5 comments about The Messenger: The Rise and Fall of Elijah Muhammad.

1. Sometime ago, I decided to writte a book about the Black Muslims of America, but, being french, I knew little about Black nationalism in the United States. Reading Evanzz was a gold mine that provided many insights on the Black muslims ; It is also so wide ranging and alludes to so many aspects of Black nationalism it is the perfect entrance door for that political aspect of the US black community.
   
   During my own research for the FBI archives as well as with local US newspaper ranging from 1930 to 1975, I was able to cross check and verify many information he provides : they were allways accurate. While he sometimes only alluded to acts of anti-white racism that seemed very important to me (the Zebra Killings for instance) I give him credit for mentionning them. He left no stone unturned.
   
   Evanzz Book is a thick, dense read. It should not be read as a novel but rather as an encyclopedia. Maybe my only critic is that he's a bit too fond of Malcolm X



2. That is all the author did was take declassified FBI records and wrote a book. Most of which the information about WD FARD and Elijah Muhammad were contradictory. Wish I had the time to elaborate. He should be ashamed of writing such. Sad.



3. Of all the literature I've read concerning the Elijah Muhammad, this is by far the worse. After only two chapters, it becomes obvious that Evanzz developed his analysis of Muhammad and the N.O.I. based upon data presented by the FBI, CIA, New York and Detroit police. Where are the interviews with Muhammad's family, friends, and business associates? Where are the excerpts from any of Muhammad's dozens of books? Where are the accounts from present or former N.O.I. members? Instead this book presents references from government agencies as indisputable fact. Anyone familiar with the clandestine workings of such agencies during the 1950's and '60's (i.e. "CoIntelPro") would surely be suspicious of such "information", and at least attempt to seek out other sources. Evanzz's account fails to make such an attempt and is so one-sided, that it offers the reader no opportunity to intelligently analyze Elijah Muhammad, his organization or those who followed him. This book is closer to "National Enquirer" material, than it is to informative, responsible journalism. Anyone interested in a well-written, balanced account of Elijah Muhammad and the history of the N.O.I., I recommend "An Original Man" by Claude Andrew Clegg III. It's a brilliant work and far superior to Evanzz slanderous writing. Don't waste your time or money.



4. Karl Evanzz wrote a fascinating account of how power corrupts in "The Messenger: The Rise and Fall of Elijah Muhammad." Evanzz supported his biography of the man responsible for the enormous growth of the Nation of Islam with almost 200 pages of documentation. However, he clearly lost all objectivity toward the second half of the book. Yet, I found this true story to be a compelling one worth reading.



5. from SALAAM ALLAH NATION OF ISLAM, June 3, 2004,
   ministersalaamallah@lycos.com
   not wonderful at all this book is a disaster!
   what is wonderful about what is happening to the black nation today?
   the black man and the black woman freed slaves and that is all is
   supposed to believe that this awful idiot karl evanzzz has some clue
   as to what he is talking about of which he has NONE WHATSOEVER! now
   as more and more black american becomes homeless permanetly
   unemployed and unemployable filling up the jails and prisons and
   death rows of the wilderness hell of north ameriKKKa ......... and
   the rest of our black peoples karl evanzzz cares NOTHING about being
   sent off to foregin wars int he US military to die and come back to
   ameriKKKa to add to the rest of the list above etc... Somehow this is
   supposed to be 'wonderful' and if we just stop what we are doing read
   the lies and deciet of sonsyrea tate silly little book ' little X '
   or the late misleader ' alex hailey ' oh his Biography of minister
   malcolm shabazz and now the big 3 negatives books by the latest
   mental basket case 'karl evanzzz' & this is somehow going to do
   great 'wonderful' things for the black american who is still at the
   bottom of everything of hell we still suffer from at he hands of the
   worst ever peoples to ever rule with a beast savage madness on the
   planet earth ever ( just ask iraq ) MESSENGER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD taught
   right what was going to happen in the last days of the so called good
   ol' USA and where this was going! nothing 'wonderful' at all about
   this karl evanzz needs to write what his solution and solution(s) is
   for the black nation lay out his program and not KNOCK the greatest
   black leader of all time ever ........ MESSENGER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
   peace be upon him those who think karl evanzz is so 'wonderful'
   should ask him to lay out what his SOULTION is for the so called
   american negro here in the wilderness hell of north america !
   ameriKKKa ! thankz for reading this correction to ' wonderful '

   Also recommended: MESSENGER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD MESSAGE TO THE BLACKMAN
   THE FALL OF AMERICA OUR SAVIOUR HAS ARRIVED HOW TO EAT TO LIVE THE
   JOURNAL OF TRUTH !- BY HIS BLOOD BROTHER! SUPREME MINISTER JOHN
   MUHAMMAD DETROIT MI.

3 comments about Witness to the Civil War: First-Hand Accounts from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

1. This book gives a timelessness to the reality of the Civil War by seeing it through the eyes of the people who were living through it at the time. The illustrations are amazing and easily take you 150 into the past. Any history buff will want to have this book!



