5 comments about An Honest President: Library Edition.

1. In a quest to read a biography of every American president, I found this one of Cleveland a satisfying and easy read. Jeffers doesn't seek to make the bio an in-depth study of his personal knowledge of English vocabulaly; thus the easier read, a welcome break from the 600-pagers of some other presidents. Although over 300 pages, this biography goes fast and I didn't find myself wishing it would end. It gave the facts truthfully, thoroughly and precisely; and that's what I needed.



2. Something is missing from this picture -- a two-time president, three-time presidential nominee and former New York governor who "never, ever" trimmed his sails for expediency, was "always" honest and consistently stuck to his convictions no matter the political cost? Not credible. To read this book one would think that Grover Cleveland was literally the second coming. The portrait is overly worshipful, completely one-sided, and ultimately unpersuasive. In particular, attempts at comparison to Bill Clinton and "Zippergate" (as the author calls it) fall totally flat and are completely gratuitous. There is little real analysis here, and too much regurgitation of what prior biographers have written.

   I don't doubt that Cleveland was a unique politician, a man well-positioned in his time to take advantage of the public's increasing distaste for the spoils system and the fractional and petty squabbles that marked the Republican party from 1868-84 (Stalwarts vs. Half Breeds, Conkling vs. Blaine, Garfield vs. Conkling, etc). The early chapters on Cleveland's meteoric rise from an obscure sheriff to mayor of Buffalo to governor of New York to president in a few short years are fairly interesting. But Cleveland the man, particularly during his two presidential terms, comes across as a wooden, cardboard figure; no real flavor or insight into his personality and character emerges. Some biographies are too heavy on psycho-babble, maybe this book could have used some of that.




3. Jeffers provides a painless background on one of the least-remembered Presidents for those who need to fill in the blank spots of their US history timelines. The writing is fluent and the narrative moves quickly. But the book is not for scholars. Important issues of the times, including the Financial Panic of 1893, the free-silver movement, Hawaii and the imperialist impulse, and the growth of organized labor are covered in a few passages or pages. I especially found the discussion of Cleveland's racial attitudes and civil rights policies insufficient; for a President governing during the implementation of Jim Crow, more than a few paragraphs about the issue were warranted. For detailed discussions of those important historical issues, the reader will have to go to more specialized sources.



4. Please keep in mind that I think three stars means "Okay" and that "okay" isn't a bad thing.
   
   I didn't know anything about Grover Cleveland. After reading this book, I found that I liked him far more than most Presidents. However, I wish that the book went into greater depth or analyzed his life a bit deeper.
   
   The author makes various comparisons between Cleveland's sexual behaviors to those of Clinton's, which is fine. But I would have liked to have had other comparisons as well.
   
   This is an interesting book and it left me wanting to know more about its subject.



5. H. Paul Jeffers' biography "An Honest President" of President Grover Cleveland is like getting a Diet Pepsi when you ordered a Regular Pepsi. Jeffers concedes as much in the section entitled "Notes on Sources" when he says "I did not wish to write a book that would pass what the late novelist John O'Hara called 'the heft test,' employed by people who believe a book isn't worth buying, or to be taken seriously unless it is thick and heavy in the hand." That may be true, but in the world of biography, it is difficult to write a biography if you fail the "heft test."
   
   Jeffers' biography is largely derivative of the other (larger) biographies out there on Grover Cleveland including Rexford Tugwell's Grover Cleveland, Robert McElroy's Grover Cleveland: (2 Vols) the Man and the Statesman, and Richard Welch's The Presidencies of Grover Cleveland (American Presidency Series).
   
   Jeffers' biography also suffers from interspersed comparisons to Bill Clinton. It is not that such comparisons are not necessarily warranted it is that they detract from the text. Comparisons between Clinton and Cleveland could have been accomplished in an epilogue or legacy chapter. By interspersing the comparisons throughout the text, Jeffers descends to taking potshots at Clinton.
   
   If there is anything that rescues "An Honest President" it is the narration by Raymond Todd. Todd's voice is clear and resonant. Todd provides distinct intonations to handle the multiple speakers that crop up in Jeffers' text.

