5 comments about All But My Life.

1. Despite the horrors around her, and fellow prisoners dying and becoming mentally unbalanced every day, young Gerda Weissman managed to survive several Nazi camps from the late 1930s through the grisly end of World War II.
   
   Imagine being a teenager, wrenched away from your beloved parents, older brother and home -- and never seeing any of them ever again. It would be enough to make anyone unstable, not to mention bitter. Yet somehow, Gerda emerges from her horrifying ordeal stronger than she began. As her body heals in a hospital run by the Allies during the spring of 1945, Gerda begins a relationship with Kurt Klein -- a young soldier who urges her to tell her story.
   
   Now an elderly woman living in Arizona, Gerda Weissman Klein is able to see just how far she's come from the young Jewish girl living a priviledged life in Poland. Yet at the same time, her writing style allows readers to see clearly just how that same persona has managed to live such a rich, eventful life to the fullest all of these years.
   
   I've read many Holocaust memoirs, though I must say that Gerda's story is beautifully and distinctly told.



2. I read this book a long time ago and just got done listening to the book on tape for the second time. It is the most powerful representation of the Holocaust I have found. Please read this book if you want to learn about the Holocaust from a gifted author and survivor.



3. This book was gripping and I could not put it down until I finished it. It's so hard to believe the hardships so many endured for being Jewish. A must read. Beautifully written with rich detail.



4. I have read many of the holocaust books out there but this is the one I pass on to friends to read. Especially moving is the liberation of the prisoners at the end of the book. I wish all schools made this mandatory reading. What a way to learn history! This author is quite an incredible woman.



5. This is one of the first Holocaust survival stories that I read. It is by far one that has stayed with me in the most detail.
   
   What a strong girl Gerda is. she was told to never give up her boots and in the end it is one thing that saved her life after marching in a blizzard half frozen to death. How she survived is nothing short of a miracle.
   
   Reading this when you are in a hard time reminds you that you do have the inner strength to survive. If she can do that then I can face my problems. It is quite graphic and tells the truth of really happened in the holocaust.
   
   I'm not going to give the story away I'm just going to say you will cry and rejoyce in this story. It will touch you to core of your very being.
   
   I must read for EVERYONE!

5 comments about My Life.

1. A long and interesting read, overly detailed on fairly mundane aspects of his life and unsurprisingly brief on more interesting times.
   
   Nevertheless, an engrossing read. Who knows where his road will end.



2. When faced with impeachment after Monica rumor became The Story, President Clinton, to whom ambiguity was never part of his nature, took the worst situation to mean retreat from Office, which would not have relieved his soul.
   This autobiography is informative and tender in every corner. At times the ex-President aggravated his bitterness and despair; not a pleasing prospect for a vigorous man with an appetite for distinction. His excessive passions, one for his wife and the other for his daughter, at the end of the day had caused Miss Lewinski and partners to be removed from the White House. I believe the young lady was also a victim of irrational exuberance (Excuse me Mr. Greenspan)
   At times there is always some sort of melancholy demeanor than can grow daily more somber in high offices. President Clinton is telling us he could not possibly have been entirely impervious to the mounting evidence against him, such signs were motivated by political reasons from rival factions with nefarious ends - to hurt the Democrats from within.
   
   Clinton, once known for his vivacity, was now showing the strain of the shameful events.
   
   Clinton, the deep-rooted optimist who found it temperamentally difficult to resign from trouble, has had his face already sagging with worry as daily attacks compounded his sense of doom...
   
   At 55 he left office with a 65% approval rating. (One of the highest after WWII)
   However, the charismatic President looked a narrow-chest man with the face of a person much older in age. That did not at all resemble him nine years ago when he took that Office.



3. As I read this passionate memoir it felt like that the author opened the door of his life and led me through his memory lanes (Bill Clinton is obviously gifted not only recollecting his childhood events but also in mental strength). By the time I finished the tour I had known him well, met his parents and other family members. When I came out of the door I no longer saw Clinton as a politician but as a man who upheld his family values by adopting his step father's name; I no longer saw him as the 42nd president of the United States of America but as a man symbolizing the American spirit.



