1 comments about With Great Hope: Women of the California Gold Rush.

1. This is an excellent book on the history of women during the gold rush period in Northern California. The book is a series of short biographies about several women who were key to the formation of the west as we know it today. Their successes and failures, hope and despair are all well chronicled - but kept brief and easy to read. Woven into the stories are issues that women faced, like the right to vote and working to support their families. You get a good feel for day to day life during this period. This book is inspirational for anyone today who thinks that like is hard, and would provide excellent supplemental reading for high school and college history courses. It has been painstaking researched, with information on how to learn even more.

No comments about Clara Barton: Courage Under Fire (Heroes of History) (Heroes of History).

5 comments about Jacqueline Du Pre: Her Life, Her Music, Her Legend.

1. When looking for a biography of Du Pré, I consciously avoided the ill-reputed memoir by her siblings and opted for this "more balanced" account. However, Wilson clearly has as many stakes in her recounting of Du Pré's life as Hilary and Piers du Pré had, and whatever the merits of this book, objectivity is not among them. I guess people who knew their subject personally rarely make good biographers, and in that respect the involvement of Barenboim in this venture is worrisome. Wilson's over-the-top, sustained exaltation almost becomes the verbal equivalent of du Pré's larger-than-life style of playing. But even a performer of this stature can give only one "best ever" concert, not ten or twenty...
   There can be no question about du Pré's extraordinary talent and charisma. Her 1965 Elgar disc still stands firm as one of the absolute must-haves of classical recordings. Why can't Wilson let that be enough, why the need to describe her subject as if she were a creature of all-round unearthly perfection? Du Pré has suffered much from the fact that her precocious talent set her apart from "normal" people; Wilson widens the gulf rather than bridging it, thus posthumously compounding the trauma. The fact of the matter is that du Pré was not only an extraordinary musician, but also an ordinary, flesh and blood, and therefore flawed human being.
   In Wilson's rendering, however, du Pré is literally flawless. This is most evident in her reporting on less than perfect concert performances. The blame is immediately diverted from the cellist: the instrument was no good; the conductor was unsympathetic; the orchestra was sloppy... When citing some insightful critical reviews of Du Pré's New York debut, rather than using them to add profile to her image, Wilson again jumps into defensive mode, not afraid to draw the embarrassingly feeble conclusion that these 'nit-picking' critics simply weren't able to open up to du Pré's artistry. She won't hesitate either to then go on and tell us why she, Wilson, thinks it was actually a very good performance - as if her personal opinion is of any particular interest to the reader.
   Worse, by letting go of objectivity, Wilson ignores the core dilemma of du Pré's playing: the overbearing presence of her personality in it, often overruling the intentions of the composer and sometimes reducing the music, as one reviewer astutely observed, to a mere "plaything". It explains her lack of interest in composers, backgrounds, or scores of the works she played; it may also explain why she chose to spend the tragically brief decade of her musical maturity playing the same, unadventurous handful of works over and over again, rather than exploring (let alone inspiring) new repertoire. She contented herself with works that were apt vehicles for her style of playing and was quick to drop pieces that did not immediately "fit" her (e.g. Shostakovich's First Cello concerto, or the Britten Cello Symphony). Wilson off-handedly explains Du Pré's narrow choice of repertoire with the extraordinary and nonsensical claim that the literature for solo cello is relatively limited. Why, even the father of her brother in law, Gerald Finzi, wrote a wonderful cello concerto she never played.
   Insights into the personality and psychology of the cellist are completely absent. How du Pré's personality worked, and why, remains completely unclear. Her refusal to accept real responsibilities, exemplified by the willy-nilly cancellation of concert appointments, suggests a certain immaturity - but Wilson simply files it under "spontaneity". Baffling contradictions abound. Du Pré needed an audience to be able to play, we're told, yet she played exactly the same whether she was in a recording studio or in concert. She remained simple and unassuming, yet was very picky when it came to selecting orchestra's with which she did and didn't want to play. The marriage to Barenboim was heaven itself, nevertheless all of a sudden they are breaking up and both conducting extramarital affairs, dramatic developments that are mentioned by Wilson out-of-the-blue, and as quickly passed over.
   By avoiding going into these thorny questions and glossing over du Pré's image, the book quickly becomes repetitive, even boring. We are told ad nauseam how strongly du Pré communicated through her playing, how rich her musical intuitions were, and how everybody instantly fell in love with her. Endless paeans of praise fill page after page. Claims are made that at times stretch credulity: did Muscovites really burst into tears by the dozens at hearing Du Pré play something as innocuous as Haydn's C major concerto? Was she really able to imagine the orchestral accompaniment of the Delius concerto from the solo voice alone at first acquaintance? Or are we crossing the line between biography and mythology?
   The breathless adoration unfortunately also goes at the cost of accuracy. The violinist is called Buswell, not Buzwell; Gerald Finzi died in 1956, not 1959; halfway through the Moscow chapter Natalia Gutman suddenly changes into Natasha; - even musical terms are misspelled: we come across things like "spicatto" and "fermato".
   By the time Wilson arrives at the harrowing final illness (dispatched very succinctly, by the way), she has put du Pré at such a distance from the reader and humanity in general that it is almost impossible to feel moved at all at this devastating tragedy. I will now be seeking out "A genius in the family", where hopefully Jackie will reemerge as a human being.



