Had to ask myself--why bother at this point? 'Water under the Bridge' perhaps? But it turned out to be a really useful reminder and guide to the detaiHad to ask myself--why bother at this point? 'Water under the Bridge' perhaps? But it turned out to be a really useful reminder and guide to the details of the political corruption underlying the Hilary emails and the Russia hoax (which indeed it was) and how that was played out in the trenches of Washington, DC from in 2016-2018. The entire episode was as close to an internal coup staged by the top law enforcement agencies in the country as any to my knowledge in U.S. history. James Comey in his of his roles as self-anointed Hilary Clinton 'exonerator' and Trump 'killer' has to be regarded as among the least ethical (to be very kind) men it has been our misfortune to employ. Little good can be said of his friends and associates Robert Mueller and Rod Rosenstein, both of whom had huge and obvious conflicts of interest which demanded recusal. Greg Jarrett (himself a lawyer and former trial attorney) presents his case in a methodical and systematic manner with plenty of supporting evidence at every step as any good lawyer should. It is not an entirely dispassionate account but rather steeped in a simmering resentment at the legal and political travesty that was played out. His indictment of the Trump-hating mainstream 'media' (actually just a giant spox of Dem talking points) is slightly more heated and for good reason. The 'fourth estate' in this country has quite simply abased itself to a level that I would not have thought possible at one time. To think that Pulitzer prizes were handed out in 2018 to the NYT and WaPo over their 'reporting' on these events is a permanent blotch on that on that brand.
This all may seem like 'ancient' history as the shelf life of political stories is often measured in hours or days. Yet the consequences were profound and nearly destroyed a presidency. As many have noted, those who should probably read this (or anything that pierces the cacaphony of dis- and misinformation endlessly promulgated by the MSM) in all likelihood will not. But for the rest of us and certainly for anyone in anyway close to this 3rd Trump campaign it should be required reading. The blueprint of how powerful Washington officials (both elected and administrative) will lie, distort, leak classified material at will to their sycophants in the MSM and anything else they can conjure up (e.g. lawfare) to destroy this man is sure to be repeated in coming months on a scale that may yet defy belief. 3.5 stars rounded down cause it is generally a fairly dry factual account which really should not be a criticism. In fact think I should just go up instead!...more
Phew! I won't be 'forgetting' Korea any time soon! Had to put the pedal to the metal on this one and managed all of nearly 1,000 pages in a little ovePhew! I won't be 'forgetting' Korea any time soon! Had to put the pedal to the metal on this one and managed all of nearly 1,000 pages in a little over a week. The Korean War--I read T.R. Fehrenbach's classic 'This Kind of War' many years ago and thought it could never be topped in a one-volume history of that now long ago conflict. And I don't know that this one did or did not surpass his. Fehrenbach was far more 'readable' as I recall but it was a first-time reading on the history and the amazing first year will not fail to astound anyone (or even in subsequent readings). The surprise invasion, the unpreparedness of the U.S. (and ROK) armies, the near debacle at Pusan, the Inchon landings, the drive to the Yalu River, the incredible intelligence failure and CCF intervention and near destruction of 8th Army, the death of Walker and ascent of Ridgway and near resurrection of the 8th Army, the drama of the termination of MacArthur, the repeated massive CCF offensives and UN counter-offensives in conditions ranging from sub-arctic cold to monsoon rainfall, the background threat of WW3 erupting. Some of the highest drama in U.S. military history.
Blair's narrative is focused on the operational and tactical history of the war from the viewpoint of the U.S. Army (and Marines). There is little useful information on the ROK (Republic of Korea) troops other than their frequent 'bug-outs' that bedeviled the campaign. Other nationalities that contributed--British, Australian, French, Turkish, Greek, Dutch, Filipino get brief but often shining cameo roles. But this is a book on the U.S. Army of 1950-53 more than any other thing--it's performance, culture, organization, personalities, methodologies, racial problems and more. The bulk of American fighting in the first year of Korea was done by six U.S. infantry divisions: 24th, 25th, 2nd, 3rd, 1st Cav,and 1st Marines. That is 18 regiments and 54 battalions of infantry and nearly every one is discussed at some point in terms of combat, leadership and performance. In addition to dozens of attached and subordinate units (artillery, armor, specialized units). Perhaps trivial by WW2 standards but man were they busy! The key theme is on the importance of battlefield leadership--from the Commander-in-chief to the generals down to at least battalion level commanders. Hundreds (at least) of names are trotted out with very brief bios (especially whether and when they were at West Point and if and where they had combat experience). A glossary of names/units would have been a godsend. It seemed that almost every officer from battalion on up had WW2 experience either in the ETO or Pacific and higher ranks saw action in WW1, including nearly all the top generals and the President (Truman). This pool of experienced officers to draw on was obviously incredibly valuable and makes you wonder if Korea happened 10 or 15 years later when to pool would have been empty, would the outcome have been different?
