5 comments about The Children of Henry VIII.

1. From the moment I picked up this book, I got glued. I have never read anything about Henry or his children in the past. I had been wanting to read about Elizabeth but it took awhile for me to find the right book. I read many reviews on the books written about her and based on those reviews, Alison Weir was the biographer I chose. Many have commented how she has put this book and the book on Elizabeths adult life together very well. And she has by my opinion. I'm still reading the book and look forward to reading about Elizabeth's adulthood.



2. Once again (I bought three books related with Henry VIII) the contents were the expected, the conditions in wich I received the book were perfect, and in a very reasonable lapse of time



3. The author demonstrates meticulous research in this book. This is the fourth of her books I have read and find her style clear,dull and somewhat easier to read than the Congrsssional Record.If you are seeking an accurate history with overmuch detail, Alison Weir is the author for you. I prefer a history book with a theme which holds my attention and doesn't wander into taxing paragraphs of detail,dull detail.



4. This was a very well written and entertaining book. It was not dry and historical. I was very engrossed in it and found it a very good read if you are interested in Tudor history. I am glad she she spent time on Mary Tudor, because not as much is written about her or her brother as Elizabeth. I found this to be a very good book.



5. Recently I've become interested in the Tudors. I've been following the series on television and have also read a few historical novels. This book, however, is different because it is not a novel. It is a biography. All I can say is WOW - truth really is stranger than fiction - and much more fascinating.
   
   It starts with a short history of the three Tudor siblings. Then, we meet King Edward VI I, a child being manipulated by the men in power. We get to know him as he grows more and more aware of his own power. He believes in the Protestant religion and he and his advisers have put restraints on Catholicism. Of course his oldest sister, Mary, who is in her late twenties and has been raised Catholic is unhappy and resists all the new laws, but he is firm in his own beliefs. By the age of 15, though, he is dying. It is a painful and tragic death and takes a long time. The reader is not spared any of the details. In order to keep England Protestant, on his dying bed, he chooses the next in succession - his cousin Lady Jane Grey, merely 15 years old at the time. She didn't want to be Queen, but was forced into it. Her reign was short (only nine days) and tragic. Soon, Mary became Queen.
   
   This all seems so simple, but, it fact it is quite complicated. The book describes the many plots and subplots, intrigues and politics of the time. Long imprisonments and beheadings were common. And later, during Mary's reign, Protestant heretics were burned at the stake. The reader is not spared any of the grisly details. There were times I got the shivers but I was glad this was not whitewashed history. This was real, it happened, and the writing was so good that I felt I was right there. The author managed to insert constant historical references, including actual letters, into the narrative.
   
   I learned a lot. I didn't know that Queen Mary had been married to a Spanish prince. I hadn't realized that the younger sister, Elizabeth, had spent much of her life imprisoned. I didn't understand the complexities of the constant warfare with other countries. And, even though I knew about the division between the Protestants and Catholics, this book really described the ends that Mary went to in order to force Catholicism on the English people.
   
   It's all here, packed into a mere 366 pages. Well, almost. The book ends with Mary's death and Elizabeth's ascension to the throne. It then simply mentions that Elizabeth enjoyed a 45-year reign. I definitely plan to read some other biography about that reign. But I now have the background to understand it better.
   
   I loved this book and was sorry it ended. Highly recommended.

No comments about Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief.

5 comments about Alexander Hamilton.

1. I fond this book to be pleasantly refreshing in its scope and style. In almost every page is a new insight into the main characters life. A complete course in American History, and a must read among American History enthusiast.



2. Long, but an easy interesting read for anyone interested in the founding fathers and seeing our current problems of today were the same ones they strugled with.



3. I find tremendous inspiration in these stories of "dead white guys"(and I probably should read the bio of Frederick Douglass and others to round it out) who spent every minute of their adult life, up to their death, providing for their families AND building a country out of nothing. In addition, because of the lack of modern communication(phone/email_ as well as the lack of leisure time they journaled every thought and action they experienced in order that we may learn from them. Their idea of a fun event was maybe being at an inn while working and someone playing a fiddle as the hummed along. We need to get inside thier heads and find out what combination of mental, physical, and spiritual energy they experienced to undertake this monumental task when just staying alive and providing for a family took every waking moment of everyone's life.
   