4. Honest and sincere. He was one of our greatest presidents. Regardless of what bad press he got this book tells all. How times have changed since he was president. This book is a testament to his wit and candor. He was a great politician, the real deal, but they just would not let him get the job done. Read this one.



5. The incredibly frank autobiography "My Life by Bill Clinton" is good reading and give great insight into the man. Where was this president when we needed him? His time is now. Unfortunately he ran up against a hostile Congress that really diminished his effectiveness while President. However, he is one of the greatest orators of our time.

5 comments about Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England.

1. I really tried to like this book. Inasmuch as I am an avid student of history and enjoy the tangled web of early to mid twentieth century English history, this book seemed right up my alley.
   
   I can't say that it is a bad book, but upon reflection, perhaps the most telling fact is that it took me so long to finish it. A book of this size generally takes me about a week to finish, reading for an hour or so each night before bed. Most nights, however, found me nodding off in less than half the time. Weir's style can best be described as a dry recitation of historical facts with frequent asides in which she injects her own analysis. Hardly scintillating entertainment and simply not lively enough to keep me awake.
   
   From the standpoint of substance, I can't say that I agree with her efforts to rehabiltate the universally condemned Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II of England. Isabella conspired against, overthrew, cheated on and likely participated in the murder of her husband and sovereign. According to Weir, she was simply misunderstood and unfairly judged. To my knowledge, she is the only one that believes so.
   
   In order to back up her position, Weir not only spins facts to the benefit of the Queen, but she weaves many out of whole cloth and disregards the numerous facts which clearly implicate her in the crimes for which history has condemned her. In an attempt to absolve the Queen of the crime of murder, she even trots out the old, roundly rejected canard that Edward II escaped from his captors and lived the remainder of his life as a hermit in France. This despite the public, state funeral in which the body and face of the King were clearly displayed and visible to thousands. As if an escape somehow lessens the crime of ordering the murder in the first place.
   
   Even in the cases where she concedes guilt on the part of the Queen, such as her adulterous relationship with Mortimer, she pardons the Queen, holding her to current standards as opposed to those in which she lived. In this regard, she clearly states that were Queen Isabella alive today, she would be viewed as a strong, independent woman, deserving of praise and not scorn (You go, girl). Nice theory, except for the fact that she didn't live in current times. In her day, regicide was perhaps the greatest crime and sin of the day, and adultery by a royal woman was universally punishable by death.
   
   I've read several of Weir's works and to date am not impressed. She seems to be on a personal crusade to rehabiltate the reputations of various women of the Middle Ages that for some reason or another have been judged harshly by history. I've never been a fan of revisionist history and particularly when the revisions are politically or socially motivated. This book is not only not particularly entertaining, but it's not even good history.



2. This is a History book. So it has just the facts, M'am. A very good History book and therefore lots of niggling details...and every detail has multiple perspectives gathered from letters and writings of the time and are based on the authors religious or nationalistic views. It is a slow read that you can put down and easily pick up again, as you will want to work your way through this beautifully written and richly informative history as seen through the mind of a very interesting queen. It covers the period of English History from the late times of Edward I (late 13th century) to Edward II and the the beginning of the reign of Edward III (mid 14th century. There is no plot so the fun is in the interesting details and analysis of those Medievil times.



3. I will admit to not being an expert on Queen Isabella. I have never read a biography on her before, so when I picked up Alison Weir's book in the store I had nothing to compare it to and enjoyed it immensely. There is wonderful period detail here, especially in the beginning, and I think the reader feels a measure of sympathy for Isabella, whose husband wasn't interested in her sexually (or emotionally it seems). My favorite part of the book was when Isabella (finally) took a lover and decided to make a stand against her husband with him. Part slighted young woman, part Lady Macbeth, Queen Isabella is a very interesting read with a few theories about Edward II's "death" I hadn't heard before (whether or not they could be accurate I can't say).