2. Jacqueline du Pré was a child prodigy on the cello. She made her debut at the age of 16, having been held back by her mother and cello teacher. But once she hit the stage - she became an international star. Her playing was so interpretive that she was often criticized for detracting from the music. However, she also influenced many notable classical musicians of our time with her fervent interpretations of the cello repetoire. Her career as a cellist, however, was short-lived as, at the age of 27, she was diagnosed with MS. Her cheerful demeanor and courageous outlook on life is chronicled here, as are most of her performances.

   This biography, while some times reading like a discography of Jacqueline du Pré is a very biased toward du Pré's husband's point of view, but much more even-handed about du Pré than Hilary and Jackie. However, Elizabeth Wilson is herself a cellist and student of du Pré and she makes a lot of assumptions that the reader will also have a thorough understanding of certain musical terminology such as up or down bow or glissando. This is an interesting book, but may be terdious to anyone who does not have a thorough grounding in the cello repetoire, classical music or the playing of a stringed instrument.




3. A sensitive book on the life of Du Pre as a musician and a person. This book contains detail reviews of Du Pre's playing in concerts. The readers will be Wilson also tell us about her life and struggles apart from her performing life. Good balance biography.



4. Du Pre-philes are going to be flush with pleasure after reading this. It's a scholarly work that seemingly pins down every concert that Du Pre ever played, often with mini-reviews of the performances. It's far preferable to the trashy "Hilary and Jackie" and does far better service to Du Pre's life and art. Thankfully, the ending segments dealing with Du Pre's illness are short and to the point.

   American readers should be aware that this is a VERY "British" book. Wilson uses British spelling and grammar throughout, and assumes a knowledge of the local geography. Like many British writers, Wilson has a charming ignorance of America, and even goes as far as to "correct" our spelling - "The Lincoln Centre (sic)", "Pittsburg (sic)", "The Carnegie Hall (sic)". On page 300, a truck stop in the Midwest is hilariously referred to as a "highway transport cafe."

   Recommended for Du Pre's many fans.




5. Elizabeth Wilson knew Jacueline du Pre and while such a relationship may not produce a good biography, this is an excellent one. This book is much needed, particularly following the film "Hilary and Jackie." This book answers all the questions about Ms. du Pre and gives us clear insight into who she was and how she came to be the woman who was unquestionably one of the great instrumentalists of the 20th century. I found myself reading this book and listening to recordings of Ms. du Pre play; an unbeatable combination.

No comments about City of Secrets: One Woman's True-life Journey to the Heart of the Grail Legend.

5 comments about Me.

