5 comments about Patriarch: George Washington and the New American Nation.

1. This book concentrates on Washington's administration. It gave me a new appreciation for how instrumental he was in building the nation--not just freeing a collection of thirteen states from Britain.
   
   Except for what I felt was the author's ponderous style, this is a great book.



2. If you are looking to add to an existing collection of books on Washington, this would really help complement it. This book was not what I was looking for, however.
   
   What I was looking for was a book that (1) shed light on Washington as the man who presided over the creation of a new nation and (2) did not go over the head of someone who didn't take any American History class at the college level. It sorta met these criteria, but I think it would be more appreciated by someone who were familiar with the historical context and wanted to add to it. I felt like I read a lot of snippets which shed some light during this period in his life, but I didn't get a good feel of the significance or the context of his achievements.
   
   Biographies (which this really isn't, because it only covered his life in the 1790's) are difficult to write because you have to present the facts but make it appealing as a fictional story (narrative trajectory, character development, etc...). I felt that the author has an elegant style of writing, but I kept saying "So what?" to myself at the end of the chapters. The book describes many instances where Washington maintained the delicate balance between the "Hamilton" style vs. the "Jefferson" philosophies of the federal government, along with many other political maneuverings and actions which occurred, but my impressions are that this book is better suited for complementing someone's existing knowledge of his achievements than a layperson like me who is several years removed from AP History.



3. I bought Richard N. Smith's "Patriarch" at an airport gift shop because I was looking at two long boring flights and there wasn't any book that looked better. The situation was grim because I am no learned scholar or erudite student with 200 other books about Washington on the shelves.
   But once I started "Patriarch" I simply could barely put it down. Somehow, Richard Smith was coaxing that cheerless Washington out of that stodgy old painting we've all seen and bringing GW to life. The "Founding Father" was - surprise - a real life person and, truth is, as a person and a statesman, he was positively jam up!
   Before "Patriarch", it never occured to me what a real-time, online chore he had launchinig this country during his first Presidency. He, and mostly he alone, was the cool forge water that quenched Hamilton's fire and tempered Jefferson's steel to save the new country from a virtual "crib death". Washington's shepherding of the Constitution from damp and dangerous footing to solid ground was a feat nothing short of Incredible. And as the pages of "Patriarch" flew by for this jaded 60s-era non-Historian Washington's stature rose again like a Phoenix, and for the first time I understood why that glum old guy in that drab old picture was, and is, so venerated even 200 years after his death.
   This book, "Patriarch", is George Washinton - The Man - at his Best, and thanks to Richard Norton Smith, you will actually enjoy meeting him this time around.



4. I was fascinated with this book about Washington's Presidency, but I would be remiss in not mentioning that is not much concerned with anything outside his presidency. It is not dry or lacking in details, but I found myself becoming more interested in the fleeting, anectdotal passages, or some of the more personal interactions Washington had. For instance, I found it gripping to follow Washington's decision making process when he is presented with evidence that a close acquaintance may be a traitor. This story only goes on for about two pages and similar examinations are found only few and far between the long stretches on global situations and policies. However, I would guess this proves that one of the important things to note about Washington was that he was not as outwardly notable as some of the more flamboyant and boisterous of those founding fellows surrounding him.

   I feel very informed about Washington the president, but I would now like to learn a little bit more about the man.




5. I found Smith's biography of Washington educational, but at times dry. I certainly learned a lot in reference to Washington and the various trials he faced in holding together a fledgling government. However, I also found less enjoyment in this book than in others about Washington's contemporaries. Students of history and particularly government and diplomacy will find this book very informative. It is not however, for the average reader merely looking to become more familar with our first president.

5 comments about Dancing Along the Deadline: The Andersonville Memoir of a Prisoner of the Confederacy.

1. This book was good as far as memoirs go. It was a good read, and I learned a lot about the prison life during the Civil War. This book was about how horrible prison life was during the Civil War. This book takes place mainly in two prisons, and possibly two of the worst prisons, Andersonville and Florence.
   The whole book was about the Civil War; mainly it talks about Ezra Hoyt Ripple's exploits in a Civil War prison, and how horrible the conditions were in the
   prisons in the South. Ezra, and a few other soldiers from his regiment were captured during the siege of James Island, and sent to the prison in Andersonville. Ezra goes through his horrible ordeal with his three closest comrades in prison, John Rapp,
   Michael Beavers, and John Brennan. Ezra is an amateur violin player, and in prison that can get you some respect, food, and even more freedom. In Andersonville, as with many Civil War prisons, disease was rampant, and many hundreds of people died every day, from diseases such as the fever, scurvy, dysentery, cholera, and the flu. The prison guards at Andersonville are particularly mean to the prisoners, because the prisoners are Union men, and the Confederate soldiers hated them for being so. The book describes in excruciating detail how prison life was harder for the Union soldiers in captivity, then it was for the Confederate prisoners. The people in these prisons had to deal with an insufficient amount of clothes, poor shelter, horrible weather conditions, and barely enough food rations to live. It's a wonder that anyone made it out of these prisons alive for being in the prison after an extended period of time.
   This book's strengths are its main theme, which is how horrible prison life in the South was during the Civil War, and the storyline is interesting. The theme has a lot of textual backup, because the whole book relates to the main theme, I thought it worked well how Ezra tied events that happened in the book to the theme of the book. The pictures he drew were helpful to try to visualize what was going on. It is written well, and is as interesting as a memoir can be. It is a good war book, because the things written about are real events experienced by the author of the book. What I liked about this book was that it was very realistic, and that it actually happened, which makes it more tragic.
   This book's weaknesses are that it is kind of wordy, and at times difficult to read, because of the many lapses in the action. This book could be better if it talked more about the more interesting parts, because most of the good action parts are only briefly mentioned, whereas the most boring, lame events are talked about extensively. What I didn't like about this book was that it was sort of boring, and very descriptive of the diseases, which is, in my opinion, disgusting.
   Overall this book is a very good read as far as memoirs go, and I recommend it to anyone that needs to read a memoir, or that just likes to read war books. It is entertaining, and is very real. It takes you to the Civil War days, so you can understand what it was like for these freedom fighters.



