5 comments about The Patton Papers: 1885-1940.

1. In this, the first volume of his memoirs, author Martin Blumenson, shows background influences that would develop George S. Patton into America's most famous general of World War II. Blumenson paints an authentic, if not an all together flattering, picture of the man he obviously admires giving this work even more credibility. His primary source is impeccable: Patton's own correspondence composes most of the text.
   
   The key events are all discussed: Patton's early upbringing which placed him near, but not at the apex of class conscious American society at the turn of the century. His obsession to reach the summit would forever be a driving force in his life. Next was is military education at The Virginia Military Institute and West Point followed by his marriage to Beatrice Ayres which greatly aided his standing socially and economically. This was followed by service with his mentor, General of the Armies, John, J. "Blackjack," Pershing in Mexico and again in France in WWI where he served as chief architect of American tank forces. The men he trained here would ultimately make this old horse cavalryman, a legend.
   
   Patton was both a shameless social climber, and a most serious student of his profession. He seemed equally motivated by the relentless drive to succeed and his abject fear of failure. Vain, pompous, profane, well read, and militarily proficient, he would go on to become, arguably, the greatest General on either side in WWII.
   
   This book is more than the history of a man; it is the history of the U.S. Army from the turn of the century until the countdown to WWII. Easily read and understood, it is an outstanding addition to the library of any serious student of our nation's military history. A great read. 5 Stars!!
   
   Harold Y. Grooms



2. Not a big history buff, but I had to read this for a class.
   Very interesting! Blumenson actually served with Patton in the Third Army HQ in Europe and also in Korea.

   But don't stop at this volume - The Patton Papers 1940-1945 finishes Patton's unique story. These years weren't forgotten as another reviewer said, just in another book.




3. Blumenson lets Patton speak for himself though a huge number of personal letters, lectures, papers and other materials. You can watch the young Patton grow through trial (being held back after his first year at West Point), and triumph (his heroic actions in combat during WWI), into the famous fighting general of WWII. Don't let the long length of the book put you off. I found it to be absolutely absorbing. By the end of the book you feel that you know Patton, his family and his friends and that you have some idea of what made him who he was.

   Blumenson obviously has deep respect for Patton but he also does not shy away from Patton's serious flaws in character and behavior. Even before the well known incidents of WWII, some of the things Patton wrote, did and said were really mean, crude and / or embarrassing. He was an accomplished brown noser and jealous of his peers to the point of paranoia at times. Its all here to see.

   Of course, I also highly recommend the second half of the story in the Patton Papers 1940 - 1945 by the same author.




4. It has material SELECTED in order that we, the future students of history,not have a clue as to what really happened during that historical period. The "Selectivity"just accidently left out the period 1940-45. Can't let that information get out! Others may begin suspecting censureship elsewhere!



5. Anyone who is a Patton fan; please start from the beginning. I think that it is terribly important to understand the history behind what made the man who he was. WWII was the medium in which Patton manifested the gernerally known "Patton" ... the result of all life experience leading up to that one period in history. There is much more revealed in this first volume that one can learn and I highly recommend it. It is a great read, at times funny, others very graphic, it will make you feel as if you knew the man and were a part of the history. In fact, I liked it so much (the paperback), I located a set of Houghton Mifflin, FIRST PRINTING, Patton Papers in mint condition for my collection. They read wonderfully, unlike the poor HB reprints. One must pay a small fortune though.

5 comments about Lamy of Santa Fe.

1. Horgan's writing is captivating but his his historical acuity is blunted by his religious zeal (which gets wordy at times) and cannot serve as any sort of corrective to Willa Cather's lavish adulation of Latour/Lamy. Horgan will deal bluntly with Martinez's failings but utterly avoids the sense of homosexuality in the bishop's relationship with his busom buddy Machebeuf. He also does not deal adequately with though he does allude to Lamy's insensitiviy to Hispanic culture, as with the santos.



2. Growing up in New Mexico in the 60's, 70's and early 80's three things were extremely evident: the historical confluence of the Mexican and native cultures about the place and the layered influence of the Catholic Church on top of it all. Not growing up Catholic, much of this culture was a mystery to me at the time. Now being older, much more mindful of historical influences and a convert to Catholicism, the influence of the Catholic Church in my native state of New Mexico is of great interest to me personally.
   