2. Witness to the Civil War is the Smithsonian's abridged compilation of the 1895 Frank Leslie's Illustrated History of the Civil War. Few have or could do it better. Rivaled only by Harper's Weekly, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper utilized correspondents (we today refer to as "embedded") to bring news and pictures from "the front" to eager readers, many of whom had husbands, fathers and sons engaged in the conflict. This book gathers the best of this coverage into a single volume, not so much as a comprehensive history but to illustrate and describe the major events.
   
   The book combines contempoary text (in italics) and illustrations with modern observations and color photophrapy, the latter ensuring flow and context. The illustrations appeal both as art and as history, albeit with occasional exageration stemming from the rhetoric of the time and admitted Northern bias. A gallary featuring the likeness and thumbnail biography of forty-two Union officers (pages 104-109) is particulary interesting. The net result is an engrossing collection that adds life to the history as seen through the day's press.
   
   While Frank Leslie and his wife are profiled at the beginning of the book, I was disappointed not to find more detailed information on the specific correspondents and artists who contributed the stories and illustrations in the book. Notwithstanding, the book is nicely presented and would be a great supplement to any Civil War buff's library.



3. The Journalist in every war are underrated because they do not fit the mould of Fighting men. Where would we be without them? Would only the Victors tell the tale of the Battle? History must have the unbiased reports of the Journalist. That is what makes this book valuable to me as a civil war historian.

2 comments about American Heretic: Theodore Parker and Transcendentalism.

1. Transcendentalism has never been easy to define, all the more so because its two most well-known adherents, Emerson and Thoreau, were highly poetic souls who had much better uses for their rhetoric than in crafting creeds or clear-cut manifestoes. It is a pleasure then to read Grodzins' biography of Theodore Parker, in whose life and work we can see more clearly the philosophical and personal dramas that played themselves out within the Unitarian Church in regard to its Transcendentalist sympathizers - in particular, the attempts of one Transcendentalist to define his views against the charges of Deism. Religion is a key concern for Transcendentalism, though in Emerson and Thoreau there is no sense that organized religion can play a key role in the individual's enlightenment. Parker remained in the Church as he struggled to know and preach Truth, and gained a large following. Our understanding of Transcendentalism is eminently richer for our appreciation of his struggle.



2. Grodzins has written an astonishingly thorough and readable biography of an important but neglected 19th Century American. Parker is one of the most influential Americans of the mid-1800s, a brilliant scholar and powerful preacher who became a crucial figure in our religious and political history.

   The book is destined to become the standard biography of Parker for generations. Anyone interested in American political thought and the evolution of American religious doctrine will find this book invaluable. Any New Englander will find this a treasure trove of well-written stories.

4 comments about The Autobiography Of Calvin Coolidge.

1. Who would think about reading a book about Calvin Coolidge? I'd like to report though that it was a wonderful experience to read about a humble, self-effacing man with a legendarily dry sense of humor,in marked contrast to some of today's self-serving politicians.
   
   Coolidge tells of his boyhood,his warm relationship with his mother, father,sister and stepmother,how he was sworn in by candlelight,about his political life,but most importantly the book is a true model of character and values which can serve as a fine example for anyone,particularly for those entering political life. It would also be an excellent resource for character and values courses for elementary and high school students.
   
   Coolidge isn't known as a great president, but his interpretation was that the role of making laws was the function of Congress,not requiring presidential initiation. Since FDR of course, the President has taken on a far more active role in setting policy. Coolidge's great contribtion to history was not his presidency, but his embodiment of character and values. He also helped restore the dignity of the office after the Harding scandals, much as Ford and Carter did after Nixon.
   
   His autobiography and his character motivated me to create a website about his life,quotes,humor and his truly charming, way ahead of her time wife Grace Coolidge: www.calvincoolidge.us. I also wrote a two hour one man show of his life and performed it twice. It all started with his humble book.
   
   A visit to his family homestead where he took the candlelight oath, and also where he and his wife and sons are buried,is in Plymouth Notch, Vermont,one of New England's prettiest spots in the Fall. But I digress, as they say. The book is excellent.



2. To the extent that most Americans remember Calvin Coolidge, it is for a series of amusing anecdotes concerning his economy with words. That characterization is only partly true. Few people know that Coolidge was one of the last presidents who wrote his own speeches and that he held regular press conferences without a press secretary running interference for him. Coolidge, the son of a general store owner in rural Vermont, was immensely popular and could have easily been renominated had he chosen to run in 1928. There was even a movement to draft Coolidge to accept the nomination in 1932. He declined and his successor, Herbert Hoover, was renominated and defeated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
   
   Coolidge had a syndicated newspaper column following his retirement from party politics and he produced a highly readable autobiography that is candid and simple in its approach. Coolidge possessed a sense of humor and he did not take himself too seriously. This brief book should not be dismissed by anyone interested in America during the Twenties. Coolidge's reputation suffered, somewhat unfairly, at the hands of the New Deal historians who sought to promote Roosevelt by denigrating his predecessors. Coolidge was neglected as a historical figure until Ronald Reagan sought to rehabilitate his boyhood hero.
   