2. This book was good as far as memoirs go. It was a good read, and I learned a lot about the prison life during the Civil War. This book was about how horrible prison life was during the Civil War. This book takes place mainly in two prisons, and possibly two of the worst prisons, Andersonville and Florence.
   The whole book was about the Civil War; mainly it talks about Ezra Hoyt Ripple's exploits in a Civil War prison, and how horrible the conditions were in the
   prisons in the South. Ezra, and a few other soldiers from his regiment were captured during the siege of James Island, and sent to the prison in Andersonville. Ezra goes through his horrible ordeal with his three closest comrades in prison, John Rapp,
   Michael Beavers, and John Brennan. Ezra is an amateur violin player, and in prison that can get you some respect, food, and even more freedom. In Andersonville, as with many Civil War prisons, disease was rampant, and many hundreds of people died every day, from diseases such as the fever, scurvy, dysentery, cholera, and the flu. The prison guards at Andersonville are particularly mean to the prisoners, because the prisoners are Union men, and the Confederate soldiers hated them for being so. The book describes in excruciating detail how prison life was harder for the Union soldiers in captivity, then it was for the Confederate prisoners. The people in these prisons had to deal with an insufficient amount of clothes, poor shelter, horrible weather conditions, and barely enough food rations to live. It's a wonder that anyone made it out of these prisons alive for being in the prison after an extended period of time.
   This book's strengths are its main theme, which is how horrible prison life in the South was during the Civil War, and the storyline is interesting. The theme has a lot of textual backup, because the whole book relates to the main theme, I thought it worked well how Ezra tied events that happened in the book to the theme of the book. The pictures he drew were helpful to try to visualize what was going on. It is written well, and is as interesting as a memoir can be. It is a good war book, because the things written about are real events experienced by the author of the book. What I liked about this book was that it was very realistic, and that it actually happened, which makes it more tragic.
   This book's weaknesses are that it is kind of wordy, and at times difficult to read, because of the many lapses in the action. This book could be better if it talked more about the more interesting parts, because most of the good action parts are only briefly mentioned, whereas the most boring, lame events are talked about extensively. What I didn't like about this book was that it was sort of boring, and very descriptive of the diseases, which is, in my opinion, disgusting.
   Overall this book is a very good read as far as memoirs go, and I recommend it to anyone that needs to read a memoir, or that just likes to read war books. It is entertaining, and is very real. It takes you to the Civil War days, so you can understand what it was like for these freedom fighters.



3. The story starts out with a flash a telling of dates and numbers relevant to the story. Then he continues on to tell of his experiences in the army and the description of his capture. He is on a mission to attack a confederate fort when he and others of his regiment are captured. They are soon taken to a confederate prison to which most will not return. As he becomes accustom to the surroundings he realizes the true horror and struggle he will face to survive. With each passing day he learns new tricks to survive as other prisoners pass away. These tricks and his luck help him succeeded in surviving. His luck is great at times, first he is asked to play the violin for the confederate officers and declines, a poor choice, then a fellow prisoner asks him to play a song for him and he is paid in food and drink. As he plays more and more for the prisoners he earns their respect. This respect will grant him many gifts as he spends more and more time in the prison. He soon describes other events and rules in the prison such as a punishment for thieves was to have half the head shaved so that all who saw him would know he was a thief and punish him in such a way to make him regret such a poor choice. One trick used to smuggle food in was when the wood crew went out to cut wood they'd be allowed to bring in one log of their own as payment. They often times would bring in hollow logs and the confederates wondered why. They never found out the true reason until one day when a member of the wood crew stumbled and dropped him log, all the beans hidden in the hollow log were spilt across the ground. The wood crew while out cutting wood would buy beans off local slaves or anyone willing to sell for a much cheaper price than the prison and smuggle them in to eat or sell. Ezra's story continues when he tries his hand at escaping which unfortunately fails horribly. In the end he's is released and sent back to his home in the North.
   Ripple does a great job of describing his story while in prison. It has its up and downs though. The detailed description and the pictures he drew help you to get a full understanding of what he went through. The bouncing between past and present makes the story confusing and tricky to understand. He goes from being in jail to after the war, to the reunions of the prisoners he went to. All these descriptions make the story hard to follow, but add to the feeling. Other than those few shortfalls it's an incredible book.
   I would definitely recommend this book to others. This is great story of overcoming death and hopelessness to survive and come home again. This is an incredible tale of a man's overcoming of the worst odds through faith and hope. If you're interested in the civil war or just interested in stories of conquering the worst odds, then this is a book for you.



4. The story starts out with a flash a telling of dates and numbers relevant to the story. Then he continues on to tell of his experiences in the army and the description of his capture. He is on a mission to attack a confederate fort when he and others of his regiment are captured. They are soon taken to a confederate prison to which most will not return. As he becomes accustom to the surroundings he realizes the true horror and struggle he will face to survive. With each passing day he learns new tricks to survive as other prisoners pass away. These tricks and his luck help him succeeded in surviving. His luck is great at times, first he is asked to play the violin for the confederate officers and declines, a poor choice, then a fellow prisoner asks him to play a song for him and he is paid in food and drink. As he plays more and more for the prisoners he earns their respect. This respect will grant him many gifts as he spends more and more time in the prison. He soon describes other events and rules in the prison such as a punishment for thieves was to have half the head shaved so that all who saw him would know he was a thief and punish him in such a way to make him regret such a poor choice. One trick used to smuggle food in was when the wood crew went out to cut wood they'd be allowed to bring in one log of their own as payment. They often times would bring in hollow logs and the confederates wondered why. They never found out the true reason until one day when a member of the wood crew stumbled and dropped him log, all the beans hidden in the hollow log were spilt across the ground. The wood crew while out cutting wood would buy beans off local slaves or anyone willing to sell for a much cheaper price than the prison and smuggle them in to eat or sell. Ezra's story continues when he tries his hand at escaping which unfortunately fails horribly. In the end he's is released and sent back to his home in the North.
   Ripple does a great job of describing his story while in prison. It has its up and downs though. The detailed description and the pictures he drew help you to get a full understanding of what he went through. The bouncing between past and present makes the story confusing and tricky to understand. He goes from being in jail to after the war, to the reunions of the prisoners he went to. All these descriptions make the story hard to follow, but add to the feeling. Other than those few shortfalls it's an incredible book.
   I would definitely recommend this book to others. This is great story of overcoming death and hopelessness to survive and come home again. This is an incredible tale of a man's overcoming of the worst odds through faith and hope. If you're interested in the civil war or just interested in stories of conquering the worst odds, then this is a book for you.



5. Ezra Hoyt Ripple served the Union as a private in the 52nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He spent 9 months in Andersonville and Florence prisons as a prisoner of war. "Dancing Along the Deadline" is his detailed account of his experience in these infamous prisons, written originally for his family, then published during his lifetime. Mr. Ripple commissioned Civil War veteran and war correspondent James E. Taylor to illustrate his memoirs with drawings that depict scenes that he describes. This edition of "Dancing Along the Deadline" contains 55 of Mr. Taylor's black and white drawings, captioned by the author. Ezra Ripple worked closely with James Taylor on these excellent drawings to ensure their accuracy, and they help the reader immensely in forming a mental picture of what the prisons and their residents actually looked like.

   In "Dancing Along the Deadline", Ezra Ripple paints a detailed picture of the conditions which captured Union soldiers endured inside Confederate prisons. As starvation was the greatest hardship, Ripple writes a lot about how the prisoners acquired food and how they made the most of it. He describes the physical layout of the prisons, the prisoners' routines, the prison guards and administrators, and his interaction with them. Although Andersonville was the Confederacy's largest and most infamous prison -and Ripple attests to its ruthless commandant- Florence prison actually had a higher death rate, in spite of its more sympathetic administration. And Ripple might have died there if not for his skills as a fiddler. He and several other prisoners formed a string band which performed for the officers and at local social gatherings. Ripple's memoirs are characterized by his general lack of malice toward his jailers. He was a religious man and a staunch patriot, so those are the eyes through which we see his world. He doesn't lump the Confederates who imprisoned him and his comrades into one "enemy" group. He criticizes the behavior of some, praises the character of others, and places the ultimate blame for the dreadful conditions in Confederate prisons on Brigadier General John H. Winder, who was in command of the prisons and whose goal seemed to be to bring all of the prisoners to their deaths. Although Ripple describes a lot of horror within the walls of Andersonville and Florence prisons, he claims to have omitted some "horrible details" of which "common decency" forbids mention. Reading his memoirs, I think we can guess what some of those "details" might have been.