   Imagine my feeling of good fortune then when I discover a copy of Lamy of Santa Fe by Paul Horgan, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History in the bargain bin at the college bookstore of my neighboring university. Much better than the implied dust covered status of my find, Horgan wrote brings to life in biographical form the historical life of Bishop Lamy. Lamy was not only the first Bishop of Santa Fe, he was one of the most important, influential, and civilizing figures of late 19th Century western expansion of our country. Adding to his significance is that fact that his presence can still be felt all over historical and modern day New Mexico.
   
   This well written book isn't just for people interested in the historical influence of the Catholic Church; it has something to say to anyone interested in the history of the United States in general and the Southwest in particular. Mr. Horgan did a sympathetic and masterful job of bring this man's life into focus for his readers.



3. 
   Jean Baptiste Lamy has indeed been fortunate to have two major writers present his life in so strong a light: Willa Cather in DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP, where Lamy is portrayed fictionally in the character of Jean Latour, and in this magnificent biography by Paul Horgan. It was Lamy's tremendous force of character, his inner strength in knowing to his bones what was right and being able to call up the courage to act upon it, that one gets from both Cather and Horgan.
   
   Lamy came to Santa Fe in 1850, having been a missionary and vicar in Ohio till then. Catholicism had stagnated in New Mexico, and Lamy instituted sweeping changes upon his arrival. His main goal was to re-establish the Church as the center of life in the southwest; to do so he needed to get rid of priests who were corrupt and spiritually counter-productive. Two of them, Jose Gallegos and Antonio Martinez, objected strongly to Lamy's ways, and caused much mischief for him. But Lamy, through his bravery, persistence, and authority in what he felt was right, became the spiritual light that illuminated the affairs of the southwest during the second half of the 19th century.
   
   Horgan's account of Lamy is as magisterial as his subject; his admiration and respect for the archbishop resonates in almost every paragraph. It's a wonderful achievement - a delight to read. A most deserving winner of the Pulitzer Prize.



4. Apart from Paul Horgan fans, probably most people coming to this book will be doing so to learn more about the real life archbishop who inspired Willa Cather's great novel DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP. And just as Cather's novel concerns the friendship and work of two major characters--Archbishop Jean Latour and his vicar Father Joseph Vaillant--so Horgan's biography necessarily tells the story not only of Juan Bautista Lamy but also Joseph Machebeuf.

   Horgan's biography succeeds magnificently in two ways. First, for those who will be coming to the book from reading Cather, one will find vastly greater depth and detail than was possible in that novel. So, the book is a boon for Cather fans. Second, even if one has not read Cather, the book tells a magnificent story of a truly heroic man and his closest friend. Their story is also the story of the West as a whole, and Santa Fe in particular.

   There are biographies that record the rote facts about an individual, and unfortunately most fall into this category. And the there are biographies that almost manage to bring you into contact and introduce you to someone you have never met. Lamy emerges almost as someone you know, instead of someone you merely know things about.

   I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in either history of the American West or in Willa Cather's great novel. Although I am not myself Roman Catholic, it would probably also be enjoyed by those whose main interest is in Church History. It is a tragedy that this book is not currently in print. With so many much weaker and less interesting biographies available, it is unfortunate that many of the truly excellent ones are not.




5. If there is proof that religion is cultural Paul Horgan demonstrates it in this work which is more than a single biography, but two. Lamy's initial dilemma, besides getting to his Santa Fe assignment, was to overcome the politics of Mexican Catholicism, and bend its will to his own. It was not the good Church defeating evil so much as it was Lamy's determination to arrange things in their proper order while at the same time creating an infrastructure to benefit his parishioners. His monument is the cathedral at Santa Fe in front of which is a stature to his memory as a man beloved by all. Still, Lamy shows a natural reluctance to relinquish habitual authority after retirement. The Archbishop was a man, after all, but a man with a calling he was determined to fulfill. Incidentally, when a character from one book shows up in another unrelated work (Lamy's eventual successor, in Tucson), 'On the Border With Crook,' it lends co-incident authenticity to both.

5 comments about Jack Kennedy: The Education of a Statesman.