   Coolidge is buried in Plymouth Notch, close to the same country cross roads store in which he was born and sworn into office by his own father following the sudden death of President Warren G. Harding.



3. "The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge" is a fabulous autobiography. Calvin Coolidge was a good man and a good writer, and in his autobiography, Cooidge talks about growing up, his career in law and politics, his family, and everything anybody would want to learn about President Coolidge. People who are interested in becoming President should read Calvin Coolidge's autobiography: Coolidge shared with his readers some duties of the President and what seeking a third term can do to you. How a President is elected has changed since Coolidge's time, but Coolidge became President because of the death of his sucessor, Warren G. Harding. Even though Coolidge shared his opinion, anybody in the White House because of the death of their sucessor should take Coolidge's opinion. Calvin Coolidge was a good man, and there are lessons everyone could benefit from by reading his autobiography.



4. President Calvin Coolidge was a good man and great President who deserves to remembered for more than his reticence. Read here the life story of the President who grew up learning that hard work and a thoughtful outlook are the keys to success. He cut taxes four times and vetoed agricultural subsidies twice. He was unusually tolerant of minorities for his time. The story of President Coolidge is one that deserves to be read. Conservatives and libertarians will find his story especially appropriate for their children.

5 comments about King of the Cats: The Life and Times of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr..

1. Interesting book about an interesting person. I knew of Adam Clayton Powell as I grew up but I never knew what a powerful man he was. His inter-actions with other Afro American leaders was interesting. He was both pro-government but also militant. He dealt with some corruption but his charm always got him through. He treated women badly because he couldn't be faithful to his mates but women found him attractive. His life entails alot of 20th Century history of our country.Very interesting read, I recomend it.



2. Wow! For those who don't know about black history and its pioneers, this is for you. Adam Clayton Powell,Jr had laid such a significant path for the civil rights movement, desegregation of the military and public schools. He was in all essence,
   "The Baddest Negro in Congress." It was reading this book that inspired me to seek more info to the point that I had arranged for his grandson, Dr.Adam Clayton Powell,IV, to come to my college and speak on the legacy of his grandfather, Adam Clayton Powell,Jr. He gave a wonderful presentation and truly edified those who didn't know much about this great American Hero.



3. A dust cover reference states that "King of the Cats" is one of the best biographies of an Americna Politicain to be published in recent years." I could not agree more.
   
   "King of the Cats" sat on a shelf at my house for 10 years or so as one of those books I'll get to eventually. After reading an essay about Adam Clayton Powell, I decided to delve deeper and reached for the book. Two days later I had finished all 400 pages. I'm just sorry that I waited this long to read it.
   
   Haygood not only tells the life of Powell, but he tells the life of America during the middle years of the 20th century. Readers in their 50's and 60's will remember many of the events. Haygood shows how Powell followed Oscar DePriest to congress with a flamboyant style that Washington was not ready for. His predecessors in the 20th century congress were quiet men, willing to work within the system. They were men who wanted to get along and get re-elected. With his solid base in Harlem and political independence, Powell did not have to worry about that. Quiet just wasn't his style.
   
   His life style was something that would not be accepted now. Since Gary Hart, womanizing Congressman are not acceptable. In the 21st century a hard drinking, thrice married minister, who made rare appearances in Congress would not be acceptable. But in the 1950's and 1960's Powell was king and could do what he wanted.
   
   The sad part is that this independence, this bravado is what brought him down. When sued for libel, he disregarded the courts. When he finally got to be a powerful chairman, he took a carte blanche attitude with federal money and job, all of which contributed to his down fall. Race was clearly a factor, in his demise, but as Haywood says a number of times, Powell was his own worse enemy.
   
   With all his faults, however, Powell made a signicant mark on the history of congress and the nation. His law suit, challenging the right of congress to refuse to seat him, make legal history. LBJ's Great Society and War on Poverty could hardly have passed with out Powell. He got the first black man into the US Naval Academy. He opened doors for thousands of people with jobs and increases in the minimum wage. But how soon we as a society forget.
   
   There is an old saying about knowing when to hold and when to fold and don't count your money while you're sitting at the table. Powell never learned that. Times changed - Harlem changed - new black leaders arose - but Powell didn't change. He thought that things would always go his way. Who was this lowly preacher from Atlanta - Martin Luther King - to challenge Powell, a member of Congress? Powell did not give credit or recognition to other black leaders. When he needed them, they looked the other way.
   
   Haywood graphically describes Powell's final years as an isolated, broke and dying man on the Island of Bimini. I was close to tears.
   
