5 comments about A Very Private Woman: The Life and Unsolved Murder of Presidential Mistress Mary Meyer.

1. What a great book to escape into. This is a quick read, and a must for anyone who is fascinated with both the Kennedy's and the early 60s. Sure makes you think about what it must have been like to know JFK and be part of his private circle. I definately recommend this book!



2. The story of Mary Pinchot Meyer is a lot more interesting than this book. Occasionally, the author tries to recreate scenes and conversations on a pretty slim set of facts, supposing what may have motivated very private people she never met.
   
   Oh, and Dean Acheson was not *Under-Secretary* of State! Did this woman read anything about diplomacy, the Cold War, or Washington society between 1940 and 1965? How could she and her copy editor not know that Dean Acheson was our Secretary of State, and a major figure in post-war Washington?
   
   Washington was a very exciting place to be -- but you won't get the full description of those times in this book. too bad.



3. I'm not a professional book reviewer and I realize I'm a year or two too late, but this story is unbelievable. First of all the title, "A Very Private Woman", is completely misleading. Mary Meyer was not a very private woman she was an exhibitionist of the first rate. Her attempts at being "different" appear to merely be efforts to be recognized. From her early beginnings in a completely disfunctional family, to her own disfunctional family she continued to show herself as one who demanded recognition and would do anything to get it. If anyone wonders what's gone wrong in this country read this book about Mary Meyer and her many associates who appeared to be adulterers, alcoholics, druggies, and anything else you can think of, while at the same time deciding what the course of the country should be. Really unbelievable!



4. President Kennedy was not all we thought at the time. We reverd him, his family life and all that he did. This is an eye opening book and as such, necessary reading for the times we lived through with rose colored glasses.



5. I am interested in these sorts of events, I have a degree in political science so I am interested in government officials, and as a graduate student I read boring things all the time. This book is worse than any policy review or textbook I have ever had to read.
   
   To be honest I could not make it through the entire book because it was that inane. The first chapter is almost entirely who attended the funeral. Okay, fair enough, perhaps such a synopsis is necessary to introduce everyone who will show up in later events. And then the second chapter tells you how as a child, Mary was forced to attend her parents' poolside parties where baby peacock was served on plates set afloat in the pool. Who cares? Well, not me.
   
   The events behind the book are probably very interesting; this treatment of them, however, is not. Skip it, or get it at the library. (No, really, read something else.)

2 comments about Some of It Was Fun: Working with RFK and LBJ.

1. Now in his mid 80's, Nicholas Katzenbach has authored a fascinating memoir of his years in government service, in the Departments of Justice and State during the JFK and LBJ administrations. In addition to being a fine memoir, his unique perspective on these two presidents, as well as Robert F. Kennedy, combined with the important historical events in which he was involved, render this insider-account an important historical document in its own right. Katzenbach's period of service in DOJ (1961-65), as head of the Office of Legal Counsel, Deputy AG, and finally AG, occurred during some of the most critical periods of American history. Katzenbach recounts his involvement in school desegregation in the South involving George Wallace (even having lived through this period, I found it incredibly bizarre given the election of Barack Obama). But the most valuable perspective the author affords is a really intimate portrait of Robert Kennedy as Attorney General, and later as Senator. RFK is sometimes seen as a distant and cold figure--those holding this view should read this book. The author also was one of those who advocated the creation of the "Warren Commission."
   
   After DOJ, thanks to LBJ, Katzenbach became Under Secretary of State (1966-1969). Much as is true with the Kennedys, Katzenbach intimate portrait of LBJ is invaluable, admiring but tempered with some stringent judgments on Johnson. Given his State Dept. position, he was involved in much higher level policy making than at Justice. He recounts important developments in the Vietnam War policy, African diplomacy, and affords us an unique insight into how these important decisions were made (including the role of the so-called "Wise Men" such as Dean Acheson who served as advisors to LBJ). While this material is interesting, clearly I believe Katzenbach saw his center of gravity in government service as occurring during his DOJ years--at least I hope he does.
   
   This is not meant to be a "scholarly" treatment--there are no footnotes, or bibliography, though the author is not shy about reminding us that he was a Rhodes Scholar, is a Princeton graduate, attended Yale Law School, and taught and wrote at Chicago Law. Rather, it is a relaxed and extremenly thoughtful recollection of the author's government service during the 1960's--tempered with the passage of 40 years. Katzenback is full of judicious opinions and perceptive insights, and focuses upon the events and personalities rather than himself, which is refreshing in a Washingtion memoir. I am very glad that he chose to record his recollections, and so should anyone else who has an interest in this country during the 1960's.



