5 comments about Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintences and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career.

1. Anyone who has read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote knows that it was his best writing. He created a new genre of reporting and fiction combined by immersing himself in the subject of his book. He spent months living in Kansas where the Clutter family was murdered and many hours with the two young men who did the killing. After the blockbuster book came out, Capote was catapaulted into celebrity and high society. This book is so interesting because it follows Capote's life from childhood through his rise and fall from grace. His friends and acquaintances tell the story as if you were sitting there listening to them discuss Capote, the good and the bad. Truman was an elfin sprite, full of stories, not all true but extremely entertaining. But at the end of his life he was using drugs and alcohol to deaden the frustration of being unable to top his masterpiece book and finding nothing better to write about, turned on his high society friends, writing a tell all book about them using thinly disguised characters. Because of this, the people who made him, dropped him out of their lives completely, leaving him bewildered. He had wrongly assumed that they would understand and forgive him. After that he simply drifted and declined physically, drinking until his body gave out. He died in the arms of his best friend Joanne Carson, exwife of Johnny Carson. He knew he was going and begged her not to call for help, as he was worn out and finished. I think I would like to read In Cold Blood again, this time with a different understanding of Truman Capote.



2. As a fan of Plimpton's witty style, I picked up the Capote biography, only to realize that Plimpton didn't write it. Instead, he interviewed dozens of people and let them tell Capote's life story. At first, I was mildly disappointed but soon understood the irony: Capote was infamous for his gossipping, and now these acquaintances are gossipping about him. In the same way that Capote created a "nonfiction novel" with In Cold Blood, Plimpton compiled a "subjective biography" that focuses on Capote's public persona more than his private life. (Perhaps because much of his private life was public.) The interviews are colored by the subjects' relationships with Capote, and many of them have an agenda in talking about him, so I would not recommend the book to someone who wants to read a factual chronicle. However, it is entertaining and gives a portrait of the New York high society--in which authors had a place, unlike today (I think)--probably better than a standard biography could provide.



3. Full of salacious detail and struck through with the the vagaries of human nature, this oral history highlights, in an immensely readable way, the arc of ambition that propels the talented Tuman Capote to reach beyond the world into which he was born. The journey takes us on a wonderful romp through post WWII New York society and careens toward a place where our subject falls to his own singular sirens. It was a great Nantucket beach read.



4. I really liked this book. I am a Truman Capote fan, and the book was wonderful. A must read for Capote fans especially!



5. Honestly, Capote would have loved this book, he loved the subject above all others. Ths late Plimpton does a fine job getting many of Capote's friends and admirors, as well as detractors, to give an insightful look at this singular man. Capote was complex and manipulative, but people were drawn to him, he was the ultimate self promoter. I really think even those who hated him, missed him when he died. He could be heartless and cruel, but he had a certain quality, I guess it's called star power, that made him a very powerful friend to have, he rode the success of In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffanys to the apex of society. He was painfully insecure and it's sad that he felt people were only his friend because of his ability to write great books, it's tragic that late in life he felt the need to make up the fact that he was writing this masterpiece, I think he was terrified of writing the book that would follow In Cold Blood, that I believe is what lead him to write the ill advised Unaswered Prayers. You will really want to avert your eyes when the vail is pulled away on Capote.

5 comments about The Family Story of Bonnie and Clyde.

1. Marie Barrow the youngest of the Barrow children decided to tell her story regarding Bonnie And Clyde and brother Buck Barrow but unfortunately she died within 60 days of meeting her co-writer at the age of 81. The result was mainly rehashed stories that I had read in other publications. Not enough of her personal story was included which I attribute to her untimely death. To bad the book did not go real deep into Marie and her families personal perspective. I feel the co-writer felt he had to complete the book with recycled stories



2. I wanted to like this book. It was written by family of Clyde, so I thought that it might have some interesting insight into the minds of the two notorious criminals. But the book skipped from event to event without going deeper into the whys AT ALL. I did not enjoy this book one tiny little bit. I thought the writing was stilted. I thought the story lacked emotion and didn't get us involved with the characters at all. There are MUCH better books on the subject out there!