   Haywood is a remarkable writer who wrote about a remarkable man. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of black leadership in America and the 1950's and 1960's.



4. "King of Cats" was an extremely entertaining and enlightening historical record. I have always wondered why ACP Jr. was left out of public school social, political and civic text books. After reading Wil Haygood book, I think I know why. APC Jr. did'nt subscribe to a compromising "go with the flow" black political agenda.
   The writing of Haygood sounds as if he personally walked with ACP Jr. for some 50+ years. I felt as if I was there in Harlem, in Washington and Abyssian. I laughed, I cried, I felt the victories and the disappointments. Great book. A must read for religious, black history or political scholars who want to know the truth on how to "level the playing field" for oppressed people.



5. Adam Clayton Powell is the type of politician that would have difficulty existing today. He was a liberal with radical tendencies. He spent little time in his district and much time philandering. He was involved in the passage of many pieces of legislation creating what conservatives today call "big government." An irony of Powell's career is that a true progressive could rack up accomplishments at a time when unreconstructed racists and Hoover-style conservatives also thrived, while today both sides are rare breeds (at least overtly).

   The striking things about Powell are the sweep of some of the policies he was involved in shaping - minimum wage, civil rights legislation, funding for education, and his massive egoism. Haygood portrays Powell as a womanizer, an abuser of special privileges, and an all-around pleasure-monger. It isn't hard to link his appetites to his professional compassion. Powell loved to be loved, and he also recognized the source of his power - the untapped resource of poor and oppressed. Lyndon Johnson, the Kennedys and more recently, Bill Clinton all recognized this. These are men cut from similar cloth.

   Haygood's account suggests that the world is a better place because of Powell and men like him. Still, I didn't like the man. As admirable as his public works were, his interpersonal relationships were such that I'm glad I wasn't around to get close to him. The book starts slowly, which doesn't help the cause, either. It plods along for a while before taking off, at which time the looming presence of Powell's downfall begins to color the height of his career as tragic.

   I read this book after finishing a biography of another colorful member of Congress, TIP O'NEILL AND THE DEMOCRATIC CENTURY. Powell's life was more colorful, but the O'Neill book was more enjoyable. Nevertheless, KING OF THE CATS is a worthy effort.

2 comments about Apostle of Liberty: The World-Changing Leadership of George Washington (Leaders in Action) (Leaders in Action).

1. Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (12/07)
   
   Stephen McDowell's biography of George Washington, "Apostle of Liberty," has strengths as well as weaknesses. The author's argument is two-fold: Washington was a Christian, not a deist as many recent biographers have claimed, and God or "Providence" guided the United States' creation as a democratic nation.
   
   McDowell's main argument that Washington was a Christian is well supported throughout. McDowell uses extensive quotes from Washington's letters and the writings of those who knew Washington, that Washington was a Christian in his behavior and in his words. Washington was frequently caught praying privately by his family members, he supported local churches, and he continually referred to the hand of Providence as guiding him and the nation during the American Revolution and his presidency. Washington followed Christ's example, thus making him a man to respect, and one who deserves to be held in the highest regard by all Americans and people worldwide for the great contribution he made to ensure liberty, even denying himself the chance to become the first monarch of the United States.
   
   McDowell is obviously disappointed in the way modern historians have treated George Washington. "Apostle of Liberty" provides a more traditional and respectful view of the great general and first president. I agree with McDowell that Washington's great character, his honesty, his modesty, his self-sacrifice and courage are all virtues to model our lives after. I wanted to read this book because I did not feel I knew much about the first president myself, and I now have a greater respect for Washington. I wish, however, the book had provided more detail. I am left wanting to learn still more about the first president.
   
   McDowell divides the book into three sections, the first being Washington's biography, then his character and his legacy. I wish the entire book had focused on his biography. I felt the descriptions of his life read like summaries and short lessons, almost as if written for children or high school students. I would have liked more detail, so that I could get into the mind of George Washington and know what it really was like to suffer through that winter at Valley Forge and to feel the stress and the joy he must have known as a great leader. I thought the section on his character read well as a series of short essays, each on a character trait like honesty or modesty, although a lot of these sections were repetitive with items already discussed in the biographical section. I thought the section on his legacy was just more repetition and would have been better as one final conclusion rather than two separate essays that basically repeated themselves.
   
   My biggest disagreement with the book is that while McDowell completely convinced me that Washington was a Christian and that his beliefs in Christianity led to his strength of character, and while I am a proud American, I have a hard time believing the underlying premise that God or Providence, whether Washington believed it or not, was involved in ensuring the success of the American Revolution. At the end of the book, McDowell has a series of "Lessons of Leadership" to be gained from studying the life of Washington. The first one is "Christianity is the source of liberty, happiness and prosperity in society. Leaders have a duty to acknowledge God and obey His will." Christianity in its purest form can lead to happiness, but this kind of statement is too general and simply inaccurate. Christianity in the Middle Ages and many other times throughout history was far from a source of liberty, and to say leaders must obey God's will is opening up a leader to claiming everything he chooses to do is God's will--not a far cry from extremist religious groups today. Obviously Christianity was a great influence on Washington, but "liberty" or democracy is not dependent on Christianity for its success--after all, ancient Greece created democracy centuries before Christ's birth. The argument of Providence's role in the creation of the United States is something that cannot be reasonably supported and is simply just theorizing. It is a matter of faith, but an argument that I think would turn off many readers.
   
