No comments about Wide-Awake Woman: Josephine Roche in the Era of Reform.

1 comments about Being Rapoport: Capitalist with a Conscience (Focus on American History Series,Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin).

1. Bernard Rapoport is one of a kind for many reasons. He's a resoundingly left-leaning, labor-union-supporting insurance company founder and funder of liberal Democratic candidates and causes down in the heart of Texas, where such a fellow is distinctly unusual. For most of his adult life, he's put his money where his mouth is, even when he had to borrow the money. Now that he has considerable of his own money, he and his wife continue on an even grander scale supporting educational projects here and overseas. .
   
   Rapoport has always been politically active, and for anyone who's lived in Texas 50 years or so, his recounting of friendships and dealings with national and local political figures will bring back many memories. Underlying all this is his story of personal accomplishment in raising himself from financially poor beginnings through business perspicacity and sheer force of personality.

No comments about The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Volume 2: Printer and Publisher, 1730-1747 (Life of Benjamin Franklin).

No comments about George C. Marshall: Soldier of Peace.

3 comments about Beerspit Night and Cursing.

1. Black Sparrow is digging deep into the heap of leftovers to come up with some "new" Bukowski. This is the worst after-he-died book to be released. Almost all of the letters are by Bukowski. That's a relief because Sheri Martinelli's letters are unreadable. The spelling, punctuation, and stream of consciousness writing style make her letters impenetrable.

   Bukowski's letters are readable, but he's too young here to have much to say. Frankly, Bukowski's early work is pretty weak. It wasn't until the late 1970s that he became the great writer we know and love. Here, he picks up on Martinelli's racism, runs with it halfheartedly, and praises her for no reason. The letters are very drunk and usually pointless. Some of the angry wisdom shines through, but not much. This is a book for diehard Bukowski fans only. It's a bad representation of his work.




2. You can't critique a collection of someone's letters on the same basis you would their published public works. But in this volume, the first thing you might wonder is why two articulate people chose to affect such an inarticulate, though sometimes inventive, style. All collections of Bukowski letters contain many cryptic and rambling missives of this sort, and I suppose they may be excused as the unedited utterings of a drunk and/or hung-over mind. But I'm led to believe that Bukowski produced a lot of work in that condition, including his better-crafted stories; so why must the letters be so sloppy? Even as first drafts, they're a bit much. And why Ms. Martinelli chose to emulate this style is another question, unless of course she was similarly indisposed. Maybe it was an accepted literary style in the '60s. At any rate, it makes the book a slow slog, although some new insights into Bukowski's nature and ideas may be winnowed with diligent application. Like many of the Bukowski-related volumes, this one seems to be more for the fan and collector than for the casual reader. There are a few photos of the two authors in the center of the book. Black Sparrow Press did its usual commendable job of design and production.



3. BEERSPIT NIGHT is an interesting entry into the volumes of Bukowski letters published by Black Sparrow. This is a venture between two people who were involved with Bukowski and Martinelli professionally and personally: John Martin, publisher of BSP, and Steven Moore, the editor of this book, respectively. The correspondence is lively, Bukowski seems to have met his match, and enlightening. Bukowski, as Moore states, reveals more of his artistic and literary leanings with Martinelli than he did with anyone else he exchanged missives with (Martin and Bukowski's widow may be the only other people to have seen this side of him). The book appears to have been a labor-of-love for Moore, who knew Martinelli, and Martin shows his usual loving care with this book as he has with every other Buk book. The only problem I have encountered so far (at only 1/4 of the way through) is Moore's decision to leave much of the original purposeful misspellings and colloquialisms of both Bukowski and Martinelli. It becomes quite tiresome, like spending hours trying to solve word problems. And, for some reason the footnotes are not numbered, so many a reader may actually pass them over not realizing they're there. Those who think they know everything about Bukowski might discover some revelations in these letters.

4 comments about Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot.

1. I found this fantastic book on the clearance stack at Border's. I became aware of Webster's importance from references to him in other books on the Founding Fathers. However, it wasn't until I read Unger's work that I fully appreciate how important Webster really was. Soon after graduating from Yale, the Connecticut native embarked on a lifelong dream of improving the educational system of the fledgling country to both unify it and to instill the young with the moral and intellectual virtues necessary to maintain a free republic.
   