3. If you've seen the movie and liked it, but wanted a little more detail and background info then you should really check out The Family Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Phillip Steele and none other than Clyde's own sister Marie Barrow Scoma. This book really takes full advantage of Marie's first hand knowledge about her brother and runs with it. Although, if you have a problem with violence or gruesome details i would probably avoid this one. Clyde Barrow's life begins near Teleco, Texas where he spent his early years often left to the care of his older sister Nell. He and his 6 other brothers and sisters were often unintentionally neglected by their parents. Even as a young child, Clyde loved movies with outlaws like Jesse James and would imagine himself to be these outlaws for weeks after seeing the movies. His family never stayed any one place very long, and, as a result, the kids didn't attend much school. The family soon moved to West Dallas, a homeless and vagrant area. Clyde left school at age 17, and, being handy with cars and machines, he easily found work. His first crime was merely taking a few turkeys from a neighbor's yard, but not long after that he pulled his first armed robbery. Then, teaming up with his brother, Buck, and a few other friends, he robbed the Buell Lumber Company. Soon after this is when the Outlaw Gang was formed and they robbed a few more shops before getting caught. When this happened, Clyde decided to clean up his act and he opened a family gas station with his dad. Clyde met Bonnie in January of 1930. Bonnie Parker, who had just suffered a divorce, was helping a friend who had broken her arm when Clyde stopped by to visit the girl he also new. "It was apparently love at first sight for both of them." Clyde spent the night at the Parkers and must have been pretty embarrassed when police showed up with warrants for his arrest. Bonnie wrote Clyde in jail and pleaded him never to do anything like this again, but she later aided in his escape by slipping him a gun that he and an inmate used on the guard. This marks the beginning of the infamous duo known as Bonnie and Clyde. Over the next few years, the 2 partners in crime, along with various other gang members, successfully rob over 100 businesses. You probably already know or at least have heard about the dramatic finale, but just in case, I'll leave it to you to read the book. I will tell you, however, that the tragic ending involves over 200 bullet holes. This book altogether gives an in depth background to each member and has incredible action along with humor and drama. I enjoyed The Family Story of Bonnie and Clyde tremendously. Even if you haven't heard, read, or seen anything about Bonnie and Clyde, this book covers everthing from A to Z( even whether or not Clyde was homosexual)in a way that is fairly easy to follow. I would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys action and a gripping tale of love, hate, betrayal, comedy, and two wild outlaws.



4. It was a pleasure to learn more factual details about Bonnie and Clyde. What a fascinating account of the lives and deeds of this notorious pair. I certainly recommend this book.



5. As a newspaper editor and historian in north Texas, "The Family Story of Bonnie and Clyde" by Phillip W. Steele was extremely helpful in my research. This book provides a wealth of important details that, taken with other records, helps provide a deeper understanding of these two outlaw icons. I look forward to seeing Mr. Steele's next release on Bonnie and Clyde. Tony Swindell, Sherman (TX) Herald-Democrat

5 comments about Hero of Flight 93: Mark Bingham (An Advocate Books Life Story).

1. In the aftermath of 9/11, several news articles mentioned that Mark Bingham was gay and a Republican. As a gay Republican myself, this naturally interested me. However, according to this biography, he was actually a Libertarian, though like most Libertarians he agreed with the GOP on many issues and on at least one occasion he worked for a Republican's campaign.
   
   What's really striking about this biography is how very normal Mark Bingham was. He was nicer than a lot of people, and he did show a protective instinct all of his life; once he attacked a mugger to protect his friends from him. But aside from this, he was a fairly ordinary young man with career successes and failures behind him, working and having fun with his friends and wondering if he was doing the right thing with his life and if he was ever going to find a life partner.
   
   It was also a little amusing that the biographer tried to gloss over one of the few qualities in Mark Bingham that would be likely to offend some: he was a "bear" and like some conventionally masculine gay men, effeminate gay men bothered him. Barrett mentions this as briefly as he can and then emphasizes the more tolerant comments Bingham made about effeminate gay men, trying to imply that Bingham knew his distaste for them was wrong and was striving to overcome it. Maybe that's true, but I could see that Barrett was concerned that this bit of personal taste might prejudice gay readers against him.
   
   All in all, it's a good and balanced study of an ordinary man who became a hero because the opportunity sought him out. It's inspiring to know that such an ordinary man can be so heroic.



2. This book has been successfully written to tell the story like it should be told. Mark Bingham and the others on United Flight 93 have given new meaning to the term Hero!! This book is a wonderful addition to any collection of the events of 9/11!! Mark stood up in the face of terror and paid the ultimate sacrifice. It is because of him and the other heroes, that an even greater tragedy was avoided. This day could have been much worse if not for the courageous efforts of people like Mark Bingham!!!



3. This short biography of Mark Bingham, who died on Flight 93 that terrible day of September 11, 2001, most likely as a member of a heroic group attempting to thwart the hijackers who had taken over his plane, is carefully written and researched by one of the senior editors of the Advocate. He's done the best job possible of presenting Mark Bingham as the human being he was, which includes the fact that he was a gay man. The parallels and differences drawn between Bingham and the gay man who saved Gerald Ford from possible assassination by Sara Jane Moore are very striking and food for thought. Most of the quotes are carefully chosen and only occasionally, as in a long string of e-mail correspondence between Bingham and a friend, is there a suspicion of padding.

