Have you ever been on a date where you know early that you don't jibe with the other person? Sure, they could be perfectly pleasant, but this is not lHave you ever been on a date where you know early that you don't jibe with the other person? Sure, they could be perfectly pleasant, but this is not love at first sight. So, you don't want to be rude, and continue with the date to see if maybe everything will improve and instead you just confirm your first inclination. Unfortunately, Einstein's Tutor by Lee Phillips was one of those dates in book form.
Einstein's Tutor tells the story of Emmy Noether, who was a mathematical genius before most men realized that such a thing could be true. Emmy created a theorem which revolutionized our understanding of physics. We don't know Noether's name today and it is a profound tragedy. I did outside research and her genius is not exaggerated. She was the real deal who had a fascinating and sometimes sad life.
The reason I had to do outside research is because Phillips' book did not provide an enjoyable account of either her life or the strides she made scientifically. I don't know how else to say it but to be blunt. I did not like Phillips' writing. It read like a college lecture with numerous diatribes away from Noether. He constantly throughout the book will say things like, "In this chapter, I will explain," or "As I already talked about in chapter 4." As I said, it feels like a lecture where you aren't trusted to read and soak up the facts and characters yourself. Phillips will also make bizarre and misplaced comments which have no business in the narrative. Specifically, he makes a comment about how 100 years ago and today that American college students are not as prepared for higher education as German students. I have no idea if this is true, but it didn't need to be said and there is no backup to this assertion in the text in any meaningful way. It is not the only time grand pronouncement left unsupported and it is profoundly distracting.
This is all a shame as Phillips is trying to shine the spotlight on a woman who rightfully deserves it. In the beginning of the book, Phillips even states he is not a historian and will not be writing a linear biography. I think this was a mistake. I think if he had an experienced hand at this type of story to pair with his passion for Noether and her work, then this could have been a must read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and PublicAffairs.)...more
It would be very hard to dislike a book which name checks the Simpsons, Richard Pryor, and celebrates a good fart joke. Unfortunately, Shepherd SiegelIt would be very hard to dislike a book which name checks the Simpsons, Richard Pryor, and celebrates a good fart joke. Unfortunately, Shepherd Siegel's Tricking Power into Performing Acts of Love does not come together the way the title would suggest. On the positive side, Siegel is having fun and it can be infectious at times. He looks at jokesters, jesters, and comedians and how their acts could be subversive in drawing people in power to make changes.
The problem is I never felt that Siegel makes the connection of how these tricksters control power players in a meaningful way. Yes, Richard Pryor could make a white audience laugh at things while also making them think. The next part of that equation is difficult to prove and Siegel did not make me believe.
The other problem is that when you use pop culture for a book, you may end up with some unintentional problems. For instance, one trickster mentioned in the book is a football player who performed some funny touchdown celebrations. Since the book has been written, however, this player has proven to be a truly detestable human being with numerous crimes to his name. Siegel couldn't plan for this and I don't fault him for it. However, it takes the reader out of the flow of the book and it happens a few times.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
H.W. Brands is one of my favorite authors. I've read many of his books and I was primed to enjoy his newest, America First. The setup is simple. FDR wH.W. Brands is one of my favorite authors. I've read many of his books and I was primed to enjoy his newest, America First. The setup is simple. FDR wanted to move America towards fighting Hitler. Charles Lindbergh, American hero, felt the U.S. had no business intervening in World War II after the devastation of World War I. This is the story of a consummate master politician versus a man who seemingly had no fear.
The book writes itself. And even better, Brands knows this book is already written for him. What I mean by that is Brands litters this book with direct quotes (my favorite!) from FDR, Lindbergh, and various other people. I love it when a historian lets people speak for themselves while the author guides the reader by the hand. I don't want to hear what an author thinks about what Lindbergh thinks. I want to hear what Lindbergh said. I want to know the context. And then I want to make up my mind from there. Additionally, Brands stays laser focused. Yes, Churchill and other famous people pop into the narrative, but they serve their purpose and then exit. This book is about the two antagonists and it stays that way.