   The first step was to have America adopt an agreed upon spelling convention tailored to the US to replace the current chaotic spellings borrowed from Britain. After years of hard work, he succeeded in getting his spelling books adopted in practically all schools within the US. The book later was nicknamed The Blue-Backed Speller and was the standard in American schoolrooms throughout the 19th century. To protect his creation, he successfully petitioned national leaders and all state legislatures to enact America's first copyright protection laws. In the course of his campaign he befriended George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison, and John Jay. An ardent nationalist, Webster wrote a widely read political tract in 1785, Sketches, calling for a strong national government to replace the Articles of Confederation. This work would have a powerful impact on the Convention of 1787 as Washington summoned Webster to Philadelphia to meet nightly with him and other attendees to solicit his views on how to craft the new constitution.
   
   In 1793, he returned to the national political scene to take the lead in countering the French representative Citizen Genet, who, on behalf of the revolutionary government, actively attempted to convince the American citizenry to overthrow President Washington in order for the US to support France in its struggle against Britain. (France's malevolent intentions included having the US become a French vassal state. ) Couching his speeches in the ideals of the American revolution, Genet gained quite a bit of popular support. However, Webster exposed the ruse and denounced American supporters for Genet as dupes. He publicly defended Washington and his administration's stand on neutrality against the onslaught of the anti-Federalist press, who sympathized with Genet.
   
   Besides serving in local politics, Webster led scientific inquiries with help from Benjamin Rush to combat infectious diseases (a world first) and to abolish slavery. Toward the end of his life, he embarked on his greatest achievement: a new, comprehensive dictionary of the English language. His endeavor comprised decades of research which included his learning several languages, both old and new, and traveling to the national libraries of France and Britain for etymological histories of words. His achievement won him stunning praise from the world over.
   
   A family man, Webster's indomitable character was forged by his strong Calvinist beliefs. This book traces the life of a most remarkable individual and too sadly neglected Founding Father. The book is written in an easy style and an obvious result of a great deal of research. A must for those seeking to appreciate the reason behind America's success over the last two centuries.



2. This is an outstanding biography of a person who, because he never held high political office, is less well known than he deserves to be. In reading about Webster's life, one also learns much about the political controversies of the early United States--how many know, for example, that George Washington had bitter political enemies while President, or that the War of 1812 was so unpopular in New England that it prompted many there (including Webster) to discuss seceding from the Union? This biography deserves to be widely read.



3. In his preface, the author notes that Noah Webster is so famous for his dictionary that it's overshadowed his many other achievements. Too true! I was amazed to learn of Mr. Webster's achievements in politics and education reform, particularly the influential role he played in shaping the U.S. Constitution. This book is a Must Read for anyone who wants a deeper and more accurate view into early American history.



4. If you're ready for a reprieve from contemporary biographical sleaze, read this fine biography of Noah Webster, a good and moral man who held his family and country in balanced respect. You have lots to learn from this book if all you know about Webster is the dictionary. What surprised me was a life that spanned the years from colonial times to the mid-19th century. This was a man who never held high elective office but was an influential friend of those who did -- Washington, Franklin, John Adams and Madison. He spent months traveling up and down the East coast, espousing his beliefs in the ideals of Federalism. He advocated tirelessly for an American language and literature independent of the British tradition. To protect himself against piracy of his highly popular reader for schoolchildren, he campaigned successfully for copywright legislation. For this reader, whose last course in American History is a blurred memory, the "times" part of this story was as fascinating as the "life." I was reminded of the chaos of the country in the interim between the Revolution and Constitutional Convention, of Shay's Rebellion, of the acrimonious regionalism that nearly tore apart the young country, of the XYZ affair, and the threat to a fragile democracy of the War of 1812. I was made to recall the inadequacies of early American education and the perils of public health before urban sanitation systems. In this carefully-researched portrait, Unger presents Webster sympathetically as an American Renaissance man, curious and informed in fields from law to medicine to philosophy to lexicography. One of Yale University's early graduates, he spent his life educating himself. Because Webster was such an assiduous diarist and letter-writer, the book also provides a rich portrait of his family and private life -- his devotion to his wife and children, his frustration with a ne'er-do-well son, his financial concerns, and his delight in hearth and home. The culmination of the story is the dictionary, the product of a lifelong belief in the necessity of a uniform American language to unify the disparate voices of a young nation. Webster the scholar devoted years of careful research to this project, both at home and in Europe. His efforts secured his mention in history books. Harlow Unger's book fleshes out the man and his times with substance and grace.

4 comments about Sailor in the White House: The Seafaring Life of FDR.

