No comments about In Search Of Robert E. Lee.

No comments about William Penn in America or an Account of His Life.

No comments about The Salem World of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

2 comments about The Balloonist: The Story of T. S. C. Lowe---Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U.S. Air Force.

1. I love a good biographical novel ... And this is it! They bring history and personalities to life in a way a traditional history book is unable to do. Stephen Poleskie, in his first novel, "The Balloonist," shows a great affinity for the genre'.
   
   Convincingly bringing history to life on the page is an art. Done well, the reader enjoys a great story, and learns something as well. Poleskie's grasp of the history and minutiae of the Civil War period shows he has done his research thouroughly.
   
   "The Balloonist" tells the life story of Professor Thaddeus Lowe, a dynamic and significant personality in American history. Yet, he is unknown to most people, even though his accomplishments and inventions touch our lives today. The book centers on Lowe's innovative tenure as the founder of the United States Balloon Corps during the American Civil War.
   
   His story is presented in such a way that the general reader can learn something about the Civil War while enjoying a fascinating and well paced story. The reader, well versed in the topic, can enrich their knowledge about this little known, but historically significant facet of America's greatest conflict. Both will finish the book and be thankful for a good read, and hopeful that Stephen Poleskie is busy at his keyboard crafting his next book.



2. THE BALLOONIST is a grand accomplishment by the already famed author and pilot Steve Poleskie! It's a rare occasion, when one can read a novel, and be so entertained and enthralled, yet also so educated in an important part of American history unknown to most of us. Poleskie's extensive knowledge of aviation acquired from years of piloting countless varieties of aircraft from Queen Airs to aerobatic Pitts makes him one of the few truly qualified to write of aviation, bringing the reader a true sense of how flight affects the heart and soul. This is a book that belongs in every library--public and private, a true timeless literary treasure.
   Nino Lama, Esq.

3 comments about Isabella Lucy Bird's "a Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains": An Annotated Text.

1. "It is hard to recall another woman in any age or country who traveled as widely, saw so much, and who left so perceptive a record of what she saw," says Daniel Boorstin who wrote an introduction to an edition of "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains."
   
   The daughter of a respectable English clergyman, Isabella Bird was a short, dumpy, 41-year old spinster in 1873 when she visited Colorado. She found there a bunch of people she mostly disliked, but a place -- Estes Park -- on which she lavished pages of Wordsworthian nature worship. She climbed Long's Peak -- no small feat of physical endurance -- described Denver, Colorado Springs, and other Colorado cities, and lived briefly the life of a pioneer ranchwoman in a mountain wilderness.
   
   The reader should be aware of a romantic subtext not fully described in "A Lady's Life." Isabella met "Rocky Mountain Jim" Nugent, a famous desperado who she described as an
   "awful looking a ruffian as one could see." Jim became her guide and companion in Estes Park, but she only hints in her book at a romantic attachment. In letters to her sister in Scotland, she tells much more of the relationship and of Jim's ardour and his marriage proposal. Was she fantasizing? Was Jim, known as a ladies man, putting out a lot of Irish blarney to this less-than-glamorous gentlewoman? Or was his infatuation with her real? The relationship between the two is explored in several biographies of Bird. In any case, Isabella left Jim behind and headed back to Scotland after a couple of months. Jim was killed in a gunfight a few months later by another man Isabella had known. A romantic triangle? Who knows?
   
   With a story like this -- and a backstory of frustated love and gunfights -- "A Ladies Life in the Rocky Mountains" can hardly fail to be fascinating. This edition has an introduction, illustrations, and a map of Isabella's travels plus footnotes that complement her text. Isabella Bird was quite a woman.
   
   Smallchief



2. After 125-plus years, Isabella Bird comes across as a formidable, judgmental, frumpy and brave (if not foolhardy) woman who saw parts of Colorado at a time and in a condition that a lot of us wish we could have seen it. Her standard for measuring anything human (character, behavior, diet, education, etc.) can pretty much be summed up in the formula "English and Christian, good; everything else, bad."

   She was keenly observant, although her writing style seems overwrought, romantic and sentimental (I'm trying not to say "cheesy") by our standards.