1. I first became curious about the life of Katherine Hepburn after seeing how she was portrayed in the wonderful film, The Aviator, starring Leonardo DeCaprio. So, when I found her autobiography, ME, available on CD read by Katherine, herself, I jumped at the opportunity to buy it. Anyone who has respect and admiration for Katherine Hepburn should treasure this recording. Particularly endearing were the chuckles in her sweet voice as she read; her childhood memories of tree climbing; her memories Howard Hughes landing a plane on a golf course and finishing out a round of golf wth her; and her undying love for Spencer Tracy. The CD ended beautifully with one of the most touching descriptions of love this 52 year old man has ever heard. Her admiration for "Spence" has provoked me to explore his movies. Boom Town starring Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, and Heddy Lamar came on TV the other night and I would have never thought to care for it had it not been for this CD. The movie was a delight! I am now a Spencer Tracy fan thanks to Ms. Hepburn.
   
   I highly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys reflecting on the fascinating people who made their mark in society and helped to make our lives more enjoyable. In my opinion, Katherine Hepburn should be regarded as a national treasure.



2. Wow, how disappointing. The opening of this book leads you to believe you'll learn the true Katharine Hepburn, but it's all about how great, how loved she is, from her point of view. "oh they loved me", "Oh they thought I was beautiful", everything "was such fun" It's painful, very painful to listen to her chatter like a teenager who's so full of themself.
   Her brother commits suicide and even that was unemotional... pretend it didn't happen, that's Hollywood. She never exposes who she is, she acts throughout this book.



3. Listening to Ms. Hepburn's audiobiography now, what a witty and charming lady she was! We always knew she was so talented, and now we get to hear from her, herself, in her own words. She's a true star -- in every sense of the word!



4. Her life and her stories are so interesting and the way she tells them makes you almost hear her voice while reading the words. Her phrasing is almost like stream of consciousness (not like Virginia Woolf-stream of consciousness, just very fragment-y, incorrect grammar, etc.) I got the feeling that what she allows the reader to learn about is only a small fraction of what she really knows and has experienced in her life, not to mention that the stories are more than likely a little one-sided at times, as if the other person in the story, if you could talk to them, would have a completely different version of the same event. But that's part of the attraction of the book for me.
   Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot on Spencer Tracy, and leaves a bunch to the reader's imagination in that department (Spencer was married to someone else the entire time they were a "couple" and she alludes to the fact that they spent time living together; how did this work?). But you definitely pick up on her absolute reverence for the man and their relationship, which is why she doesn't reveal much.
   Overall it's a fascinating glimpse inside the workings of one of America's most famous, most talented, most enigmatic actresses with SO many quirks and interesting ideas and beliefs about life.



5. Katharine Hepburn was an amazing American actress and icon. Although you wouldn't think so reading this book, Kate doesn't think of what she does as anything to be ashamed of or boast about. I could still see her in the documentary after this book came out. She said Oscars are nice but they won't garden for you or something like that. She was a remarkable human being. I just have one criticism. She left out the Golden Pond but she also left a very nice page to her devoted platonic secretary, personal assistant and companion, Phyllis. I thought it was so touching that she wrote something so nice about her. It can kind of gives you goosebumps to the amazing person that she was. Sadly, she discovered her brother's dead body from a suicide. Her struggles as an actress and her relationship with the love of her life, Spencer Tracy, is also there for the audience. She clearly loved him so much and yet, they could teach today's celebrities a thing or two about being discreet but they were truly movie stars and gifted actors beyond my comprehension. Katharine, we miss you and this book provides us some of your voice.

3 comments about Sally Hemings & Thomas Jefferson: History, Memory, and Civic Culture (Jeffersonian America).