1. I just finished reading "Sailor in the White House." Now, I finally understand what strongly influenced FDR throughout his entire government career. In his fresh and probing new biography, author Robert Cross opens up a whole new dimension in the life of our 32nd president.

   FDR used his expert sailing skills and instincts to guide America through the Great Depression and on to victory in World War II. He was always ready to compromise, change tack or revise his plans based on the changing political landscape...just as he did when he sailed the world's oceans. What an ingenious way to look at President Roosevelt! I thank the author for sharing his important insights with all of us. Great job!




2. This was an excellent view of another side of FDR that as a sailor of the same waters, I found exceptionally interesting.

   Not only was the book extremely well written but it was full of glimpses of this president which added a new perspective to my knowledge of his presidency.

   It is a wonderful experience to stumble across a biographical work about a man about whom so much has been written and yet find an entirely new and different view of the person's life.

   Bravo!!!




3. This is a book I could not "put down" once I started reading it. My problem is I get into the index which takes me every where in the book. However, when I finally got it all together I found it to be both historic and above all informative. I grew up in the Roosevelt era and this book has given me an entirely new insight of his time.
   Thank you Mr.Cross.



4. Franklin D. Roosevelt loved the sea, sailing and all things nautical. He was America's greatest seafaring president, spending more time sailing, fishing and swimming than any president in our nations's history. And this book tells very interesting minute of it.

   In Robert F. Cross' terrific new book, "Sailor in the White House: the Seafaring Life of FDR," the author offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Roosevelt's time on the sea. What makes this book such a treat, is that many of the stories are told through the voices of those who actually sailed with the president, and who shared their tales with the author for the first time.

   Through interviews with Secret Service agents, Roosevelt staff and family members, and contemporaries of the president, Cross exposes a whole new dimension of FDR's life, a dimension which-until this book-has never been explored in the countless biographies of the 32nd president; but it is a dimension which is key to understanding FDR's character and governing style.

   The author logs just about every minute FDR spent on the water, and lists all the vessels he was aboard during his entire lifetime-an extraordinary record for anyone, but particularly for one whose legs were paralyzed from polio. From canoes to lifeboats, schooners to destroyers, and battleships to submarienes, Roosevelt never passed up an opportunity to be on the water. The author meticulously records each vessel, noting the type of craft and the years Roosevelt was aboard. No such list existed until now.

   The never-before-told stories, including one in which FDR's life was threatened when a fire broke out aboard his schooner, and rare photographs shared with the author are laid out for us within the overall framework of two world wars and the Great Depression. A never-before-published photograph shows FDR seated in a wheelchair; this is only the third such photo known to exist in the more than 35,000 photographs of the president in the FDR library. And Cross has found it!

   As we tag along with Roosevelt on New York State's Barge Canal, the atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Caribbean, and witness his many antics and adventures, the author skillfully keeps the reader current on world and national affairs, allowing us to see behind the newspaper and newsreel footage, while weaving in the unfolding and perilous world
   history.

   The tales of FDR hiding from his Secret Service guards are amusing, providing a glimpse of a fearless president who valued his privacy and went to great lengths to protect it. FDR never permitted secret Service agents to travel aboard his small vessels; they had to travel behind on destroyers and Coast Guard cutters. He played "cat and mouse" with the agents, who really had their hands full protecting FDR. The author's interviews with FDR's Secret Service agents are priceless.

   Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., calls this book "delightful." It is that to be sure-but, it is much, much more. "Sailor in the White House" provides a new and valuable insight into the make-up and character of the only American president ever elected to four terms. FDR never passed up an opportunity to be on the water, a place where he felt most at home. A place which helped him to relax and gain perspective as he tackled the most difficult problems ever filled by an American President. I recommend this book highly.
   
   Martin Davis, Ph.D.

2 comments about Brigadier General John D. Imboden: Confederate Commander in the Shenandoah.

1. 
   This scholarly biography of Confederate general John D. Imboden is a solid, balanced account, critical when necessary and praiseworthy where appropriate. Although the main emphasis is on Imboden's Civil War exploits, Tucker also covers his post-war years during which Imboden spent much time and energy trying to build up Virginia's coal and iron resources.
   