He also provides extensive detail on the high-level geopolitical machinations in Washington and Tokyo (the seat of the US Far East Command, under the unforgettable Douglas MacArthur). What is missing is much on the thinking of the North Koreans, Chinese or even Soviet Union. Perhaps much of that information was simply not available at the time (mid-1980s) or too difficult to access. I assume most of the NKPA and CCF arms came from the Soviets but that is never discussed. The subtitle of the Forgotten War is 'The United States in Korea: 1950-53' and it is apt. However the entire last two years of static warfare and peace negotiations take up maybe 20 pages. The maps were mediocre at best but the numerous photographs were wonderful. It was a time to remember, though I daresay few Americans do. 4-stars....more
Kurt Vonnegut--most in my generation knew of him, many may have read some and perhaps most have at least heard of 'Slaughterhouse-Five' his iconic andKurt Vonnegut--most in my generation knew of him, many may have read some and perhaps most have at least heard of 'Slaughterhouse-Five' his iconic and most personal work. I read it way back in the day, remember loving it and the movie was pretty good too. Not sure I read any of the others or I just pain forgot them? Even the better known ones 'Cats Cradle', 'The Sirens of Titan', 'Breakfast of Champions' and maybe a few others. Apparently he wrote something like 14 and countless short stories, essays and such. So I picked this up scanning the library stacks and thought why not? It is a solid biography and I guess I know the Vonnegut life story in some detail now, although as one reviewer mentioned perhaps not the man. I suppose that is not easily achievable on paper but it is an interesting story nonetheless. The guy from my parents generation, WW II vet, struggling writer and suddenly star author in the late 60s who apparently became an icon of the cultural tide sweeping the nation. His upbringing and family life was actually quite interesting, German-American family in Indianapolis crushed by the Depression but somehow emerging. Interestingly for my weather friends, is that his older brother Bernard Vonnegut became a highly respected atmospheric scientist (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard...) and while at the GE research lab in in Schenectady, NY was involved in some of the earliest cloud-seeding experiments (along with GE colleagues Vincent Schaefer and Irving Langmuir) and is credited with 'discovering' silver iodide as one of the best seeding crystals. His brother's scientific prowess and some of Kurt's early college work (never really completed) in sciences helped to inform much of his work, especially Cats Cradle. Anyway, it is a good read, mostly sympathetic but far from hagiographic. He was human with both the design flaws and features. The book really depicts his struggle to become a 'successful' writer (i.e. you can support yourself), few make it all and fewer still reach the pinnacles that Kurt reached. At this point, some 102 years after his birth and 17 years past death he is still rated as #20 on a list of all-time greatest science fiction writers: https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-li.... Ironically he struggled at times to escape the straitjacket of 'sci-fi' writer and many of his works seem to defy categorization at least as described by the author. Somewhat of surprise to me the same site (Ranker.com) lists him as the #9 all time greatest American writer! I will try a few of his books as the chance presents--some of them seem remarkably prescient! 4 stars....more
Well a lot has been written about 'The Boys of Summer'. On any list of great 'sports' books it usually ranks high on that list and probably deservedlyWell a lot has been written about 'The Boys of Summer'. On any list of great 'sports' books it usually ranks high on that list and probably deservedly so. I have not read a ton of sports books and have mostly biographies under my belt--Koufax, Mantle, DiMaggio, Clemente, Seaver and Jack Dempsey (by Roger Khan) in recent years, but 'Boys' is a wonderful read that transcends sports and reaches into that bigger thing called life. It is really two books in one, which is not a criticism. There is Kahn's early life in Brooklyn living near Ebbets Field and his interesting and literate Jewish family--they attended weekly readings of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' for cripes sake! His father Gordon is an interesting and influential person in Kahn's life. His descriptions of the New York newspaper business in the 1950s, another bygone era are wonderful. He first wrote for the New