4. Alison Weir provides a fascinating interpretation of the facts surrounding King Edward II, Queen Isabella, Piers Gaveston, and Hugh le Despenser. If you have already made up your mind about these medieval figures and are closed off to any evidence that proves you wrong, then maybe this book isn't for you. This book doesn't claim that Isabella is innocent of everything history accuses her of, but it does provide undeniable proof that everything is not as it seems. It certainly made me question most of the "facts" that I have read by other authors. I'm giving this book five stars for its provocative view of a woman that history has perhaps unjustly vilified for centuries.



5. Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England is a biography of the wife of Edward II. It's actually a composite of things: a biography of Isabella's most intimate household moments, drawn from her extensive household account books (want to know what was used as toilet paper in the English royal household? It's in there), as well as an account of her relationship with her husband, his favorites, and her lover, Roger Mortimer.
   
   My major problem with this book is Weir's extreme bias in favor of Isabella. Weir even goes so far as to blame Edward entirely for the breakdown of the royal marriage and for Isabella's changed demeanor during it. Most of Weir's "evidence" regarding the queen's relationship with Mortimer is based on court gossip, yet Weir chooses to treat the stories as though they're true. And the author furthermore chooses to ignore the fact that Isabella was guilty of regicide, instead placing all of the blame on Roger Mortimer's shoulders. It's almost as though the author went into the research and writing of this book thinking, "I'm going to vindicate Isabella." This is a work of popular history, and as such, I feel that Weir could have been more impartial in her assessment of Isabella's story. All that's really known about Isabella's day-to-day life comes from her book of household accounts, and Weir continually tries to make presumptions about how the queen "might" have felt or "perhaps" have thought. This book is way too speculative for me.
   
   All that said, however, I enjoyed the detail that Weir goes into in telling what little is known about Isabella's life. Weir certainly has a way with words, she definitely does her research, and she's very good about bringing historical figures to life on the page. If you're a newcomer to the history and politics of early-14th century England, I wouldn't recommend this, however.

5 comments about Drawing the Head and Figure.

1. This book seems a bit old-fashioned in it's exercises and drawing suggestions. Even the examples of women's faces look like heads of women from the 50's. Maybe it is from the 50's originally. Anyway, it is dated.
   
   The layout is messy and the faces cartoonish.
   I am hoping to find some helpful tips on drawing the human figure but I am not too optimistic so far.
   
   I'd say skip this book as I am sure there are much better ones out there.
   
   If you don't have it check out Drawing for Dummies, it is a MUCH BETTER instructional guide than this one.



2. Two weeks ago I couldn't even draw a stick figure with the correct proportions, now, I'm actually drawing males/females quite nice ... for a beginner of course !
   
   This books is awesome ... even though I haven't really paid attention to the 1st part of the book, concerning faces (which really don't generate enough interest at the moment for me as a 3d modeler) the second part, concerning anatomy and proportions was pure gold !
   
   So easy, so nice ... drawing made easy in all possible ways ! I'm still thrilled ! Although at first I was a bit discouraged, after reading the book and getting familiar with it, drawing became so fun. I usually spend about 1 hour per day, and use this baby every time...
   
   I plan in buying my girlfriend a copy of this book in the near future ...
   
   Conclusion: If you're a beginner ... this will be wonderful help ... and best of all it's cheap !



3. This book is not expensive, but is the most useful book on figure drawing I own. I have consulted it so many times that it is dog-eared. A thing that sets this book apart is the way the author uses easy to remember rules of thumb and anatomical "landmarks" to aid in drawing. While not getting too detailed, the author enables you to avoid the gross mistakes that cripple a drawing. For example, the book shows how to successfully draw a quarter view of the head and shoulders, and explains the natural tendency to draw this view incorrectly. This is, without a doubt, the best art book I own.