   Ultimately the impact of this book is muted solely by the fact that no words can adequately reproduce the impact of the attacks that changed America forever, and too many facts tend to obscure, rather than clarify, the subject and its attendant emotions. The short quote from Mark Bingham about his philosophy of life near the end of the book, as related by one of his friends, is more moving in context than anything else. If you know what I'm talking about, it's not necessary to read the rest; if you don't, it's worth buying the book just to read that.




4. Reading this book was the most moving experience I have had in a long time. I really wish I had the honor of having known Mark Bingham, but now I find that I mourn his loss just as if I had. He, along with the others of Flight 93, should never be forgotten for their ultimate act of bravery. It will take me a long time to get this short account of such a rich and full life out of my mind, and it will never leave my heart. We must all promise ourselves never to forget Sept. 11 and stick together the way Mark did with those he loved. Rest in peace, Mark, and God bless all of you.



5. What a wonderful book protraying Mark for who he was. I had the honor of knowing this fine man. It was wonderful to read about different things that happened in Mark's life and remembering him telling me about those times.

   September 11, 2001, brought many heroes forth. I do not think people in our nation really knew what others would do for others and and what cost to themselves. Mark's selfless acts were a modest reflection of the many things he did for others.

   His story is extremely well told and will give you more insight into the day will now think of as, Patriot Day. He was truly a patriot. His actions and those of all the people on board Flight 93 have given us hope since they fought the first battle against terrorism.

No comments about The Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb: An American Slave (Wisconsin Studies in Autobiography).

4 comments about Tumult in the Clouds.

1. "I've read aviation books for well over 30 years and when I read Goodson, was amazed by it. Before joining the USAF, Goodson piloted Spitfires in the RAF. While Goodson's narrative is chronologically ordered, he breaks off at points and discusses individual pilots with whom he's flown. Humor, terror and tragedy and finally redemption rolls off his pen as he pays tributes to his fallen comrades. Goodson's score of 32 kills puts him among the highest of Allied fighter pilots but as the Strafing King, his try at a Me163 rocket fighter sitting on an airfield brings an end to his career as a fighter pilot and the begining of his career as a kreige (PoW slang for prisoner of war). Only his wits keeps him alive since Goodson was to be shot by the Gestapo as a terror-fleiger. A masterful story teller, Goodson's book belongs on your shelf."



2. One of the best fighter pilot biographies ever written. Fast paced, touching, emotionally written but not corny.
   
   They are all there: Gentile, Godfrey, Blakeslee, Clark, Beeson. The fighting sequences are breathtaking without looking exaggerated.
   
   I recommend this one without doubts.



3. This book is really another great book for all that love books about combat aviation! Major Goodson takes you on a journey from being on a torpedoed sinking ship, flying with the Eagle Squadron during the Battle of Britain, to flying with the 4th Fighter Group under the command of Colonel Don Blakeslee,then eventually ending after being shot down and becoming a POW.
   
   Not only does this book portray the extraordinary life of Major James Goodson it also gives accounts of the bravest men he served with who are no longer with us today. He goes in to the greatest detail of these men from thier sense of humor, thier lucky clothing items they wore,and sadly how brave and how young they died. Read this book! You will not be disappointed.



4. Maj. James "Goody" Goodson was one of the top American aces of WWII and served with two legendary outfits: the RAF's Eagle Squadron and, of course, the 4th Fighter Group in the USAAF. This book is more than just the story of Goodson's service in WWII. Each chapter focuses on one or more member of the 4th. It's basically a fighter pilots' hall of fame. Gentile, Godfrey, Blakeslee, Hofer and more. These are stories of incredible heroism, and heartbreaking loss. Goodson writes in a straight-forward, easy-to-read style, that effectively portrays life in a fighter squadron. He talks about the aircraft they flew, including the Spitfire, P-47 and their beloved P-51 Mustangs. One of my favorite stories that dealt with the bond these men had for their fellow pilots, tells of the group returning from a draining strafing mission. Some had to be literally lifted out of their cockpits. But when they were told that the Air, Sea Rescue team hadn't located one of their comrades who had ditched in the North Sea, they got back in their planes and went to look for him. It's too bad they can't make a film about these guys. Unfortunately, there are no actors alive today that could carry it off. If you enjoy books about WWII's air war, you'll like this one.

5 comments about Twelve Years a Slave.

1. I, like another reviewer, read this about 8 years ago when in a college Civil War course. I never sold mine back because I knew I would want to read it again. I also immediately bought copies for my mom and a friend that is a descendant of Caribbean slaves. I can't believe this book isn't more widely known; in fact, it saddens me because Solomon Northup's story is so riveting and deserves recognition.
   