Brands' narrative is exceptional. I am sure of this because I am not terribly fond of FDR or Lindbergh and yet I was still riveted from page 1. This is not to say either is painted as a saint. FDR is still the political (conniving?) animal who won the presidency four times. Lindbergh is still a determined man who is painfully naive. The book made me find a new understanding with both of them amidst the greater discussion of American involvement in World War II. Brands presents them as they were in their own words. They both deserve that either for good or bad.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Doubleday Books.)...more
It turns out you can judge a book by its cover! The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned by John Strausbaugh tells you everythIt turns out you can judge a book by its cover! The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned by John Strausbaugh tells you everything you need to know about what's inside and it does not disappoint. The falling rocket picture is also a wonderful touch.
This is actually a harder book to write than one would expect. Strausbaugh needs to tell the story of the Soviet space program, but it would be bad form to celebrate too hard as a not insignificant amount of people died due to shoddy Soviet workmanship (or lack thereof). I think the author nails the tone, though. Strausbaugh drops in funny comments, points out ridiculous lapses in basic safety, but at the same time is almost in awe that people would work like this in life and death scenarios. There is a begrudging respect for these communist cowboys, but let's not take it too far. There is way more mockery which is well deserved.
If you are a purist who does not want humor in your history, then this book is not for you. I think you are missing out, though. I laughed, but I learned. Most importantly, I had a heck of a lot of fun reading it.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
A few disclaimers up front. First, I did not see the McMillions documentary before I read this book so I went in totally fresh. Second, I worked at McA few disclaimers up front. First, I did not see the McMillions documentary before I read this book so I went in totally fresh. Second, I worked at McDonald's as a teenager. What does that have to do with the book? Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to tell you.
The book McMillions is written by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte who were the producers/writers/directors of the documentary. If you don't know the backstory, then I have news for you. If you remember the McDonald's Monopoly game, then you of course remember how huge a deal it was. Well, turns out, you couldn't win. Not unless you were part of the conspiracy to steal the winning game pieces. (Childhood RUINED!)
The book is an easy read and interesting throughout with no dead spots in the narrative. The authors add dialogue whenever they can and the tone is light for the most part (side note: some dialogue may have been embellished, but my review copy did not have sources to directly verify so it might all come from transcripts). That does lead to a bit of tonally whiplash at times. There are some people whose lives were destroyed by this case and the authors treat their stories solemnly. However, the tone might veer quickly back to lighthearted. It's nothing fatal for the flow of the book, but it is noticeable.
The only thing which kept this from being a no-doubt five star book for me was the uneven coverage of some of the main characters. There is a woman who has a heartbreaking story and the authors give her some well-deserved focus in the middle of the book. However, she becomes more of a footnote after that as another character takes over the narrative. I would have liked a bit more time with a few people and for the timeline to stay a bit more linear. These are minor quibbles and should not make anyone shy away from picking this book up.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
Pioneering is a dangerous business. Crazy fact, everyone who helped settle Colorado is now dead. See? Very risky.
Eilene Lyon's tell the story of many Pioneering is a dangerous business. Crazy fact, everyone who helped settle Colorado is now dead. See? Very risky.
Eilene Lyon's tell the story of many of these people who are now buried in various spots in Colorado in her aptly named What Lies Beneath Colorado. Unfortunately, you have to come up with a star rating for Goodreads and I gave this one three stars, but this is more about narrative cohesion than anything else.
Lyon has unearthed (yup, pun intended) a multitude of cool stories. The research she did to fill out this book is extensive and impeccable. The problem with books like this is making it read like a cohesive story as opposed to a listing of loosely connected anecdotes.
However, if this sounds like something you would dig (pun #2!) then do not let the three stars scare you off. I think Lyon could have written this with a tighter through-line to make this an easier sell to a general audience, but this is by no means a bad book. The audience for it is just very narrow.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher.)...more
Giles Milton is so damn good at this. "This" being writing history books that read like fictional dramas. His latest, The Stalin Affair, is as great aGiles Milton is so damn good at this. "This" being writing history books that read like fictional dramas. His latest, The Stalin Affair, is as great as I had hoped. Milton looks at the doomed World War II bromance of Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt. For those of you who rolled their eyes at a history reviewer using the word "bromance", please read the book and tell me what word works better. There are specific episodes in this book which read like high school drama only with the fate of the free world on the line.