2. This book would be a great purchase for anyone with a speck of interest in the politics and policies of the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations.
   
   Mr. Katzenbach, who is very bright, liberal, and calm, reflects back, in a style easy to read, on his own career a the center of some of the central issues of a turbulent time--such as passage of the Voting Rights Act, Vietnam, and the discord between Robert Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. The author is especially good at explaining the widely divergent leadership styles of RFK and LBJ.
   
   This book does not pretend to be a complete history, but is instead the focused memoirs of a now older man who once was entrusted with top positions at Justice and State during a transformational time in our nation's history.
   
   I think Mr. Katsenbach deserves the renewed gratitude of the nation for his quiet leadership and bravery during his entire career in government, but especially for the dangerous spent days upholding the rule of law when helping to ensure voting rights in the South and the racial integration of such higher educational institutions as the University of Alabama.

No comments about The Road to Rescue: The Untold Story of Schindler's List.

5 comments about The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill.

1. In this book, James C. Humes gives his audience an excellent opportunity to conjure up a mental picture of Winston Churchill and his legacy. As a renaissance man, Churchill was more than a skilled politician and a gifted soldier. Perhaps more importantly, Churchill was a man of inspired words, whose work was ultimately crown by the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Churchill often was far from politically correct and did not hesitate to say, write and do what he thought was right. Churchill's bluntness did not make him dear to everybody.

   Humes first brings to light many of the great thoughts of Churchill in "Observations and Opinions." Humes classifies key words alphabetically without giving context so that readers can easily find a quote of their liking about a specific subject. Some readers might get frustrated about it if they are not familiar with the key milestones in the life and career of Churchill. These readers can read books such as "Churchill a Life", "Churchill a Study in Greatness", "Clementine Churchill The Biography of a Marriage" or "Winston and Clementine The Personal Letters of the Churchills" to fill in the gaps in their knowledge of Churchill for that purpose.

   Humes forges ahead in a similar way in "Orations and Perorations", "Coiners of Phrases", "Saints and Sinners" and "Escapades and Encounters." In these sections, Humes is usually very good at giving his audience the context so that readers better understand where Churchill was coming from. Hours of fun and laughter are virtually guaranteed, especially in "Escapades and Encounters."

   Churchill's witticism, wisdom and oratory probably reached their climax in the faithful summer of 1940 when Britain stood alone against the Nazi monster. Churchill galvanized by his words and actions the civilized world to soldier on when the horizon seemed hopelessly bleak. As President Franklin Roosevelt said to his aide Harry Hopkins after listening to one of Churchill's radio broadcasts during that period: "As long as that old bastard is in charge, Britain will never surrender." The words of Churchill will continue to resonate for a long time in the heart and soul of humanity. Churchill's words will further shine like diamonds in the night when humanity loses hope from time to time.




2. A compact book with more than 1,000 quotations and anecdotes you can enjoy at any time.
   
   Here are just a few:
   
   Violet Asquith, the irrepressible daughter of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, found a kindred spirit in Churchill, who served in her father's Cabinet.
   
   Once, in a flight of philosophical gloom, she turned to her dinner partner and said, "Winston, in terms of infinity, we are cosmic dust - we are just worms."
   
   "Perhaps, Violet", Churchill replied, "but I am a glowworm."
   
   * * *
   
   If "Franglais" has been only recently coined to describe the bastardizing of the French language by English words, Churchill may have been the sire of this hybrid argot. Sometimes his additions to the noble Gallic tongue were even more attrocious than his accent.
   
   During some delicate negotions at Casablanca, the stubborn Charles de Gaulle denounced an Allied plan to fuse him and his rival, French general Henri Giraud. Churchill, glaring at the Gaulle, delivered this concoction: "Si vous m'obstaclerez, je vous liquiderai!" (If you obstacle me, I will liquidate you!) A bewildered de Gaulle backed off.
   
   * * *
   
   In 1900, the twenty-six-year-old Churchill, after just being elected to Parliament, made a speaking tour of America. In Washington, he was introduced to a majestically endowed woman from Richmond, Virginia, who prided herself upon her devotion to the "lost cause of the Confederacy." Her family were Democrats who had opposed the Repubican policy of Reconstruction.
   