   Clearly the author grew to respect the role Hamilton played and felt that maybe the average reader may have been unaware(as I was) as to the various debates going on between Federalists and Republicans re: city v. country, farm v. industrialization, support of Britain v. France, etc.and Hamilton's influence (through Washington) on these events. He tried to capture the sense of adventure the young Hamilton experienced(in Nevis, then NYC, the catupulted into Washington's inner circle), the conflict between his family life(with Eliza who comes across very well here), and finally the events that drove his descent into a fatal resignation and eventually death.
   
   All in all a LONG read (took me 3 weeks at 1-2 hours a day) but a worthwhile read.



4. This is the first full-length biography about Alexander Hamilton that I have read. My only exposure to him has been in general history books, short biographical sketches and references to him in biographies of the other founding fathers. I had just finished watching the John Adams miniseries from HBO and had read his biography by David McCullough. In it Hamilton was depicted as quite fanatic. I wanted to get a broader picture of his life and had heard good reviews of this book. It was available in audio book format and I grabbed a copy to listen to on my commute. It turned out to be a fascinating listening experience.
   
   The narrator was Scott Brick and his voice was perfect for a biography of this type. He has a clear and pleasant voice, and the time listening went by quickly.
   
   I knew that Hamilton had contributed a lot to our countries early history, but had no idea how much he had contributed. I wasn't aware of how he was such a key part of George Washington's career as general and president. I didn't know that Hamilton was the key author of Washington's farewell address, considered one of his greatest speeches. I also didn't know his role in the federalist papers was so key. He was clearly a visionary and was way ahead of his time. It was interesting to get another perspective on the other founding fathers, especially Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
   
   Hamilton also had plenty of weaknesses and Chernow points those out freely. There is a lot for us to learn from him. It's tragic that Hamilton's life was cut short. It would have been interesting to see what else he would have accomplished if he had lived longer.
   
   I highly recommend this book for all to read. The subject is fascinating and well written. It caused me to reflect on the importance of looking at both sides of a story and realize that even people with flaws can accomplish great things.



5. Takes forever to read (or listen to as I did) but by the end, the reader has not only a fantastic understading of the subject, but for the entire maelstrom from which this country sprang.

5 comments about The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

1. Alison Weir provides a fascinating, richly detailed and penetrating human history of the life of King Henry VIII and his six wives. The work is meticulously researched and provides a deep and intelligent understanding of these six fascinating ladies and of King Henry himself.
   
   While Henry VIII was responsible for some great achievements for England, he developed into a cruel tyrant; anyone who aroused his suspicion or displeasure was likely to be be executed and those who died included nobles, ministers, prelates and 2 of his six wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.
   
   Catherine of Aragon was a proud Spanish princess, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, and a deeply pious Roman Catholic. She was betrothed at three years of age to the first son of King Henry VII, Arthur Prince of Wales and became Prince Arthur's wife at 16. Arthur died six months after their marriage and Catherine spent 7 years in poverty and insecurity, abandoned by Spain and despised by Henry VII, robbed of her dowry and never sure of what her fate would be. Catherine bore these years with great faith, strength and dignity.
   After Henry VII's death, in 1509, the newly crowned Henry VIII made her his wife, and they lived together for eighteen years.
   Of the five children born to Catherine, only Mary lived. She became Queen Mary I ("Bloody Mary"). Henry desperate for a male heir and enchanted by Anne Boleyn, decided to annul his marriage to Catherine.
   Catherine resisted the annulment as long as she could, while always declaring her loyalty and love to the king.
   After Henry broke with the Roman Catholic Church to divorce her, Catherine lived in retirement.
   
   Anne Boleyn was a chamber maid to Catherine of Aragon when the king became interested in her.
   Henry secretly married Anne in January, 1533. Henry's Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer pronounced Henry's first marriage null and void.
   Anne Boleyn was crowned queen in June and because of circumstances beyond her control was unpopular with the English people and had many enemies.
   Anne gave birth to Elizabeth in June.
   But Henry a cruel and selfish man had wanted a boy and soon tired of Anne.
   After she repeatedly failed to produce a male heir, Henry and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell had Anne framed for adultery and executed.
   Anne was an intelligent and courageous women, as well as ambitious and capable at times of ruthlessness.
   She was a strong adherent to the Protestant cause and well read in Protestant theology at a time when it was dangerous to do so.
   The author reveals that Anne was not however the scheming wanton that some historians have painted her as.
   