   "Dancing Along the Deadline" is required reading for anyone interested in the Civil War. And it's an interesting account of how people endure the unendurable and then how one man looked back on it. The "deadline" of the title is the line running around the outskirts of the prisons which any prisoner would be shot for crossing.

5 comments about Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order.

1. 
   "Wars are not all evil; they are part of the grand machinery by which this world is governed; thunderstorms which purify the political atmosphere, test the manhood of a people, and prove whether they are worthy to take rank with others engaged in the same task by different methods." - Gen. William T. Sherman
   
   As a casual student of Civil War history, i.e. returning to it periodically after bouts with trashier fare, I've heretofore lost sight of General Sherman in General Grant's shadow at Shiloh, Vicksburg and Chattanooga. Even the commendable Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865 failed to correct this failing. SHERMAN finally forced the man into my awareness.
   
   This book by John Marszalek is an extensively researched, comprehensive, and solid summary of the General's life from boyhood to death. I would love to have seen what the late, great Shelby Foote could've done with the material, but that's neither here nor there.
   
   SHERMAN includes all of the elements of the man's private and public life that you'd expect in a biography. What stood out for me were the elements that I never suspected: his sojourn in California from 1848 to 1857 both as a military officer and a private banker, his position as the first superintendent of the military academy that would later evolve into Louisiana State University, his eventual post-war falling-out with Grant, and his controversial views on race. Indeed, Sherman's personal view of slavery was akin to that of a Southern slave owner; he thought it consistent with the natural order of things. Furthermore, he opposed the abolitionists of the pre-war period believing their efforts conducive to the growing national disorder that eventually resulted in the Civil War. Sherman once said:
   
   "The negro should be a free man, but not put on any equality with the Whites ... the effect of equality is illustrated in the character of the mixed race in Mexico and South America. Indeed it appears to me that the right of suffrage in our Country should be rather abridged than enlarged."
   
   The chapters on Sherman's Civil War career make clear that he was significantly more successful as a war strategist than as a battlefield tactician as evidenced by his failures as a corps commander at Chickasaw Bayou (1862), as army commander when his Army of the Tennessee was repulsed at the north end of Missionary Ridge at the Battle of Chattanooga (1863), and as an army group commander at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (1864). His claim to fame is, of course, his brilliant march through Georgia and the Carolinas during which his forces occupied Atlanta and Savannah, GA, and Columbia, SC, unopposed after skillfully maneuvering enemy forces out of all three cities beforehand.
   
   SHERMAN includes three photo sections, but no battlefield maps which otherwise might have been usefully illuminating.
   
   What drove Sherman was his deep antipathy for disorder, whether it be military, social, familial, or political. He would've made the consummate military dictator if given the opportunity. He was a great commander and man for his time and place. In today's politically correct and "enlightened" times, he would be shunned.
   
   "I look upon war with horror, but if it has to come I am here." - Gen. William T. Sherman



2. The difficulty for those of us interested in studying the American Civil War is that the available bibliography is overwhelmingly large. One could begin reading as a child and reach adulthood and continue reading until death or senility interrupted the exercise without completing all of the published titles! Life is too short to read poorly written books!
   
   With that observation in mind, it is a welcome experience to occasionally come across a worthwhile one volume biography of a major historical figure and "Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order" fills the bill perfectly. The author, John F. Marszalek, is a history professor at Mississippi State University.
   
   While it may strike some as odd that a historian employed on a campus located in the Deep South chose to write about General William T. Sherman, it is worth remembering that "Uncle Billy," himself, was a man of contradictions. Sherman tried and failed at many occupations during the antebellum period. One of the few successful and easily the most satisfying positions that he held was as the superintendent of a military academy located in Louisiana. But for the crisis of secession and war, Sherman would have been pleased to remain at the academy as a Southern gentleman and an accepted member of local society. The war came, however, and Sherman resigned his position and donned the blue Federal uniform. As a Union general, Sherman became the scrouge of the same South that he had so admired and enjoyed.
   
   Sherman was adopted into the family of a prominent Ohio politician following the death of his father. This was the first of many disruptions in his life. His adoptive parents compelled him to change his actual first name from "Tecumseh" (after the celebrated Indian leader and warrior) to William. Marszalek sees many of Sherman's subsequent choices and decisions as part of a determined effort to create and maintain continuity, stability and order. As much as he loved the South, Sherman viewed secession and disunity as a form of anarchy that needed to be crushed. Similarly, the Indian tribes threatening the settlement of the frontier needed to be suppressed. Late in his life, Sherman resisted his wife's repeated entreaties to have him convert to Catholicism.
   
   Marszalek also treats Sherman's friendship and eventual estrangement from Ulysses S. Grant. Sherman was devoted to the military and grew disillusioned when Grant chose to pursue a political career during the Reconstruction Era. Although both Grant and Sherman lived long enough to write memoirs, Grant's memoirs are better known on account of his superb ability as a writer. Unlike Grant, Sherman's own book generated more controversy than praise upon its publication (Grant defended Sherman's book, however, as providing accurate accounts and descriptions of events) and is not read as often today.
   
   I have had the good fortune to have visited Grant's residence in Galena, Illinois and the former Galt House (the hotel still exists, but it has relocated to a much larger building several blocks away) in Louisville, Kentucky, where Grant and Sherman studied their maps and plotted the strategy that resulted in the eventual Union victory. Marszalek's book helped bring some of these same details to life for me as a reader. Recommended.



3. In this book, the author takes us on an in-depth tour of the life and times of William Tecumseh Sherman. In doing so, he lets us see Sherman as a boy living in poverty; as a nine-year-old foster child; and as a student, young soldier, husband, father, failed businessman, Civil War General, and aging military hero. In the end, we find that Sherman was very much like the rest of us: a man with hopes, dreams and fears of his own, and certainly not the crazed and often despised General who, according to legend, burned Atlanta to the ground and wantonly ravaged, pillaged, and plundered the South.
   
   True, Sherman did order that all inhabitants of Atlanta be evacuated [705 adults (few men), 860 children, and 79 slaves], but that was to prevent snipers from killing his soldiers. And he did order that all facilities which could be used to support the war effort be destroyed (e.g., the railroad station; factories producing uniforms, munitions, railroad tracks; etc.). But that only amounted to about one third of the structures in Atlanta. And he did march the bulk of his 60,000 man army to Savannah living off the land. But he did so to help bring the Civil War to a speedy conclusion with minimum loss of life by severing the logistic supply lines across the South. And his orders were not to burn or destroy any private property, no matter what the inhabitants "said", as long as they were not fired upon.
   
   And finally, and most revealing: When Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston was given the authority to surrender all remaining Confederate armies to General Sherman, Sherman met with him and developed what he thought were acceptable surrender terms. He forwarded them to Washington to obtain the necessary authorization only to find that his terms were considered much too soft on the South by then Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Stanton went so far as to send a letter to the New York Times accusing Sherman of TREASON and then attempted to have General Grant relieve him of his command. Grant met with Sherman but avoided doing so.
   
   According to the evidence, then, William Tecumseh Sherman wasn't the crazed villain many in the South consider him to be. And maybe, just maybe, he was the best friend the South ever had, or at least he tried to be. In any event, after reading this biography, one can only wonder how many people now living in the South, who vilify Sherman's memory, owe their very existence to the fact that he decided to make war on property rather than on their forefathers.