4. It's difficult to overstate how strong the information in this book is.
   The reason is Hamm knows how to teach and pass on the knowledge of drawing, not just show you a good drawing and saying "do it like this". After Loomis he would be my first choice for anybody looking for a good beginning foundation on drawing from your head in one book.



5. The author, Jack Hamm, describes his book as a "how-to handbook" that offers simplified techniques, hints and helps and step-by-step-procedures. This book is exactly that, and it doesn't disappoint the beginning artist who needs the a-b-c, 1-2-3 teaching method. Not only does Jack Hamm show us step by step how to draw heads and figures, he illustrates how to draw these from from different perspectives (I found this especially useful for head studies). Foreshortening, anatomy, and drawing clothing and shoes are also covered. This book is an invaluable tool and reference for the beginning to intermediate artist.

5 comments about All the Presidents' Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Families.

1. This book is chock full of history. It tells the stories of the lives of the Presidents children.
   
   The book tells about such things as:
   
   The life of George Washington's step-son John Park "Jacky" Custis who embarrassed the first President
   
   Abigail Adams-the daughter of John who wanted to please her father
   
   Letitia "Letty" Tyler Semple: the daughter of John Tyler who did not like her step-mother and did battle with her over the affections of her father.
   
   Quentin Roosevelt: the son of Teddy who was shot down during World War One.
   
   James "Jimmy" Roosevelt- son of FDR who used his connections with the White House to help his business
   
   Martha "Patsy" Washington Jefferson Randolph: one of the only surviving children of Thomas and Martha Jefferson who helped her father entertain after the death of her mother.
   
   Robert Todd Lincoln: Abraham Lincoln's son who was with three presidents when they died
   
   Caroline Kennedy Scholssberg-daughter of John and Jackie Kennedy a writer and mother of three.
   
   Maureen Reagan: daughter of Ronald Reagan and his first wife Jane Wyman who grew up to be an actress and was also in politics. She died of cancer shortly before her father past away.
   
   Michael Reagan-adopted son of Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman a radio host
   
   Patricia Ann "Patti Davis" Reagan-daughter of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis a writer who uses her mothers maiden name to write.
   
   John Ellis "Jeb" Bush-son of George H.W. Bush and Governor of Florida
   
   George W. Bush-son of George H.W. Bush and "President" of the U.S.
   
   And many more interesting stories that will keep you fascinated for hours.



2. Doug is not only a great author, but and excellent speaker. So fortunate to have met him.



3. This is a most fascinating book combining history, parenting and child psychology. It is written extrememly well and will engage you from the very first page. Each man who became president was a unique, high achieving, individual. How each president viewed his children, who in many cases, were simply bright, average kids, directly effected their children's future and happiness in life. The stories of some kids will break your heart, others will make you glad for their success. After reading this book, high achieving parents will be much less likely to try to mold little clones of themselves (which as you will read, can meet with distasterous, unhappy results), but encourage their children's interests, perhaps different from your own, and help them along their path in life. I have given and recommended this book to my parents and friends and everybody has said it was one of the best books they have ever read. I also recommend the book Doug Wead wrote about presidential parents.



4. This is a book that fills a void in the historical record of Presidential Families. There is piecemeal information in other volumes, but this book brings all the history into one very readable account. Mr. Wead is known to be close to the Bush Family, and thus he appears to have a personal reason to research this aspect of the Presidency.
   
   I teach classes on"First Ladies", and my audience had urged me to tell them more about their children, but I had been largely unsuccessful at finding interesting, reliable information which covered the President's children, their joys, health, and trials and tribulations, including their similarities in how they coped with their celebrity with all its benefits and disadvantages.
   This is a book that anyone who is interested in people and history should enjoy and find enlightening. This is facts, not gossip.



5. Doug Wead's "All the Presidents' Children" is one of my favorite history reads. Periodically, I go back to it and am always amazed at how well it is written and how fascinating the characters are. It has taught me much about family foibles and how presidents must strive to be statesmen and fathers at the same time. It makes me more tolerant, and that is always a good thing.