York Herald Tribune, I vaguely remember when it went out of business (1966). Kahn was assigned to cover the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952 or 53 before moving on to other journalistic pursuits, including the initial edition of Sports Illustrated. So the book covers those Dodger teams with basically the same lineup that won the 1955 World Series. It wasn't all baseball of course with the drama surrounding the increasing integration of the sport with the Dodgers leading the way. But quite a team in any case--a starting staff of Joe Black, Carl Erskine, Preacher Roe, Don Newcombe, Clem Labine in relief with Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Billy Cox, George Shuba, Duke Snider and Carl Furillo for a starting eight and Andy Pafko, pinch-hitter extraordinaire. Five of those starting eight made the Baseball Hall of Fame but none of the pitchers! Growing up in NYC area, I was too young to know much about that legendary team, which had moved to LA before I ever thought about baseball. With the reincarnation of National League baseball in New York my favorite team became the NY Mets! But the the Brooklyn era was magical no doubt and Kahn brings it to life. Gil Hodges of course managed the Miracle Mets of 1969.
The second half is far more 'sobering' as Kahn visits with each player in the late 1960s to early 70s some 10-15 years past their playing days. Back then players did not get rich off the game, and nearly all retired to far less glorious lives in small towns from Rhode Island to Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania and some remained in or near the big cities. Most muddled through with the memories but some met real personal tragedy or family tragedy, Hodges and Robinson died shortly after the book came out. In other words, life. Kahn is a masterful observer of the personal and the social setting and he is erudite enough to bring in literary references that many writers might not. It's sad and uplifting at the same time and all too human. My edition added a 1990s afterword by Khan when many of those 1950s greats had passed on and it is worth noting that today 2/28/24, only one player of the group remains alive, Carl Erskine (97 y.o.)! 4.5 stars rounded down cause I have a really hard time giving out 5s!...more
I have a long-standing interest in the Amazon so this looked like something worth checking out. It was good, not great perhaps but covered the strangeI have a long-standing interest in the Amazon so this looked like something worth checking out. It was good, not great perhaps but covered the strange subject of Fordlandia in sufficient detail. Henry Ford was a bizarre (and not very attractive) individual in many ways as I learned in these pages and his experimental Amazonian rubber-producing (or not) village partially reflected his personality. At times it was funny at times as Michigan (and Ford's) values and methods encountered the reality of the Amazonian climate, flora and fauna as well as the Brazilian people. As a local is quoted: Ford managers, said the priest, 'never really figured out what country they were in.'
Yet after reading the last chapter I almost felt like he wrote the entire book just to reach an end where he could then unload on Ford and capitalism generally for the current environmental assault on the Amazon rain forest. A quote from the book explains this better: "But the most profound irony is currently on display at the very site of Ford’s most ambitious attempt to realize his pastoralist vision. In the Tapajós valley, three prominent elements of Ford’s vision—lumber, which he hoped to profit from while at the same time finding ways to conserve nature; roads, which he believed would knit small towns together and create sustainable markets; and soybeans, in which he invested millions, hoping that the industrial crop would revive rural life—have become the primary agents of the Amazon’s ruin, not just of its flora and fauna but of many of its communities.”
It is a depressing litany indeed, but blaming much of that trend on Henry Ford (as dislikable as he seems) or his company from 80 to 100 years ago seems sort of lame. These are incredibly difficult global problems with manifold causes. Still it is an interesting and odd slice of history and piqued my curiosity in several new areas--Ford himself (a good biography), Dearborn (I now want to visit), and the rise of soybean agriculture (a good summary). 3.5 stars rounded up....more
My Amazon review on November 25, 2016: Excellent Account!
I might not know enough to know if this deserves 4 or 5-stars since I am in no position to asMy Amazon review on November 25, 2016: Excellent Account!