   Jane Seymour by contrast was not the good hearted innocent some have seen her as. she copied Anne Boleyn's methods of witholding her sexual favours to the king until she was Queen. She was favoured by the Catholic camp.
   She seemed to have remained on the King's good side and bore him his long wanted male heir to be Edward VI.
   She died of illness soon after Edward's birth.
   
   Henry was then maneuvered into a marriage by his chief minister Thomas Cromwell, to the Protestant German princess, Anne of Cleves, to bolster the Protestant cause.
   Henry had only soon seen Anne of Cleves in a portrait but when he met her he found her unattractive exclaiming "I like her not".
   He soon divorced her but because Anne of Cleves did not resists the divorce and was amenable she avoided a tragic fate and lived out a comfortable retirement with a large inheritance, the longest living of Henry's wives.
   Ironically the Protestant princess Anne of Cleves was converted to a devout Catholic, by Princess Mary, who became her close friend.
   
   After that the powerful Howard family manipulated one of their young daughters, the 15 year old Catherine Howard to marry the king, and was supported by the Catholic faction. The aging Henry's large ego was thrilled to betroth an attractive girl over thirty years his junior. When he married her, Henry described Catherine Howard as his "rose without a thorn"
   Catherine was good hearted, but simple and sexually promiscuous. Described as giddy girl."
   
   The machinations of the court destroyed her and she was not shrewd enough to survive.
   She was accused of adultery, whether she was guilty is not known, but she never stood a chance and was executed on the orders of the cruel and vengeful Henry,a truly tragic tale.
   Catherine Howard was a powerless pawn used by powerful and unscrupulous forces.
   
   Henry's last wife was the level headed and highly intelligent Catherine Parr. She managed to outlive the king, and befriended the young Princess Elizabeth and Prince Edward, showing a kindly character. She was a strong Protestant and believed in church reform (she had secret Lutheran sympathies) and the author believes she would have made a mark as a great thinker in times when women were encouraged to think independentally and make an intellectual contribution.
   Her strong religious convictions led her to argue with King Henry about religion, and the author writes that she may have been lucky the King died when he did.
   
   Catherine Parr, later married Sir. Thomas Seymour and was a great friend to the Lady Jane Grey.
   she also foretold that the young Princess Elizabeth was destined by Heaven to be a great Queen of England, when she had told Elizabeth to leave her house after Elizabeth had been seduced by Thomas Seymour, showing her powers of vision and her non vengeful nature,
   She was a visionary and a good woman.
   
   An interesting historical anecdote. Friar Peto predicted in 1532 that if King Henry cast off Katherine of Aragon and married Anne Boleyn he would be as Ahab and the dogs would lick his blood.
   After Henry's death his lead coffin weakened by the motion of the carriage burst open, and liquid matter from the body seeped out onto the church pavement. A dog was with the plumbers who came the next morning to repair the coffin, and it was seen to lick up the blood from the floor just as Friar Peto had predicted.
   
   Like all of Alison Weir's works this volume combines detailed history with a thrilling and smooth read. Everything you could want in a factual history volume.
   It is social and personal history at it's best and captures the essence of the time of Henry VIII's reign and the wider events involving England at the time.



2. To be a wife of Henry VIII would be great if you were content to not to be an individual with any rights.You would want for nothing.On the other hand if you wanted to express your self and be seen as an equal you would be treading on thin ice.



3. I got through this book much quicker than average. I could hardly put it down. Very well written and extremely interesting.



4. A must read if you have been enticed by the interesting tale of the period... Perhaps you have read some of the fluffier books with more romance and fictional license. This is book fills in many of the holes. This book is a nice enjoyable read with great details that touch on the people in a Titan's wake.
   
   The women come to life.
   The politics and decisions that baffle us, centuries later, come into focus as you understand the rival nations and religious reform of the era. GREAT NOVEL.
   
   This author did research and portrayed the characters factually and clearly.
   
   Her Eleanor of Aquitaine novel is excellent as well.