   I would recommend "Apostle of Liberty" to young adults who wish to learn more about Washington--his example is one young people can definitely benefit from following. I also hope McDowell's book leads to more complete biographies where Washington's Christian faith is treated more accurately because it definitely was an integral part of his life.



2. This book seemed to find many of the same conclusions as "Washington's God" by Michael Novak. There were a few anecdotes that I had not read elsewhere. It is one of the better written books in the Leaders in Action Series. I appreciate the author's view that Washington was sincere and straitforward in what he wrote and said.

5 comments about Red Cloud: Warrior-Statesman of the Lakota Sioux (Oklahoma Western Biographies, 13).

1. This book is a good read. Every collection of American History should have it.



2. The book the Red Cloud is a really good book about the native american period. It talks about the history of one leader, Red Cloud. It talks about his life and his effect on the land and his people. He was a strong and couragous person. He stood up for what he believed in. He was kinda of like the the person in between, that is the person between the government and the tribes. Red Cloud did not favored the separation of people. He believed that we can coexist together. Red Cloud lived a long time for someone back then. This is a good book for educational purposes. It is a great tool for learning about the history of Native Americans. Even though this is an biography, it can still be a great learning experience for all.



3. Along with Crazy Horse, Red Cloud is probably one of the best known
   Native American leaders, at least by name. He is also probably the
   most controversial. Some see him as a statesman and visionary
   who,aware that war against the whites had become pointless, negotiated
   in the best interests of his people. Others see him as self-serving
   and vain, using white insistance on negotiating with "one true
   chief" as a means to his own ends.

   For the most part, Larson
   weighs in on the side of statesman, but he doesn't fail to show the
   other side too. He points out how Red Cloud would often make a point
   of a small issue, that would benefit only him, at the expense of a
   larger issue that affected his people. One example he uses is when,
   on a trip to Washington in 1870, Red Cloud became sullen and withdrawn
   until he was assured that his delegation would be given 17 horses to
   for the trip from the train to the reservation. However, he largely
   ignored the bigger and more important issue, of mining for gold in the
   Black Hills.

   Unfortunately, though, on the most controversial
   issue, how much Red Cloud had to do with Crazy Horse's death, or at
   least plans for his arrest, Larson is disappointingly vague. He does
   acknowlege that Red Cloud was probably jealous of the younger leader.
   Indeed, in the last chapter he notes that "...his role in this
   tragic affair is probably the blackest mark against his name."
   (p.302) Unfortunately, though, Larson doesn't cover the incident in
   nearly enough detail. He implies that Crazy Horse truly was planning
   to go back on the warpath, rather than fight the Nez Perce as
   requested by Lieutenant Clark. He also makes no mention of any possible
   misinterpretation of Crazy Horse's words by the less than reputable
   interpreter Frank Grouard. Larson may have had good reason for
   choosing to leave out some of this material. Certainly his list of
   sources shows that the book is well-researched. Unfortunately, the
   choice by the publisher, not to use footnotes in this particular
   series makes it difficult to determine on what Larson bases his
   assumptions.

   On the whole, though, the book is well written, and
   easy to follow. It is especially valuable for information about Red
   Cloud's life before and after the Indian Wars, a period that is not
   covered much in any history books. I can definitely recommend this as
   a good introduction for those not familiar with the period, or for
   those who simply want to know more about the role Red Cloud played in
   those important times. However, I would follow it with a good
   biography of Crazy Horse.




4. Traditionally, stories of Indian leaders view them as temporarily dangerous nuisances the whites had to deal with during the reasonable and inevitable process of moving the Indians onto reservations. This book is part of a new approach of looking at what an Indian leader tried to achieve for his people and assessing how he went about it and how successful he was in meeting his own goals. There is much detail. Larson has been extremely thorough in his researches, and, though we do not really hear Red Cloud's voice, we respecfully watch him do what he had to do to further his people's best interests. He didn't wear a suit or tie or have an Ivy League degree, but Red Cloud functioned very well indeed in opposing an alien force. Anyone who thinks the earth may one day be invaded from outer space should study Red Cloud. Thank you, Oklahoma University Press.



5. Red Cloud:Warrioir Statesman of the Lakota Souix is a really excellent biography. Larson does a great job of presenting all the informaton in an understandable and captivating way that really makes me want to learn more about Native American history. There is even a map/picture section in the middle of the biography that helps clarify any questions you may have while reading, as all the different battles and tribes might confuse you. Other than that temporary confusion, good job Mr. Larson

5 comments about Hemingway: A Life Without Consequences.