   I was glued to the story from about the third chapter to the end. It was almost like a thriller or mystery because you want to know what happens! Much of it was heartbreaking, though. I had tears streaming down my face when he describes Patsey's predicament. The unending hope and love from his family really touched me, too.
   
   I think this account is even better than Uncle Tom's Cabin for 2 reasons. First, the plot is not as disjointed. Second, and most importantly, everything in the account is true. What's even more amazing is that the author, despite being stolen from his family and forced into servitude, remains somewhat objective about his ordeal. He is a natural storyteller. You can tell Northup was extremely intelligant and observant. His prose is beautiful and easy to read despite being written in the 1850's.
   
   Anyone with even a remote interest in American slavery or Antebellum/Civil War history should read this book.



2. I had to read this book for school and was very suprised because the story takes place in and around my hometown. I had always saw the "Northup Trail" signs but never knew what they were about until I read this book. I grew up in Avoyelles Parish so this story really hit home. It is an awesome but tragic story everyone should read.



3. While browsing thru the Boston Public Library in 1970 I accidentally came across this book. I have read it at least ten times over the years, have kept in touch with the editor, Sue Eakin, an expert on the South and cultural matters of this kind. This book is an inspiration to everyone. You will be amazed at the tenacity and sheer courage of Northup as he makes his way thru 12 long years on the plantation, and remember that he did not KNOW it would be 12 years. Every Jan 3 or 4th I wake up and think to myself, this is the day Solomon was set free! This book is clearly a treasure that is relatively unknown. You will not read this book only once-----



4. This book presents its readers with a first-hand account of not only the cruelties of United States slavery itself, but more importantly it touches upon the ways in which other areas of social life were negatively influenced by the institution. Solomon Northup was a black man who was born a free black man in New York in 1808. In 1841, Northup was kidnapped in Boston and take to the south to be sold as a slave. He spent the next 12 years as a slave, and this book was written after he was rescued in 1853.
   
   Many people have associated this book with "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ever since the former was published. While the story line is not exactly the same, there are a lot of similarities. Most notably, both books have evil Northerners and benevolent Southerners, a feature that I think is too often overlooked. This adds credibility to Northup's account, insofar as he does not simply condemn all Southerners. Other themes, such as the break-up of slave families, the harsh treatment of slaves (especially female slaves who had the misfortune of handsomeness), and camaraderie between slaves also reflect those written about in "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
   
   In the past the credibility of Northup's work had been in question, especially since a newspaper worker helped him write his account. However, in light of the vast number of particular details the Northup provides and the extent to which those details match up with other records, historians generally view this work as an authentic and truthful account of a free man sold into slavery. This is an incredible read, and the fact that it is a real account makes it even more fascinating. This book should be required reading for high school or college American history classes that cover the Civil War era.



5. A compelling and wrenchingly honest first-hand account of slavery, many
   times breaking my heart and making me think of the children of Africa
   today. A new book, "The Last Witness From a Dirt Road" which takes
   place in 1946, was given to me after commenting about Solomon Northup's
   narrative, and it could almost be a sequel to Twelve Years a Slave,
   written a 100 years later by the son of an overseer on a plantation
   along the banks of Bayou Bouef in the same location in Louisiana. Old
   social and economic orders seemed little changed from 1841 to 1946,
   tragic, heart rendering but both books are riveting and honest, are
   timely and universal.

5 comments about Woodrow Wilson: World Statesman.

1. I am reading all the presidential biographies in order and just finished this book.
   
   Overall, I thought it was just "okay." I like my books to be in chronological order. This book was organized loosely chonological, but by topic. It made following the chain of events rather difficult. Also, the auther wrote the dates like this: 29 March 1917. Rather than March 19. That was a stumbling block and a distraction.
   
   This read more like a textbook than a biography, which made it rather flat and dull. He devoted page upon page to the intracacies of war finance, but breezed over and barely mentioned the death of his wife and his debilitating series of strokes in the twilight of his administration.
   
   If I can identify with the subject of a biography and feel as if I KNOW the subject, I can say "this is a great book." And, as corny as it may sound, I feel sad at the end when the president dies. In this book, there could have been several instances where I could have "felt" the book -- when his first wife dies, when he dies, etc. I didn't feel that at any point in the book, which means I didn't get close to Wilson.
   
   If you are reading all the presidential bios like I am, this is a good book to get a general idea of what Wilson was like so you can move onto Warren G Harding. You'll probably need to go back and read the multi-volme bios available on Wilson to really FEEL him or to undertsand the complexities of the events leading up to and including WWI.



2. The writing in this book is good, but in places it jumps around in time. It is also slow paced and not light reading. However, it covers Woodrow's life pretty well for a one-book volume.



3. "God helping her...she can do no other!"