5. If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, like myself, and you relish in the scandals and dramatics of King Henry VIII's Court, this may not be the book for you. This reads a lot more like a history textbook. Not exactly salacious or trashy. Just provides a lot of background and facts about this period of time. I just couldn't stay engrossed. I guess I need the fictionalized version, no matter how accurate it may be. Not exactly a short casual read by any means.

5 comments about Truman.

1. This is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. And I do my fair share of reading. Don't let the size of the book scare you either. Its worth putting the time into. David McCullough writes in a readable manner. None of that academic reading stuff that gives you headaches. Listen, if you are even considering buying it you probably already have a little interest in this topic. Do yourself a favor. Buy this book. You can thank me later. Oh, and...Harry is my new hero.



2. I consider myself a fan of history (I like it, but don't know enough and mis-remember even more). David McCullough's books bring to life the stories of our country (and events) in a compelling manner that makes you want more. I eagerly look forward to each of his well researched and "human" look at what has helped shape the U.S. to where we are today. Each of these should be required reading for middle school & high school students - the conversations they create will bring benefits for our future generations. This is even more true for the biographies as he develops the person which helps explain the why - and not just the what happened. Bravo Mr. McCullough, very well done indeed.



3. "Truman" is a much praised book and deservedly so. There is hardly a need for another review, in addition to the 280 already posted here, so I will be brief.
   
   Above all, it is superbly readable, as entertaining as a good novel. I experienced a sense of regret having finished it today.
   
   It is a clear and balanced portrait of a leader and a wonderful study of understated, firm and steady leadership.
   
   I would rate it as essential reading for anyone wanting to understand key aspects of the world since WWII and which continue to influence events today.



4. I was given this book as a Christmas present. I had read McCullough's 1776 and John Adams and had enjoyed them both (although I was disappointed in the brevity of 1776). Still this book (Truman) stayed on my shelf gathering dust for over six months. I was initially overwhelmed with its length and afraid to tackle it (I had failed with Vidal's Lincoln and didn't want to repeat that result). I finally screwed my courage and cracked it open.
   
   Although the first 50 pages or so weren't extremely engrossing, after that the book quickly captivated me. I didn't know much about Harry Truman, and what I did know led me to believe that he was a fairly average president. What I learned is that he was an amazing overachiever who, when faced with the weight of the world, was at his best. McCullough really brought the man to life, and although Mr. Truman did some things that none of us would be proud of, McCullough didn't provide excuses for Harry - he did explain possible causes for Truman's behavior.
   
   After reading this book, you can't help but feeling that the United States was extremely fortunate to have Truman in the nation's highest office, and you can't help but wish you could have met the man.
   
   I wholeheartedly recommend the book as a must read.



5. The book is well researched and is interesting reading. It's amazing to see the same political arguements in 1934 as in 2008. They were using class warfare in 1934 same as now.

5 comments about Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History.

1. Maus, A Survivor's Tale is a son's pictorial version of his father's story of survival during WWII.
   
   Both haunting and mesmerizing, sometimes funny and touching, this is a story of perseverance and about what the Jews had to suffer through at the hands of the Nazis in WWII Poland. Spiegleman never sugar-coats what his father had to endure in order to keep he and his wife alive. A true work of art.



2. As a Jew Living in Israel, holocaust related books are important to read, but it's hard to do it actually. I can remember several holocaust-era semi-biographic novels which are great but those are the exceptions. Most of the books are a bit bothersome though true.
   Maus just captured me.I consider it one of the best books I've ever read in my life. It was just breath-taking, adding to that the fact that this was my first graphic novel ever, not to say first comic ever.
   I gave it to my wife, her parents, brother and so on. The book came back to me after 6 month. all worn out.
   The book touched me in the deepest levels, and was able to do what many other holocaust books tried to do and failed. Take you inside one of the the darkest eras of human kind. You NEED to read to. You have to read it.



3. I must say that I find this work hard to properly describe in terms of how I feel about it. I think that it was a fascinating look at one man's experience in the Holocaust, but an equally important aspect is Art's interaction with his father during their conversations. This seems like an honest portrayal, especially since Art isn't afraid to include things that may make him look bad (he isn't always the most sympathetic son). I think connecting the story of what happened then, and how it's effects are apparent for the rest of a person's life (although different people reacted in different ways) is interesting. The way this is written is especially effective, because it truly feels like Vladek is telling you his story first hand.
   As for the artwork, although it isn't my favorite style, it seems to fit for this story. The simple, unpolished look is compatible with this story which is honest and raw. Finally, I would like to add that the second installment of this comic is darker, and more depressing and sad at times, but once you read Maus I, you must (and will want to) read Maus II in order to feel any closure with the story.