1. Black oral family histories were painstakingly recollected and passed down from generation to generation.The only possessions black families were allowed to possess were their memories- powerful and precious they were,and accurate as well.It is a tragedy that the descendants of Sally Hemmings are criticized for bringing forth what they already knew to be truth.To quibble over the fact that Jefferson's brother carried similar DNA misses this book's point entirely-Hemming's children had been told who their father was.Her descendants knew!The DNA evidence confirmed it.The central message of this book is not about the biological evidence,however.It is about the psychological and cultural issues that cause us to react in extreme ways(anger, fear, disbelief)to complex racial issues, particulary those regarding sexuality.In this respect the book is outstanding.It causes each of us to examine our personal and cultural viewpoints from both black and white perspectives. Americans of all races will benefit from reading this book.



2. I was present at this open house discussion that this book is based upon because as Assistant to Dr. E. A. Foster, I had requested to be present and was invited by Professor Peter Onuf, one of the authors of this book. Upon arrival I was denied a seat on the panel and told to seat myself in the audience and if I wished to say anything that the "open mike" at the end of the discussion was my conduit. I was immediately opposing this august panel's findings as it applied to the actual DNA findings. In my opinion it was a seemingly overwhelming desire to have the prevailing combined force that DNA had proven Thomas Jefferson guilty of fathering slave children. This book conveys this image for the reader. Many, many statements in this book are absolutely inaccurate and have not been proven by DNA.
   
   The very first page has a Jefferson-Hemings Family Tree that is outrageous in that it portrays Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings as being the parents of Madison and Eston Hemings (absolutely unproven). A note states that Eston Hemings is "almost" certain the son of Thomas Jefferson. Are these "authorities" educators or soothsayers?) The notes further state that descendants of Madison Hemings were not tested. This is true, HOWEVER, after deep research I found a deceased son of Madison and suggested to Dr. Foster, the Hemings, Dr. Daniel Jordan, Monticello President, and others that the DNA of William Hemings be tested adainst the Jefferson DNA and also against Eston Hemings DNA. ALL have refused to move forward to test this valuable science......WHY?
   
   Later they suggest that some sort of long term relationship existed between Jefferson and Hemings. How can this otherwise learned group make such an obvious incorrect assertation? This shows their lack of details of the long running controversy. The long believed, by some for obvious reasons , theory that Jefferson fathered Tom (Hemings) Woodson was completely obliteraterd by the DNA test......No Jefferson/Woodson match, thus James Callender was proven a liar. Not only that, it was almost 6 years after Sally returned to Monticello that she had a first recorded child, Harriet I.
   
   An assumption is made that if Jefferson wasn't guilty then some other white man on the plantation was and the Carr brothers are mentioned. This again provides evidence of the very limited knowledge that the authors have of the DNA subject. Thomas Jefferson inherited a mullato named Sandy from his father, Peter. It is not too far removed to see that this man, possibly having Jefferson DNA and sandy or reddish hair, could have fathered "yellow people", as referenced by story tellers. These male offspring, having the Jefferson DNA and physical traits, could have fathered Eston Hemings the ONLY Hemings tested. The original Dr. Foster plan was to "prove or disprove" the Carr brothers implication in this slave parentage. Because Dr. Foster had not given Nature Journal the valuable family genealogy that I had given him, when there was no Carr match with any other of those tested, THEN Nature Journal in the absence of being aware of any other Jefferson, "assumed" and wrote a false and definitive headline that it was Jefferson, yes, just "SOME" Jefferson....but not necessarily Thomas.
   