4. Sherman made war on women and children. He had his troops burned houses to the ground, turned a blind eye to the looting his men did, burned crops to the ground, destroyed any livestock he couldn't use and left the civilian population to starve to death everywhere he went in the South.
   Sherman had town halls burned so there were no accruate records as to how large the population of the town he burned was. Sherman also removed large numbers of civilians (women and children)who worked at the New Manchester and Roswell, Georgia Mills, North; where many of them died of exposure or starvation. On the trip North many of these New Manchester, Roswell, Georgia Mill women workers were raped.
   I am not a sympathizer for the Southern Cause during the American Civil War. However, I do believe that Sherman is a war criminal and shouldn't be idolized which this book does.



5. William Tecumseh Sherman was an unusually good soldier. With the exception of Grant, he prosecuted the war as the South never imagined a Yankee could. He realized early on that this war would be long and brutal. He also realized that it would profoundly change the very nature of the United States.

   John Marszalek gives the reader a man who never stops trying. From soldier to banker, from school teacher back to soldier, Sherman was a man who did his best all the time. He suffered quite a few set backs, some of them material, yet he always rebounded and it was this resiliency, this durability, that enabled him to persevere in his desire to end the Civil War in the only way he knew it could be ended, with the total destruction of the Confederacy.

   Between Grant's war of attrition and Sherman's war of annihilation the rules of warfare were simply rewritten. Sherman was one of the greatest generals the Civil War produced. The story of his life is the story of a warrior. Seen by most historians as simply a destroyer, Marszalek justifiably points out that he just may have been one of the very best friends the South had.

   You will enjoy this exceedingly well written book about an amazingly adaptive and creative man, one who fought hard for what he believed in and in so doing, laid the foundations for America as we know it today.

5 comments about Military Memoirs Of A Confederate.

1. A very good critical narrative. He breaks it down each battle The ANV participated in. He gives a good account what each commander starting with
   Brig Gen Johnston and Brig McDowell at Manassas(Bull Run) ending with
   Appomattix Courthouse did and how they as commanders could have fought their battle and win. Good insight especially since he was in the command
   tent with General Lee and Longstreet. This is what is lacking with most
   historians now days. He gives very good details but some readers say the
   reading is dry. This is not a daily journal on a privates war. Read the
   Title. It should explain itself. The narrative briefly tells what each
   brigade did if needed to help develop the battle line. He does not get
   into each regimental history unless there is a particular point to make. He does break it down What each army brings to battle and casualties. Very important to my thought. Also there are a few snippets here and there to make things funny. One thing In a way before reading this book I bought the other one his personal journal "Fighting For the Confederacy
   The Personal recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander" This is a
   more personal side of him. It has more personal thoughts and observations on the war and the people he met during the war. I think I
   would have enjoyed The Military Memoirs even more by reading the Personal
   recollections first but that is my take. In any event General Alexander
   is accurate enought with his information that he can still hold his own
   with modern historians today. Even better he didn't let the "lost cause"
   mentality interfere with writing the Critical Memoirs.



2. General Alexander gives almost a blow-by-blow account of each major battle of the War Between the States, complete with Orders of Battle, casualty reports, and numbers of troops engaged. His excellent memory for detail makes for somewhat dry reading at times (if you're not looking for numbers), but remains a classic in War literature. A must-have for any library on the period



3. This book is the work of one of Lee's Lieutenants, General Edward Porter Alexander. Alexander was Longstreet's artillery commander for most of the Civil War. As such, he saw action in the Eastern Theater from 1st Manassas, through to the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. After the war, he was encouraged by General Longstreet to write a history of his Corps. Unfortunately after completing most of the primary research, very few of the officers he contacted were willing to give him the first person authoritative accounts he wanted. What he instead was to write a memoir that almost 100 years later is still the model of historical writing.
   For historians the danger of memoirs is twofold. First, many authors have an axe to grind and will suffer from "selective memory" in retelling their experiences. Also, but less deliberately, we are all the leading stars of our lives (if you aren't you oughta be). Taking center stage, authors can appear to have a larger role in the subject than they should otherwise have. With General Alexander's book though, there is no romanticism of the "Lost Cause", nor hero worship of the Lee/Jackson pantheon. Alexander dispassionately relates the campaigns he saw, with insightful critiques of the leaders of both sides. He doesn't spare himself from criticism either; you don't often see that in a memoir.
   Anyone with a serious interest in Civil War campaigns should have this book in their library. However, if you are looking for a Confederate mea culpa, or a social history you should look elsewhere. Highly recommended.



4. I believe this to be the most accurate, and honest, first-hand account of the Army of Northern Virginia. After reading this book, your perception of certain battlefields will never be the same. Not only was Alexander a true soldier, but also a fine scholar.



5. This book, unlike Alexander's more recently discovered personal memoir, is only for the serious scholar. His account of strategy, tactics and troop movements is almost completely unleavened with anecdotes or personal reactions. I found it to be very dry, very hard to maintain interest in. That isn't to say it's not an important book -- it is, very much so. There are areas where Alexander's knowledge falters and he should not be taken as a sole source of information, but in general, this is a very detailed and worthwhile account by an intelligent participant. But recreational reading? Not on your life. I'd recommend the author's Fighting for the Confederacy instead.

5 comments about The Enormous Room (Penguin Classics).

1. This is not a book for everyone. I received this book as a gift from a relative, and that's the main reason I thought I'd try it. The book is a portrayal of E.E. Cummings' imprisonment in France during WWI, and the bulk of the work is a portrayal of the many characters Cummings saw at the prison -- and the many cruelties they suffered at the hands of their keepers and each other. While Cummings' prose is casual, ironic, and sometimes amusing, the work as a whole suffers from a lack of a plot to drive it forward. I frequently grew tired of reading one elaborate character sketch after another. Other people obviously are forgiving of this fault because they enjoy Cummings' prose so much, but I couldn't bear it.



2. Best known for his poetry, "The Enormous Room" may seem like a departure for e.e. cummings. The artist turned his experience as a prisoner-of-war in France during WWI into a lyric memoir that reads like a novel. At times poetic, at others almost laughingly absurd in its depictions of the absurdities of imprisonment, "The Enormous Room" is a delectable read.
   
   Cummings begins his novel by recounting his arrest and that of his friend, referred to only as B. They are eventually separated, and questioned, only to be reunited in jail. Apparently B. wrote some letters that the French censors considered to be seditious, and since Cummings was his constant companion and wouldn't denounce his friend, he was sent to jail as well. The remainder of the novel is filled with sketches of everyday life and the fellow inmates that Cummings befriends during his stay. For that reason, it reads like a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive novel.
   
   While I enjoyed the book overall, I did not like the edition I had - an older printing of the Everyman's Library, which included no translations for entire conversations in French. Perhaps the most poignant aspect of "The Enormous Room" is the letter included at the start, written by Cummings' father as he tries to discover exactly what has happened to his son. Anyone familiar with the poems of e.e. cummings can see the poetry in his prose, in his descriptions and observations about life in jail, and the delight he takes in the rare moments of beauty that he could find.