   Imboden was born in Virginia in 1823. He studied law in college and served in the Virginia legislature for two terms. He organized the Staunton Artillery and led this outfit at First Bull Run in 1861. He was with Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, seeing action at Cross Keys, Port Republic, and Harpers Ferry. Brevetted a brigadier general in 1863, he led a raid into West Virgina that caused much property damage to Union stores and the B&O Railroad (known as the Imboden Raid). He and his men arrived at Gettysburg on the third day, and protected the retreating army. He captured Charleston, WV, in the fall of 1863, and was in the Shenandoah Valley again in 1864 under Jubal Early. He contracted typhoid late in 1864 and was sent on prison duty to Aiken, SC, until the end of the war. After the war he resumed his law practice in Virginia and was very much involved in the coal and iron industries in the state. He died in 1895.
   
   Tucker's approach is academic (lots of footnotes) and his writing style businesslike. He's thorough, yet interesting (though not absolutely compelling). There are a few maps and illustrations - one wishes for more of both. Tucker reveals accurately and well the workings of the man, but not necessarily the man himself. It's a good, workmanlike biography.



2. While many Confederate leaders, especially those from Virginia have been the subjects of numerous biographies; Brigadier General John Imboden is an exception. For that matter the war in western Virginia gets very little attention, unless of course Stonewall Jackson was there. Hopefully, this book will help to change all that. Spencer Tucker has written a good account of General Imboden's military career that actually does more to enlighten the reader as to the situation in western Virginia during the war than it does anything else. One actually gets more of a feel for Jubal Early than for Imboden even though Early is only a player in this story for a short while. Make no mistake, this is a military biography and Imboden the man will not be found here. For example, the deaths of four of Imboden's five wives are usually covered in no more than two or three sentences each, and his run for Lieutenant Governor during the war doesn't even take up a whole paragraph.

   Tucker does do a good job of tracing Imboden's military exploits and calls into question the General's recollections of the war when the evidence is against him. In other words, Tucker is very frank in his observations and Imboden does not come over as a great fighter or leader. The battles are fairly well explained but a few more maps would have been nice. Tucker also seems to have done his research but I can't help but feeling like there is much more to Imboden than is portrayed in this book. It could be that personal correspondence from the General no longer exists but whatever the reason Tucker never seems to get beneath the surface of his subject. The writing style is also fairly dry and the book is a little tedious in places.

   Still, Tucker does manage to help the reader see into the times of General Imboden, if not his personality, and the reader will see the sacrifices of both Imboden's men and the citizens of western Virginia during the war. Strangely, while Tucker never captures Imboden, he does do a good job of describing the overall situation in western Virginia and the often-overlooked strategic importance of the area. Basically, this is not a great book but it has a place in helping tell the whole story of the war. A story that involves many facets, many areas of fighting, and many men and women who never seem to make the history books.

1 comments about Leaving Pipe Shop: Memories of Kin.

1. McDowell has written a talking book. The dialog brings the people to life and gave this reader the feeling of accompanying the author on visits to her community. Matriarchial society, authoritarian upbringing of children, love and caring, laughter and sadness as well as the events of the 50's and 60's are memorably brought into focus. I urge you not to ignore this little-known gem of a book

5 comments about Leonard Wood: Rough Rider, Surgeon, Architect of American Imperialism.

1. The name "Leonard Wood" appears in many places causing one to wonder who he was. Leonard Wood by Jack McCallum is a wonderful, interesting and informative book about a complex man who achieved great things despite significant flaws. The chapters on issues facing insurrection and establishment of self-sufficient governments in Cuba and in the Phillipines offer strong lessons for issues facing the United States foreign policy today. The impact of McCallums writing is detracted by the absence of any maps of the military campaigns or the areas where Wood governed. Given the extensive documentation and footnoting of this 355 page book, surely New York University could have spent a few more dollars to add pages with maps that would amplify McCallums wonderful analysis of Leonard Wood's life and accomplishments.



2. Leonard Wood: Rough Rider, Surgeon, and Architect of American Imperialism by Jack McCallum is slightly misnamed. General Wood was by no means THE architect of America's brief experiment with empire.
   
   General Wood was in many ways an interesting example of how to run an occupying government. Balancing force with progressive policies, he left Cuba and the Philippines healthier, wealthier, and better educated then when we found them. In that sense, he epitomized a brand of colonialism that was both uniquely American and truly revolutionary.
   
   Having grown up in northern Arkansas, it is challenging to say or write the name Leonard Wood without putting the word "Fort" in front of it. Thus, the installation in southern Missouri intended to honor the man has replaced him to those few who have even heard his name.
   
   General Wood was the son of an unlicensed medical doctor. He was part of the middle class by prestige, but not necessarily by income. A physician himself and having met the requirements for his internship, General Wood had left his training hospital under a bit of a cloud and therefore needed a way to support himself. The army became that window of opportunity. Unable to secure a commission in the medical corps, he hired on as a contract surgeon.
   