What I appreciate so much about Milton's writing is how he packs each page with information while making it feel like he is just chatting with you at a pub. Much of this book could read like an extremely boring rehash of diplomatic activities, but instead he makes it feel like a propulsive character drama.
And there is a lot of drama in The Stalin Affair. It is easy to forget that the Allies in World War II were not a collection of countries who loved each other while fighting evil. There were so many gray areas and conflicts that it seems amazing they ever worked together at all.
Milton also makes sure not to lose the other players in the drama. People who often become footnotes in other books, like Averell Harriman, his daughter Kathleen, and Archibald Clark Kerr, are given their due for making the successes of the Big 3 a reality. At the same time, Milton doesn't lose sight of the fact that the leaders of the free world were actively searching for the approval of one of the most evil men in history. This is all balanced out perfectly in the narrative and I could not put this book down.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Henry Holt and Company.) ...more
Samuel de Korte's Tuskegee Airmen is an excellent example of an author giving the reader exactly what they need to understand the subject. The book loSamuel de Korte's Tuskegee Airmen is an excellent example of an author giving the reader exactly what they need to understand the subject. The book looks at the entire timeline of the Tuskegee airmen from right before World War II to right after.
The narrative is short (less than 200 pages) and de Korte does not spend a tremendous amount of time on any one date or subject. This is in between a purely scholarly work and a work of narrative non-fiction. For example, there are multiple sections which start out reading like a military debrief. The thing keeping the reader from zoning out is that de Korte litters the book with passages taken directly from the airmen themselves. These passages give the reader a bit more emotional involvement then a scholarly work which would just be names and dates.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and felt it gave a great rundown of the Tuskegee airmen's history.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the author.)...more
Jacob Kushner has a lot he wants to write about in his book, Look Away. He wants to discuss Germany's thriving neo-Nazis, a specific trio of serial kiJacob Kushner has a lot he wants to write about in his book, Look Away. He wants to discuss Germany's thriving neo-Nazis, a specific trio of serial killer neo-Nazis, the families of the victims, and the extreme failure of Germany's police force. Any one of these subjects could be an excellent book. Unfortunately, Kushner tries to cover all of them in a scant 250 or so pages and it becomes a problem.
There are some very good aspects of Look Away and they aren't hard to find. Kushner is clearly passionate about all of these subjects and if you isolate any one thing in the book, he can write rather compellingly. Kushner makes a real effort to tell the story of the victims in a compassionate way. He clearly hates neo-Nazis. (Same, bro.)
The problem is the sheer scope. The first half or so of the book tackles the Neo-Nazi vs. punk movement. The hateful trio is introduced as well, but it felt like it was way more about the background and ideologies of a whole group and not just the main players. There are also characters who probably could have been eliminated from the text such as Katharina. She is by no means not worthy of being part of the narrative. However, she needed more page count to do her story justice or to be cut entirely because she isn't pivotal enough in the actual crimes and subsequent trial. By the time the book gets to the killing spree of immigrants and trial, the flow starts to feel rushed. Kushner needed to focus on one or two subjects or expand the book extensively.
The last thing which kept me from truly enjoying this book was Kushner's repeated criticisms of Germany's police force. I know nothing about Germany's law enforcement. However, Kushner does not miss an opportunity to spew invective at the job police did during the investigations. Again, I am not doubting Kushner's characterization as I don't know, but I do object to the number of times he feels the need to say it. He made his point and he needs to trust the reader that they understand and remembered what he has reported.
There is some very good and important information in here, but it does not succeed as a cohesive narrative.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
Well this was just delightful. Elizabeth Reese tells the story of the Marquis de Lafayette returning to the United States decades after the American RWell this was just delightful. Elizabeth Reese tells the story of the Marquis de Lafayette returning to the United States decades after the American Revolution in Marquis de Lafayette Returns.
I make no apologies for being a massive fan of the Marquis. Reese's book is slim (only about 140 pages) as she focuses on a very specific point in the life of Lafayette, but she also does some quick explanations of other parts of his life. What you have is a succinct and well-written book that even a non-history nerd can love because it is basically all highlights.