   Unlike our current prez, Wilson was no war monger. He earnestly sought peace even as he committed our boys to the 20th centuries first horrific war. This is his story and I highly recommend it.




4. Kendrick A. Clements "Woodrow Wilson" delivers what it promises -an excellent introductory study of our 28th president - in just 223 pages of text. Some readers may want more intimate details about Wilson and the people in his life; for them there are 11 additional pages of pertinent bibliographical information. Clement's brief book, nevertheless - billed as the 'best available one-volume biography' on Wilson - provides the reader with that essential information that prompts many historians to rank Wilson in the top tier of U.S. presidents. We learn, for example, that Wilson (our only Ph.D. president) was one of just a handful of our truly intellectual presidents - i.e., he loved books and ideas and was a voracious reader of books and a prolific writer of books. He was the son of a Presbyterian minister who'd instilled in him a love of his fellow man and a desire to serve his fellow man. Wilson - like Theodore Roosevelt before him - came to believe that the federal government is an organ that must be involved in helping those unable to help themselves. As president he pushed through legislation that protected workers, women, and children from abuse and exploitaton in the workplace. He believed in the capitalist system and in the prerequisite free market conditions; consequently, he fought against any practices employed by business or industry designed to create monopolies or restrict free competition. As president he felt obligated to be deeply involved in both legislative and executive branch activities - in order to better realize his domestic and foreign affairs goals. Wilson was a decent man with a wide range of significant accomplishments: after acquiring his Ph.D. (political science) at Johns Hopkins University, he distinguished himself in a number of capacities - as a college/university professor, university president (Princeton), governor (New Jersey) and U.S. president (2 terms). While he was in office women got the vote, the Federal Reserve Bank was established, the mechanism for funding government activities was changed (the graduated income tax was adopted to suplement less effective tariff and excise tax revenues). When U.S. entry into World War I became unavoidable, Wilson vowed that the war should end with something positive - namely, with a non-punitive peace (provided for in his '14 Point Plan' for peace)and with the creation of an organization that could prevent world wars in the future (he proposed the League of Nations). Because U.S. congressional opposition was more powerful Wilson failed to achieve these goals - but he did win a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Nevertheless, Wilson was correct in warning the world that a punitive peace would cause serious trouble in the future (aka Adolph Hitler), and he was correct in predicting that the world would eventually be forced to create a collective organization of nations (aka the United Nations) to resolve international disputes and to punish nations who violate international law. We now see that Wilson was also important as the transitional president who helped the United States abandon its 19th Century isolationist positions - and he did his best to push the country into the modern era (20th Century) when it would eventually accept and assume its duties and responsibilities as a leader among nations.



5. Woodrow Wilson. Here was a president who put himself in the middle of European power politics in order to achieve the goals he had in mind. This book helps to suggest a man of action and persuasion at a time when most Americans were fed up with affairs that didn't concern them. Woodrow Wilson is regarded with respect, but at the time he was proposig the League of Nations as the answer to the world's problems, he was criticized left and right. We now know that his policies for peace and security were right, and if Wilson was president today, we could be made certain that the world would be at peace. This book, which was written in such a way as to paint a picture of a daring, courageous president, is by far one of the better books on Wilson that I have ever read. I would recommend this account of our 28th president to both the serious student of American Presidential History, and also to the laymen reader. This book is more of an outline of alreay well-known facts, and serves as an introduction into the life of one of our country's greatest presidents.

5 comments about Howard Hughes: Aviator.

1. Written from a test pilot's perspective, this is the real story of an unusual man who was a magician with lots of money. Hughes was a true pioneeer in aviation, constantly on the newsreels. He had a fascination with planes, even those which could float on water. There is a picture of the Hercules after it was brought of storage in 1980.
   
   The pictures of so many airplanes brought the story so much better than words could do and Hughes contribution to the war effort. He was truly the Aviator of all time, better then the celebrated Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh. I'm glad he had Bruce Burk at his side to aid in this quest.
   
   After he changed TWA to TransWorld Airlines, he ran into conflict with PanAm president who told him in the Coconut Grove, where a lot of the personal interaction took place, that no airline should have a monopoly on international travel.
   
   There were scandals with the women, though he appeared to enjoy touching planes more than women. He "interviewed" many young starlets under contract to him. He was clear at the end that aviation was the great love of his life. He was dubbed as capricious and eccentric, but mainly he was afraid of people -- paranoid, thinking there were spies in his midst to learn his secrets.
   
   If he loved any woman, it was Kate Hepburn who left him for Spencer Tracy, He visited her family in Conn. but felt alienated, and she tried to dominate him. He wanted to control Ava Gardner and asked her to marry him. Both women appeared in his delusion to prepare for the Senate hearing. He was alo involved with Rita Hayworth and Terry Moore, who claimed to be his wife when he died. The senator accused him of producing a dirty movie and making airplanes which don't fly.
   