1. You'll find Barbara Leaming's marvelous book very difficult to put down. Somehow she has uncovered entirely new source material which sheds light on Kennedy's early years in Great Britain when his father Joe was Ambassador to the Court of St. James. Introduced by his sister Kick to a circle of bright young aristocrats, the connections made in these early years would last a lifetime and shape his world view in a dangerous time for the US and for the world. What struck me particularly in the book was how much of what Kennedy learns is still enormously relevant in today's world. This book should be required reading for our leaders in Washington and especially our Presidential candidates for 2008! I cannot wait to see what subject Ms. Leaming takes on next.



2. everything about this transaction was first class.



3. The is a marvelous blow by blow description of how WWII statred
   
   Also a wondreful blow by blow of the Cuban Missle crisis
   
   The research was fantastic



4. A child when Kennedy was assassinated, I grew up with a mix of fact and mystique in what I knew of President Kennedy. Barbara Leaming's book introduces me to a Kennedy not unrecognizable from the Kennedy I was aware of growing up, without whitewashing his actions.
   
   I really enjoy the way she brings across Jack Kennedy in the various points of his life. It does seem to dwell a little overlong on his sister Kick's story, but it's a really satisfying read and she really brings historical moments of the time to life and shows them in relation to Kennedy's life.



5. What a clever idea Barbara Leaming has for a re-examination of John F. Kennedy's life. She explores the impact of his relationship with movers-and-shakers in England, concentrating on David Ormsby-Gore, one of Kennedy's sister Kathleen's Smart Set in pre-World War II London.
   As a long-term Kennedy biography reader, it's fascinating to revisit experiences in his life from a new richly-textured perspective. The meatiest part of the book is easily Kennedy's introduction to Ormsby-Gore and friends, when Kennedy's father is appointed Ambassador to Great Britain. Reporting becomes thin in the last year of Kennedy's presidency.
   Chapters dealing on the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty would have been greatly improved by stitching in some primary sourcework on Nikita Kruschev, perhaps from his son's biographies of him. Another help might have been incorporating Schlesinger's or Bundy's perspectives on the British influence on Kennedy on these issues. More voices, more analysis might have mitigated the ping-pong like effect in these chapters --- Kennedy said, Ormsby-Gore said, Macmillan said.
   Also, perhaps because Leaming's indebtedness to British peerage for valuable first-person accounts of what JFK was like at the time, reader is shorted in several respects. Scant mention or analysis of Kathleen Kennedy's infatuation with another British peer, married with a child, after her first husband dies. There's some insinuation that Fitzwilliam, the second peer, was randy, representing another type of British upperclassman. But, there's nothing to indicate why the sister would embrace the darker side of British Aristocracy nor what impact this had on Kennedy himself. Ditto scant info at the end about Ormsby-Gore and wife, post Kennedy, other than mention that they're killed in separate auto accidents. That said, an engrossing read. A must for Kennedy biography fans.

4 comments about Benjamin Banneker: Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot.

1. This biopic of Bejamin Banneker (Ben Bey) is very revealing and gives the reader a look inside of Banneker's personal life (even though some of it might be merely educated guess work regarding his intimate relationships). Some conjecture and innuendo is tossed around a bit irresponsibly but overall one of the best if not the best work on Ben Bey. This has to be one of the first books about Ben Bey that mentions his hereditary extraction (Malian & Fulani). I didn't know upon Banneker's expiration his house and most of all his works were burned to ashes by his racist enemies. Depriving the world of a first hand look into his accomplishments. Cerami also explains the close friendship of Ben Bey and Benjamin Franklin in detail. I believe Charles Cerami portrays Ben Bey and his scientific genius better than all the biographies before it.