I might not know enough to know if this deserves 4 or 5-stars since I am in no position to assess it's complete accuracy. But this is a very well-written, maybe 'riveting' account. There is not a ton in the book that has not been in some of the better reporting on this issue, which I guess one should expect from a newspaper reporter. Still he does good job of putting together a picture of the sea-change in the strategy, indeed the purpose of the CIA. It is a story well worth telling and retelling and is nothing less than astounding. 9/11 type attacks will do things like that. Without going too much into the morality of the entire assassination edifice, it really makes you wonder at the limitless hypocrisy of the Obama administration and the lawyers that 'decide' what is legal and what is not. We can't waterboard people or use other very tough (ok, torture) methods to find about about possible terror plots but it is perfectly acceptable to just exterminate perceived enemies. No interrogation at all and certainly no trial, just wipe them out. So how is that morally superior to the other? I am sure they are mostly our enemies and I have little (actually zero) sympathy for jihadists but it seems trifle worse to be ripped apart by a Hellfire than being dunked repeatedly as unpleasant as that no doubt is. But then I again I have not undergone that process, nor a Predator drone strike. I would encourage the new President and his top advisors to read this! Like they are reading this..haha. ...more
My Amazon review on July 15, 2018: Great story with a few flaws
First-rate storytelling on a subject that few will be very familiar with. My main quibbMy Amazon review on July 15, 2018: Great story with a few flaws
First-rate storytelling on a subject that few will be very familiar with. My main quibble came early, in an area where I have some knowledge and deals with her assertion that the Battle of Middle Creek alone decided the fate of Kentucky in the Civil War. That is simply a gross simplification, if not distortion. The reality was much more complex. Her assertion that Garfield's command was 'hopelessly inexperienced, outnumbered and ougunned' flies in the face of everything I have ever read about the Civil War. First of all both sides were completely inexperienced in January 1862 and few indeed were the battles when the North did not have numbers and armaments substantially superior to the South. The Battle of Middle Creek had roughly equal numbers and was nothing more than a skirmish by standards later set in the war. Even Mill Springs a week later was bigger and perhaps more pivotal, and the losses of Fort Henry and Donelson were huge factors in sealing off KY from the South. It also ignores the 1862 CSA offensive back into KY, culminating at Perryville. Anyway, inaccuracies such as this early on in a work of history will tend to undermine overall confidence in the product; where else did she cut corners or embellish the truth? That said, the bare facts alone remain and it is a wonderfully crafted read about Garfield, his time and the tragic story that unfolds. His suffering and grace in the face of it will move you to great sadness and admiration for a life cut short. While reading this, I asked a few random people who the 2nd President to be assassinated was, and none could answer. Garfield is mostly forgotten now but he was really an extraordinary man who could well have been one of our great Presidents. His statements on civil rights alone could be used even today in a speech and ring as true as ever. ...more
My Amazon review on August 8, 2018: Very readable with insights into today
Nice single-volume treatment of that desperate time with many lessons and coMy Amazon review on August 8, 2018: Very readable with insights into today
Nice single-volume treatment of that desperate time with many lessons and connections to today. I think it could have used more charts and actual data but she tried to humanize the period more than just explain economics. That made it both better and worse, but certainly more readable with interesting sidebars on Father Divine and Bill W. (of AA fame) among others. The implication that great suffering engenders wrenching social change is hardly controversial but she does illuminate the many trends of that period well. For anyone hoping to understand the role government today I think this is essential reading. FDR created the modern nanny-state out of almost nothing with all of it's pros and cons. Government control of our lives basically began in the 1930s and has never really really looked back. She points out that FDR doubled the Federal budget and spending has been on a basically steady increase ever since, with sharp rises in WW2 and in the 2008 recession. And yet the whole notion of the 'Forgotten Man' has never been more applicable than today. The forces of globalization have ripped a huge chunk of the American population out of the middle class. Another book I am reading said 63,200 American factories closed between 2001 and 2012, an incredible number. Those are the forgotten men and women of today. And most of them prorbably voted for Trump for reasons not unrelated to that reality. Of course the urban globalists are far more concerned with the fate of people in other countries than these other Americans and in fact have the utmost disdain for them. You didn't see that in the 1930s, there seemed to be a sense that we were in it together as a nation far more than today. ...more
My Amazon review on August 10, 2018: Politicians: get up off the furniture and read this!
A really well-researched, well-told story. It helped that it My Amazon review on August 10, 2018: Politicians: get up off the furniture and read this!