   It is stated that Jan Lewis, one of the authors, "analyzed" that Jefferson was evading the truth by not denying the rumors. Jefferson DID write his Secretary of the Treasury, Levi Lincoln and Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith that he did admit to seeing a married lady friend when he was young and unmarried BUT that was the only rumor about him that he would admit to and denied the others. Jan lewis is also very anilitical in stating that the white Jeffersons told lies in that they said the Carr brothers implicated themselves as fathers, however DNA told otherwise. It must be remembered that ONLY ONE of Sally's children's DNA was tested. Since the Hemings refuse to test William Hemings (son of Madison), how are we to know that Madison is not one of those referenced by the Carr brothers or one of the others. Annette Gordon-Reed says that Jefferson must be the doting father, described by daughter, Martha, and not the indifferent one described by his son(what proof), Madison. I have no faith at all in what Madison is supposed to have said in the Pike Co., Ohio article. Who could believe that tale about Dolley Madison being present at Monticello when he was born on January 19, 1805. She was acting as Mr. Jefferson's Hostess and her husband, James Madison was Secretary of State. Are we to believe that she suddenly announces to these two that she has heard that a male slave is to be born at Monticello and she must be present to name him for her husband, James Madison. Never mind that predicting the sex of a child is a fairly late feat. Leaving both men in Washington she heads out in the cold, muddy and frozen roads over rivers and creeks and uphill to Monticello. Never mind also that Monticello was closed and under constuction most of the time when Jefferson was away. The Madison Papers indicate that the Madisons NEVER visited Virginia during the winter from Washington. This book places much glory upon this Pike Co., Ohio article written by Samuel Wetmore, from an abolitionist family.
   
   As for Annette Gordon-Reed......she now states in later versions of her book that DNA does not prove that Jefferson fathered the descendanmt of Eston Hemings. She was also taken to task by the blue ribbon panel of 13 senior scholars known as the Scholars Commission ([...]),for taking and rearranging words and complete meaning of a letter from Ellen Randolph Coolidge (Thomas Jefferson's granddaughter), to a family member.
   
   This book cites Dr. Foster's statement that the DNA evidence "neither definitely excludes nor solely impliocates" Jefferson in the paternity of Sally Hemings' children. He has stated this in e-mails to me, in Nature Journal (January 7, 1999), the New York Times article of early 1999 and in other publications. Then HOW and WHY do non-DNA literate "authorities" come rushing forward to assume that since Jefferson owned slaves he "MUST" now to have been found to share Jefferson DNA with a slave descendant. DNA does not honor given names. There are many too many other citations that try to prove anything to substantiate their claims. If the group of contributors to this book wish to do something constructive let them pursue the DNA of another male Hemings, William, and also read what the Scholars Commission Report says. Why don't they challenge those from "the other side of research" to a nationally broadcast debate? So far none of them have come forward for this.
   
   I recommend reading this book to at least learn how a group of people can sway the minds of some people by ignoring the research of the other side. Let us hear BOTH sides of any question.
   
   May I please ask readers to order the new book, "Jefferson Vindicated" with a forward by the distinguished past Director of Monticello. Ordering information may be secured from the cited web pages.
   
   I recognized most of the well recognized names on this panel and knew they were authorities on the slavery issue. Other than Dr. Eugene Foster, none of them knew any of the "nuts and bolts" of the DNA Study that I had participated in advising Dr. Foster in family genealogy and history and securing sources for DNA study.
   
   Herbert Barger
   Jefferson Family Historian
   Assistant to Dr. E.A. Foster



3. The problem with books about history is that they are almost always an interpretation: the author's. At best the author is willing to share the conflicting evidence with his reader, at worst the author omits it and pretends it doesn't even exist. But even the most faithful author can't put everything in a book so a selection has to be made. That's why the critical reader ends up reading a lot of books about the same subject. To be able to grasp most of the material, evidence and theories that are circulating. That way he/she is able to form his/her own opinion about an issue. But if the issue is Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings the reader will likely end up digging through tons of material and will still be very confused and very indecisive. Until recently one of the only books on the topic worth reading was Anette Gordon-Reed's "Thomas Jefferson and Sally Heming: An American Controversy". Because of it's painstakingly revealing of the mistakes, omissions and lies that previous writers had committed and for it's refusal to take a final stand.

   This book however was written after the 1999 DNA tests that revealed that Thomas Jefferson very likely fathered Sally's last child Eston. And that he didn't father Thomas C. Woodson. But one has to keep in mind that the recent testing still don't prove Jefferson's paternity exclusively. Another male relative from the Jefferson line could have fathered Sally's last child, since they share the same Y chromosome. The book offers a number of refreshing essays written by scholars. Each one of them looks at the relationship from his/her own field. Trying to describe and explain what this new evidence means to themselves and their previous writings and views on TJ. Sometimes describing how they fell into the trap that so many historians fell into when dealing with TJ. They also try to describe the way the American mind thought about TJ and how this new evidence will influence peoples views and opinions.