1. Another book about Hemingway? Amazingly, perhaps, this is the best one yet. Papa with all his flaws and all his gifts, X-rayed, dissected, analyzed, and left with his compromised humanity intact as an awesome, if not a sympathetic, character. What I came away with from this rivetting biography is an appreciation of Hemingway the Artist. We already knew that he was a great writer, and a mythic figure, created at least halfway by himself. Mr. Mellows shows that typewriters and words were only the most obvious media that Hemingway used, and that from the time he left home, and probably before, he was using the people who showed up in his life as ruthlessly as he used language. Hemingway's greatest contribution to writing may be the savage way he trimmed style and excess from sentences until they were as spare as could be, leaving the pure idea without any affected embellishment whatever. He did the same thing with the people in his life, wives included, reworking them to fit his narratives, and discarding them when they either failed to conform, or worse, did something by word or deed that bruised his insanely touchy feelings. Sexual ambiguity is everywhere in Hemingway's life, and he himself put it there by embracing a macho pole of identity while containing all the while certain feminine charcteristics such as extreme sensitivity and receptivity. He needed these qualities to be the artist he was, but he eschewed them in his active daily life. No wonder he shot himself. Read this book.



2. THIS BOOK COVERS NOT ONLY HEMINGWAY BUT MOST OF THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH WRITERS OF THE TIME. AFTER READING IT I LEARNED TO DESPISE HIM AS A PERSON BUT RESPECT HIS WORKS EVEN MORE. A MUST FOR HEMINGWAY FANS.



3. I enjoyed this work. The author did give a different slant to Hemingway the man, and indeed, the works of Hemingway. I cannot say for a second that I agreed with the author much over 25 percent of the time, but hey, Mellow has his opinion, I have mine. I did feel that Mellow beat the "gay" thing into the ground (as like in "Who Cares?") and did feel that the author did not have a good grasp of the works of his subject, i.e. Hemingway and his writing. Again though, it was nice getting another opinion and did leave me with some food for thought. This in no way compares with the work of Carlos Baker and his ilk, but, again, gives us just another view...always a nice thing. I do hope though, that the reader of this work reads some other biographies on Hemingway and do hope they actually read some of Hemingways work. On the other hand, I am a big Hemingway fan and my view, I am sure, is a bit slanted.



4. I was quite disappointed with this book. The author divides his time between 1) relating events of Hem's life (ok), 2) attacking Hem's character and endlessly trying to prove he was gay (?), and 3) attempts at 'literary criticism' of Hem's work (bad).

   Almost from the outset, I got the feeling James Mellow didn't understand much about Hemingway's stories. His criticisms seemed trite or misguided. But when I got to page 521 I was quite sure he understood very little indeed. Summarizing For Whom The Bell Tolls, he writes, "Robert Jordan, on the last night before the dynamiting of the bridge, is forced to write his letter to General Golz suggesting that the attack be called off because of Pablo's treachery and the destruction of El Sordo's guerrilla band." Evidently Mr. Mellow didn't read the part where Jordan observes the enemy's massive defensive buildup just prior to the 'surprise offensive', which would render the offensive useless and costly. We're talking about a major troop movement with thousands of pieces of equipment, where El Sordo's band figures little, and it is beyond me to understand how this understanding of the situation could be lost on the critic / biographer.

   I was glad to read the basic outline of Hemingway's life story, but didn't care for the sermonizing judgements of Hem's lifestyle and weak criticisms of his work.




5. I'm a huge Hemingway fan. Both in terms of his life - which was truly one of the more interesting and fascinating lives of any author I can think of - and his writing.
   In my opinion, this book ranks #2 in Hemingway bios, behing the very detailed and fantastic series (5 books, I believe) on Hemingway that Michael Reynolds has written.

   Since Reynolds' series is so thorough, I was a little hesitant to read the Mellow book. However, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a lot of info that Reynolds chose to leave out of his books. Nothing major...but some interesting tidbits nonetheless. It sort of filled in the cracks for me.

   I would agree with a previous poster that Mellow seemed to blow right over some of the details about Hemingway's relationships with his wives....Pauline, in particular. It seemed to me that he didn't give sufficient attention to the breakup of his marriage to her....it just gets rushed through, and then Pauline vanishes with little mention of her again. In fact, the whole final part of the book felt a little rushed. It seemed like the post-WWII years were covered very quickly in the book.

   In general though, I enjoyed this bio very much. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Hemingway. Many of the older ones on him have been exposed as containing numerous major factual errors....probably Hemingway's fault as much the author(s). Mellow's is the best one-book treatment of Hemingway I have read. If you have time, check out Reynolds' series....which is the king of the heap, in my opinion.
   But if you want it all in one book, go with this one.

5 comments about Howard Hughes: 9The Untold Story.