5 comments about A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors.

1. A fun read that will have you laughing from beginning to end at the wickedest, weirdest and funniest true stories and the witty way the author writes them right down to the funny titles for each chapter.



2. Michael Farquhar's "Scandal" series is simply fantastic. If school history books included the subject matter presented here along with all the dry dates and places, more students would enjoy history class I'm sure! Many readers are enchanted by historical figures, as indicated by the popularity of such writers as Philippa Gregory, or Jean Plaidy. We want to hear about the sordid affairs of Henry VIII, Louis XVI, and other famous dead people! But, the author doesn't give us fiction. He digs into the past of many royals across the centuries for the juicy stories that actually happened, but aren't necessarily important.
   
   There were books before this one, most notably "Royal Babylon," that made a similar attempt. However, that book was plodding and the writing too formal and dissertation-like. This is where Farquhar shines. He tells each anecdote with simple, elegant language that is easy to read and flows like a fiction novel. It's like reading an episode of "Access Hollywood" for the celebrities of previous centuries. Some will argue that he has his facts wrong, or "it didn't happen that way." They're missing the point. This is meant to titillate, entertain and give readers a peak into a less than glorious past. And it may just inspire some people to look further for more information on some of the historical subjects depicted. Highly recommended!
   
   Others in the series:
   A Treasury of Great American Scandals: Tantalizing True Tales of Historic Misbehavior by the Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing
   
   A Treasury of Deception: Liars, Misleaders, Hoodwinkers, and the Extraordinary True Stories of History's Greatest Hoaxes, Fakes and Frauds
   
   A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans: Pirates, Skinflints, Patriots, and Other Colorful Characters Stuck in the Footnotes of History



3. This book details all the sexual and psychological peccadilloes of royalty. The main focus is European royalty from the Middle Ages to the present, but some discussion of ancient Rome is thrown in towards the end. It's a wonder the royals stayed on top as long as they did. Pure brain candy.



4. I love history but I didn't want to read a 600 page novel that read like a textbook. This book is perfect. Fun, and straight to the point. I learned about all the dirty details of some of history's famous characters that my teachers and professors never bothered to mention. History + sex + murder= good time. The book educates you and entertains.



5. A flat narration of some historical events. A surprisingly boring read for such a juicy subject.

5 comments about Marie Antoinette: The Journey.

1. Hard to get into. The movie is better except the movie leaves out one of the children and I am sure alot more. Maybe onday I will be able to get into it.



2. I have read many books on the Dauphine over the years and this is one of the best.
   It covers in detail all of the daily life of a queen and the sacrifice she made by becoming a queen.
   It seems that the paparazzi today are angels compared to what the people of France and all of Europe did to their monarchs.
   The book is well researched, and well done and like all good books on her, this one doesnt speculate but clarifies the life of this often misunderstood young woman.
   I recommend it highly.
   But be warned - it is very detailed and there are tons of people to keep track of,
   Even so, it reads well and you never get bored with it.



3. Wonderful book about the Queen of France. From her early days as the Arch Duchess of Austria, to Dauphine of France to finally the Queen of France. It follows her life (journey)to her death. It also gives insight into the last surviving member of King Louis Auguste and Queen Marie Antoinette, Marie Therese.



4. Fraser's biography is now considered one of the more complete contemporary works on Marie Antoinette's life, and beyond that is a fascinating peek into the end of imperial French life.
   
   We all know the story as well as if it were a Greek tragedy; the beautiful young princess who desired too much, the lascivious old king who left "le deluge" to wash over his descendants, and the harrowing end for the last heir to the thrown in a Gothic prison. Fraser, however, brings all these scenes that make up the story Marie Antoinette and her part in the French Revolution to new life. The narrative flows like a novel while her prose remains slightly detached, ultimately allowing the reader to judge the queen's guilt for himself.
   
   I know some readers find Fraser too sympathetic to Marie Antoinette considering all the transgressions, but I challenge anyone not to be moved by Marie Antoinette's love for her children and loyalty to her family.