A really well-researched, well-told story. It helped that it was about nearly my own local area and I will never regard a piece of furniture in the same way! I have been through Bassett, Martinsville and Galax, VA many times and even Elkin, NC, all which featured heavily in this story. I've seen the abandoned factories and damaged towns but now have a much better understanding of how and why it all happened. I hope Beth Macy got an award or two from this. It is the kind of reporting that is rare, a deep look behind the headlines. Her takedown of Tom Friedman with his 11,400 square-foot mansion and some of the other economists and globalists is priceless! But this is no one-sided 'hit-piece'. She does an admirable job in presenting the history and many sides of this phenomenon from a business and human perspective. The demise of towns like these are a major reason why DJT was elected; many people still remember a country when good jobs were available for the working class. Unemployment may be low but the work is often low-pay and with few benefits but handouts are just enough to keep people dependent on government but stripped of dignity. The Dems were (are) totally oblivious to it (or perhaps they are not and prefer yet another victim class to control). Their concern seems to be not with Americans but with anyone trying to get in, illegally or not. DJT at least tries to speak to the class of people dispossessed by globalization and presented with such compassion in this book. His recent imposition of tariffs on China shows that he is trying to help the American worker, even as most economists condemn the effort. Looking forward to another Beth Macy book! ...more
My Amazon review on March 3, 2018: Buy it for the Jackson essay!
An interesting and very diverse set of essays, though somewhat uneven in quality and rMy Amazon review on March 3, 2018: Buy it for the Jackson essay!
An interesting and very diverse set of essays, though somewhat uneven in quality and relevance to the battle itself. For a person wanting to know about the entirety of the campaign and battle of Chancellorsville the book is basically useless. It is best read after a more complete overview such as Ernest B. Furgurson or Stephen Sears accounts. The essays cover a wide range of topics from 'medical' care to wars effects on children, in addition to focusing on pieces of the battle. But I would concur with several other reviewers that the 'Smoothbore Volley that Doomed the Confederacy' stands out among them and is almost alone worth the price. If you have any interest in exactly how Jackson met that volley then this is a worthwhile purchase. ...more
My Amazon review on February 14, 2018: Great book and an awesome subtitle!
The generation that even bothers to read stuff like this is passing into theMy Amazon review on February 14, 2018: Great book and an awesome subtitle!
The generation that even bothers to read stuff like this is passing into the grey mists of time I suppose and I include myself among them. I was fascinated with the Civil War since childhood and I actually read this book years ago (before the internet likely existed!) and after a rare reread decided to write a quick review. This is an excellent account of this pivotal moment in American history with little apparent bias despite the fact that the author is the descendant of a bunch of southern veterans (a distinguished list of units on the dedication page indeed). Yet, I think the younger generations would benefit from a better understanding of the how the Civil War was fought and the price that was paid on both sides. The idea that 'reparations' are owed for the historical mistake of slavery in this country is to me insulting. This war was WAS the reparation. It was paid with utter horror, death and maiming on a scale that almost defies belief. 17,000 Union and 13,000 Confederate casualties at this one brutal battle alone of which death and severe wounding made up a good percentage. Almost unimaginable today. And the way in which they were incurred, actually is unimaginable. There is barely a person alive in this country today who would obey the orders routinely given and obeyed in 1863 and all the Civil War years. 'Men, advance across that long, open field to receive almost certain death or maiming from massed rifle and cannon fire and if you survive that, you get double-shot canister at the end'! Yet it happened, ALL the time! Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, 3rd Day at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, to name but a few. At Chancellorsville, the account in the book of Stuart's repeated attacks on May 3rd make really difficult reading. What possible motivation could there have been? On either side? Preserve the Union? Maintain slavery? I so doubt it was much of either. Not sure this book answers that question, nor was it trying to but there is a an awed respect throughout for the courage of the men on both sides, hence the awesome subtitle. This is a well written history and a very thoroughly documented book with superb appendices (with unit casualties figures that are sobering) and an excellent list of sources. I would give it 4.5 stars were it possible. Best book on Chancellorsville? No idea, but very, very good. ...more
Not sure it was Pulitzer Prize level whatever that is and perhaps I marked it down a star for just that (anotherMy Amazon review on September 29, 2017
Not sure it was Pulitzer Prize level whatever that is and perhaps I marked it down a star for just that (another reason for a 0.5 star increment or just a 10-star system!). Shouldn't a Pulitzer be extraordinary? When you compare it with Caro's LBJ bios, cannot really hold a candle, though few can. As others have also noted, it is perhaps not a good first read about Jackson since so much is left out about his life. I was also perplexed on the Bank issue which was poorly explained. Still a nice book on an interesting period and man. ...more
My Amazon review on August 29, 2017: Powerful, angry but misses a huge point!