   Most remarkable, though, is her bravery and her (apparent) charisma. By her account, she was welcomed wherever she went, and even the grotesquely grizzled recluse Jim Nugent fell for her -- she hints that he proposed marriage. And she went places alone, in winter, that you are more likely to read about these days in cautionary tales from the Colorado State Patrol or a search and rescue unit, where the protaganist ends up in a coffin.

   Was she telling the truth? Maybe. Probably. Better-educated people than I seem to take her at her word. And the detail in her stories has the ring of authenticity. So, OK, let's take her at her word.

   As a witness to a pre-sprawl, pre-Vail, pre-John Denver period of the Colorado Rockies, she is fairly readable and considerably entertaining. And her precise and photographic descriptions of the people and landscape are invaluable. You just have to keep in mind that she's looking (which is to say, judging everything) through the lens of a smug 19th century Englishwoman.




3. The book was an interesting account of Bird's travels through the Rocky Mountains, but as I read it, I kept wondering why, why, why? Why would a 41-year old woman travel through the Rockies on horseback in winter? Living in the area where she traveled, I appreciate the descriptions of the mountains and the awesomeness of nature which she elegantly describes. The book is an interesting travel log of her journey and adventures in 1873.

5 comments about Jefferson and Monticello: The Biography of a Builder.

1. This is book is very "readable" and a delight to read. I thank the author for it.
   It answers several questions I've had regarding the design of Monticello, i.e., why there is no staircase--- just some small, awkward, dimly-lit stairways. McLaughlin describes very well the difficulties and encumbrances Jefferson faced when he chose to build away from the waterway of the Rivanna River and, instead, placed Monticello atop a mountain. I grew up on the James River and have always been aware of the wisdom of the early colonists in building as close to the local rivers as possible for convenience in travel and transportation.
   These are just two examples from this book but it is full of fascinating descriptions and tidbits. Truly one of the best books on Virginia history and Jefferson I've read in a while.



2. I bought this book after visiting Monticello and after reading it I would like to visit Monticello again. This book is very informative on Jefferson's life and the building of Monticello. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Jefferson's life.



3. Undoubtedly, Mr. McLaughlin did his homework when he prepared to write this book. I enjoy biographies, am very fascinated by Thomas Jefferson, and was intrigued by the creative approach Mr. McLaughlin took to tell us about Jefferson by using Monticello as a "prism through which [we] view [Jefferson's] life ...".

   Unfortunately, the execution didn't meet expectations and this is most noticable in the areas related to the editing. I had difficulty getting past the meandering style. The anecdotes hop around chronologically, and are not tied together well. There is unnecessary repetition within the annecdotes. Even the grammar is off. (I'm not an editor, so as soon as I extend criticism I'm opening myself up as a target, but I recognize a few errors that would've made my high school English teacher cringe. Where one does this professionally, a higher standard is expected.)

   Mr. McLaughlin's book could have been tightend up considerably, and structured in a less meandering way for me to have found greater benefit from reading this book.




4. Reading this book before a recent visit to Monticello tremendously enhanced the experience. The book provides so much detail on the design and construction of this beautiful home that you almost feel as if you have been there. A wonderful combination of biography and architectural writing. Highly recommended.



5. This is a very informative and well written account about the 3rd President of the United States, the immortal Thomas Jefferson. This biography about the man and his passion for architecture are written down in easy to follow text that is difficult to accomplish about the complex man. The planning of Monticello and the labor of building and re-building are fascinating to think of, especially in the timeframe of which it was built. Jefferson was a true genious in his inventions and insight of how he wanted Monticello to work and function. People seem to forget that Jefferson was a gifted man of many talents, and in my opinion, one of his greatest gifts was architecture. In architecture of Monticello and the University of Virginia, Jefferson gives an insight to the man himself. Simple yet very complex. Jefferson enjoyed simplicity on the surface, but peel away the layers of the man, you found a very complex and intellectual person. The way Monticello was built and rebuilt due to Jefferson changing tastes and ideas says alot about the mans personal life himself. The only disturbing thing about Monticello was the human cost of labor that was used in it being built. The African-American slaves was the backbone of building to Jefferson's whim. This must of took a heavy toll of labor and lives, due to the magnificence of Monticello. This by the man who wrote that "all men are created equal". An interesting point to ponder. Overall, this is an excellent read and highly recommended to any history enthusiasts and enthusiasts of early American architecture.