   At the hearing, it was promoted that the whole world will see what he has become. The Hercules (later dubbed the Spruce Goose) became Howard's folly, the sixty-ton white elephant with a wing span the length of a football field. It was meant to fly 200 tons of army equipment. When he successfully got that plane out of the water, it proved his ability to overcome his tarnished reputation. The senator charged Hughes with defrauding the government for accepting millions of dollars for spy planes he never delivered.
   
   George Marrett wrote CHEATING DEATH: COMBAT AIR RESCUE IN VIETNAM AND LAOS in 2003. This is the real story of Howard Hughes contribution to aviation, his first and last love.



2. Well written and well documented book tells about Hughes life from the aviation perspective. Although it probably wasn't the author's primary intent, I was shocked to read how bad a pilot Hughes was with questionable flying ability and certainly flawed judgement. By 1948, Hughes had had 9 major head injuries with at least 5 of them in an aircraft (which may explain his erratic behavior in his later years). A must read for flying buffs.



3. This was the first Hughes book I've read, although I've chased down several more since. It's probably impossible to write a full bio of Howard Huges, given the extra large size of his life and all of his accomplishments... and the extra deep depths of his fall.
   
   George Marrett has probably realized that, and limits the bio to some of the larger events of Hughes life, centered around aviation. He does a great job there, with inside stories (from extensive interviews of Hughes contemporaries) that are fascionating, and inspiring (for Hughes accomplishments - which were many and unique).
   
   Don't buy this book expected to see the full story of Hughes life... or a more detailed view of The Aviator movie (which apparently took more than a few liberties). Buy it to more fully understand Hughes great aviation contributions... and the times in which he lived.
   
   Fortunately, the book stays classy to the end, and avoids the tabloid view of Hughes life (and his end). We can get that type of view elsewhere.. if we want to waste our time. For now lets focus on the great persona of Hughes, and the the fascinating times in which he made his greatest contributions.



4. This is a good book and it reads pretty well. The story often deviates from Hughes (especially in the second half) to go into stories about many of the pilots and engineers that worked with Hughes. This isn't unreasonable because these are the people that the author had access too and they also have interesting lives. However, I feel that this distracts from the Hughes story and I suspect is done to fill in the many gaps when no one knew what Hughes was actually doing. If you are interested in the aviator side of Hughes I feel its worth the purchase.



5. Oh gosh, this is a good read. Buy it! Take it with you when you go to see Leonardo playing Howard on the big screen, so you can keep the airplanes straight and also remind yourself that, for all his genius, Howard Hughes was a rather shabby pilot. (A ***** stick, as they say in the Air Force.)
   
   To save money on aeronautical charts, he flew with the road maps handed out free by oil companies. He ignored air-traffic controllers, filed misleading flight plans, identified himself with the name of his co-pilot, flew under visual rules in bad weather, and cut off the pilot ahead of him in the pattern. Even as a passenger, George Marrett writes, Hughes could turn a routine flight into a debacle. His big ambition was to outshine Lindberg.
   
   Of course Howard Hughes was more than an aviator: he made movies, ran an airline, designed the half-cup bra, founded aerospace companies, made billions, and was the country's most famous hypochondriac. But those are incidentals as for a fellow pilot like George Marrett, who flew a rescue Skyraider in Vietnam and wrote about it in Cheating Death, and who afterward became a test pilot for Hughes Aircraft. By concentrating on the aviation side of his former boss, Marrett has written a short, readable, and fascinating biography. In his hands, Howard Hughes turns out to have been a lot more interesting than Charles Lindbergh, though he never came close to him as an aviator.
   
   -- Dan Ford

3 comments about Finding Jefferson: A Lost Letter, a Remarkable Discovery, and the First Amendment in an Age of Terrorism.

1. ....and that's a hell of a thing for a conservative Republican to say. I've always liked his style, even when I disagree. This short, but profoundly great, book gives his views of the First Amendment, filtered thru the metaphorical lens of a short letter written by Mr. Jefferson in 1801. Despite profound differences, Mr. Dershowitz and I share some things in common: [1] We are both pack-rats [2] We both revere Thomas Jefferson [3] We both love America. But then, he's a Red Sox fan, and I'm a Yankee fan......and, while we agree about the First Amendment, I suspect that we might part company over the Second...
   