No comments about The Gift of Valor: A War Story.

1 comments about Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together.

1. Supreme Faith begins in 1970. Barry Gordy has long been paving the way for his lover, Diana Ross, to shed the Supremes and claim her solo stardom. But what happens next wasn't what Gordy and Ross had planned. While Ross has only one Top-10 hit in the next four years, the Supremes (now with Jean Terrell) see hit after hit climb the charts, with songs like "Up the Ladder To the Roof" and "Stoned Love." But then Gordy turns his attention to making movies instead of records, and all the Motown artists - such as Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and even the Jackson Five - find their instant success no longer so instant as the unstoppable Motown hit machine grinds to a halt. The record company does nothing to help the Supremes develop a new, more contemporary style, stops promoting their albums to radio stations, and when there is a hit, does nothing to keep the momentum going. Since Motown won't do it, Mary tries to keep the group going herself, but as each new member learns the truth about Motown, she ends up presiding over a revolving door of singers.
   
   Mary's private life is both wonderful and tumultuous. She has memorable romances with Flip Wilson, Steve McQueen, and Duke Fakir of the Four Tops. Then she falls deeply in love with and marries Pedro Ferrer. Pedro has the strength Mary needs to keep fighting on behalf of the Supremes - and the strength to become a wifebeater. At the nadir of her life, the Supremes are forced to appear at an oldies show at Madison Square Garden and are booed off the stage when they present new material. Days later, Pedro throws a glass at Mary, ripping away her ear.
   
   Mary gets away from Motown, divorces Pedro, and launches her solo career, only to find both her ex-husband and the record company dogging her every step. Always in the shadows is the percliar Miss Ross, whose erratic behavior, sudden phone calls, and alternately hot and cold treatment of Mary - a friend of twenty years - baffle everyone. The climax to all this occurs at the Supremes' reunion during Motown's silver anniversary special, when Diana, tired of Mary and Cindy Birdsong keeping pace with her stage movements, shoves Mary aside.
   
   Now Mary Wilson is a free woman, successful working mother, and a best selling author who does just what she loves best - singing and performing. SUPREME FAITH is the vibrant and extraordinary story of a woman surviving against impossible odds and achieving, ultimately, the triumph of a lifetime. It is a book that explores, as no other has before, the screaming roller coaster of fame, and it is a book that will open your eyes to the truth about what being a star in the entertainment business is like today.

5 comments about Old Friends.

1. This reads like eloquent fiction, but is in truth the story of Tracy's father. He doesn't say which character his father is, and he doesn't insert himself into the story. But what a wonderful, heart-bending story it is. At all times the sadness of the situation is eclipsed by the bravery and courage of people without hope; people who do the best they can, and it is more than enough. For any of us who will grow old, which is most of us, this is a must read.



2. This is a beautifully meandering story of two nursing home residents, their year spent in a growing friendship within the walls of "Linda Manor." And it's more than that-- In this story, Tracy Kidder involves a whole cast of residents, interacting in ways that paint a more creatively human picture of a nursing home than most would imagine is the case. They make up a community in and of themselves, even planning and taking part in a play put on for other residents, staff, & families. It's a place of friendships, laughs, worries, dread concerns, but mostly of friendships and the efforts of the elderly characters in reaching out to their fellow residents during the last chapters of their lives. I appreciated the realism Kidder offers in this book, clearly based on his own one-year experience at the actual "Linda Manor" in Massachusetts.



3. 
   After spending a year at Linda Manor, a nursing home in Massachusetts, Pulitzer Prize winning author Tracy Kidder offers no generalized discourse on the problems of aging in America, but rather a touching story of friendship, reconciliation, and peace.
   
   Joe Torchio is 72-years-old, a former probation officer, and has suffered a stroke. Bitterly railing against the losses that have beset him in life, the death of a son, the birth of a retarded daughter, Joe has forsaken his Catholic faith.
   
   At 92 years of age, Lou Freed is blind yet resolutely curious about everything. He is a Jew who is not terribly religious but is sometimes given to pondering theological questions.
   