I was anxious to write a review on this while it was still fresh. This isMy Amazon review on August 29, 2017: Powerful, angry but misses a huge point!
I was anxious to write a review on this while it was still fresh. This is a raw, emotive and angry book. There is no doubt where the author stands on a few issues. He repeats them almost ad nauseum: Iraq was the 'wrong' war, Afghanistan the 'right' war and U.S. Marines are about the only guys who fought in either one or are worthy of much praise. American political leaders are excoriated throughout and probably rightfully so with very few exceptions; Senator John Warner of VA is one of the few who is not reduced to ashes in his telling and Richard Holbrooke is singled out for adulation repeatedly. Nor does he particularly exclude himself from the list of people who made extraordinarily bad decisions. In his case he was responsible for sending out a helo that crashed and suffers from the guilt of that decision. His anger at everything and everyone associated with actually both ventures is palpable and heartfelt. With one massive exception: his total lack of anger at the guys who caused both wars. Radical Islamists. They are mentioned in passing at times without the much rancor and certainly no condemnation. You might think they are 'bad guys' but mostly come off as victims of U.S. aggression. True, as he states repeatedly, Saddam did not plan 9/11 or hide a lot of active WMD (although certainly not 'none'; see 'Operation Avarice' for details). But Islamists attacked NY on 9/11 (and in 1993!) and could as easily have killed 30,000 as 3,000 and certainly wished for far more. Islamists are not confined to a few hundred radicals but represent a large swaths of the Muslim world (see recent histories of Pakistan, Iran and Libya to name a few) if you have any doubts about how widespread their support is. They have been funded in the billions by Wahabists in Saudi Arabia (our Ally?!) for decades. Despite the insane decision to pick on Saddam; no 9/11, no Iraq War. I challenge Weston to dispute that. Where is his rage at them and the ideology which fuels it all? Even if for just one page or even a paragraph? The thousands of Jihadist suicide attacks with zero regard for 'civilians' are barely mentioned except to describe horrific attacks on U.S. servicemen. Nothing about an ideology that praises the use of suicide bombers and any other means to kill or maim any 'infidel' (non-Muslim) or apostate (the Muslims they don't agree with). No, all the condemnation is reserved for America, GWB, and the usual suspects. And I do not exculpate them, they deserve it for the stupid Iraq invasion and the shameful ignoring of both wars after they began (in the 2012 election both candidates would not even mention the wars!). Still the book is a powerful testimony FOR America's fighting men and women (especially the Marines) and his respect for them is genuine. The lists of names of KIA make sad and powerful reading and I commend him for listing so many names. Yet if you read this book you might think the Marines did nearly ALL the fighting and dying. I hate reducing such suffering to statistics, but data shows 70 percent of U.S. KIA were Army (vs 49 percent of the force), versus 23 percent Marine (vs 10 percent of the force). So yes, a higher ratio for Marines but hardly overwhelming and utterly out of proportion to the attention given them in this book. And I am not in any way trying to diminish the Marines but to give some due to the U.S. Army as well. ...more
My Amazon review on January 22, 2017: Great as usual, but a missed opportunity?
This is my first review of a Caro work, having read the Power Broker baMy Amazon review on January 22, 2017: Great as usual, but a missed opportunity?