5. This biography was a pleasant surprise! I thought it would be tedious to read and even harder to sift through the writer's biases. However, Antonia Frasier provided a wonderful insight into not only what Marie Antoinette's world was like, but also her strengths and weaknesses as a queen, mother, and woman. Frasier lent an air of sympathy which kept me enraptured until the very end of the book - not an easy task in a biography!

1 comments about Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor.

1. Right off the bat I'll admit I'm not sure why he states this book is about his grandparents. First, neither the front cover nor the back photographs include Eleanor. I thought she was a grandparent. Silly me.
   
   Second, this book is a bit of a condemnation of his mother. Much of it seems justified by this source and others. Asbell's book really pulled its punches.
   
   It's best when he sticks to writing a memoir. I had real sympathy to the problems of adjustment to moving to the west coast and getting adjusted to a new 'father' all at the same time. And the frequent moving. It had to be a little unsettling. His feeling like a third wheel is also mentioned in his half brother's memoir "A Love in Shadow." All the kids felt boxed out of their parents' relationship.
   
   When he steers from memoir to analysis, or even history, he gets on thin ice. He attributes his great grandmother's - SDR - bad reputation solely to his grandmother - ER. But the Roosevelts were a high-profile family early on and a great many people saw the same thing. Advisers - Rex Tugwell stands out here - friends, the White House staff, were all appalled at the way SDR talked to and talked about ER. Having seen SDR in action and having learned by the mid-60s more about the Roosevelt marriage, Tugwell noted that ER "should rightly be sainted." Curtis R's own mother noted, by Norman Littell: Many times, when they were little, Mrs. Roosevelt left the dinner table in tears because Granny had observed that Franklin could have married so many pretty girls. Her mother endured it patiently, through the yeras, and Anna said Eleanor, "did not even have support from us kids because we, naturally, looked up to Granny and thought she was right. When we grew old enough to realize the truth and to see how far Granny's malice went and how patient mother had been, we all realized that Granny was just an old bitch." Through it all she felt that her father had failed in that he should have long ago have risen to her mother's defense. [page 74.]
   
   CR also attributes the depiction of SDR in "Sunrise at Campobello" to ER, even though ER said the play had as much in common with the reality as "the man in the moon."
   
   It was the Roosevelt children - not ER - who quoted SDR as saying "I'm your real mother, your mother only bore you." Or manipulating them with gifts promises and threats relating to their individual status in her will.
   
   I also marvel at how few people suspect that Sara Deleano's unreserved love and generosity could also be attempts to gain control and favor over her grandchildren and great grandchildren at the cost of undermining both Franklin and Eleanor. Read Francis Perkins' memoir for her relating an FDR rant about this. SDR undermined the rare occasions when FDR actually tried to discipline the kids. Usually, he left it to Eleanor to be the bad guy. Even in the White House, he had her fire WH staff that needed to be fired, even when it was at his instigation. And he had her do it when he was out of town. He only wanted to be the bearer of good news, not bad. That was Eleanor's job.
   
   But, like so many other books, FDR's complete insensitivity goes without comment. FDR NEVER should have placed his daughter in the awkward situations he did. The White House has never had a greater president, but so selfish one either. Indeed, FDR's selfishness, lack of sentiment toward the people around him [LeHand's "he's incapable of a true friendship with anyone" is as stinging an indictment of the man as exists] are exactly what made him a great president.
   
   Curtis Roosevelt is an interesting figure. He drops Dahl to have the last name 'Roosevelt' then complains about the burden of being a Roosevelt? I'm trying to feel sorry for him and just can't reach it.

5 comments about American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White: The Birth of the "It" Girl and the Crime of the Century.

1. Neither of the names in the title were familiar to me, but I was intrigued that the Gibson Girl had been a real person.
   
   Using up the youth of pretty young girls is not a new thing. Evelyn Nesbit lived it in 1900. The book is sometimes a bit flowery, but the story is gripping.