   Taking part in the last great campaign against the Indians, General Wood quickly distinguished himself as not only a surgeon but as a leader. His examples were not only the tough junior officers and non commissioned officers of the old west, but also Gen Crook and Gen Miles. From these two fathers, Gen Wood learns how to lead and, from Miles, how to thrive in the politically charged 19th century Army.
   
   Leaving the old west with a commission as a Captain in the medical corps, he accompanies Gen Miles to Washington and builds relationships to the leading republicans.
   
   When the Spanish-American War begins, General Wood becomes a Col in the volunteers leading the Rough Riders raised by his good friend Teddy Roosevelt. A combat promotion to Brigadier General soon follows. Shortly afterwards, General Wood earns his second star and becomes de facto ruler of Santiago and, later, all of Cuba.
   
   It is at this point, the biography becomes useful. While somewhat protected by the weaknesses in his judgment by legislative mandates, General Wood begins to craft a policy of governing that the current policy makers would have been wise to follow in current day Iraq.
   
   Not all of the lessons of this book are acceptable as those on military governance. General Wood is political, devious, and, at times, downright disloyal to his seniors. Yet, this perhaps only makes this a more realistic biography than other books that cover the same period.
   
   Sadly, General Wood has largely been forgotten by most students of history. His career covered a phenomenal period of change. General Wood's experience was shaped by the last veterans of the Civil War and he was the elderly mentor for the generation that fought World War II after his death.



3. Leonard Wood is forgotten today, but he was a formidable figure in his day and even came close to becoming President of the United States. He was an able administrator of both Cuba and the Philippines. One flaw in his administration was an authoritarian personality, who always did the right thing but tended not to listen to the people he was out to help.
   
   Interestingly, his story has a great deal of relevance today. It is far more important to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan because as Europe becomes Islamicized, as it will within our lifetimes, the new majority will need a democratic model on which to base their governance. If they look at the Talibans and Saddams of an unreformed Middle East, then Europe will not be a pleasant place to visit, let alone live. If we can establish a tradition of democracy in even one or two Muslim countries, then we can embrace a Muslim Europe. We weren't out to democratize either Cuba or the Philippines in 1900 and we need to synthesize General Wood's great achievements with a democratic approach. I saw that being done in Afghanistan and I'm sure that that is happening in Iraq.
   
   This is a great story and a great book. It is badly in need of maps, however, and the author has a tendency, sometimes, of telling us rather than showing us the strengths and weaknesses of Leonard Wood. Nevertheless, it is an important book about a very contemporary subject.



4. For anyone who has read multiple volumes about Theodore Roosevelt, the name Leonard Wood has appeared many times. The more that I saw his name, the more I wanted to learn about the man but there was so little material available about him. Dr. McCallum has given us a well written and well researched book about one of this country's most visionary military leaders during an interesting period in our nation's history.
   
   The drawback, if there is one , to reading history is that you often times see the "warts" that existed on or about the subject matter and Leonard Wood certainly had his share of warts. However General Wood, in many ways, was exactly what our nation needed at this period in its development, a bridge from the old school line of military thought to what served as a template to a more modern army.
   
   Thanks Dr. McCallum. I needed this.



5. "Leonard Wood: Rough Rider, Surgeon, Architect of American Imperialism" by Dr. Jack McCallum should be considered a must read for any military leader or anyone in the field of foreign relations. The book is an outstanding biography - well researched and written. It's real strength is found in the story of Wood during the Spanish-American War and his enlightened administration of Cuba after the war. Here the book really shines. Sometimes the book bogs down in it's story of U S Army administration and politics in the early 20th century but that topic is central to the story of Wood's unique career from Surgeon to Soldier to Colonial Administrator to top soldier as Chief of Staff. I purchased my book for two reasons: I wanted to know more about the history of the U S Army during the period of Wood's service and my tremendous interest in all topics related to Theodore Roosevelt. It is in the latter area that the book is somewhat of a disappointment. While there are plenty of references to TR, there is much less on the relationship between the two and TR as a friend and personal confidante than I had anticipated. That aside, I enthusiastically recommend this book for anyone in leadership in the military, the Department of State, military historians and in particular those interested in the U S Army between the Indian Wars and World War I.
   
   George F. Franks, III
   Franks Consulting Group
   www.franksconsultinggroup.com
   http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com