   Anxious that Churchill should know her sentiments, she remarked as she gave him her hand, "Mr. Churchill, you see before you a rebel who has not been Reconstructed."
   
   "Madam," he replied with a deep bow that surveyed her decolletage, "reconstruction in your case would be blasphemous."



3. The book is entertaining. It's the kind of book you don't just read through, but pick it up read a few sections at a time.



4. A delightful book. I thought the author a little too sycophantic for my taste (I am an Australian after all) but the contents are very entertaining. You can dip into it at any place and read for two minutes or two hours and have a good chuckle.



5. Have if you're like me and have a lot of friends that don't read (but love Blue Collar Comedy Tour...) then you can start using quotes right out of this book and they will think you just came down from the mountain of knowledge and wisdom. Hey you can even use this for those fun quotes at the bottom of your email! Look how global you can become, yes you!
   
   Great book, very well organized and really a lot of fun to read. Winston Churchill was truly a clever man and would be on my top 10 list of Dudes I would like to have a Newcastle with.
   
   Robb Boyd from Cisco's TechWiseTV is number one on the beer list...

3 comments about Resistance: A Frenchwoman's Journal of the War.

1. Résistance is the harrowing journal and memoir of Agnès Humbert, a middle-aged art historian in Paris, and her experiences in Nazi occupied France during WWII. When Humbert first hears the rumors of an occupation, she is distraught and numb, but soon finds a strong will of opposition inside her. She begins to contact others who are like-minded and is soon embroiled in producing Résistance, a newspaper filled with propaganda, which she and her colleagues distribute anywhere and everywhere they can. Agnès meets several important contacts and knows that danger is only a heartbeat away, for if the Germans find out about her anti-Nazi sentiments and activities, she will be imprisoned. Though she knows the dangers, she continues with her work, only to be brought in for questioning regarding her activities. Following her eventual trial, Agnès is convicted and sent to prison. What ensues is the heart-breaking story of what she was subjected to after being becoming a political prisoner in France, and later Germany.
   
   The first section of this book was given over to the specifics and details of who and what her group of friends did in opposition to the German invasion. Many were implicated, yet as her journal was never found, Agnès was not the cause of any imprisonments or executions. Unfortunately, many of the people responsible for Résistance were tried and convicted anyway. I found this section to be a little dry and methodical. It almost seemed that this part of the book acted as a type of ledger of information, rather than a chronicle. Many of the people were only briefly mentioned, and I had some trouble in understanding who was who and what part they played in the opposition. While I believe that it was important to know the events that led up to her imprisonment, this section seemed a little too matter-of-fact.
   
   The majority of this book was devoted to the time that Agnès spent as a prisoner and laborer. During this time she suffered many abuses at the hands of the Germans. The tortures that she and her fellow prisoners faced in the prison were terrible, from starvation and beatings to severe confinement. Despite their atrocious treatment, the women were able to form friendships and take joy in the company of others, sharing news and small victories with each other. Many would not recant their political ideology even after being subjected to daily bouts of cruel treatment. I found it hard to believe that things could get any worse for them, but when they were moved to a German work camp, what had come before paled by comparison. In the labor camps, it was obvious that life was expendable and cheap. The overseers' attitudes went beyond the malicious and into the area of savagery. They were worked like dogs, with no care given to injuries or illness, and the living conditions and rations were pitiful. While Agnès and her fellow laborers struggled, inhaling caustic chemicals that gave them temporary blindness and suppurating ulcers, they still found ways to share political information and news among themselves. Sometimes these friendships were cut short, as their overseers didn't like their fraternization, and women would be moved to other areas of the workhouse. Agnès, nevertheless, found ingenious ways to sabotage her work, as it was the only way she could oppose the occupation from inside its confinement. She never let them break her spirit, no matter what was forced upon her. When help finally arrived in the form of American troops in April of 1945, Agnès had been imprisoned for 5 years. Despite her experiences, she immediately took charge and helped the American forces seek out fleeing Nazis and created a temporary hospital for the refugees and Germans alike. She took command of many aspects of this new civilian life, and was greatly esteemed by the Allied forces, fellow prisoners and the community.
   