3. This book somehow fell onto my shelves, perhaps because the author illustrated it and I like artists drawings, but I had not read it..until today. This is a story of early Cummings. He volunteered to do service in WW1 as an ambulance worker in France-versus conscription- meeting and making a friend along the way to the assignment. (I had a grandfather in this war so it is interesting to me on several levels.) Once there in France they spend a month in Paris due to some mistake (much like my own Dad did prior to shipping to Guam in his service days-tho he was in CA.) They learn French as they are pretty sharp and have a great time and then get sent to do very boring work under some real bullet head dumb heads who basically make their lives a hell. As it happens reality hits- they encounter Americans with grave disrespect for the French-can't stand how uneducated and ridiculously all for America they are, cozy up too much to French workers, the friend writes letters and French intelligence ironically seizes the letters and then them as possibly problematically revealing things about French troops-they are in deep. So this book is the tale of being arrested and put in jail. And staying there for a good while tho not forever for talking too much in letters home about things learning French and fraternizing revealed to them. Or in other words they were too "different".. What I liked is the fascinating humor that peeks into the text account, the turn of phrase, naming tricks, the truth telling. Cummings could have sprung himself by saying he "hated Germans" in his initial questioning as it really was his friend's writing issue, but he doesn't want to abandon his friend nor own that thought. Many the time I put myself in worse places with that particular kind of spirit.You just have to love how he frames these scenes. It was to him essentially far better to be captive than to be under the stupidity of his prior assignment as a volunteer especially if it required sucking up to idiotically misrepresented swearing allegiances. Its not the only time I've read such stuff but the voice here is quite unique... I really enjoyed the way in just a few pages you drop into the stinking cell and practical realities of confinement, the absurdity, the introspection, the look at how the detainees fare with this, those that hold them, deny them livable treatment. All in all a very interesting account of this particular experience in his life replete with his small images. It is poetic.
   
   Quite obviously at some point in situations of absurdity there is a point in which certainly it becomes easily read as an ordeal of spirit, maybe Christ like comparisons...maybe sacrificial lamb like because certainly this is an understood frame. He's enduring something that speaks to man's capacity to inflict on one another remarkably stupid and devaluing experiences, to mistake and to blunder in such stultifying ways....so the journey is. You laugh because its possible what you are seeing is an entire tableau of individuals so far beyond their capacity deciding and in control simply doing a lot of ridiculously idiotic things with no one stopping it. I liked Catch 22 for much the same kind of comment. What I find remarkable is he lived to tell about it-for these kinds of situations can go very bad, very wrong, very randomly. He recovered, he wrote, he evolved creative voice and wrote about spring and balloons and lots of things in the now of IS ness, his belief. And the work was good.
   If you are looking to delve into a journal through a bad experience written to capture the oddities and insights of someone with remarkable turn of phrase, French phrases, mind language galore....with a kind of irreverence, wit, sweet bird of youth, here and now, stink of the urinal...this is very good. As they say the more things change, the more it is the same, no?



4. Never more relevant than today, eighty-some years removed from World War I (to end all wars, ironically), this book deals with issues that nations still have not seemed to solved: fascist governments, disregard for due process, injustice in the name of expediency and national security. That the US quarantines Japanese-Americans twenty years after its first run only embarasses us; that eighty years later we still do the same thing breaks your heart.

   Mr. Cummings writes in a sort of stream-of-consciousness first person, something on the order of Romantic prose mixed with his own style that is inimitably his own. A student of Cummings might be quick to see the parallel between his earliest poems and that evolution to his modern free verse, as taking place within this novel right before one's eyes.

   Enjoyable stories, and Mr. Cummings and his friend are something of snobs, something of braggards even (becoming fluent in French after two weeks is extremely hard to believe). The annoyance quickly passes (and crops up again whever he mentions how much more evolved he is than other Americans) when he paints such vivid mental images of life in the enormous room, the ennui and absurdity of being held without due process, and the veritable Ellis Island of characters populating his new world.

   A reader would do well to approach this book without reading the hyperbole of its back cover or the well-meaning but misguided praqises of some reviewers. This is a great book, but not a classic. Cummings is not a master novelist, which does not dimish his effort or take anything from his creative genius. Rather, it is much like falling into the trap of thinking a master in one form can be a master in another. Enjoy the reading, and marvel at ironic relevance it holds for us today.

   Fred




5. E. E. Cummings, The Enormous Room (Liveright, 1921)

   Cummings became famous for his poetry, but before that he wrote a now obscure novel-cum-memoir about his temporary imprisonment during World War I, The Enormous Room. Modeled loosely after Bunyan's magnum opus, Pilgrim's Progress, Cummings gives us the arrest and detention (for he is never sent to prison, only detained awaiting the word of the Commission on whether he is to be imprisoned or freed) of a friend of his and himself. The friend is charged with treason after writing letters home critical of the French government; Cummings is charged with nothing but being his friend.

   The book touches all the expected bases; the horrors of war, problems with authority, etc., etc. Nothing here you haven't seen before. What causes it to stand out is Cummings' treatment of the whole thing. Cummings takes an horrific experience and makes it a whimsical way to pass the time, only allowing enough of the horror to show through so that the reader can understand the irony of Cummings' presentation here.

   The book is well-written, though a bit jarring in places; it is written rather like you would hear the story from someone sitting next to you at the club smoking a cigar, although all too overeager at times. Cummings' enthusiasm for his subject, though, is a refreshing change from the usual war novel. This is not a book that is easy to digest, but is worth the effort. *** ½

4 comments about Benjamin O. Davis Jr., American : An Autobiography.

1. ¡§Benjamin O. Davis Jr., American: An Autobiography¡¨ is the memoir of a distinguished Air Force officer who happened to be African-American. While the title implies race-blindness, that is just wishful thinking on behalf of General Davis. Race defined his life and career.
   
   General Davis comes from a family well established in Washington, D.C. black society. His father Benjamin Davis Sr. enlisted in the U.S. Army, later earning a commission. This was in an America where strict segregation prevailed and black people were regarded in some circles as talking apes. The U.S. Army was no different. Black soldiers were in segregated units lead by white officers and a very few black officers.
   
   Nonetheless, Benjamin Sr. persevered ultimately reaching the rank of Brigadier General after 42 years of service. In doing this he became the first African American to become a General officer in the history of the United States.
   
   Benjamin Jr. followed in his father¡¦s footsteps. However he pursued his commission through the United States Military Academy located at West Point, New York. His appointment was from Congressman Oscar DePriest of Chicago.
   
   West Point did not welcome Mr. Davis. While he was eventually a member of the Class of 1936, it is no credit to West Point. He was the first black graduate in forty years. Shortly after his arrival, he was ¡¥silenced¡¦.
   
   The silent treatment is used by the Corps of Cadets to reject someone who they feel should not be at the Academy. Historically it is used for cadets with honor violations. In Mr. Davis¡¦s case, it was because of his race. When a cadet is silenced, no one speaks to you except in the line of duty. But the cadet is not ignored; he is still the object of cruel, petty practical jokes.
   
   The process was so traumatizing, Mr. Davis could still remember exactly which of his classmates had spoken to him socially before they were ordered not to. He never returned to West Point for fifty years. He had nothing socially to do with his classmates until he had reached the rank of Colonel and the military services desegregated.
   
   Interestingly enough, he began to receive apologies from his classmates shortly after his graduation.
   