   Alan Dershowitz found the letter in question in a rare book store a couple of years ago...it deals with Mr. Jefferson's disagreement with the views of Reverend Stanley Griswold, who advocated limitation on the freedom of speech. Jefferson decried limits, prefering to await "the first overt act". Well and good, but Jefferson did not face weapons of mass destruction [though he did have to deal with Islamic criminals]. The book deals point by point with Mr. Jefferson's arguments, with Dershowitz playing "Devil's Advocate". Dershowitz then branches into specific examples of how Jefferson dealt with problems in his own day. [I may add one slight point of disagreement; Dershowitz states that the Aaron Burr treason case of 1807 brings no credit to Jefferson...well, neither was it John Marshall's shining moment...Burr should probably have been acquitted on the merits, but Marshall still ran it as a rigged trial for political purposes]. He ends with his own views of the First Amendment...no limitation of free speech by the government. Period. I am fairly sure he would support me in the arguments I had with school authorities over my son's right to wear a Confederate flag T-shirt {I won}. But, nobody questions my Confederate flag tie at work...strange.
   
   This is one of the greatest books I have ever read. EVER. It reveals a human side of both Jefferson and Dershowitz that is engaging. Brilliant people are still people. And, this is a good place to give my own theory of what made Jefferson tick, though it's probably way off base...he was a man not bothered by contradictions. Mr. Dershowitz defended the idiots in Skokie; it bothered him [still does], but he made himself do the right thing; [I think] Jefferson would have done the same, and never worried about it a bit. If you want to spend an afternoon really understanding the First Amendment, this book is for you. I can't recommend it highly enough!!!!



2. Alan Dershowitz and Thomas Jefferson were collectors. Dershowitz, inter alia, collects antiquities. He loves objects with aesthetic and historical significance. Dershowitz travels to flea markets and book stores seeking treasure. Much of the focus of his legal activities has centered on the line between speech and act.
   
   The greatest acquisition of the author's career as a collector came from the Argosy Bookstore. It is a Jefferson letter about freedom of religion, (and of speech and ideas). The letter had been passed down through generations of the Boardman family who reside in New Milford, Connecticut. The historian Charles Beard learned of the letter's existence in 1926 and quoted from it. In turn, the sentence appeared in several important legal decisions.
   
   The letter was sold to the Argosy in 2006. Alan Dershowitz's daughter believes he has become obsessed with Jefferson. (He has now bought a number of books and souvenirs pertaining to Jefferson.) Through his letters a person is able to get into Jefferson's head the author asserts. John Adams hoped that Jefferson's letters would be published. Jefferson pardoned persons convicted of violations of the Alien and Sedition Acts when he became President.
   
   This book is of great interest to lawyers and to historians of ideas.



3. Saturday Night:
   I received Finding Jefferson as a gift today from my sister-in-law Linda. Thank you Linda, I loved it. I read the book today, I thought about it today, and I wrote these comments today.
   I have always thought of myself as a Free-Speech Absolutist. I still want to call myself that but here are my thoughts - inspired by Jefferson and Dershowitz.
   1) An anonymous man on a soapbox in the middle of a public park is the perfect symbol of what "free speech" seems to suggest. Why? Because, no matter what he says, people who choose to listen to him are under no obligation to believe him or to be swayed by him. They are as free to listen as he is to speak. In any event, he will most likely be thought a crackpot for speaking in public to a crowd that may or may not form.
   On the other hand, the speech of your military superior, your gang leader, or your boss at work is not JUST speech. The relationship between unequals in a formal hierarchy is not just speech. Coercion is a necessary part of this kind of speech, the result of discourse among unequals. If your CO or your boss tells you what to do, your refusal to obey may have serious consequences. For example, a neo-Nazi speaking in front of a crowd of onlookers who are totally free to listen or not is exercising his right to free-speech, even if he advocates mayhem. On the other hand, the same speaker speaking to his lieutenants and his subordinates and advocating mayhem is conspiring to commit crimes and ought (perhaps) to be accountable even before the commission of any crimes. In sum, speech between unrelated equals is always free and ought always to be protected; speech between members of a group with a pecking order may be coercive and ought not to be entitled to protection as free speech. (vs. Jefferson & Dershowitz)
   2) Not all speech consists of IDEAS. a) Some speech is opinion or taste, which of right ought always to be free. b) Some speech is factual, or not. PERHAPS the propagation of some kinds of untruths among a closed group ought to be actionable: should society allow the teaching of blatant falsehoods? Should the teaching of 2+2=5 be allowed to be taught in a religious school? Should the denial of the Holocaust be permitted under the law? I don't have an answer to this, but it is worth examination. Teaching falsehoods as the truth is not the same as propagating an idea or an opinion or a political preference. c) Some speech is directive: do this! Is the command of your leader merely a case of "self-expression"? I think not. d) And some speech, masquerading as IDEA, is just emotional vomit. Again, the fellow on the soapbox in a park ought to be free to tell lies and to urge insurrection; the leader of a gang or a religious group perhaps ought to be constrained not to tell utter falsehoods or urge insurrection to his ignorant followers. In other words, directive speech from a superior to a subordinate ought not to be protected, because it is not really speech at all.
   3) Religious speech ought always to be free (PERHAPS excepting outright falsehoods); but speech turned into action is no longer speech. The fact that much religious speech is ridiculous is no reason to deny it protection.
   4) Imams directing their obedient flock to kill the infidels are conspiring to incite to murder or treason. When your spiritual leader tells you what to do, you exercise your freedom to refuse to do it on pain of eternal damnation. This is the same as being told what to do by your CO or your boss, but more so. It is not free speech because the speaker's listeners are not free to ignore it; it ought not to be protected, as it is NOT JUST speech. When a speaker thinks his words are law, his speech is not just speech. Many Catholics are pro-choice, despite the Pope and their own priest. When listeners are truly free to disobey, speakers ought to be free to say what they will. (vs. Dershowitz & Jefferson)
   5) The free marketplace of ideas is just as free as the economic marketplace is free. Neither is free! There are areas in this country where all the news is filtered by one corporate owner with a significant political agenda to push. Or many big owners with similar agendas. Not to mention the fact that many Americans are so closed-minded that alternative ideas will not be listened to and cannot be heard. The speech of such monopolistic speakers must be seen not as free as in a market of multiple viewpoints. In other words, some kind of regulation is called for in this case. (vs. Jefferson)
   6) It seems to me that Islam has real cause to be angry with the West. Just as black and red men have real cause to be upset with white European Americans. We should sit down and air our grievances openly. Well, no, we should sit down and listen to them air their grievances with us; WE should just shut up and listen for a change. However, insulting Muhammad is within our most narrow definition of protected speech; the freedom to insult the Prophet is protected, and that freedom is not negotiable. Neither is a new Muslim Empire spread by force negotiable. But we would do well to listen. For a change.