2. The pictures from the era are fantastic--The United States first super model, whose face even today could stop traffic. Fame she had, but fortune was nil until she married Henry K. Thaw. A modern day Letitia who was used by everyone around her, including her insanely jealous husband.
   If you are into "peeping Tom-ism" clothed in minute detail AMERICA EVE is the title for you.
   The research into the period, the individuals and their culture is superb, but the minute details recorded on every page lead to boredom. Evelyn Nesbit's story was shocking in 1900 and pathetic by the time she died in 1967.
   Writing as a Small BusinessSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County Novel



3. On June 25, 1906, wealthy millionaire Harry K. Thaw killed his wife's Evelyn Nesbit's, former lover, the famous architect Stanford White, at Madison Square Garden. Evelyn, age 20, had spent the past five or six years of her life in the public eye as a model in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York, but nothing could have prepared her for the publicity that occurred in the aftermath of the killing.
   
   American Eve is primarily about Evelyn's life, and not quite so much about the murder and subsequent trial. Evelyn was born outside of Pittsburgh in 1885. After her father's death, her mother tried to make ends meet by hiring Evelyn out as an artists' model (as long as the artists were female or elderly men). Because of her timeless beauty, Evelyn soon found herself modeling in Philadelphia and New York, where she met much-older Stanford White, who set himself up as her father-figure and protector. Soon, however, he became much more.
   
   Evelyn met her future husband Harry K. Thaw "of Pittsburgh" in 1903. Thaw was known for his erratic, almost sociopathic behavior, but she married his anyways two years later. Thaw was obsessed with Evelyn, to the exclusion of everything else. He was especially obsessed with Evelyn's old relationship with White, whom Thaw considered the original exploiter of young, impressionable, virginal girls. Then, one sultry evening in the summer of 1906, Thaw shot White point blank, in front of hundreds of witnesses in the rooftop garden at Madison Square Garden. It led to "the trial of the century," as Thaw was tried for the murder under the plea of insanity.
   
   Uruburu tells the story from a feminist point of view, though Evelyn is protrayed as a victim of circumstance rather than architect of her own fate. Every now and then, as in the chapter which discusses the selection of the jury, Uruburu puts in a little aside like, "...and women were excluded, of course." Another thing I didn't like about the book was the opening chapter. The author begins with a discussion of Gilded Age society, whereas I believe she should have begun with the murder, in order to grab the reader's interest right away. And though I liked the photographs of Evelyn, I feel that there should be more of Stanford White (there's only one reprinted here). Also, I wish that more had been said about Evelyn's life after the trial.
   
   But aside from these points, I really enjoyed Evelyn's tragic story. Since Evelyn's life was so public, a lot was known (and speculated) about her life, and Uruburu does a wonderful job sorting out the fact and fiction. The narrative is also easy to follow, which is also another major plus. Even without Uruburu's contribution, Evelyn, the original "Gibson Girl," and the girl for whom the term "je ne se quais" should have been coined, remains today an interesting and compelling persona.



4. Like a few other reviewer's here, I'd never heard of Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White or Harry Thaw, and only picked up this book on a fluke. What a pleasant surprise to read about one of the first "trial of the centuries" and the "girl in the red velvet swing".
   
   Paula Uruburu has done a spendid job of making the reader feel the gilded age, the stuffy social scene and didn't bore this reader with an endless account of the trial like so many other true crime novels.
   
   Highly recommended!



5. This is a good yarn. It's told well, and keeps you going, wanting to know what happens next. It's hard for me to find books that keep me engaged. This book is riveting. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1).

1. Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.
   
   This book is his story and how he was successful.
   
   I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.
   
   Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.



2. Was purchased due to a requirement by my childs school. He has informed me it is a good book.



3. Loved this book. Was on the last chapter when I threw October Sky into my Netflix queue; Hoping I'd have it in hand when the book was finished. Timing was perfect. As usual, the book eclipses the movie, but both are great. Passing it onto my 10 year old son who already has aspirations of going into the sciences. Enjoy!