   Ultimately, he trained as an Army pilot. During WWII, he led the fabled Tuskegee airman. He and his men successfully navigated the obstacles placed in the path by elements of the US military that did not want black pilots. He credits this to a strict adherence to military regulations, tight discipline and focusing on the mission. He knew the military system was determined to find fault with them and the first tool they would use would be the ¡¥book¡¦ and their performance as a unit.
   
   If you want to know about the remainder of his career, read the book. º
   
   One thing I found annoying about his narrative especially later in his career is he talks a lot about his friends. The mundane social life of he and Agatha drags the narrative down. But even this point gives insight to his career. He was a black man operating in a white world that did not want him.
   
   Visits from his future wife Agatha sustained him during his tenure at West Point. They were excluded from Army post social life. Even among his fellow black pilots, as the commanding officer, he could not socialize with his juniors.
   
   Only after the war, could he and wife have friends and a real social life. Only when society began to accept him on his merits did he begin to feel accepted as a man and an American.



2. I had the honor to meet Gen Davis at the very beginning of my Air Force career. Gen Davis was being honored by the mayor as the recipient of the key to Cleveland, Ohio. When Gen Davis saw me, at the time a 2nd Lieutenant, he called for me to come forward and stand next to him as he signed autographs and took pictures with the crowd. I was honored! As I read his story, I was determined to emulate the true sucess stories of Gen Davis and the Tuskegee Airmen he led. He was a man filled with the Duty, Honor and Country, West Point espoused. I recommend Gen Davis' book to any young man or women entering into our nation's military. The mentoring and coaching provided in his book should be relevant and pertinent to our modern day situation fighting worldwide terrorism. I try to actively promote his life's story and the lives of the various Tuskegee Airmen at http://www.BenjaminODavisJr.com.
   
   Webmaster, Owner



3. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. had a distinguished military career. He graduated from West Point in 1936, joined the Army Air Corps, and led a squadron of fighters in World War II, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he continued in service to his country. His service took him to Korea, Taiwan, Germany and the Philippines. Davis rose to the rank of Lieutenant General before his retirement in 1970. What makes Davisý journey so fascinating is that through out his military career he was opposed by those who felt that because of a particular physical characteristic, he was not capable of the job. Benjamin Davis was black. His autobiography, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., American, is a detailed account of his achievements and provides evidence of the success of his philosophy that, ýblacks could best overcome racist attitudes through their achievements.ý His story is an inspiring one, though the telling of it is sometimes hampered by the lack of personal detail.
   When reading an autobiography the reader evaluates the author as a person, what they did, what obstacles he or she overcame, and what their beliefs and opinions are. Next the reader evaluates how the author tells their story. The title of Davisý book gives us a clue as to the author and his character. It is simply, Benjamin O. Davis Jr. American. It is not ýGeneral Davis,ý or ýBlack American,ý or ýFighter Pilot,ý or any of the other titles he earned. In the title we can discern what he counts as most important, being an American. Perhaps that encompasses the creed of the West Point Military Academy; Duty, Honor, Country. This is ironic in that this same academy treated him so poorly. His persona is of a man with dignity, reserve and dedication to duty. He rarely speaks negatively of anyone with whom he worked. Benjamin Davis Jr. is a great man and his military record is proof of that. He did not need to write a book proving this, it is well documented. However, he was very important to the integration of the military and thus the civil rights movement and so his book helps the reader understand things that are not part of his official record. The purpose of General Davisýs autobiography appears to be three fold. First, it is a telling of his extraordinary life. As the leader of a fighter squadron and his rise to Lieutenant General his story is of interest to anyone who is interested in military aviation and military history of these important times. Second, the book shows racism in society and the military and how it was practiced. And thirdly to show how he used achievement to overcome racist attitudes and thus was a factor in the integration of the military. Benjamin Davis focuses on the conviction that, ýblacks could best overcome racist attitudes through their achievements, even if those achievements had to take place within the hateful environment of segregation.ý His book is a detailed account of those achievements.
   With any good story there are obstacles that the protagonist must over come. His determination is evident as he endures the silencing at West Point and at Ft. Benning. The missions and the deeds of the Tuskegee Airmen in North Africa and Europe are exciting and stimulating. These were dynamic times to be an aviator. Davisý writing style has some faults, though. Too often, especially in the later part of the book, it is dry with little personal detail. At times it seems he is copying from his appointment book: who he met, where he went, or what award he presented.
   What makes the book good is tracing the obstacles Davis had to over come to graduate from West Point and to build the first black fighter group. His book is not perfect in that it is dry at times and it leaves the reader wanting to know more of the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of this great man. But to be just, Benjamin Davis set out to be a military man not to be an author. The fact that he writes as well as he does, only increases my admiration for him.



4. I read this book about 4 years ago. It is a compelling read; one of those kind of books one will want to re-read again and again. The accomplishments of Benjamin Davis, Jr., one of the famous Tuskeegee Airmen, are well documented but not quite as well known. I wish every black person could read this book because what stands out is the excellence of a human being who would not quit. Moreover Gen. Davis, while he stands against racism, does not come across like so many of the racial hacks today (Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, etc.). He comes across as a man who, though black, follows principle more than some political vision of black triumph, which we have degenerated to today. So even though I say I wish every black person would read it to see how blacks can regain the sort of pride we once had without dependence on government, white people (or any other people) can get a lift from this book because what you see is a human being, who just happens to be black, triumphing with pride and dignity. I was so impressed after I read the book that I looked up Gen. Davis' address and wrote to him, asking for a response so that my sons could read it and I could use it as an example to them of a black man who had accomplished something great. To my surprise he responded very kindly. His book sticks in my mind as a great human triumph akin to the spirit of Richard Wright.

5 comments about Bedford Forrest: and His Critter Company (Southern Classics Series).

1. History can suffer at the hands of its practitioners, but that is certainly not the case here. Lytle can write and Forrest is the beneficiary of his talent. Lytle seeks to communicate the essence of the man and his time and largely succeeds. Although a vivid portrait of Forrest the man emerges, my one word impression of Forrest after reading this book is Warrior! I found it hard to put down.



2. Andrew Lytle was the dean of Southern writers, and in this work -- one of his earliest -- he not only brought to life America's greatest military figure, but an age and a people as well. It was Lytle's aim to make the times of Nathan Bedford Forrest come alive for the reader. He devoted himself to intensive research of the Tennessee where Forrest was born and the Mississippi where he lived.
   
   In reading this book we not only learn about the marvellous -- indeed, often incredible -- feats of a military genius, but we learn at the same time about the people, the places, the morals, the values, and the way of life of a people long gone now. (Lytle's subsequent book, A Wake for the Living, deals more pointedly with how much of the good of those days we have lost.)
   
   This book, although a worthy history, reads like a novel. It truly is one that is hard to put down once you get started.



3. In terms of his impact on modern warfare, no general of the Civil War had more than Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Not Grant, not Lee, not Longstreet or Sherman. This is the man. No less a general than Erwin Rommel studied Forrest's tactics and implemented them with modern weaponry when his Afrika Korps marched all over Libya and Egypt in World War II.

   The reason I say this book isn't for the "politically correct" is that it was written some 70 years ago, by a man of the old South who obviously idolized Forrest and everything he stood for. As you know already, not everything Forrest stood for was good. He was 100 years ahead of his time as a soldier, but stuck in 1860 in his personal beliefs.