Speaking of love, you may be wondering why anyone would even write a book about the Marquis doing a visit to the U.S. so many years after the revolution. Quite simply, the country went nuts. The current politics were toxic (thank God it's not like THAT anymore) and Lafayette was beloved by everyone. You think Taylor Swift's concert tour is big? Marquis de Lafayette's "homecoming" made the attendance of her shows look like high school plays. No, I am not mocking Taytay. I am merely giving context. Don't tase me, Swifties.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the author.)...more
Relationships are complicated. They are even more complicated when both people are spies during World War II. This is the case for the couple in NahlaRelationships are complicated. They are even more complicated when both people are spies during World War II. This is the case for the couple in Nahlah Ayed's The War We Won Apart.
I am disappointed to say this book missed the mark for me. Ayed's prose is quite good but the story and the framing around it really lets the reader down. A technical but confusing aspect is the timeline of the book. The middle sections focus on when our main characters are dropped into occupied France. Ayed tells a lot of story (and side characters) in a relatively short amount of time. It throws off the timescale and we never really get time to sit with characters. The book is basically cut up into thirds which cover the early lives and military training of our protagonists, then World War II activities, and then their married lives after the war. This book is marketed as a World War II spy book and there is not enough of it.
The other negative aspect of the story may be just a "me" problem, but here goes. Without going into too many specifics, the love story between the two main characters suffers badly because of a love triangle. While you know that they couple stays together, the documented reason why they did is one of the most insulting I ever heard. After that, I had a hard time being invested in them as a couple and there was still half the book to go.
Ultimately, Ayed is a good writer, but this story needed to be told differently to minimize some rough edges. There is a lot of great World War II spy literature and, unfortunately, this one does not measure up.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
I have read some books with some weird themes before. Theodore Pappas' Combing Through the White House may just take the case, though. Pappas has writI have read some books with some weird themes before. Theodore Pappas' Combing Through the White House may just take the case, though. Pappas has written a book about presidential hair. No, that is not a typo.
In many ways, Pappas' book is stellar. He writes with a certain wink to the reader about how silly this can all be. The stories he chooses are interesting and there are a lot of little facts which keep the narrative interesting. This book is definitely fun.
Whether or not the "hair" aspect of the narrative holds up is a different matter. Some stories force Pappas to really reach to make hair a critical factor. He also needs to talk about non-presidents to barely pass 200 pages of content (with pictures throughout).
If you want an offbeat book with good prose and a lot of fun, then this one is for you.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher.)...more
This book (and everyone in it) is BONKERS. Abbott Kahler is one of my favorites and her newest book, Eden Undone, does not disappoint.
There is one majThis book (and everyone in it) is BONKERS. Abbott Kahler is one of my favorites and her newest book, Eden Undone, does not disappoint.
There is one major problem, though. I don't want to ruin this for you. I went in almost completely blind about the story. I think it's the best way to approach this. Here is what you need to know. Various people decide to try and create isolated lives with their significant others on a deserted Galapagos island. In order not to spoil anything specific, but to also explain just how bonkers the story is, I'd like to provide a list. The following things are in this book:
1. Spouse swapping 2. Hitler 3. Volcanic eruptions 4. Murderous cows 5. Actual murder....maybe? 6. Drownings 7. Shipwrecks 8. Nudity. So much nudity. 9. Sex, duh. 10. Bad philosophy
That's not even all of it. A story like this in the hands of a pro like Kahler is a guaranteed page turner. I shall say no more. I want you to end up on the edge of your seat like I was.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Crown Publishing.)...more
Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. To these iconic pairings, let's add video games and history. Don't believe me? Then let me introduce you toPeanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. To these iconic pairings, let's add video games and history. Don't believe me? Then let me introduce you to Tore Olsson and his wonderful book, Red Dead's History.
For the uninitiated, there is a video game franchise with three different games, Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption, and Red Dead Redemption II. All three are fun, but Olsson wants to focus on the sprawling, intricate, and surprisingly historically accurate Red Dead Redemption II. It follows some outlaws in 1899 on various adventures. Sure, some may ask, "Brendan, I don't play video games so why should I care?" First of all, that's a terrible attitude. Second, you have not yet lived, my friend. Finally, this game let's you be an outlaw and rob banks without the real life risk of death and jail. What more could you possibly want?