   One of the most amazing thing about this book was Agnès' remarkable wit and sense of humor. No matter what horrors the day brought her, she had an amazingly beautiful spirit that enabled her to continue laughing. She never showed despair and defeat; rather a cynical cleverness in which she documented the sufferings of herself and those around her. Despite all that happened to her and her compatriots, she never let go of her beliefs and fought in the only way she knew how. Agnès never let herself sink into depression, despite her many injuries or disappointments. I very much admired her courage and strength.
   
   This story was both haunting and inspiring. Among the atrocities committed in WWII, this remains a story that is not often heard but that truly needs to be told. It may enlighten others to the fact that Jews were not the only victims of this terrible war. I found myself feeling maudlin and upset while reading this book, but I am glad that I read it. It is a terrible tale, but behind that tale lurks the spirit of of a woman who would not give up, turning a story that could only be ugly into a thing of beauty.



2. I remember reading this book years ago in the original French when I was a student, and I find it amazing that such an important primary source on the French Resistance and German occupation of France has taken sixty years to be translated. Agnes Humbert's sheer tenacity in banding together with her comrades to publish and distribute the illegal anti-German newspaper Résistance is a riveting profile in courage, yet Humbert never really draws any attention to her heroism, presenting her actions merely as what was required of a moral, patriotic person in a conflict where there were only two sides: for the Nazis or against them.
   
   I agree with the previous reviewer that the second half of the book detailing Humbert's arrest and imprisonment is more interesting, better written, and overall more compelling than the early sections, which are indeed dry and expository. Which brings me to my only real objection to this very useful addition to the English-language literature on the civilian experience of the war: the publishers should have gone to greater lengths to commission a truly spirited and detailed introductory essay orienting the lay reader (or, more importantly, college students) to the timeline and chain of events in the Nazi takeover of France, the division into Vichy and German-administered provinces, etc. I think there is a great deal of room for confusion here for people unfamiliar or only vaguely familiar with the historical background.
   
   Nonetheless, it's wonderful to know that this book is now available in English (and in a very nice, fluid translation)--a great addition to the reading list for any college course on WWII.



3. Heart-wrenching and totally mesmerizing. I was completely engrossed, especially because it is all so real, all the mundane details, and all the big historical events. I didn't find a single moment where the story dragged. Completely engrossed by this book--highly recommend.

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 Houses of the Founding Fathers.

1. Houses of the Founding Fathers
   
   This book is long overdue, and well worth the wait. The photographs and text, along with the history tidbits interwoven throughout give a real sense of the life and times of those men and women who created our country. The authors have gone beyond presenting the basic architecture styles to bring us into the everyday aspects of life of our Founding Fathers and their families. The perspectives and lighting of the photographs make us believe that 'we are there'. The authors have obviously done their research and made this book easy to follow with timelines, facts, features, and explanations of how the houses came into being in the first place - and how they have fared over the past two centuries. For anyone interested in American History - this book is for you!



2. The photographs were great and the short info pertaining to the individuals and their properties were interesting and informative. Well written, well photographed and a pleasure to have in our living room for others to see.



3. This book is a gem of photos and text about all sorts of Americans and how they lived. Most impressed that it did not just cover the usual presidents



4. This book has not only stunning photos and info about the houses, but also tons of history. It's like "If Walls Could Talk" for all of our founding fathers' homes. Family life, politics, business, & more went on in these homes, and this book delves into all of it. However, it does ignore the slavery issue, since it isn't PC to be reminded that most wealthy landowners, North & South, had slaves; including the founders.



5. I found this book to be very interesting and one which told me more about people with whom I am acquainted and, importantly, people important to me about whom I knew little. The photography is stunning.

5 comments about Patton: A Genius for War.

1. Patton is often described as "controversial". To those who have never fought in war, or perhaps even just engaged in competitive sports, or who otherwise have only a sort of normal, everyday idea about how people ought to act, I suppose he is: Arrogant, sometimes outwardly cruel, demanding, competitive, a taskmaster, single-minded, agressive, angry, all the rest. I've never fought in war, but I've played my share of competitive sports (a paltry parallel, but the best I can do). In sports, everyone (if they're lucky) had a coach like this somewhere along the way, and they most likely took more lessons away from that man or woman than all the colorless middle-of-the-roaders combined. They most likely achieved things under that person's direction that they didn't know they had the capacity to do. They most likely recall details about that person many years later, after they've forgotten most of the others. When the old team-mates get together, that's who most of the stories are about (many told as being funny, now - not so at the time).
   