4. escape via rocket, October 6, 2008
   By V. N. Dvornychenko (Rockville, MD) - See all my reviews
   
   
   Part "Angela's Ashes" (Frank McCourt) and part "I Aim for the Stars" (Werner von Braun), this book chronicles the efforts of a teenage boy to escape the confines of his West Virginia coal-mining milieu. Fourteen-year-old Homer/Sonny Hickam (the protagonist and author) is determined not to follow in the footsteps of his coalminer father - who is already showing signs of black-lung disease, a disease which will eventually kill him.
   
   Homer/Sonny has an older brother, of whom he is very resentful. Among his brother's "sins" are ease with the girls, success at high school football - and most of all - favor with the parents. Normally there are only two paths for escape from Coalwood: the military, or a football scholarship.
   The brother, Jim, holds a strong suit in the football option. Homer, slightly built and very nearsighted, knows he has no chance at footfall - and, so it would appear, with the girls. Then a miracle happens.
   
   The "miracle" that provides a third avenue of escape is the launching of Sputnik by the USSR. The shockwaves produced by this event change American values almost overnight. Intellectual "nerds" suddenly become fashionable. Homer hatches a plan which he hopes will eventually land a job designing rockets for Werner von Braun. The plan is to design, build and launch model rockets. Homer collects a circle of followers - mainly other "nerds" -- and together they put the plan into action.
   
   Besides the shockwaves produced by Sputnik, another kind of fault line runs right through the Hickam household. On one side stand Homer with his mother, on the other his father and brother. A major reason for the fault line is that the mother does not wish to see her sons follow the fate of her husband. But that is not all; it appears the mother has certain misgivings about her marriage. With her artistic bent, and something of a free-spirit, she harbors feelings that perhaps -- just perhaps -- she married beneath her station. A consequence of her frustration is that she succeeds in pulling Homer/Sonny over to her side, resulting in a more-or-less permanent rift with the father. It is also interesting to speculate what other personality traits may have resulted from Homer's closeness to his mother. Homer appears to have a penchant for being attracted to girls that give him conflicting signals - somewhat in the manner of Lucy of the famous comic strip, they entice him, only to pull the ball away at the very last second. Homer is also attracted to an "older" woman (though she is only in her early twenties), his science teacher, Freida Riley.
   
   Although Homer appears to fear and hate everything about mining, some of the most spellbinding moments are excursions into the mine. His favorite science teacher would not, however, approve of the chemistry in the book, which contains several mistakes.
   
   I began by characterizing "Rocket Boys" as part "Angela's Ashes" and part "I Aim for the Stars". In retrospect, is little doubt that "I Aim for the Stars" constitutes the minor component. Although much of the book details the design and building of rockets, Homer's fascination with rocketry and Werner von Braun appears to be mostly motivated by this "ticket out of Coalwood." The epilogue to the book reinforces this. After some delays, Homer Hickam does indeed go to work for NASA, and enjoys a successful career. But sadly, no speculations appear in the book regarding man's role in the cosmos - the "extraterrestrial imperative" Krafft Ehricke called it - nor did any subsequent books on astrodynamics or space theory emerge.
   
   The author produced a sequel "Coalwood Ways." Published only two years later, it covers much the same territory, but has a very different flavor. It concentrates on interpersonal relations, and is much "sweeter" in its outlook than its precursor. It gives the appearance that the author underwent some personal event between the two books which changed his outlook. A film, titled "October Sky," was made based on "Rocket Boys." It has a different flavor yet. "Rocket Boys" is a fine book, and after all is said and done, it would appear that Homer Hickam's true calling is writer.
   
   THE EXPERIMENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED.



5. If you were born in the 40s as I was, in New York, reading this book will take you back to the time you 'heard' about the coaltowns in West Virginia. This story will match your memories ... not to mention your memories of the era it represents. I LOVED it!