This is my first review of a Caro work, having read the Power Broker back in 1980 (a birthday gift from my mother) and the other LBJ tomes as they dribbled out over the years. Never felt much need to read them the minute they came out as it became obvious that you would be waiting years for another one. Of course Amazon didn't even exist to do reviews through most of this project! Still, I have long felt that Caro is the standard by which all biography (certainly political biography) would and should be measured for years to come. He is almost incomparable. At the time I would have given 5-stars to any one of them, including the Power Broker which is still possibly my favorite. The descriptions of life and struggle in the Texas Hill Country (The Path to Power) will never leave me or his explications on workings of the U.S. Senate in Master of the Senate. At his best Caro is simply the best at placing a time and situation in perspective in such a way that you think you really understand how or why something happened. The same goes for his indelible portraits (mini-biographies) of such political heavyweights as Sam Rayburn and Richard Russell or lesser known figures like Coke Stevenson. The writing is superb and riveting as even the most minute details take on new meaning. And it is all highly credible due to the phenomenal, almost manic amount of research conducted by him and his wife Ina, which almost defies belief as you wade through the lists of interviews, oral histories, articles and books they apparently consulted. I made a rough count of the number of personal interviews he listed for Volume IV, approximately 400. That doesn't include the oral histories (over 300) some of which could be quite lengthy I would imagine. And yet at the end of the day there is something missing as hard as that is to believe. The number one thing is I feel that he dodged the question of the JFK assassination which remains the great mystery of post-WW2 America. He makes several bland assertions to the effect that nothing he came across in their research suggests the involvement of LBJ in a plot or otherwise. That is all. In one sense that seems reassuring. If the Caro's found nothing in all the years (30+ years) of digging through this man's life that implicates LBJ then God knows I am not going to find out something new. Yet it troubled me that he did not take a chapter at least to provide some context on rumors of LBJ's involvement and put them to rest (or not). Is there anyone more qualified to know a detail, a hint or a whisper about LBJ? Maybe Mr. Caro simply did not want to get down into the weeds on the JFK business and have his book become yet another on the subject. Estimates are that the number of books written on it range from 400 to 1,500. So I sympathize with his desire to avoid that thicket, yet I still wished for something more. I come away (after 4 volumes!) still not knowing as much about Johnson the private man as I might have wished. How many affairs was he in? Were they of the heart or something much less? To know a man completely you need to know something of his most private thoughts. Did anyone know LBJ's? In the end though perhaps actions speak louder than words. It doesn't seem likely to me that LBJ would have fought so hard and successfully to carry out JFK's ambitious social agenda if he really hated him enough to have a hand in his murder. He simply doesn't come off as a man with murderous intent, but then again that is something that could be held more closely than even the Caro's were able (or willing) to uncover. But, as seen in some other reviews there will be plenty who disagree and see LBJ an active part of a conspiracy. It remains a source of endless frustration. ...more
My Amazon review on July 26, 2015: Superb Account!
I read Ketchum's book 'The Winter Soldiers' years ago and was highly impressed. 'Saratoga' is equallMy Amazon review on July 26, 2015: Superb Account!
I read Ketchum's book 'The Winter Soldiers' years ago and was highly impressed. 'Saratoga' is equally well-done. I only wish I could have visited some of the sites this summer but it was not to be. I did go to the Saratoga battlefield as a little child and probably saw my first cannon there, perhaps igniting a lifelong interest in military history. This is a highly readable account and very well researched and documented. Yet his writing is excellent and really brings the period and characters to life. You get a fine appreciation of how difficult the wilderness of the northern theater was to operate an army in. And the compressed time available for campaigning is really palpable as the days between spring and fall disappear. Yes, the maps could have been better, the only minor quibble. ...more
My Amazon review on December 6, 2014: Woody..cool but misguided.
Just finished 'A Life' What a weird, but very interesting ride. A lot more than I expeMy Amazon review on December 6, 2014: Woody..cool but misguided.
Just finished 'A Life' What a weird, but very interesting ride. A lot more than I expected. The book is very well done and kudos to the author entirely. Among many other things we learn that perhaps it was his illness that drove much of Woody's creativity. Not sure I emerged understanding exactly what drove Woody but not sure it matters, probably no one does. A man who marched to his own drummer that much is for certain. I found it pitiful at times, how Woody and his silly compatriots extolled the virtues of Stalin's Russia. Yeah, Woody and his 'Okies' suffered some in the Dust Bowl and the westward trek, but in truth it was a vacation compared to the Ukraine in 1932-33. Under the leadership of their Red hero. Laughable if it wasn't so sad. ...more
My Amazon review on Ocrtober 30, 2014: Afghanistan: Next to fail?