5 comments about Jack: A Life Like No Other.

1. Jack is a nice easy read but one tends to wonder where Perret got some of his ideas or if in fact he got them from anywhere but his own imagination. There are times when Perret seems to make up small insignificant happenings to forshadow the inevitable outcome of his life. That aside, Jack is a good book portraying a President so unique and so different than most ex-Presidents. This would be a good first Kennedy read.



2. The life of Jack Kennedy has been covered countless times in books, magazines and movies. Having made the transformation from assassinated president to tabloid favorite, one wonders if there is anything new to be learned about Kennedy, or if there is anything to be gained by buying Geoffrey Perret's book. If you're at all like me -- a fan of history, an admirer of JFK, but not too swayed by rose colored revisionism -- then this book will prove to be well worth the money. Perret starts at the beginning and fully explores the odd psychological uprbinging Kennedy experienced in a family that was extremely eccentric and neurotic -- quite a far cry from American royalty. He follows Kennedy through his pratfalls as a high school and college student, and laments on the never-ending health problems Kennedy ran into throughout his life. I, for one, never knew that our movie star president was often in a frail and precarious state. By the book's end, you walk away with a new appreciation for all of the complexities of Kennedy's character -- and there enough here to make Freud blink a few times -- and for the truly unique life that he led.



3. Mr. Perret somehow succeeded in writing an incredibly boring book about a man who lived an extrodinary life. The book is also marred by continuous misstatements of fact and poor research. To those looking for a good book on JFK, I advise you to take a look at Nigel Hamilton's "JFK: Reckless Youth" for illumination on his early life, Richard Reeves' "Profile in Power" for a broad look at his presidency, and Arthur Schlessinger Jr.'s "A Thousand Days" for an intimate look at his presidency that also gives you an excellent sense of who he was as a person. "Jack" isn't worth the time.



4. It's true that JFK lived a "life like no other," but the author completely missed his chance to tell the reader why. This is the same type of tabloid swill that's already been done to death in, for example, "JFK: Reckless Youth" and "A Question of Character." The themes of JFK's being obsessed with early death and his drive to live every day as if it were his last, are interesting ones, and could have been a good premise for this book. But this book adds absolutely nothing to what's already been written. No new ground is broken, despite promises to the contrary. Also detracting from his credibility are the author's gossipy references to such things as JFK's personal habits while having sex, how many cigarettes a day Jackie smoked (do I care?) and the homosexuality of friends like Lem Billings and Joe Alsop. Obviously JFK felt comfortable and confident enough in his own masculinity and heterosexuality, and valued the loyalty and friendship of these men enough, that he was neither concerned about nor felt threatened by their sexual orientation. Also detracting from the book's credibility is the sloppy research and annoying lack of fact-checking. For example, the author mentions several times that Bobby and Ethel were married in 1951. They were actually married in 1950. The book also states that Bobby and Ethel's first-born son was Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. In fact, he was their second-born son (he was born in 1954); Joseph P. Kennedy II (born in 1952) was the first. Also, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy is mentioned several times as JFK's "eldest" sister, and is even misidentified as such (in place of Rosemary) in one of the book's photographs. Perhaps the author fell into Joe, Sr.'s spell of pretending that Rosemary, the actual first daughter and third child, never even existed. These are just a few examples.

   This book is a waste of time.




5. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not for the research -- as many of the other reviewers and the footnotes section of the book attest, most of the information has been available to us in other forms. But for the insights and attitude. Perret seems intent on making Kennedy human, and he succeeds. Kennedy is at once a visionary legislator (one of the first advocates of abolishing the mandatory retirement age and an early friend to both labor and Israel) and a bored playboy/senator (if a bill didn't interest him, he couldn't be bothered with it). A reckless womanizer who didn't really care about the impact his escapades had on his wife or career, yet one of the first politicians to recognize the power of the women's vote. And perhaps it was his confidence in his own rampaging heterosexuality that made him so comfortable with homosexual men -- something not very common in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Most of all, Jack managed to balance overwhelming ambition and opportunism with a secret but very strong core of idealism and conscience. I wish Perret had been a bit more discerning in choosing his sources. (I mean, J. Randy Taraborelli and Seymour Hersh, for heaven's sake!) But this complaint did not detract from readability of the book. It left me feeling profoundly sad about what this nation lost nearly 40 years ago, and how different the world today would be if JFK, for all his myriad faults, had lived out his natural life.

5 comments about General George E. Pickett in Life and Legend.

1. I read the book and thought it was pretty good. That is, until I learned from a lecturer about its mistakes. There is a picture in the book captioned as being of Pickett when in fact it's another man altogether. You'd think someone who did their research and wrote a book on this man would at least get that right. In another part of the book there's a quote from one of Pickett's men. The author edited the real quote and ended up leaving the last part off trying to portray Pickett as a drunk. It seems as though the author had other motives than revealing truths when she wrote this book.



2. Until this book hit the shelves, the image of Confederate General George Pickett was one of heroism. Known mostly for his failed assault at Gettysburg, the flamboyant and curly haired Virginian was a symbol for the South's "Lost Cause" myth. Attributing to his heroic portrayal was the Turner picture, "Gettysburg" and the Michael Shaara book, "The Killer Angels."
   
   The reputation of LaSalle Corbell Pickett before Gordon's book was one of fondness for a wife of a famous general. The public generally believed her when she described her soldier as a champion of the South. Now, we can ascertain that LaSalle carefully and deliberately created a positive image of her husband in order to leave a lasting impression. Because of this, the story of George Pickett can be described as one of myth and confusion.
   
   The true story of this man is revealed here. Though Pickett was mostly a good soldier who did his job, his depiction cannot be similar to the previous impression painted by LaSalle and past historians. It was interesting to see how Gordon pointed out that LaSalle left out stories and facts that did not favor her husband. By doing this, LaSalle loses all credibility and any references to her work must be looked at carefully.
   
   Finally, Civil War scholarship is pushing towards the phrase "going against the grain," as it pertains to producing Civil War material. Rather than continue to generate work after work that does little to advance this field, scholars such as Gordon are a bright addition that will continually keep fresh perspectives on this time period. On a personal level, I very much look forward to studying under her as I begin my doctorate at the University of Akron in the fall of 2005.



3. George Pickett could be one of the biggest mysteries of the Civil War. After the war and then his death 10 years later his wife became a celebrated author. She wrote several popular books about the Civil War and specifically George Pickett including one that was suppose to be a collection of his letters to her during the war. The problem is Sallie Pickett's books were more fiction than fact. Creations of her imagination to glorify her husband.

   The result is in trying to write a proper biography of George Pickett one has to deal with Sallie Pickett and try to separate the truth from the fantasy. This problem is compounded by the fact that Pickett's actual wartime letters and other papers are locked away and not available to modern scholars.

   This is why it is so difficult for a biography of Pickett to be written. It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with pieces from another puzzle in the box. Every time you pick up a piece you have to try and decide if it even belongs with the puzzle. That's the very difficult task that Lesley Gordon faced in trying to write this book.

   Gordon does do a decent job of weeding out the fiction from the facts. Her writing style is very good and the book is an enjoyable read. She holds no punches and is tough on Pickett when the need requires but also gives him credit for the good things. The problem is there simply are to many gaps in the story which cause her to literally skim over important parts of Pickett's life. His life after the war is barely even touched and Gordon skims over some rather important events, most likely because there is so little factual information available about Pickett concerning those times. Perhaps not Gordon's fault but we as readers are still left scratching our heads wondering what went on.

   Lastly due to lack of direct sources i.e. Pickett himself, Gordon is forced to use other indirect sources that aren't always reliable. For example in discussing his being wounded at Gaines Mill Gordon quotes Major John Haskill who accuses Pickett of cowardice. The problem is Haskill had a strong and well known dislike of Pickett and his story is so absurd that I was surprised Gordon chose to even include the account at all.