   The pairing of this unlikely duo as roommates might bode bickering and discontent. Not so in Kidder's hands - we find a gradually blooming friendship which enables both men to live in their new environment and face limited futures with equanimity, courage, and grace.
   
   This is not just Lou and Joe's story, it may be your story or mine. Of course, it is a tale of old age and approaching death. It is also a toast to life.
   
   - Gail Cooke



4. I had just signed up for long-term nursing care insurance, a very expensive commitment. I had a number of books I had been waiting to read, and I picked up OLD FRIENDS, thinking I would read a piece of nostalgia.
   
   I was wrong. I picked up and read enthusiastically a book about nursing homes. Tracy Kidder's book makes clear what my long-term insurance is all about. No brochures could have described what he does here.
   
   I became enmeshed in the lives of the residents. I watched them become "nudnicks." I overheard their conversations about life and death. I, too, looked forward to Lou's rambling memories. I worried about Joe's toe and if he'd lose it.
   
   Both of my parents died suddenly, and as a result I had no experience with long-term care. I say "God bless" to all the workers in nursing homes and to Tracy Kidder who made this entire experience so vivid.
   
   I now feel prepared myself if I should ever need this care.
   
   Larry Rochelle, author of GULF GHOST, BLUE ICE and GHOSTLY EMBERS: VISIONS OF TOLEDO



5. This book chronicles a year in the lives of the residents of an ordinary American nursing home. From 1989-1991, Kidder spent much time getting to know the residents of nursing home on the outskirts of Northampton, Massachusetts. In this book, he describes some of the characters he met there, and some of the friends he got to know well. He describes some of the special events that occurred in the nursing home that year, but also relates much of the ordinary daily occurrences in nursing home life, from the morning bowel movement survey, to watching a demented resident try to pick the flowers in the carpet, to chatting with the guys in the breakfast club supervising the dining room set-up.
   
   Although Kidder tries to present a cross-section of nursing home residents, from the former vaudeville performer, to the bank vice president, many of his tales focus on the drama and antics of two roommates, Lou and Joe. The pace of the book can be agonizingly slow in places, as we wait for something to happen. The pacing is one way for Kidder to capture the sense of the place, a place where every day is more or less like the next--"Beautiful day," as one resident writes in her journal every morning. It's an eye-opening experience to read this book, and come to understand the heroic effort it takes to present a smiling face to the world when trapped in a body wracked by aches and pains while stuck in an institution away from family and friends, most often against one's wishes.

No comments about Voices & Visions.

No comments about Money For Nothing (Library.

2 comments about Cuando era Puertorriquena/When I was puertorican.

1. This is a rich and evocative memoir of the author's chaotic childhood. Growing up in rural Puerto Rico, while often living in primitive conditions, the author's lush and lyrical prose paints a vivid picture her early life. The flavor and rythms of her island home come alive under her expert hand, creating an unforgettable picture of her early childhood.
   
   The author grew up in a poor family. During her childhood, she lived in Puerto Rico with her unmarried parents, who were always at war with each other, as her father was a somewhat irresponsible philanderer. It was her mother who centered the family and who always sought a better life for all of her children. When an irrevocable break occurred between her parents, her mother moved to New York during the nineteen sixties, eventually settling with her seven children in the mean streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn in New York City.
   
   The author details her life's journey from rural Puerto Rico to Brooklyn. The author was transplanted to Brooklyn at the age of thirteen, and her description of her life in Brooklyn is every bit as interesting as that of her life in Puerto Rico. Her oftentimes bewildering transition from her native, Spanish speaking Puerto Rico to an English speaking environment is engagingly chronicled. The author takes the reader on her journey through Brooklyn's public school system to the prestigious High School of Performing Arts, where she graduated and went on to attend Harvard University on a scholarship.
   
   This coming of age memoir is so engagingly written that I was left with the desire of wanting to know more about the life of this remarkable woman. I was also very taken with her writing style. So, I went ahead and bought every book that this author has ever written and look forward to reading each and every one.