1. I am almost finished reading the book, "Howard Hughes: The Untold Story," and I must say, this book (Howard's life) is certainly a page turner. It is clear that Howard Hughes was a lot of things: Manipulative, Egocentric, Playboy and Eccentric! He was also, after reading most of the book about his life, NEVER BORING. Not for one second. Every moment in his life is so meaty and juicy you would think it was a written Soap Opera, meant to stimulate the viewer at every moment and increase ratings, but it's not. It's just Howard being Howard.
   
   Howard Hughes spent most of his life in close proximity to his mother. The woman, who many believe, smothered and later caused his bizarre behavior in regards to germs and illnesses. She bathed him from head to toe and regularly inspected his body for any signs of infection or sickness. Howard Sr, realizing the dangerous bond between his son and wife, tried to seperate the son and mother pair by sending Howard away to school and camps. Howard didn't put up much of a fight. In fact, even though he was a recluse, he tried his best to fit in at the camp and the school he attended. He told his mom on many occassions, that he looked forward to the new skills he was learning at the camp. His mom, however, eventually pulled him out of the camp after writing many letters and warning Howard of the dangerous germs floating around in the camp. She had believed that scaring Howard in these letters would result in his return home, however, Howard very much wanted to stay. It was his mother who pulled him out eventually.
   
   From Howard Sr., Hughes learned many things which would cause him to be the talk of the town in Hollywood. Howard Sr. made it abundantly clear to his son that everything is for sale. In one case, Howard Sr. paid to enroll his son in a school that only accepted 60 students per year. 60 was the cut off and under no circumstances would the Directors of the school allow that to change. Senior cared less, he payed off all the right people and his son would join the only class to allow 61 students to attend. Howard Sr. didn't just teach Hughes to buy his way through life, Hughes also became a womanizer just like his father. Hughes was very well aware of the fact that his father cheated on his mother regularly and the his mother knew about it. He also knew the heartbreak it caused his mother after reading a letter from his mom to his father, asking that he stop. Hughes never stopped and his wife died in her 30's. Howard Sr. death soon followed.
   
   Howard was devastated. This devastation didn't stop him from fighting for the wealth that belonged to him. He fought family members, headed to court and convinced everyone around him that he was ready to inherit the family company even though he was just a kid. With his new wealth, Howard headed to Hollywood and aimed to become a Top Producer and Avaitor.
   
   Howard spent most of his life in the air, chasing beautiful starlets, creating movies and taking aviation to the next level. He was a daredevil in every aspect of his life.
   
   Too many, Howard seemed to have the world in the palm of his hands. However, Howard struggled with a terrible secret. He had what many didn't understand at the time and something that just wasn't discussed: OCD. His symptoms worsened with age and with the many car and plane crashes he had in his life. Also, one can not discount the amount of stress that poor Howard struggled with on a daily basis. It is clear to me that this stress pushed Howard's symptoms to uncontrollable levels! Also, the book makes clear, that the discovery that the FBI had been following his every move for the past 5 years increased his distrust of others.
   
   I haven't finished the book yet but I can't wait to finish reading about Howard's amazing life. Like I said before, this man is clearly far from boring. I would definetely enjoy living life in his shoes even if I had to deal with OCD. This man did it all and was clearly a genius. God rest his soul and thank you Howard for your many contributions to aviation!



2. After finally watching the Aviator, I wanted to know more about Howard Hughes' life but wasn't sure which book to get since there were so many out there to choose from. The Untold Story turned out to be one of the most moving books I've read. I previously only knew him according to the reputation he had in his final years: bizarre recluse, deranged, weirdo, bilionnaire.
   
   Howard Hughes was an ace pilot. The 200 ton Spruce Goose was his personal triumph. This books brings to light his outlandish reality and his extraordinary and adventurous personal life: the many movies he produced, and his amazing influence on Hollywood censorship, purchasing the most Las Vegas resorts owned by one person, the McCarthy era, even Watergate and the fall of Nixon. It covers the many famous actresses he discovered, his womanizing and dating nearly every leading glamor queen. Jean Harlow, Ava Gardner, Giner Rogers, and Katharine Hepburn all dated this handsome playboy. It explains his passion of aviation, perilous record breaking flights as well as his three plane crashes, and his development of commercial flights (TWA). Howard Hughes was a genius inventor and head of a giant corporation which produced oil drill tools (which he inherited from his father). The book reveals his emotionally incestuous ties to his mother. his addictions, breakdowns and recoveries, disappearing acts such as when he locked himself in a studio room, didn't bathe for months, and watched the same movies 30 times in a row, eating only Hershey bars. His now-famous but then unknown obsessive-compulsive disorder produced full blown food fetishes such as counting chocolate chips in each germ-free cookie and eating his peas with a small rake. Who knows what might have happened, and how history might have changed, if doctors knew about Prozac in those days?
   