Olsson's book is compulsively readable. He calls out the good and bad of the game. For historians, I think most would be shocked how much it gets right. I've played all the games and they are immersive in a way you could only dream of back in the days of the original NES, Playstation, (or if you are super old), Atari. Olsson created a college class out of his idea and you can tell he was able to distill down the most interesting aspects and put them in the book. If you are well-read in this part of history, then you probably won't learn anything new. However, Olsson has written a book targeted at the person who doesn't realize they love history....yet. It's a triumph.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)...more
If JFK wasn't already dead, Maureen Callahan might have killed him with this book. Do I mean metaphorically, like he would have a heart attack? Or do If JFK wasn't already dead, Maureen Callahan might have killed him with this book. Do I mean metaphorically, like he would have a heart attack? Or do I mean literally, in that she might have bludgeoned him with a copy of Ask Not to avenge all the women destroyed by the Kennedy clan? Honestly, I don't know, but if you read the book, you probably won't be troubled by either possibility.
Ask Not is not a book interested in the positive aspects of the Kennedys. No, Callahan is here to document (exquisitely, I might add) every known woman who was used, discarded, and then destroyed when they became inconvenient. Sorry, I know "destroyed" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. It can mean killed, lobotomized, left to die in a car underwater, called a druggie/prostitute, driven to overdose/suicide, or just ignored. The "lucky" ones just stay in loveless marriages, and they were all loveless marriages.
I know that Maureen Callahan writes for newspapers which could be considered "right-wing" and that this book may be painted as a salacious hit piece on a prominent Democratic family. (For the record, Callahan also wrote the widely praised American Predator which I highly recommend.) Callahan tells the reader what her agenda is and she then fulfills that promise. Yes, the author spends 300 pages lambasting the Kennedys, but she is not doing it for political purposes. She is doing it to give a voice to the women who were shunted aside by the Kennedys and their enablers for decades. In fact, feel free to check the extensive list of sources Callahan provides if you think she is trying to pull a fast one. Callahan doesn't need to stretch the truth to make her argument. After all, when the patriarch of the family is willing to lobotomize his own inconvenient daughter, how much do you need to make up?
Something else I feel the need to highlight is that there is no discussion of politics in this book. None. Additionally, there is a well-known Republican who is lumped in as in the same class as the Kennedys. This is not a political book. It is definitely a true crime book, though.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)...more
Any person willing to verbally slap around Hermann Göring deserves a book written about them. That is what Pamela Toler does by writing a book about SAny person willing to verbally slap around Hermann Göring deserves a book written about them. That is what Pamela Toler does by writing a book about Sigrid Schultz in The Dragon from Chicago. Oh, and the title of the book? That is the name Göring gave her.
Schultz was a journalist who spoke so many different languages that I literally lost count. She traveled extensively and was based in Germany in the time between World War I and II. It goes without saying that being a female journalist at this time was impressive enough. To be a female journalist in Nazi Germany and unafraid to call out those in power is bravery with a side of suicidal tendencies.
Toler tells Schultz's story straight and includes many wonderful anecdotes. I definitely felt like I know who Schultz was and what drove her. I would say I felt like Toler probably could have pared down some of the book. There are certain sections which drag more than others. Also, it probably would have helped to add a bit more feeling to the narrative. Toler sticks to the facts, but for example, the sections on Schultz reporting from the site of concentration camps felt too academic. This is still a good book. My criticisms are mainly about why it is not as superlative as it could have been.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher.) ...more
I am torn on this one, dear reader. Tia Levings' A Well-Trained Wife is deeply moving. It also contains a fair amount deficiencies which keep it from I am torn on this one, dear reader. Tia Levings' A Well-Trained Wife is deeply moving. It also contains a fair amount deficiencies which keep it from being a must read without any reservation. As with any memoir, I am not reviewing Levings' life experience as whether it is worth a book because that question is immaterial. Everyone's life story deserves respect, especially when someone like Levings courageously opens up the wounds of a horribly abusive marriage. My review is concerned with how effectively she conveys her experiences to the reader. Let's dive in. Let's start with the bad, but please stick around for the good/great.