4. i was one of the few among my peers who had never read one of the Maus books. When i finally got around to it, i was blown away by its excellence. This is a masterpiece (and i do not use the term lightly). Do yourself a favor and don't miss it.



5. Maus was a very engaging book. From the beginning I was pulled into the story. Maus is written in a very unique way. Art Spiegelman drew the Jews as mice, the Nazis as cats, and the Poles as pigs. Art Spiegelman told the story from the perspective of his father telling the story through an interview format. It is written in the form of a graphic novel. It is an interesting way to learn about history during the World War II era. Overall I liked this book, except I really didn't like the end. Also, there was a little bit of language.

5 comments about The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale.

1. As a Jew Living in Israel, holocaust related books are important to read, but it's hard to do it actually. I can remember several holocaust-era semi-biographic novels which are great but those are the exceptions. Most of the books are a bit bothersome though true.
   Maus just captured me.I consider it one of the best books I've ever read in my life. It was just breath-taking, adding to that the fact that this was my first graphic novel ever, not to say first comic ever.
   I gave it to my wife, her parents, brother and so on. The book came back to me after 6 month. all worn out.
   The book touched me in the deepest levels, and was able to do what many other holocaust books tried to do and failed. Take you inside one of the the darkest eras of human kind. You NEED to read to. You have to read it.



2. Although I am not Jewish I feel the same as the Jews that Holocaust books MUST be read. I was horrified to learn recently that a 37-year-old cousin did not know what a fascist was. This is NOT okay. Already thing are happening in the U.S. that mirror what happened in Germany before World War II, but that is not what you will find in this book.
   
   What you will find in this book is the story from one man's experience and memory. It is both touchingly and brutally honest, written by the son of Holocaust survivors -- the story told to him only by his father.
   
   Spiegelman's use of the comic media to draw Jews as mice, Nazis as cats, Poles as Pigs, French as Frogs, Americans as Dogs and the Swiss as Elk was ingenious. There are some VERY disturbing things that happen in this story which come as no surprise to those who have read other books on the Holocaust, and which make it so difficult to read more on the subject. Somehow reading about it through the comic medium creates an artificial distance from the topic that makes it easier to bear.
   
   I read the whole thing in one day -- would have taken longer if I did not dedicate myself to reading the entire day, but still, that is not bad. It was "just right." I also found the depictions of some of his father's neuroses depicted as very interesting. He sure hated to spend money, but no matter how much money he had you just can't blame him when you see what he has gone through.
   
   Good book. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.



3. Not to sound too cliche, but there really is no other way to describe Maus and brilliant. Using the medium of comic strips (often regarded as childish and immature) to tell a real life, adult tragedy impacts the reader in a different way from if it was just in print.
   
   Do not dismiss this book as irrelevant because of the panels with pictures in them. A must read. However, I wouldn't recommend young children to read this very adult themed novel. Wait until they are a little older so they can fully (or even partially) understand the beauty and tragedy presented.



4. The Holocaust hangs over western society in the second half of the twentieth century. One man said that poetry was impossible after Auschwitz, but great artists in numerous mediums have dedicated themselves ot proving this wrong. The great crime has provided a great canvas for stories of humanity in the face of evil, such as Steven Spielberg's film "Schindler's List". "Maus" is the comics world's prime entry in this difficult field of literature. Writer and artist Art Spiegelman brings us the story of his father (and mother, by times), two Polish Jews who narrowly survived the war. Having already chosen to tell his story in the form of a comic, a medium often looked down upon as inherently childish by those who don't know any better, he further chooses to cast his characters as anthropomorphic animal, in the manner of an animal fable.
   