   The circumstances of his death remain mysterious and puzzling - to this day, no one is sure about how he died. Like his life, it was covered in a wall of secrecy. A compelling, sympathetic, and well-researched story (nearly 400,000 pages of court documents, 2,000 pages of FBI reports, and 600 interviews were used) about one of the most controversial, intriguing and extraordinary people.



3. After a while I got really tired of all of these starlets stories. I couldn't stop thinking " what a jerk" and how stupid all of these girls, and worse yet, their parents were.



4. I had read an earlier book on Hughes, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes, and remembered it as a fascinating book. I purchased recently this newer book on Hughes, Howard Hughes: The Untold Story.
   
   It, too, was fascinating in its own National Inquirer kind of way! This particular book dealt more with Hughes' womanizing more than with his business empire. We are treated with endless stories of Hughes' conquest of Hollywood actress beginning in the early 20's up until his final pursuit of women in the late 1950s.
   
   The stories are truly fascinating to read and Brown's and Broeske's writing style certaining kept me engaged. One just has to wonder how one would have acted in Howard's place as he pursued women on a daily basis while in Hollywood. Simply amazing!
   
   The one drawback about this book that I was not anticipating was what made it so interesting: its dedication to his lothario lifestyle. In other words, by the time the story of Jean Peters (his last wife) rolls around, along with his last attempted affair with the starlet Yvonne Shubert, one starts to tire of reading exclusively about his sexual conquests.
   
   I found myself wondering how all of this tied in with his businesses. The authors did throw in just enough about his businesses for it all to make sense, but I don't think there was enough. In other words, this book dealt almost entirely with his sex life than anything else. There were enough tidbits about his paranoia, his germophobia, his Hollywood movie making, and his aviation exploits to keep the book moving.
   
   I recommend this book to read about the personable side of Howard and the book, Empire, to read about the business side of Howard. Both are excellent.



5. I watched Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" and was immediately interested in learning about the "real" Howard Hughes. This book more than satisfied my curiosity. I wasn't aware of the non-aviation contributions made by Hughes; satellites, seek and destroy missles. All very important to our national security. I had never heard of Hughes' connection to the Watergate scandal until I read this book.
   
   This publication was a page turner about a man that we'll most likely never learn the full truth about. A great read!

5 comments about At the Right Hand of Longstreet: Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer.

1. Moxley Sorrel was one of the best staff officers in the Confederate army. He served as one of the key staff officers in the service of Gen. James Longstreet's First Corps. This book, in his own words, is one of the more insightful books by an "insider" from the Civil War.
   
   The book provides some brief background, prior to Sorrel joining Longstreet's staff (which, by the way, appears to have been one of the better corps staffs on the Confederate side--east or west or trans-Mississippi).
   
   His career was distinguished and he had a rare opportunity to observe Longstreet and other major Confederate officers. The book portrays Sorrel's views on major battles of the war--from the Peninsula to Seven Pines to the Seven Days to Second Manassas and on to Gettysburg. Then, an examination of the First Corps' movement to the western theatre, where it played a key role at Chickamauga.
   
   Sorrel became a battlefield figure at the Wilderness, as he led a flanking attack on Union General Winfield Scott Hancock. He finished the war as a battlefield commander rather than a staff officer.
   
   What is best about this book, though, is his careful and thoughtful analysis of events and officers. A very nice work indeed.



2. maybe it was because Longstreet wasn't a very talkable sort I don't know but this book does provide some interesting insights and seldom bogs down.



3. VERY GOOD BOOK, I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH, WROTE VERY WELL



4. This late memoir seems to have been one of the most heavily used sources for scholars of Lee, Longstreet and other generals and the Gettysburg campaign in particular.
   
   As a memoir, it's not very personable, with the author's personal experiences and even his serious injury told in a distant manner, which is not uncommon for works of this kind. It is interesting as an account of Longstreet and others around him, although it shouldn't be taken as absolute gospel; Sorrel's opinion on the Gettysburg campaign in particular seems calculated to deflect any possible criticism from his erstwhile chief.
   
   There are some interesting and unexpected tidbits here -- for one, the role of the spy Harrison, whose very existence has been questioned by some writers. Far from appearing only once on the eve of Gettysburg, he appears in Sorrel's memoir as a regular contact of Longstreet's and one who was still living when the memoir was written. This would seem to strengthen the argument that Harrison's information about Federal activities in the Gettysburg campaign would have been useful to the Confederate command.
   
   It's also interesting (and refreshing) to see how non-teetotal Sorrel's Army of Northern Virginia is -- whiskey everywhere, and even a priceless scene of Longstreet and other officers singing arias while standing on a table.



5. General Gilbert Moxley Sorrell's memoir of the War Between the States is a must-read for any serious student of the War and a fascinating historical account of soldierly life and experiences. Sorrell served in Longstreet's Brigade beginning at Manassas and as his staff officer until his promotion to Brigadier-General in 1864. He paints a vivid picture of camp life and of the political climate of the times that is often overlooked in military accounts. Highly recommend