   To me, that's Patton: An American original who just barely escaped being a bombastic buffoon. He avoided that fate and scaled the heights of history because he was a born leader of men - one who either broke them (rarely), or got the best out of them (much more often); because he knew his business inside-out; because he worked at it day and night; and most of all, because finally, he WON.
   
   I think that this intensely personal essence is what is most completely captured in this book. It fills in many of the overlooked or understated details from the well-known George C. Scott movie, and adds much new material besides. An excellent book, worthy not only as a war biography, but as a study of what it honestly takes to do REALLY well at any endeavor in life.



2. I for one, certainly do not agree with Alistair Horne's phrase,"Revisionism at best" with regards to this book.
   As mentioned by earlier reviewers, Carlos D'Estes book traces the Patton family history to soldiers in earlier times. That General Patton was influenced by these family heroes is without doubt. In fact, it explains a lot about the man's sense of destiny, responsibility, and continual need to excel at whatever he attempted.
   More than a quick sketch of a complex man, this is a biography worth reading and studying.
   Patton was one of his kind.
   An invaluable book to anyone seeking to understand Patton on and off the battlefield.
   Well written, I couldn't put it down.



3. This is by far the most comprehensive and enjoyable biography I've read on General Patton. Mr. D'Este has painstakingly recorded the entire life of one of the greatest battlefield commanders in history. As the New York Times Review states "...he neither damns nor beautifies his subject". There's no better way to sum up this work. It's brilliant and fair. I'm looking forward to the author's new book on Winston Churchill that should be arriving this year.



4. I had never read anything regarding General Patton, but after having watched the movie "Patton" again, I went to find the best biography of Patton available. I read many of them, but BY FAR, this is the best available. A work of biographical art: reveals the humanity of Patton the warrior, and reviews his place in history without prejudice.
   
   Sincerely recommended to everyone who wishes to read an excellent biography of General George S. Patton.



5. I've been facinated by history since grade school and just fell in love with this book. Patton was an amazing character and one of those rare individuals that only comes along every hundred years or so.
   
   This book is very long, but gives as complete a biographical picture of Gen Patton as possible. It details his entire life, from childhood through WW1 and WW2 all the way until his untimely death. Sadly his career was constantly derailed by lesser gifted generals like Ike or Bradley. If you are a history buff or Patton fan, then this book is for you.

3 comments about Giordano Bruno: Philosopher/Heretic.

1. Here Ingrid Rowland continues to demonstrate her profound mastery of the society and space of sixteenth-century Rome. Unlike most other accounts, Rowland emphasizes Bruno's role as a writer and shows that his fiery death at the stake in the Campo de' Fiori provoked change in the policy of the Roman Inquisition's treatment of intellectuals. I admire most of all Rowland's ability to bring forth vivid details from Bruno's beginnings in Naples, from his travels through France, England and even to the Frankfurt book fair, and from his obstinate conclusions both religious and scientific. She does much to humanize both Bruno and his chief prosecutor, Cardinal Bellarmine, and in the end suggests how science and religion soon found that they belong together rather than in conflict. This bright and polished biography does much to put the imagination of Bruno and his moving historical context in this reader's mind.



2. Rowland's work was a pretty big disappoint for me. Everything that was wonderful about Stephen Greenblatt's "Will in the World" (i.e. it was as fun to read as it was educationally rewarding) was missing in "Giardano Bruno". For a religious humanist who was so incredibly courageous, clever, exciting, and ahead of his time, his story, as told in this book, isn't a story at all. It is a dissertation on Italy during the time of the Inquisition. Rowland leaves literally no stone unturned, going on, sometimes for pages, about obscure influences and their influences, remarking on meaningless descriptions of plazas and statues that Bruno may have seen in the cities through which he traveled. The chapter on "The Art of Memory" was especially disappointing as, true to her form in the rest of the book, Rowland barely described this most famous aspect of Bruno's skill and philosophy, saying only that Bruno recited a psalm backward. I was looking forward to an enjoyable read. Bruno, if I get anything out of this book, was one of those rare geniuses, like a Shakespeare or a Poe, who had a sense of humor as well as a limitless intellect. This book was tedious and slow; I often, literally, had to force my way through it. For a book titled "Giardano Bruno: Philosopher, Heretic" I'd say about 75% of the novel isn't even about Bruno, his philosophy or his heresy. Rowland seemed to be more intent on displaying the breadth of her own research and understanding of the time period than on shedding any light on this remarkable and remarkably obscure man. I don't recommend this unless you're a Ph.d. candidate specializing in late 16th Century Italian Religious Figures Who Suffered Under the Inquisition and the World They Populated. The wikipedia entry on Giardano Bruno will tell you more about him in way less time. Ouch.