2. Benjamin Banneker:Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot, by Charles A. Cerami has expanded our knowledge of this renowned 18th century African American. To those familiar with the contributions of blacks to American society, Benjamin Banneker's accomplishments are well known. He was a free black man, son of an African, his grandmother, an indentured servant from England. He built a wooden clock using a pocket watch as a guide. Later on in life, he parlayed his scientific and mathematical skills into the creation of an almanac. He then went on to become an integral part of the team that surveyed the area that was to become the nation's capitol. He wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson critical of the latter's racist views, and even received a response. The author covers this ground well. We are aware of how stunning Banneker's achievements are, given that he was a black man living in a nation where the vast majority of black people toiled in slavery. Even a free black was a degraded, stigmatized creature in white eyes. The author, however, lifts Banneker out of this limiting context to elevate him into the company of truly original thinkers. Thus, Banneker becomes more than a brilliant black man who rose above his station to live the life of the mind, a pursuit which, if he were white, would not have garnered much attention. Banneker made an assertion that no one had made up that point (at least not with his degree of logic). He speculated on the existence of life on other worlds. The author presents an excerpt from Banneker's writings as proof that this humble black farmer was far ahead of his time. Indeed, such a revolutionary thought would not be adopted by scientists as a credible theory until well into the 20th century. Charles Cerami's work is of monumental importance because now we have a new insight into the depth of Benjamin Banneker's intellect. Hopefully, this book will be so widely read that Banneker's role as the man who memorized the plans to Washington, D.C. will not be his ultimate achievement in the popular imagination. Hopefully, scientists, historians and lay enthusiasts will recognize the significance of Banneker's thinking in regard to the possibility of life beyond our precious, little world.



3. Benjamin Banneker:Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot, by Charles A. Cerami has expanded our knowledge of this renowned 18th century African American. To those familiar with the contributions of blacks to American society, Benjamin Banneker's accomplishments are well known. He was a free black man, son of an African, his grandmother, an indentured servant from England. He built a wooden clock using a pocket watch as a guide. Later on in life, he parlayed his scientific and mathematical skills into the creation of an almanac. He then went on to become an integral part of the team that surveyed the area that was to become the nation's capitol. He wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson critical of the latter's racist views, and even received a response. The author covers this ground well. We are aware of how stunning Banneker's achievements are, given that he was a black man living in a nation where the vast majority of black people toiled in slavery. Even a free black was a degraded, stigmatized creature in white eyes. The author, however, lifts Banneker out of this limiting context to elevate him into the company of truly original thinkers. Thus, Banneker becomes more than a brilliant black man who rose above his station to live the life of the mind, a pursuit which, if he were white, would not have garnered much attention. Banneker made an assertion that no one had made up that point (at least not with his degree of logic). He speculated on the existence of life on other worlds. The author presents an excerpt from Banneker's writings as proof that this humble black farmer was far ahead of his time. Indeed, such a revolutionary thought would not be adopted by scientists as a credible theory until well into the 20th century. Charles Cerami's work is of monumental importance because now we have a new insight into the depth of Benjamin Banneker's intellect. Hopefully, this book will be so widely read that Banneker's role as the man who memorized the plans to Washington, D.C. will not be his ultimate achievement in the popular imagination. Hopefully, scientists, historians and lay enthusiasts will recognize the significance of Banneker's thinking in regard to the possibility of life beyond our precious, little world.



4. I can't believe the genius of Benjamin Banneker, the man. I always knew his name through his famous letter to Thomas Jefferson. In the pages of this fascinating biography, I discovered his excellence in so many professions, especially astronomy. His speculations on light and stars were revolutionary and opened the door to modern astronomy. He is a true American hero.

5 comments about Battling for Saipan.

1. Like your Reader from Texas, I am not a marine but I have read many books about the war in the Pacific and the Smith vs. Smith incident.

   HM Smith was not one of the great captains of WWII. As Professor Harry Gailey points out in "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", Saipan was the first and only time HM Smith ever had hands on responsibility for troops in battle. He did not conduct a very brilliant campaign. He constantly underestimated the strength of Japanese resistance on the island, made his plans based on his underestimates, and then blamed the Army Division and its Commander, MG Ralph Smith, when his plans did not work.

   The 27th Infantry Division was the most unfairly maligned unit of WWII, Its commander, MG Ralph Smith was the most unfairly vilified leader of WWII. This happened because the Marine Corps and its advocates needed to create and maintain the legend that HM Smith was a great captain, needed to explain away HM Smith's less than brilliant performance on Saipan.

   This book, while not a thoroughly researched as Edmund Smith's 27th ID's History or Professor Gailey's "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", it is an honest attempt to tell the correct history, that the 27th ID fought hard and fought well on Saipan.