   I think the definitive book on Pickett is still to come. There are simply still to many gaps in his life. Perhaps someday in the future his actual letters and papers will be made available to scholars and then a true in-depth biography of the man can be made. In the meantime this will do.




4. Lesly Gordon does a well done bio on Pickett the General associated withh three of the greatest disasters of Lee's Northern Army of Virginia. Pickett is obviously associated with the great charge at Gettysburg but also the crushing disaster at Five Forks and within a week the final crushing blow at Saylers Creek where Lee lost over 6,000 soildiers. The bio covers Pickett's early years with the Mexican War where he takes the flag from a wounded Longstreet to bound up the steps at Chapultepec, his realtionship with an Indian maiden that may have included marriage and the son that he seemingly abandoned and left in the northwest. Picket also is involved with a virtual skirmish with England over islands in the northwest near Pugent Sound.

   But the best part of the book is Gordon's filling in of Pickett's Civil War career. After an early wounding during the Peninsula Campaign, Pickett's career stays on the back burner until Gettysburg. After discussion of Pickett's role and actions where he actually participates in 1/3 of the charge that holds his name Pickett has other assignments such as the retaking of North Carolina towns and his early defense of Petersburg where he holds back the Union forces with just a few thousand men until Beauregard arrives to take command. Pickett's miring in controversy is well brought out such as his decision to hang former Confederates that were captuted while fighting for the Union in North Carolina and his infamous part in the Five Forks battle where he was away from the fight eating shad and partaking in drink with Rosser and Fitz Lee while his command is virtually wiped out. The later is whispered but little known until after his death. His remnants of command are virtually captured at Sayler's Creek and Lee allegedly discharges him with Anderson and Bushrod Johnson days before Appomatox.

   Gordon's bio is fascinating as Pickett seems to be a brave and valiant soldier but one that is immature such as his leaving the lines in Suffolk to visit LaSalle`his future wife who lived a few miles in Chuckatuck, his stepping away from command to party behind the lines at Five Forks and his penchant for writing emotional and whinny battle reports. The latter is probably why Lee had Pickett tear up his Gettysburg report. LaSalle is revealed as a dedicated wife but one that fabricates history to enhance Pickett's reputation. Alleged letters from Pickett that she published are in many cases most likely written by her own hand and recent scholarship has shown gross plagerism and in some cases illogical history where the facts dispute her version of the truth such as Lincoln stopping by to see the Picketts in Richmond. A fascinating account of inconsistencies, Pickett stems the tide at Petersburg abnd fights well at Dinwiddie Court House against Sheridan but then relaxes too much at Five Forks in a very difficult and unsupported position which in the end results in the collapse of Lee's right wing. Gordon does well in removing some of the mystery about Pickett who today is burried near his men at Hollywood Cemetery but seemingly isolated from other Generals burried there.




5. Unlike the previous customer reviewer, and like the scores of accredited professional reviewers itemized in part in Amazon's own professional listings, I found Gordon's new biography to be first rate. It is meticulously researched and introduces new materials about the general's life heretofore unpublished. And if Gordon's interest in the role that Pickett's marriage played in shaping his 'life' is offputting to some reactionary types, then so much the better. Biography requires the evocation of an individual's entire cultural ethos, both on the battlefield and off, and Gordon's evenhanded work here help us round out the picture of an important, if enigmatic historical personage.

3 comments about Harry Agganis, " the Golden Greek": An All-American Story.

1. The Greek-American community owe Dabilis and Tsiotis a great debt of gratitude for the service they have provided by publishing the stories of Agganis and Kyriakides.



2. Arguably New England's finest all-around athlete, Harry Agganis' life represents the ultimate greek tragedy. Blessed with unprecedented athletic talent, Agganis was struck down in the prime of his life. His love of sports was equalled only by his love of family. Nick Tsiotos and Andy Dabilis capture the true essence of Agganis. This is must read for all sports fans.