Solid effort though obviously leaves you hanging with the situation utterly unresolveMy Amazon review on Ocrtober 30, 2014: Afghanistan: Next to fail?
Solid effort though obviously leaves you hanging with the situation utterly unresolved in about early 2009. So it does not deal with the Obama 'surge' or any of the political or military developments since that time. That alone reduced my rating by 1 star. After reading this book one salient point stands out above all else and that is the role of Pakistan in harboring and even helping the Taliban and other insurgents. One has to conclude that Afghanistan has next to no chance to succeed (on western terms) without Pakistan becoming serious about the border regions. And that seems utterly unlikely and in the end a depressing realization. Will this become the next Iraq? Stay tuned. ...more
Amazon review on July 29, 2014: Vastly overrated..
Wow. If this is actually considered 'the greatest non-fiction book' ever written then the genre is dAmazon review on July 29, 2014: Vastly overrated..
Wow. If this is actually considered 'the greatest non-fiction book' ever written then the genre is deader than I even realized. If the essence of writing is about communication then this book fails so miserably that is is almost laughable. For a young person today this book would be almost completely unreadable. I have read a LOT of non-fiction and this was one of the most boring and unrewarding reads I have ever slogged through. And I mean slog. That is not to say a book has to be simplistic to be effective but this thing is so full of opaque prose, irrelevant references and boring asides that it is maddening. While there is some interesting history at times, it is all presented in the most mundane, offhand and incredibly uninteresting manner. There is barely a shred of drama infused into the narrative. The diplomatic history in England during the Civil War had potential to be fascinating but you got no idea of the personalities involved or insight into the dynamics of the situation or the motives of the participants. He actually seemed more interested and frustrated by the social scene in London, but even found way to make that boring. For a guy who was supposedly obsessed with education he spent a lot of time chilling out in Paris and other nice places doing not much at all except staring at art. But even there we get no idea of what he thought makes art great. All the baloney about the scientific measurement of historical progress was an utter waste. Like much of the world he was obviously impressed with the march of science but frustrated at his inability to grasp its intricacies and assigning that some meaning. There were moments of course, the anecdote of his grandfather JQ Adams taking him off to school. And all the bits on Clarence King. It made me want to know more about King. John Hay too, but he is a better know figure than King. The descriptions of the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the St. Louis Worlds Fair of 1904 both had the potential to be interesting but were squandered. To be fair, I understand that this book was not written or intended for a general audience and seen in that light I gave it one more star over the lowest possible rating. But the so-called 'Modern Library' that called this the #1 work of non-fiction in the 20th century needs a serious reassessment of their criteria for what makes a book great. I could name dozens that surpass this effort by a long shot. Now I will await the profound readers out there to tell me how my own education has been a total failure due to my inability to grasp the greatness of this 'Education'. ...more
Amazon Review on February 20, 2014: Tired cliche..but every Amercian should read this book!
Just finished 'The Outpost'. As a reader of too many militaAmazon Review on February 20, 2014: Tired cliche..but every Amercian should read this book!
Just finished 'The Outpost'. As a reader of too many military books I will admit that I was prepared to be underwhelmed by a CNN correspondent's account of the Afghan War. Boy was I wrong! This will rank right up there with one the best and most moving books about the utter waste and tragedy of war. I can't add too much to what other reviewers have already said to extol the quality of this effort. And the number of actual participants lauding its accuracy is sufficient to confirm for me that this was truth-telling. I read most of this book in the hospital after my first heart attack just last week. There were times I wanted to feel sorry for myself but a few pages back in the Afghan cauldron was enough to extinguish most of that anyway. The subtitle is so apt. These are true heroes. Simple American soldiers with complicated, yet hopeful lives at home thrown into this maelstrom of geopolitics as fodder for political aims. True, war is political at its core but the military justification for the outposts was extremely shaky as was clearly demonstrated. To have censored Capt. Portis in the final report for not building the defenses sufficiently within a 2-week period struck me as the greatest injustice..aside of course from the far greater tragedies of wounds and death. Bring this book into all the American History classes, HS and College. If the kids can't relate to Valley Forge, Gettysburg or Iwo Jima maybe they will 'get' what their peers are doing and have done. Thank you, Jake Tapper! ...more
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