2. I've often wondered over the years how justifiable Howlin' Mad Smith's relief of Ralph Smith was during the battle for Saipan. I've suspected that there was more to the issue than meets the eye and that Holland Smith may have had more of a point to prove than cause for action. O'Brien's book points solidly in that direction although his perspective has to be skewed toward the 27th and I believe that he wrote the book starting from that viewpoint. However the most moving and impressive part of this account for me was the details of the heroism of Sgt. Thomas A. Baker. I first encountered his story in an obscure internet tribute one Veteran's Day a few years back. Reading his citation I wondered what kind of man could be capable of such feats. O'Brien's history contains more details of this remarkable soldier than I've found elsewhere, but still left me yearning to find out more about him. Who knows, maybe someday I'll write his definitive history!



3. I found Francis O'Brien's work on the 27th Division to be moving account of an army unit that served its country well at the expense of criticism. His account of the 1st battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, was especially touching, and, I feel, deserves mention along with other memorable units of WWII.

   However, I do agree that O'Brien's work does lack much objectiveness at the expense of defending the reputation of the 27th Division. This was essentially the purpose of his book, and there are certainly more objective accounts of the 27th to be found elsewhere, some of whom O'Brien refers to in his book.

   Nonetheless, I found this book to be an enjoyable read and quite a service to those who fought and died with the "New York Division" in WWII.

   As O'Brien states at the end of his preface: "I trust I have shown that [the families'] fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers served their country honrably and well in WWII."




4. This book was interesting but it had several flaws. It was a basically a defense of the army's 27th Infantry Division during the Saipan invasion during the Pacific war. It was at Saipan where the 27th did not measure up to marine units.

   The author claims to be objective but I find that difficult to believe. He is writing about his own Uncle, William O'Brien. He was also writing about the 27th Infantry Division, a national guard unit which consisted of men from his own home town and area. I detected a bias in defense of the 27th and a bias against Marine General "Howlin Mad" Smith who relieved 27th Division commander General Ralph Smith.

   The author claims that this was the one and only battle where army troops fought under the command of the a marine general. This was untrue. Army units fought successfully under marine General Vandergrift at Guadalcanal in 1942, under marine General Geiger at Peleliu in 1944, and briefly under Geiger again at Okinawa in 1945. The author blames marine command for many of the 27th's problems but has a shaky arguement.

   The author also defend the 27th divison as "one of the best trained units in the Pacific". I have read many other books and many other authors do NOT share this opinion of the 27th. Many other authors have a much lower opinion of the 27th. In fact, at Okinawa in 1945, an army general withdrew the 27th from the main battle and sent it to the rear for "garrison duty". Let's be realistic and honest. Not all members of the armed forces in WW II were "the elite". Units differed in quality. Some units were excellent and some were of lesser quality.

   Note: I am NOT a marine but just someone who has read many books on this subject.




5. Mr. O'Brien gives a vivid detail of the 105ths movements from the landing on the beaches of Saipan to the final evacuation from the Gyokusai attach in Tanapag. He follows his uncle Lt. Col. William J. O'Brien from battle to battle all the time merging stories of the hundreds of other men who fought along side him. Giving an almost play by play of scirmishes from survivors stories. I couldn't put it down. I will never Hash through the jungles here the same way again! Infact, I went to the memorial and looked for his name of the thousands that are there and I found it. As you look at it you face to about the appoximate location of Tagapag village.

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.

2 comments about Lord Of Visible World: Autobiography In Letters.

1. If you don't have access to the 5-volume "Selected Letters" (published by Arkham House), this book is indispensible. This collection of letters spans Lovecraft's adulthood and covers such diverse topics as writing, eighteenth century antiquities, philosophy, politics, racism, economics, cats, travel, and even the art of buying a cheap suit!

   Veteran Lovecraft scholars will enjoy this work because of the editors' efforts at placing each selection of letters in its proper context. These little annotations assist the reader in gaining a better understanding of the author's need to communicate with kindred spirits (despite his avowed misanthropy), his attempts to battle his depression with satiric humor, and the sometimes extreme lengths undertaken to cope with the slide into poverty and near starvation.

   Well researched and ably constructed, Joshi and Schultz's offering is a welcome addition. Highly recommended.




2. Strange that it took so long for someone to think of this. Lovecraft was one of history's great letter-writers, and many of his letters contain autobiographical details, so why not gather those all together? Well, here they are, 343 pages of letters, Lovecraft's autobiographical sketch SOME NOTES ON A NONENTITY, and some explanatory notes. The letters don't really form a coherent autobiography, and someone who reads this book without having read Joshi's biography of Lovecraft first will probably not form a very clear idea of Lovecraft's life.