2. Esmeralda Santiago is one of Puerto Rico's natural treasures and one of America's favorite authors.
   
   I'd describe this book as The American Dream, a Coming of Age story and being multi-cultural all in one, but its much more than that! What do I mean? Well, Ms. Santiago's skillful writing and ingenious use of words weave a story that beautifully frames a life from all sides: the 'ugly' is that her family lives in the most dire of circumstances both in Puerto Rico & New York, the 'bad' is that her father is a philander, the 'good' being that she comes from love and is loved. A good foundation to stand on.
   
   Ms. Santiago is able to convey to us exactly how a young girl feels when her father is a philander (cheated and betrayed) and how she feels when her parents are getting along (happy and safe) and how fragile it all seems even through a child's eyes. Her mother's aspirations to live well and to see the beauty which frames all of life's bits and pieces no matter how dire circumstances may seem is the backbone of this story and (I believe) at the heart of Ms. Santiago's storytelling. I received both this book and 'The Turkish Lover' as Christmas gifts and I can tell just by these two books that I will add many more to my collection, the first addition being 'Almost a Woman' which is the next book after this one. Most definitely.

No comments about Just as I am the Autobiography of Billy Graham Part 1 of 2.

5 comments about Where White Men Fear to Thread: The Autobiography of Russell Means.

1. I found Russell Means portrayal of his life incredibly moving. Already having knowledge of Native American struggles, I immediately found myself floating through time and experiencing emotional identity with Mr. Means. I have shared this book many times with people I know so they can truly understand the importance the American Indian Movement has been in this country. I beg everyone to read this book. S. HOLMES, CHICAGO.



2. THE AMERICAN INDIAN EXPERIENCE ---I found Russell Means portrayal of his life incredibly moving. Already having knowledge of Native American struggles, I immediately found myself floating through time and experiencing emotional identity with Mr. Means. I have shared this book many times with people I know so they can truly understand the importance the American Indian Movement has been in this country. I beg everyone to read this book. - S. Holmes, Chicago, IL



3. This book is a must read for anyone who wishes to know the true struggles of our native peoples today. This book covers it all and thumbs up.



4. This book is hard to put down. There's alot of time spent about his drunken adventures and scuffles with authorities. However you will have to look hard to find his beliefs. At the end is a famous speech from July 1980 which presents his philosophy. Native American struggles are intriguing.
   But Be warned: RUSSELL MEANS IS A RACIST. Also unfortunate: he is agnostic about Christianity but has not lived his own religion consistently throughout his life.



5. This is a thorough and long book by Russell Means about his life as an American Indian. He has a lot of hatred toward the white race, which is understandable, but it makes his book hard to read at times because his hatred comes through the pages. He is also obviously biased at points, but that is to be expected because it is an autobiography. However, this man has been through a lot and has done a lot for AIM (american indian movement) so this is a good read to find out about that. If you can get past the hatred in this book, it's worth the read.

5 comments about Thread of the Silkworm.

1. I must admit a bias - HS Tsien is my grandfather's cousin. As such, this book is for me the family history that noone would tell me. For other readers, I would say that most history books concentrate on the rise of the USSR as a power, and then *poof!* there's China...how did that happen? Chang's book reveals how China's emergence on the world stage as a military power resulted from the US's own stupidity and xenophobia. My one real complaint about the book is that Chang's writing seems to drive the book to a climax at the point of Tsien's return to China, and then peeters out while she recounts China's race to the ICBM. This inconsistancy makes one feel that Chang herself had lost interest in the story, which is unfortunate. This story is fascinating enough (for anyone interested in history, not just me) to wish that the entire book had been treated with the care that Chang shows Tsien's US phase. Anyways, one leaves the story with feelings of respect and regret for what could have been. Please note that HS Tsien is still a bogeyman for the US intelligence community - he was mentioned, as Qian Xuesen, in the 1999 Cox report during the Los Alamos spy scandal. As far as I know, HS Tsien is still alive.