3. A great look at the life of an exceptional young man who's legacy should be passed on.

3 comments about Kit Carson and His Three Wives: A Family History (Calvin P. Horn Lectures in Western History and Culture.).

1. We love to visit Santa Fe and the surrounding area, and we cannot escape traces of Kit Carson -- there's a large monument near the state capitol building, a museum, countless parks and roads and signs. This book brings Carson's domestic life into focus, and creates fascinating insights into this heavily studied icon of the Old West.
   
   Carson's first two wives were Native Americans. His courtship in 1835 of Waa-nibe, an Arapaho whose name meant "Singing Grass" or "Wind Singing," may have included a duel with a French trapper, Joseph Chouinard (Chouinard may have been killed). Waa-nibe, whom Carson called "Alice," bore two daughters before dying, probably in 1839 from birth-related complications. Carson took the elder daughter, Adaline, to Missouri to live with relatives and to be educated. The younger daughter, whose name has not survived, died in a domestic accident at age three.
   
   Carson married a second time at Bent's Fort in 1840 to a Cheyenne named Making Out Road. I've taken my title of this review from his words at The Battle of Valverde, but in the singular voice, they probably would have been good advice to Carson during this marriage. It lasted only a little over a year, producing a daughter who died soon after birth. Making Out Road divorced Carson, possibly out of jealousy over a Taos girl who would become Carson's third wife. Making Out Road may not have been completely to blame; Carson was her third husband; following marriage to two Cheyenne; she remained married to her fourth husband, Charles Rath, a Dodge City merchant for the rest of her life.
   
   Carson converted to Catholicism just after, or possibly even before, Making Out Road divorced him. In 1843 he married Josefa Jaramillo, daughter of a prominent Taos family. She was fifteen, nineteen years younger than Carson. The couple had eight children of their own, and they adopted two or three Native American children. The couple died within a month of each other in 1868.
   
   The book is well illustrated with photographs, drawings, and maps. There is an excellent time line of Carson's major activities, from his birth in Kentucky in 1809 to his death in Colorado in 1868. There are many footnotes. Simmons has written 40 books and many articles on Western history, much of his writing devoted to the Santa Fe Trail, and this is a particular well done example of his work. We enjoy his columns in the "New Mexican" when we visit one of our favorite cities.



2. Nobody in his era survived more adventures and did more hard traveling than Kit Carson. His dispatch duties during the Mexican War totalled 16,000 miles -- most of that by horseback. In the first six years of his marriage to his third wife, he spent only six months at home in Taos. Carson was restless, and also uniquely qualified to play a major role in the far-flung events taking place across the Western U.S.
   
   That is by way of saying that Carson was hardly domesticated. Based on very limited information this book looks into Carson's life with his three wives. With the first, Waa-nibe, an Arapahoe woman, he seems to have enjoyed domestic bliss. After she died he took up residence with Making Out Road, a beautiful and willful Cheyenne woman in what proved to a relationship from hell. After escaping from -- or being thrown out of the teepee by -- Making Out Road, he married Josefa, a Mexican woman of respectable family from Taos.
   
   It was apparently a good marriage -- although Carson was rarely there and, moreover, never earned any money. In the census of 1850, when he was 41 years old, the value of his property totalled just over $200. Carson, however, apparently was a loving and responsible parent. He put his half-Arapaho daughter in school in Missouri and raised not only his own children in Taos but adopted several Indian orphans.
   
   This is a good book, as much about the comings and goings of Kit Carson, as it is about his family relationships. The author tells of the fate of his wives and children and has included a number of photographs of family members. There's a large literature about Carson and little information about him that has not already been explored, but this book gives a different slant on his life than other biographies.
   
   Smallchief



3. Kit Carson lived a life that many young men would have liked to have lived. He seemingly was in all the right places at the time that a nation was being born. He grew from a simple kid to being an American Patriot.
   Simmons book cpatures the real Kit Carson, the man, the family, the life and times--it is not a novel, it contains 35 pages of documented footnotes--by one of the best historians of the west.
   At a time when the slave trade was still happening, he raised several Indian children, along with his own, by buying the kids from the slave traders. It is a book that helps anyone understand time and place. The book has been nominated for a national award.