   But...getting into the book. He was a brilliant commander who never had enough men under his command to turn the war in the South's favor. Still, he was a hero to the people of the Tennessee river valley where he won most of his victories, with good reason. When the Union troops overran these areas and placed them under military rule, Forrest made sure they treated the citizens decently. Once he even saved a group of innocent men from a flaming death at the hands of vengeful Union soldiers whom he was defeating in battle. Reading these and other stories makes you understand why he was such a hero to the author, who would have heard first-hand accounts of Forrest's exploits.

   Lytle believes that the South would have won the war if Forrest had been placed in command of the main Confederate army in the west, and he's probably right. Forrest was an extraordinary individual who had more impact on the 20th century than any other Civil War general.




4. I never fully appreciated the intellect of Forrest until I finished this book. It peels away the myths about the man, and tells about what he was really like. I loved it, and often flip around in it from time to time. A must for Civil War buffs!



5. Cunning as the Devil was Nathan Bedford Forrest and this book indicates just how quick and clever this military genius was. Little wonder then that Lee considered this dark knight to be his finest soldier, above even the legendary Stonewall Jackson.

5 comments about Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius (Automotive History and Personalities).

1. If you are an automotive historian, you like what you read in this book. WPC was an integral part of the formation of the auto industry and the reader will recognize many figures mentioned in the book. A must read for Mopar and Chrysler historical fans. WPC was an amazing well rounded engineer, marketer, and industry leader...not many had all the qualities he had to build a car company...



2. 
   This biography of Walter Chrysler is proof that sometimes less might be better. As Curcio says of his subject, "His progress took time, and was nothing if not methodical." The book indeed is methodical, and at times overweight with superfluous information. Scenes, especially during his early years, seem embellished and overdrawn - sometimes making for interesting anecdotes, but making this reader wonder when the main story would continue. Also for entire chapters Curcio seems to be using Chrysler's autobiography, LIFE OF AN AMERICAN WORKMAN, as his main (only?) source.
   
   Some judicious editing and trimming also would have been beneficial: included is a 50-page chapter on the early history of the automobile, for example, that goes on way too long to little effect. There are also some doubtful assumptions made, such as in this opening sentence of the chapter on the Chrysler Building in NYC: "Everyone knows that the Chrysler Building contains seventy-seven stories that rise to the height of 1,046 feet, 4.75 inches." Really? (And I thought it was 4.85 inches.) That chapter, by the way, after that dubious first sentence, happens to be, I think, the best in the book, and finds Curcio writing at his best.
   
   Also quite interesting and informative was the chapter on Chrysler's difficulties with streamlining and his famous airflow car. Curcio, who is described on the book's back cover as being a "long-time car enthusiast," is at his happiest writing about the technical intricacies of automotive engineering, and anyone sharing that interest will be delighted with much of this book. But for someone interested in a well-rounded, focused biography of the man who transformed the Willys-Overland and Maxwell-Chambers motor companies into the automotive empire known as the Chrysler Corporation, might feel a bit overwhelmed by the mountains of information, some not very relevant, needed to wade through before reaching the end of this book.



3. A great book! The author is big on automotive history, so you will know more about the industry and the people that formed it. Walter Chrysler just seems to be the man he tells the story around. I have found interest in other people from this time frame to read about too from this book.



4. Having read extensively in the past about both Ford Motor Company and General Motors, I was very interested in getting to know the other member of the "Big Three" (sadly, today we can only talk about the remaining two after Chrysler's incompetent Bob Eaton surrendered the company to Daimler Benz).

   Although the book is centered in Walter P. Chrysler the author finds it hard not to get carried away by much more imposing personalities in the early automotive business, mainly Henry Ford and William C. Durant (founder of GM). They are mentioned 52 and 53 times respectively.

   Both Ford and Durant are much more interesting personalities than Chrysler himself and if not for anything else, the book is worth the read just to get to know Mr. Durant. The reason he is much less known today than his other two competitors is that he resisted the temptation to change General Motors name to Durant Motors (he could have done it but decided the GM trademark was too valuable), later in his life he did found a company called Durant Motors but it didn't survive long. If there is an epic to be told about the automotive industry in the USA it is Durant's: he founded General Motors, was ousted from the company, founded Chevrolet, bought his way back to GM control, was ousted again, founded Durant Motors, lost everything after the crash of 1929 and if not for the monetary help his friends (including Walter Chrysler) gave him at the end of his life he would have lived his last days in abject poverty.

   Walter Chrysler actually made his reputation and original fortune working for William Durant at General Motors' Buick division and after he quit the corporation eventually assembled the Chrysler Corporation (mainly from Maxwell Motors and the Dodge Brothers enterprises). It was a great accomplishment in itself as he started very late (too late thought many) to matter much, and yet he climbed to the third place in sales and eventually to the second place (outranking Ford Motor from 1936 to 1951). Sure, GM (through Alfred Sloan leadership) outclassed both of them and by such a wide margin that (until very recent times) there was absolutely no comparison between the leader and the other two.

   An interesting fact mentioned in the book is that the Chrysler Building at New York was NOT built by the Chrysler Corporation, but by Walter Chrysler himself so he could give it to his children. At the time it was completed, it was the tallest building in the world.

   The scope of Curcio's book is very wide and you end learning many things from the first years of automotive history. In other words, it is much more than Walter Chrysler's biography. I fully recommend it.




5. Chrysler : The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius is an entertaining, engaging biography of a man and his times. So much more than a dry biography of one of the major figures of the automotive industry, this book by Vincent Curcio provides fascinating insight into American industrial life in the late 19th and early 20th century.

   Walter Chrysler was the quintessential "working man," a railroad (and later automobile industry) mechanic by trade who first mastered himself, then proceeded to lead others in the burgeoning automobile industry. His early years in the railroad industry and his transition from mechanic to leader are nicely chronicled along with the development of American transportation history. Mr. Curcio lucidly explains the evolution of modern manufacturing and the integral parts played by seemingly (taken on their own) inconsequential methods and practices.

   While not as well known as a man (although the car and skyscraper are certainly famous), Chrysler embodied the American entrepreneurial spirit as deeply as any other leader of the auto industry. He was willing to take unusual risks, some resulting in relative failure (the Airflow), but all transforming the nature of the industry. He was not an early pioneer, first joining Buick in 1912. However, he completely understood design, engineering and manufacturing techniques. Perhaps more importantly, his ego was of a different mold. He was not afraid to accept the ideas or contributions of his employees. Chrysler made decisions perceived as unusual. For example, he built the graceful, elegant art-deco Chrysler Building, headquartering the company in New York at a time, its silhouette dominating the skyline of yesteryear. He experimented with unconventional auto designs, unafraid to introduce concepts into full production. Yet for all of this, Chrysler remained an enigma, certainly less famous than Ford or GM's myriad of leaders.

   Mr. Curcio writes in a unique style, reminiscent of biographies penned in the early 20th century. His prose is fluid, yet the use of oft-archaic language transports the reader into a different era. The book is a real pleasure and there are a number of photographs inspersed throughout the text. HOWEVER, the primary problem with the book is the lack of proper editing and documentation of research in the later chapters. For example, there are numerous typographical errors and poorly constructed sentences. The last few chapters detract from an otherwise fine narrative. One glaring inconsistency is a mention of Chrysler's conversation with Wilbur Wright in Dayton Ohio when he was developing the Chrysler Airflow. That conversation must have been "via seance" as Wilbur Wright died in 1912.