3. A very well researched book about a man who refused to back down to the Inquisition.For this he was burned at the stake in 1600. He could have saved his life as did Galileo. He chose not to do so. His statue overlooks the marketplace of Campo de' Fiori (Field of Flowers) in Rome where he died. He was a martyr to his ideas which he refused to deny. He started out as a monk but became a visionary of modern science questioning just about everything the Catholic church held sacred predicting that there could be many worlds beside ours which could be inhabited by many other forms of life.The Holy Inquisition declared him to be "an impenitent, pertinacious, and obstinate heretic." He was indeed all that and one of our early heroes, a model for free thinking.

5 comments about Secret Lives of the First Ladies: What Your Teachers Never Told You About the Women of the White House.

1. A very good read! Interesting facts about all the first ladies. It is sure to make you laugh. You will find out things you did not know. Entertaining.



2. If you like trivia, you'll enjoy this book. If you have only enough time to read short chapters or a few pages at a time, again, you'll like this book. Each chapter, which is about one first lady, is only a few pages in length -- perfect for bedtime reading for tired moms like me. There was enough information about each first lady to pique my interest, and make me want to find more in-depth biographies about many of the women.



3. Recently a foreign journalist interviewing George W. Bush asked the President of the United States to turn out his pockets. What an interesting, humanizing thing to ask of the most powerful man on Earth. And exactly the kind of thing that never occurs in the burlesque of today's 24 hour electronic news cycle. The contents of our pockets, those little handy nooks that serve as contingency storage for our day-to-day indispensables, speak wonderful, accessible volumes about us as people. Show me what you have in your pockets and, whether or not I know WHO you are, I get a glimpse what KIND of person you are. In Secret Lives of the First Ladies, Cormac O'Brien has politely turned out the pockets of the spouses of each of our presidents, and it's a neat-o treasure trove he uncovers. His style is neither lewd nor exploitative, though, to be sure, there's plenty of juicy stuff here. His project is a sort of cameo portraiture of some forty seven intriguing and often remarkable women. The only flattery in these portraits is a consistent, entertaining, and often astounding disclosure of each woman's individual humanity. It is tempting to read the book in little chunks (as I did at first) owing to its concise chaptering. However, it's a real pleasure go back and review long stretches, watching how the public appearance of the First Lady has evolved over time while her private role has remained remarkably consistent: she is the president's wife. Which is to say, sometimes she is a loving yet diminutive spousal anchor and sometimes she is a headstrong engine of scandal and outrage. Sometimes she is a fully enfranchised partner in even the weightiest decision-making at the executive mansion, including public policy. That there were first ladies fitting all these descriptions in every era since the founding of the republic, to me, was quite amazing. If you know any married couples, you will find the First Ladies, good and bad, tragic and heroic, satisfyingly and entertainingly familiar. Predictably, a frustrating aspect of The Secret Lives of the First Ladies is the rigid brevity of its entries, particularly in chapters describing women whom one would like to examine more closely. The challenge is to keep track of those First Ladies whose full biographies you now want to find and read. Alas, one has the nagging fear that those biographies won't be as frank and entertaining as these admittedly brief introductions. But, such is the nature of this omnibus beast. O'Brien's prose is a yummy balance of richness and skim-ability with very few false notes. The design and illustration are a constant reassurance that this is a social visit and not a college text. You're here to make friends and there is no requirement to pass a final exam. A pleasure to read cover-to-cover or simply to table hop as you meet these one-of-a-kind ladies. Of its genre, this is an A+.



4. the book arrived in good condition and in a timely matter. I am a very satisfied customer!!



5. I love how this book and the Secret Lives of the Presidents give us a real look at the personalities of the First Families and what was going on culturally and personally for these folks that have impacted our world. It helps to remind all of us that there never were the "good ol' days". Politics have always been a little messy. These book also help reveal the true brilliance of some of the First Ladies and their husbands. This is what should be taught in our schools. It makes history much more memorable!