   This choice has attracted some controversy (on display in many of the reviews on this site), in some cases because they believe it trivializes the subject-matter (to which I would say "Animal Farm"), or, more commonly, because they take issue with the seeming racialist use of different animals for different nationalities (Jews are mice, regardless of nationality, other Poles are pigs; Germans cats, the French frogs, Americans dogs, etc.). Spiegelman actually discusses the implications of the latter thing within the narrative, which includes an extensive b-story set in the then-present (from the 70s to the 80s), following Art, his wife Francoise, and his elderly father as Art writes "Maus". Francoise is a French Christian who converted to Judaism, and wonders what animal she should be cast as (he chooses a mouse, for the record). Spiegelman never casts all of one group as behaving the same way.
   
   "Maus" reminds me a bit of Paul Verhoeven's "Black Book" in its depiction of wartime Europe's complexity, including the now-uncomfortable degree of collaboration or prejudice found in the occupied countries. Vladek and Anja encounter everything but solidarity with their fellow Poles on the journey through the war; fellow Jews rat them out to the Nazis, others require payment to help Jews avoid death, something that Art expresses amazement at, but Vladek seems to see as very reasonable. Spiegelman doesn't paint his father as a saint, indeed, expressing concern that his father comes across as a stereotypical miserly Jew; at one point, Vladek is shown to be strongly racist against blacks, again to Art and Francoise's amazement. The animal characterizations are never binding; for all Spiegelman's concern over France's history of anti-Semitism, the one French frog we see is an amiable fellow-inimate of Vladek's; even among the German cats we find a Polish Jew married to a German woman, the product of this union being peculiar cat/mouse hybrids.
   
   "Maus" is ultimately a very affecting, personal work from Art Spiegelman, and does a fantastic job of communicating the life story of his father. it is a shining example of what the graphic novel form is capable of achieving.



5. I went to a exhibition on the history of comics a couple of years ago. They had all kinds, from Little Nemo to Jack Kirby, and many things in between. One of the things featured was several pages from Art Speigelman's Maus. I was so intrigued by what I saw that I had to buy it off Amazon, and I have not regretted it. Don't be fooled by Speigelman's seemingly simplistic black and white work. His storytelling is powerful stuff, I tell you.

5 comments about The Wordy Shipmates.

1. Sarah Vowell is one of my favorite writers. She writes in such a way that makes history fun and interesting, even if you haven't studied it since high school.
   
   THE WORDY SHIPMATES continues this trend. It focuses on the Puritans, the wave of settlers to Massachusetts who followed the Pilgrims. They were led by John Winthrop who is probably best known for coining the term "City on a hill" made famous by several Presidents, including Reagan. Vowell also writes about Roger Williams (who after being exiled from Massachusetts, settles Rhode Island), Anne Hutchinson, and the Native Americans.
   
   Like her previous work, this is a highly entertaining read. You feel her enthusiasm for the time period. As I stated, even those who don't normally read history will find this fascinating.
   
   This may end up being my favorite book this year.
   
   I can't wait to read what she writes next.



2. There's nothing like a Sarah Vowell book to provide a new slant on a historical period. In "The Wordy Shipmates," she tackles a rather odd era, and one for which most people have definite opinions: the settlement of Massachusetts by the Puritans. Vowell does not reveal that the Puritans were *not* the American version of the Taliban. Certainly, they were fanatical, even by the standards of their own time, and harsh and guilt-ridden to boot. Their endless arguments about the meaning of biblical verses and their extreme hatred and fear of "Papists" put them two steps away from the loony bin. Yet they possessed attitudes (and paranoias) that put them squarely at the root of what would become the American nation character. Having arrived on these shores, by the grace of God, they were ferociously jealous of their freedom from the intrigues and violent interference of the English court and church. Worried sick about takeover by their own government, they were careful to give at least the appearance of subservience to the powerful crown. Vowell's hero is John Winthrop, the first governor of the collection of rude shacks that became the city of Boston. Winthrop is an oxymoron -- a Puritan with a streak of practical morality -- who rules with a weird combination of Christian compassion and tyrannical ruthlessness. Over a fractious and easily offended populace, Winthrop bobs and weaves like a prize fighter, somehow managing to keep his society from fragmenting. Winthrop nearly meets his match with Roger Williams though. Williams, far from being the free-speech champion that we liberals thought him to be, is even more of a Puritan than the Puritans. He finds that his austere compatriots to be insufficiently willing to separate from the ungodly, raising the hackles of "moderates" like Winthrop, and eventually earning himself banishment from the community. Yet Vowell finds the silver lining in Williams, who, arguing for a wall to keep the government out of the *church*, set the stage for future debate that bore fruit over a century and a half later in the Bill of Rights.
   