   Even with the above, I'd recommend the book from the standpoint of biography as well as overall automotive history (as well as industrial history in general).

3 comments about Pirates, Privateers, and Rebel Raiders of the Carolina Coast.

1. I picked up this book after hearing a talk on the the recovery of the Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard's ship, now going on near Beaufort, NC. The book has the appealing qualities of great stories, excellent prose, and solid scholarship. Using Butler's references, a reader can explore way beyond what the book offers.
   
   Finding a chapter on James Waddell, born in nearby Pittsboro, NC, was a surprise and a delight. Waddell, in the closing days of the Civil War, circumnavigated the globe, intending to disrupt Union whaling, a task at which he succeeded admirably. Waddell's Shenandoah was the only Confederate ship to cruise in the Pacific.
   
   Butler's book highlights seamen of the southern coast, and brings to life vibrant personalities that most of us have not heard of. Pirates (Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet) get adequate attention, but are not the stars of the show. Otway Burns, a real swashbuckling privateer, is by far a more interesting character. The Confederate privateers are heroes in their cause, leading and surviving adventures worthy of an O'Brian or Forester. Confederate naval commanders (Cooke, Maffitt, Wood, Waddell) give a new face to war-time intrepidity. Most of those were names I did not know, but all were intriguing new personalities.
   
   The book is spare, describing eight individuals in a little more than 200 pages. Butler provides adequate detail, in general, but doesn't often go beyond that. Having read Butler's book, I want to find out more, as you might. Waddell's exploits, for example, get a book length treatment in the recent volume, "Sea of Gray," by Tom Chaffin. Maffitt's novel, "Nautilus," is still in print and could be worth a look. There are others.
   
   Butler's book is a tiny bit repetitive in spots, not a big surprise, given the degree of interaction among the protagonists. The repetitive elements are brief and not distracting. The inclusion of multiple maps is very useful for keeping geographical track. The photos emphasize that these were real people, with real lives -- including their loves, losses, heartaches, disappointments, and achievements. The tedium of a naval career is also abundantly represented. Butler does a good job of humanizing men who could otherwise have been caricatured as comic book superheroes. I also liked the descriptions of the innovations in ship-building that occurred, especially in Souther shipyards, during the War.
   
   A good read for the nautical history buff, worth the money to buy, worth the effort to recommend. The prose is accessible, I think, to adults and young readers from about high school age.



2. While visiting beautiful Ocracoke Island on North Carolina's Outer Banks recently I picked up this book in a local book store. I wanted to get some flavor of the island's history and had skimmed through a dozen or so titles before I settled on this one. I was not disappointed. Lindley S. Butler has captured the marine lore of the Outer Banks in a well written and researched book. "Pirates, Privateers, and Rebel Raiders of the Carolina Coast" chronicles, without sensationalism, the often bloody careers of eight of the most important personalities of the days of pirates, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. All, from the pirate Blackbeard to the Confederate raider James I. Waddell, are shone in realistic fashion. I was much impressed by both the wealth of sources listed and with the easy reading style of this work. It made a great read during my flight from Raleigh-Durham to El Paso. This is, in my opinion as a non-historian, the way histories should be written to make them more accessible to the layman. I have to also give my compliments to the University of North Carolina Press for publishing this excellent account, which stands out among any number of books on pirates and privateers.

   If you visit the coast of either North or South Carolina and wish to know more about the rich local history, you cannot go wrong in reading Butler's volume on the subject!




3. With Pirates, Privateers, and Rebel Raiders, Dr. Lindley Butler has written an exceptionally readable narrative that attempts to transcend the myths of sea outlaws and tell the stories of 8 important seafarers who operated off the rugged North Carolina coast. The book spans over 150 years from 18th century pirates, to privateers during the War of 1812, and rebel raiders of the Civil War. The stories of the notorious Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet open the book with engrossing tales about these pirates' lives and activities during their relatively short stints as outlaws. Historical consultant to the archaeological team exploring the 18th century wreck off the coast of North Carolina believed to be Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, Butler has researched some of the most up-to-date material on the world famous pirate, though much of Blackbeard's early life remains a mystery. Equally engaging are the stories of the lesser-known privateer, Otway Burns, and naval commerce raider Johnston Blakeley who operated out of North Carolina during the War of 1812. The poignancy of Blakeley's final days is skillfully told through Butler's narrative. The book concludes with the exploits of Confederate naval officers James Cooke of the ironclad Albemarle, blockade runner John Maffitt, naval commando John Taylor Wood, and James Waddell, the commerce raider who sailed around the world in the Shennandoah. The stories of these naval heroes of the rebellion reveal the intensity of the national struggle that shook the country apart and draw the reader into a deeper understanding of the personal struggles that affected so many in the nation. Although the lives of these eight men are not romanticized in Butler's book, romance is not left out of his narrative as family life and personal relationships are woven into each biographical sketch. Nonetheless, the action packed stories of these maritime warriors and thieves are thoroughly captivating, making the book difficult to put down. What Butler has reminded us is that history in its truest form is first and foremost about story-telling. He has succeeded in telling the stories of these men's lives in a way that is both historically informative and skillfully narrated.

4 comments about William Donald Schaefer: A Political Biography.

1. Having lived nearly my entire life under Schaefer's management, first as Mayor, then as Governor, I wanted to read about his personal qualities that made him such a success. This books explains that, as well as the many undercover forces as well. The only element missing is a discussion of why many of his successes were not enough to save the city from its current decline.



2. If you are interested in the politics of American cities this marvelous biography of the four-term mayor of Baltimore should be on the top of your reading list. C. Fraser Smith, a veteran reporter for the Baltimore Sun, has used the life of William Donald Schaefer -- a lackluster ward politician who surprised almost everyone by becoming one of America's most successful big city mayors -- as a vehicle for examining the inner workings of Baltimore during the last half century. In doing so he opens up a window through which to view and better understand every American city. With a sharp eye for detail and a knack for compelling narrative, Smith guides us through the morass of city politics, introducing us up-close-and-personal to an array of interesting characters who, at one time or another, performed on center stage with Schaefer. They include members of the mayor's staff, party godfathers, business leaders, neighborhood activists, obscure but powerful civil servants, black political leaders, and owners of sports teams, to cite a few. In his ability to employ ordinary citizens to tell a city's story, one is reminded immediately of J. Anthony Lukas' Common Ground, the Pulitzer-prize winning dissection of Boston. The reader senses that Smith, as a reporter on city and state beats, knew personally and had earned the trust of most of the key players he interviewed. They felt comfortable revealing to him the most intimate stories and opinions.

   Yet despite all its attention to the political context, the book stays true throughout to its basic purpose of creating a rich, reliable biography of a remarkable public servant. It will be as valuable to scholars of urban America as it will be enjoyable to persons wanting simply to immerse themselves in big city lore.




3. Just a terrific political history of Baltimore over the past 40 years. Wonderfully told.



4. If you weren't around to witness first hand the fabulous Mayor Schaefer years in Baltimore (or Governor later), or just want to reminisce this -is a must read. I was entertained and inspired, this man gives a new meaning to the word dedication. Highly recommend it, even if you're not from Baltimore!