing the salacious details of JFK's life, and presents both adverse and favorable qualities in fair perspective. She allows the reader to form their own opinions, but gently presents her own at the end. (Frankly, her view surprised me.)
   
   Ms. Rubin's book once again presents a complex, contradictory life with extraordinary clarity. In total, the book is a fast, clear, sophisticated read that goes very quickly and leaves you with much to think about.

1 comments about From the Journals of M.F.K. Fisher.

1. The potential reader should beware that much of this journal has appeared elsewhere. It has the advantage of a chronological life progression. Though I've read a great deal of MFK, I can't say I especially like her; the person that is. I always think of her as a female Ernest Hemingway in her writing style. She is overfond of such words as "sturdy," and "true." As in, "we shared our honest stew, simply and truly." She makes me feel apologetic for ever longing for damask over burlap. MFK was a beautiful woman, a skilled writer, and a brilliant gourmand. She took the foregoing as a given and for granted. I was struck by one statement she made about an occasion where she took particular care with her dress, so that her entrance would "stop the room cold." Her attitude was that anyone could do this if they merely took the time and effort, as she had done. She frequently had an impatient attitude toward the rest of the world. I have this feeling she has everybody fooled. We have taken her at her own self-evaluation. And yet--and yet---she didn't whine, she soldiered on, and wrestled her life into her own design. I do not know if her essays will be remembered, or if she will be a footnote to cookbookery. It is certain we will not get another like her soon!