The beginning of Levings story is her childhood leading up to her marriage. The final portion of the book is Levings post-divorce and how she connects her experiences to religion and other social movements. In these sections, you can feel that Levings does not have the control over the material that she does in the "marriage" portion of the book. Her childhood seems rushed, and I felt there was a lot glossed over about her family experience growing up. Later, when she tries to speak to the larger Evangelical movement, her observations start to strain past her own personal experience. This leads Levings to flowery word choices and imperfect metaphors/similes that sound like an author trying too hard to paint a picture. She is trying to tell, not show. To be clear, we are talking about 30% of the book taken up by these weaker sections. Now, let's talk about the other 70%.
When Levings writes about her marriage (and the dating phase right before), she displays her talent by showing, not telling. The story of her abusive husband is visceral, compelling, and horrifying. She will still try a little too hard at times with her word choices, but her personal experiences and her ability to present her emotions to the reader left me unable to put the book down. It takes real courage to return to past trauma and admit how hard you were trying to please a terrible human because that's what you have been told is your sole reason for living.
So, do I recommend it? I think this very much depends on whether you feel the deficiencies I described will be too distracting for you to focus on the story.
I'm glad I read it, warts and all.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)...more
I run into a lot of books which try and get too cute with the narrative. Just tell the story. No storytelling tricks. No time jumps. Just tell an engaI run into a lot of books which try and get too cute with the narrative. Just tell the story. No storytelling tricks. No time jumps. Just tell an engaging story. Rick Jervis does this to perfection in The Devil Behind the Badge. Oh, he does something else which all great true crime does. He honors the victims and tells their story. In this case, it's not all roses.
The story is about how Border Patrol Agent Juan David Ortiz took the lives of four sex workers, Melissa Ramirez, Claudine Anne Luera, Guiselda Hernandez, and Janelle Ortiz (no relation). Jervis makes sure to tell everyone's story. For the sex workers, Jervis chronicles their drug addictions, attempts to get clean, and the families who tried to love them through it. For Ortiz, we get the background of a Veteran, fighting off demons, but with some sort of murderous urge he gives into. Jervis tries to answer as many questions as possible about this case, but he also acknowledges that much of it is unknowable.
Quite simply, this is just a journalist giving you all the facts. If you want well-written true crime which doesn't forget the victims, then this book is for you.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Dey Street Books.)...more
To colonize or not to colonize, that is the question. Adam Goodheart wrestles with this quandary in his book The Last Island. The island we are talkinTo colonize or not to colonize, that is the question. Adam Goodheart wrestles with this quandary in his book The Last Island. The island we are talking about is North Sentinel Island near India which has a tribe of isolated people. You may have heard of it when an American went to the island to try and bring Jesus to the tribe and was killed. Yes, Goodheart discusses that and no, Goodheart does not try and do the same thing.
Readers should be aware that Goodheart uses the experiences of many of the contacted tribes in the surrounding area of the Andaman Islands to fill in a lot of the blanks. I know other reviewers felt these were just padding, but I felt they filled in a lot of background and gave an idea of what the Sentinelese might be avoiding. And there is still plenty on the Sentinelese people including a British officer who was probably super creepy when you get all the facts.
Overall, I got exactly what I wanted out of this book and more....more
It turns out that crime does pay! Especially if you become a fence in NYC during the mid to late 1800s. A woman named Fredericka Mandelbaum found thisIt turns out that crime does pay! Especially if you become a fence in NYC during the mid to late 1800s. A woman named Fredericka Mandelbaum found this all out way back in 1850. Her life of crime is chronicled in Margalit Fox's The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum.
For those looking for a deep dive into Mandelbaum's inner life, you may be a bit disappointed. Mandelbaum's life as a criminal meant she wasn't writing a daily diary of her thoughts and activities. As an arch criminal, that would have been a very bad idea. However, Fox does what every great historical true crime author does. She drops you into Mandelbaum's world and the people within it. This includes crooked cops, master thieves, pickpockets, shady lawyers, and cultural touchstones like rampant antisemitism! You think Twitter is bad? You should see the words a New York paper would put on its front page back in the day.
I really enjoyed the book and the details Fox is so adept at finding and presenting to the reader. My personal favorite is always a good bank heist and they don't disappoint. Sure, I would have loved to learn a little more about "Marm" Mandelbaum herself, but then again, I probably wouldn't believe a word she said.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Random House Publishing.)...more
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