   Most of the letters are new to me, even though I am familiar with the contents of the multi-volume Arkham House "Collected Letters." Virtually all the letters are a delight to read, since poor Lovecraft could find entertainment in even the most humdrum activities... consider the wild Arabian Nights bazaar-haggling fantasy he inserts into the account of his search for a good, cheap suit, after a thief made away with almost everything he owned in the way of wearables.

   The text has one annoying defect; the letters are usually not introduced by telling us who they were written to, and one must repeatedly turn to a couple of pages marked "sources" for this vital info. Lovecraft's tone and style, and openness or reticence, varied greatly with correspondent, and this is background info you have to have to appreciate a given letter.

   Typographical errors are very few; I spotted only about four, all probably transcription errors in copying from Lovecraft's microscopically hand-written originals.

   Like the majority of university press books I have seen over the past 40 long-suffering years, this one suffers from what Lovecraft himself might call "preternaturally odious" design. The cover consists of a fuzzy snapshot of Lovecraft superimposed on a collage of details from old engravings, and each major section is defaced by a grey blob that is probably imagined, by someone with no sense of design, to be decorative. Chapter headings seem to have been affected by word-processing runaway, so that for instance the index is headed "Marriage and Exile, Clinton Street and Red Hook"!

   Let's just say I loved every word of it. After you read it, this should go right on the shelf with your worn, much-read volumes of Lovecraft fiction, and you'll find yourself dipping into it at random, at odd times. What a man! Recommended!

No comments about Benedict Arnold: Misunderstood Hero?.

5 comments about Mary Surratt: An American Tragedy.

1. this book did its best to introduce doubt about her involvement in the plot against lincoln, but the facts are simply too compelling against her.i thought her background was well researched, but when it came to the matter of her guilt and trial, it was all sentimentality, supposition and pity. the old woman was up to her neck in it.



2. The author did a great job in researching this book. Also presented the facts well. It does look like maybe Mary Surratt was not involved in the planning or discussions about Lincoln's assassination. Very sad.



3. This is an excellent book. Anyone who is interested in the Civil War era and Abraham Lincoln, will really enjoy this book. Also anyone who studies the law will also find this book fascinating. This book touches on our constitutional rights and how they can be overlooked when a horrible crime has been committed and the government and the people want someone to pay for the crime. Anybody. This is just an excellent book!!!



4. This book has some great strengths and a few weaknesses. The research is very thorough and it shows. It also makes it a fine reference sourse for scholars of the subject. However some of the stuff included should have been edited out.
   
   I find fault the writing style, though this is a personal thing. While loaded with gems of information, the writing is a bit repetitive, even turgid in places as if the writer had an agenda of her own. This is a pity because she did all the hard work. The writing style should have made more of it. Other readers may like the writing style.
   
   The other fault I find is that two key pieces in information presented have no reference sourse. If prosecution witnesses were paid money to perjure themselves we should know what is the sourse of this information. This would have added so much more to the storyline and to the case.
   
   For all of that the book is persuasive in making the case that Mary Surratt did not recieve a fair trial. The fact that her son walked free after his trial before a civilian jury makes the case stronger. A good read with a solid information that might have been a really great read.
   
   L. Power, Ireland.



5. Having grown up in the town whre all of this occured, I am glad that there are those that still hold an interest in this part of history, however sad it may be. I look forward to reading this book again.

5 comments about America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction (Penguin Classics).

1. Its present lackluster era notwithstanding, America still commands the world's attention and arouses curiosity. No matter how much we read about the country, how frequently we visit there, even live there for years, we have the nagging feeling that we do not understand its true essence. And that is not for want of pertinent information. The mass of available statistical data is beyond imagination. So is the daily, weekly and monthly output by journalists. There is no lack of in-depth analyses by eminent economists, sociologists and political scientists. And yet, it is hard to distill from all of the above an essence that speaks to me, the common everyday man. I am a native of Germany who spent most of his life in Brazil. I have always had a deep interest in American literature and have done my best to get a good glimpse of it, but even that is not an easy job. Whereas the name of John Steinbeck is fully familiar, I had always associated him with his California novels. Only recently did I take an opportunity to look at his postwar production and felt immediately attracted by the title 'America and Americans'. I certainly was not disappointed. The book offers in rich measure what is so hard to come by, the human aspect, offered in understandable, indeed beautiful language, by an unusually lucid observer. Even though the country and its society have changed dramatically over the forty years since the date it was published, the book looses nothing of its informative value. It provides a picture of a point in time, and tells of the values of that time. That is an excellent backdrop to contemplate the present moment and reflect on future options.