   "The Wordy Shipmates" is a fascinating read, peppered throughout with Vowell's entertaining and snarky similes and parallels. Her discussion of the way that most Americans (including herself) get their history from popular shows like "Happy Days" and "The Brady Bunch" is illuminating and a little scary. To counter this, Vowell provides plenty of primary material -- mostly from Winthrop's journals -- and provides explanations that give context and cut through the turgid 17th-century prose. Most aspects of tehstory move briskly,. Though her telling of the genocidal Pequot "War" drags a bit. She does do a great job of seeing how Winthrop's' "City on a Hill" image has been used and misused throughout history, especially by those who missed the point that at its base, the City was intended to describe a society whose members were bound to one another through Christian charity. For a closer look at a society which we tend to judge and dismiss, "The Wordy Shipmates" book is a gem.



3. I love Sarah Vowell's books. She is an absolute master at examining a historical subject, relating it to the world we live in, and inserting her personal foibles to it, all in a narrative that moves so smoothly and quickly that you're sometimes surprised that you've read the whole book at a sitting. That's what she attempts to do here, but she doesn't quite pull it off this time.
   
   Don't misunderstand me; this isn't at all a bad book. In fact, it's fascinating. It is jam-packed with fascinating information about the Massachusetts Puritans and the religious, social, and historical context of their settlement. Vowell weaves comments about her family background, education, travels, and hopes and fears into the narrative, just as she usually does.
   
   When Vowell's writing works best, it's driven by her quirkiness and her ability to veer off on what seems to be a tangent, then bring everything together in the end. She does that here, but just not as well as in her other books. Perhaps the subject just isn't as susceptible to the Vowell treatment as the subjects of her other books.
   
   I actually enjoyed this book, and I recommend it highly. However, it's just not as good as her other books made me expect it to be. Well worth reading, though.



4. The point Sarah Vowell hopes to make with her book is condensed in its three opening sentences: "The only thing more dangerous than an idea is a belief. And by dangerous I don't mean thought-provoking. I mean: might get people killed." In many ways the book aims to be a modern social commentary that tells us about all the terrible things that happened to and in the United States and the world because some Puritans hopped on a boat and came here.
   
   We elected Bush? That's Anne Hutchinson's fault. And not just because Bush is a descendant of hers either. Had it not been for Anne's ideas, most American Protestants would not now believe in "immediate personal revelation" (p. 209)--the idea (radical at the time) that individuals have a personal relationship with God and that, as a result, only the individual is responsible for his or her own salvation. In other words, had it not been for Anne, there would have been no born-again Christians and, hence, no George Bush.
   
   Our (often disastrous) interventions around the world? Blame Winthrop of "City on a Hill" fame. Had he not drummed into us that we're a city on a hill, a model to the world, we might be less eager to spread our model from one corner of the globe to the next. And, in any event, we might not have had Ronald Reagan as president. (I suspect Sarah Vowell might be a Democrat by the way.)
   
   The Indian massacres? That too is the Puritans' fault. But here Sarah Vowell does not have to rely on genealogy or one man or woman's belief system to prove her point. The Puritans, after all, massacred many Indians. Like the Pequot, whose children, women, and men they literally burned alive. This book is thus worth reading if all you want are the details of what happened after Thanksgiving.
   
   But this book is also worth reading because as Sarah Vowell ruefully admits, "I wish I did not identify with [the Puritans'] essential questions" (p. 29). But she does. She does not say it outright but she seems to feel that at least part of the belief system that made those Puritans sail to America was a sense of social justice. The Puritans resurrected (in the Christian world) the Hebrew ideas of: isomania (we should all be equal before the law), literacy (we should all be able to read the law--or the Bible), free speech (we should be able to denounce authority), and manual labor (we should all earn our bread by the sweat of our brows). And this belief gave us not just Bush, Reagan and the massacres of Native Americans but also Martin Luther King, Jr.
   