5 comments about Portrait of Hemingway (Modern Library).

1. As a true Hemingway fan, I found this book to be neither entertaining nor insightful... However, the afterword that follows it is quite interesting and contains a few fascinating stories. I recommend Hemingway's own book "A Moveable Feast" for anyone who wants to truly understand America's greatest writer.



2. Lillian Ross has the eye and ear of a reporter and the writing ability of a distinguished novelist. This feature on Hemingway, originally a NEW YORKER piece, is a delight for fans of Ross and fans of Hemingway of which I can be counted as both.

   The story begins as Miss Ross meets Hemingway at Idlewood Airport (now JFK) in New York City in 1950. Ross spends the next two days going to museums, shopping, and meeting Hemingway's friend Marlene Dietrich and Editor Charles Scribner.

   She's so unobtrusive in the story, you forget that she was actually in the room. When Hemingway talks to her, it's like a character has stepped out of a novel to speak with the author. You get this feeling because "Papa" is so much himself that he doesn't seem to be hiding his true personality from a member of the press corps.

   I learned a good deal about Papa in this short book. You will too.




3. This slim volume covering a mere two days with Hemingway will take about an hour or two to read. However, it's merit is that it is presents us with a 'bird's eye-view' of Hemingway's later years, the alcholism, his relationship with his wife Mary, his son, and some of his old friends. It also gives us a glimpse of his feelings about his writing in his own words. For those who have enjoyed Hemingway's fiction and read biographies of his life, this book is a must.



4. Portrait is a glimpse into the life of Hemingway over a two-day period. For fans of Hemingway, this is a fascinating snapshot of the famous Hemingway bravado and an offering of the vulnerability and sensitivity flowing immediately under the gruff and overly-confident exterior. Hemingway's passion for art and alcohol is found here, and one can't help but be reminded of his earlier devotion to, and inspiration from, painting rendered in A Moveable Feast. Sadly, one also anticipates the later disability compounded by the excessive drinking that finally extinguished such a brilliant career. This book caused a commotion when it was first published because Hemingway came across as insensitive, but it is only the lazy reader not willing to dig a little deeper, and only the reader who allows the powerful prose of Ross to lull them into mere observation, who fails to recognize the whole of Hemingway's character. If you are a Hemingway fan, or you want to scratch the surface of the life of a great writer who showed no fear in displaying his faults as readily as his virtues, and you don't mind a few character quirks along the way, read this book.



5. It's a remarkable piece of work, both loving and accurate. If you don't like his kind of macho, I guess you could call the Portrait barbed; but she obviously loved it and him enough to win his trust. He opened up for her and, in the welcoming sense, took her in. I'm left full of wonder for the way she got his words, as well as his presence, down. You can see, too, how his early work, with its pared-down clarity, influenced her style. This is biography without conjecture -- biography at its best.