2. AMERICA AND AMERICANS AND SELECTED NONFICTION is a compilation of articles that John Steinbeck wrote during his journalism days from 1936-1966 and one of his last novels, AMERICA AND AMERICANS. With Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson's helpful introductions for each short essay, readers can see how his real life observations and experiences resonate within his fictional works.
   
   Steinbeck's writings are distinct and unique as a result of the deep connection he had with the people he encountered and the respective landscape in which they lived. The most compelling aspect about these articles and essays are the periods in which they were written -- from Great Depression to the War in Vietnam. These previously published nonfiction articles possess a part of Steinbeck's personal life that was poignant at times: "Indeed, the "Steinbeck" tone and "unmistakably American" approach could be the stamp on all his writing, whether about growing up in a California town or about French fishing habits in Paris -- it was American in spirit" (xv).
   
   AMERICA AND AMERICANS AND SELECTED NONFICTION is a treasure to own. This is a great example of John Steinbeck's versatile style of writing that was historical and political as well as ironic. And with this in mind, Steinbeck aficionados or curious readers will find this book insightful.



3. This is only essential for hardcore Steinbeck fans, but his insight and singular turns of phrase pervade this prolific collection. Of particular note is his homage to his three best teachers, less than two pages long, called "...like captured fireflies." America and Americans is dated in parts, but his takes on corporations and America's obsession with children are prescient, and his indefatigable optimism essential. A different resonance than the novels, but of the same calibur.



4. Although overall this book is clearly inferior to some of Steinbeck's other works of nonfiction, it has its high points and is worthwhile for big fans. If you are not already familiar with Steinbeck's nonfiction, I suggest you read A Russian Journal, Travels with Charley in Search of America and Once There Was A War before buying this book.
   
   Among the best pieces in this book are "I Am A Revolutionary," "The Soul and Guts of France" and "Terrorism." Aside from these three pieces - and a paragraph or two scattered here and there among some of the others - this book consists of fairly slow, relatively uninteresting and disappointingly uninsightful text. Still, it's Steinbeck, and if you've a big fan, then reading even his mediocre work is more fun than most things you could be doing with your time. Otherwise though, if you have a mere passing interest in Steinbeck or have not read the other works mentioned above, then either read his other material first or just forget about this book altogether.



5. Steinbeck, as he and the annotator in this book repeatedly declare, let his interests range freely in his choice of nonfiction subjects. The whimsical pieces darn near steal the show. There's an affectionate account of his old Model T, and how its radiator happened one day to spew hot oatmeal all over his mother while riding in downtown L.A. There's a self-deprecating sports article, in which he proposes the sport of oak tree racing. There are some quite funny and surprisingly touching dog stories. The man could make *anything* a joy to read!

   But the meat of the "selected nonfiction" section is the 1930s reportage of the California migrants, which would later become the basis of his Depression novels. It is a searing experience even seventy years later, being made to watch formerly solid American citizens being ground into the mire by poverty, malnutrition, and hopelessness.

   Even his much-denounced Vietnam coverage has unmistakably Steinbeckian passages of humanity. He goes for a combat patrol in an AC-47, a "Magic Dragon", and frankly confesses his fear. He flashes back to conversations with combat journalists and ordinary soldiers, who were killed very shortly thereafter. He accurately contrasts the omnipresent threat of guerrilla attacks with the more formal setpiece battles of previous wars--and portrays the confusion this arouses in the public back home.

   The final bit is the republished _America and Americans_, which is one long cry of "Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?" Perfectly understandable for someone of his age and background encountering the Sixties for the first time... But even here his native American optimism refuses to let him despair. He concludes, "We have failed sometimes, taken wrong paths, paused for renewal, filled our bellies and licked our wounds; but we have never slipped back--never."