   The strength of the book is that it has been written after the revealing DNA tests. It also presents a lot of authors, each with his/her specific knowledge, views and convictions. Rather than just one author. But the really weak point is that the book fails to give a clear outline and explanation of the recent DNA test. That's the chapter that it should have started with. Since that test is the core, the very foundation upon which all these "revisionist" writings build. And also because a test like this needs explanation: not everyone is familiar with cellular biology and what it really means.

5 comments about Mostly True: A Memoir of Family, Food, and Baseball.

1. What a wonderful book of the American Family. Written from the perspective of the oldest sibling, who is also the only girl, it is just plain fun. Growing up without a lot of money doesn't mean life has to be boring or painful. Parents don't have to be perfect and neither do the kids.



2. For anyone who grew up around Columbus, OH in the 60s and 70s, this is a must. But, incredibly, O'Neill makes the book fascinating as well for her look at NY and its restaurant scene in the 80s and 90s. And the glue to the whole narrative is her and her family,including her famous little brother, Paul. Well done Molly.



3. Molly O'Neill has a very engaging writing style that pulls you into her world. It's a world peopled with the wildly obsessed, but go along as the ride is enjoyable. Molly O'Neill writes about a life that straddled midwest big city longings with utopian politics and food plays a big role at all stops. My only quibble is that the book has less to do about being Paul O'Neill's sister than the book jacket may lead you to believe.



4. After reading this book I ordered several copies as gifts. That probably says it all, but I can't just leave it there. Molly O'Neill and her family grew up in the neighborhood where I live and I was taken by her memories of family life where she was the only girl with five male siblings and a father whose main focus was baseball. The exploits of the boys had me laughing out loud while also being thankful I didn't live next door to them.
   I enjoyed reading how Molly's cooking expertise evolved and even included her brothers in this endeavor. Her writing, as always, was a delight.



5. I've been reading Molly O'Neill's book. Being a Central Ohio native I'm familiar with many of the places and situations she describes from her childhood. I'm enjoying the memories and the quality of her writing.
   I do want to make one remark about part of her book. Molly writes in several places about her family's ventures into playing baseball in Plain City, Ohio. I was raised in Plain City in the same time period as Molly's childhood and while she does describe the ball field very accurately, she tends to refer to the city as being an Amish community. Plain City, in the 60's, was a home to a lot of Amish farmers, but they were not the majority of the residents. In most ways, it was and indeed, still is, a typical Midwestern small town. We just happened to have buggies on the street occasionally. We do have 2 Amish restaurants, but the Amish themselves moved away long ago because of the proximity to the growth of Columbus.
   Anyway, aside from that small point, the memoir is wonderful and I would recommend it not only to those people raised in Central Ohio in the 60's & 70's, but anyone who wants to understand Midwestern people, especially families.

2 comments about Monsieur d'Eon Is a Woman: A Tale of Political Intrigue and Sexual Masquerade.

1. At first this book was intresting,but it soon got confusing.One page he was flirting with Ben Franklin(as Chevaliere d'Eon,of course),the next page he was crying in his room to Madamoiselle Bertin.After he 'became' a woman,the book concentrated on the books in his library(Extremly boring).All in all,it's good,because it helped me realize that d'Eon wasn't this crazy politian,but he was 'pretending' so that he would get a second chance.But I still think it was a stupid move,but at least he'll be remembered for it.



2. D'eon was more interesting than I'd ever realized. It appears that she adopted womanhood out of faith and feminism as much as personal needs, yet her motives remain mixed and mysterious. This book does a good job of showing her own complexity and that of her era.

No comments about Alice Walker: Critical Perspectives Past And Present (Amistad Literary Series).

No comments about Yoko Ono - A Portrait of an Avant-Garde Artist (Biography).