2. I bought this book many years ago before Wen Ho Lee and James Yee and even though I found it difficult to read, I kept it as a reminder that being of Chinese origin adversely affects your comfort level and safety in this country. This book was very hard to read because the writing style was not the best for my style of reading so I didn't get her Nanking book which I know was also criticized for the writing style. If you didn't like the Nanking book, buy this book anyway because unlike the Nanking book, there aren't a lot of books about him out there and it's about a Chinese man who was not confused about what was happening. Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, smart or stupid, he was himself undiluted. I use the past tense but he's still alive though bedridden. He was on Chinese tv when China sent their first man into space. He watched a video of it and smiled.



3. Thread of the Silkworm was not quite what I expected in terms of a biography about Tsien Hsue-shen. It is a simple and attractive narrative that may have been targeted toward readers that like their reading without overstocked footnotes. It appears that Chang took her research from Tsien's surviving friends, colleagues, and Tsien himself. In addition, her style of writing is somewhat intimate and personal, and she appears to write in a way where she really put much effort in getting to know her subject. Througout the book she made Tsien looked like a hard-nosed and self-centered professor that could careless about his students. But at other times, there are passages in the book where his work overtook him. In addition, it appeared like Chang empathized with what Tsien was going through when he was forced to abandon his research and duties at CalTech.
   
   Nevertheless, Chang does a good job at capturing the period in which Tsien studied, worked, and lived. She attempts to provide detail during World War II, and how Tsien contributed to US rocket technology. However, it appears disturbing of how his life took a turn during the Communist-feared 1950s, and how he became blacklisted and excluded from a society that welcomed his knowledge and participation in the world of science and technology. Indeed, he became a US citizen, but because of unfortunate circumstances at time when ideology knew no boundaries, his talents were transfered overseas.
   
   Thread of the Silkworm was an easy read that will enhance your knowledge about immigration and what occurred during the 1950s. I recommend this book for those interested in biographies, a dab of science, and as Chinese/Asian-American history as well.



4. It is sad to note that Iris Chang has ended her life in a tragic self-inflicted bipolar conflict recently. This explains her unique writing style in several of her books. I am not a direct student or fan of Prof. Tsien. However, I am acquinted with surviving classmates and relatives of him. His early technical work has flaws in some classical work and did not get challenged or corrected. When someone who is not perfect speaks with authority at such young age he is likely to put himself above others as he has done. This is mentioned in the book several times by Iris during WW2 and later. He did so so in practical matters at MIT, or as a practicing railroad engineer in China. Had he returned to China after his studies in the US, he would be remembered as a scholar at most. As for his contribution with the red missile program it is hard to say what he was directly put in charge but people gave him credit for organizing a Russian trained team and obtained the necessary funding. Yes, he went through a lot during FBI investigation. One must not forget many scholars, ordinary citizens whether born in the US or Europe went through the identical ordeal. I find it is interesting that Chang mentioned Prof. Tsien was indirectly involved in the Great Leap forward resulting in 20 million deaths. Only someone controversial like him would chase birds and promote the destruction of a balanced eco-system in the name of Mao's wish (p238). All in all, Iris did a wonderful job talking and researching sources in a well done book.



5. This is about the review that a guy named "S.Shueh" wrote below. As an example of ridiculous expressions, his sentence: "When someone who is not perfect speaks with authority at such young age...he is bound to place himself above others" is absolutely dumb. That's because no one is perfect, and anyone who speaks with authority regardless of age is always placing himself above others because that's the nature of speaking with authority, duh! If this guy believes that there exists someone who is perfect and can speak with authority without placing himself above others, then he would not be the first such fool speaking such nonsense.
   
   Secondly, this S.Shueh guy also says that others have gone through "identical ordeals" as what Tsien went through. So this person doesn't realize that individual experiences are unique and the simple fact that no two persons can have identical experiences because experience is a subjective manifestation of seemingly external events. So it seems that the speaker is someone who grew up in a regimented family and society that cannot tolerate the uniqueness of individuals. Thus, his is only capable of rigid and naive thoughts. This is just my observation of a simpleton of a specific type that I have encountered many many times. So I felt the need to mention it here.