   And because she recognizes the good that came (with the much-detailed) bad, Sarah Vowell gives us a thoughtful and detailed translation of what the Puritans were up to. She makes the language and the politics of the 1600s understandable to the reader of 2008. And not only understandable but fun to read. And so we enjoy learning about the disagreements the Puritans had with the Pope, the Anglicans and with each other; we get the political implications the Bible had for them; we understand the importance Winthrop's "Christian Charity" sermon had for his contemporaries (and Sarah Vowell admits, for her). We (or at least I) learned a lot reading this book and what is more I enjoyed learning it.
   
   The final verdict then? As social commentary, this book is not much different from many others like it (say Michael Moore); as history of the Puritan era though it is a resounding success. I recommend it.



5. The Wordy Shipmates focuses on the Puritans and their ideology. The inspiration for this book seems to have been a guy named John Winthrop and a speech that he wrote.
   
   It's as amusing and interesting as a book about the puritans could be, and Vowell's enthusiasm for the subject shined through and made me want to be excited about it, too. However, there is only so much that can be done to spice up this topic, and even with her witty interjections and pop culture references I found myself getting bored in places.
   
   If you are a fan of her work, or are interested in reading about American history from the point of view of someone other than a crusty old white guy for a change, you will enjoy this book.
   
   Sarah, I love you girl, but please get obsessed with something more fun next time.

5 comments about Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom.

1. I ordered this book because the ad that promoted it sounded like it was something I would enjoy. However, I was quite disappointed. Overall, it was depressing. I could not see a "good moral to the story." It seems to me he sacrificed his family for his career. Reading about the failed opertions---and all the time, money, and effort spent on them---was very discouraging to me as an American. It was difficult for me to see how God was honored in this. Perhaps this book resonates more with those who have been in the military or intelligence service. I'm going to look at your return policy.



2. This was one of the best books I have ever read. Well written and informative but very definetly showing the human side, emotions and frustrations. It is a "can't put down." Theres no ego trip here, It is a very good first person history lesson with all the human frailty involved in something new and different, He didn't leave out any of the bumps and warts.



3. Very interesting story told with honest expressions of emotions one might not expect from a hardened career soldier.



4. General Boykin's life story is a truly amazing journey of faith and guts. He, like so many of our senior officers, stood tall against politicians and bureaucrats to defend our country and our freedom. As in other cases, it was his determined spirit shaped by extreme physical and mental military training combined with a deep faith developed over the years of service that prevailed in the end. I highly recommend this book for every young person who might think that freedom is "free".



5. Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom is a wonderful emotional story about one man...Lieutenant General William G. Boykin. Boykin shares every step of his journey with readers from the first moment that he decided to go into the military to the end with he retires from it. I do want to state that Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom has nothing to do with attacking republicans or democratics but instead shows readers things that the media doesn't tell you about including the strong bond that is formed between friends and turns out becoming the strongest band of brothers you will ever meet.
   
   The one thing I really found amazing about Lieutenant General William G. Boykin was his unwavering dedication to his faith in God. I thought this fact really made Boykin a man of honor, respect, and of great character. There are not many non fiction volumes that were so powerful in addition to leaving such a lasting memory as Never Surrender: A Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom. After reading this book you can't help but feel proud to be an American. It's people like Lieutenant General William G. Boykin who we have to give our thanks to for giving us our freedom to live out lives the way we want to and I have one comment to make and that is...We will Never Surrender!

5 comments about Wild Swans : Three Daughters of China.

1. Spanning three generations of Chinese women, this 508 page tour de force is breathtaking in its scope. Each of the characters in this book is fully developed. The reader learns about life in communist China. It is almost too much to bear reading about the severe hardships endured by these brave women. My only criticism, and a minor one at that, is that as the Cultural Revolution squeezed out all of the old, beautiful and the traditional from society, it also made it difficult, if not impossible, for the author to convey the truly raw emotion that must have been experienced by members of her family and their friends as they suffered through the years of Mao. Nevertheless, as China continues to evolve and play a larger role on the world stage, this book helps us to understand how far the Chinese have come.
   
   Stephen Ira Tamber



2. This is the gripping story of three generations of women. It is not only an autobiography; it is the story of China's past. This book, told in story form, is a first- hand account of the many changes and horrors endured by the Chinese people. The Author's beautiful grandmother, whose feet were bound at age two, became a concubine to a famous general in the warlord government. Her parents were high officials in the People's Republic. But their positions did not prevent them from torment. The Cultural Revolution and other historical movements impacted every member of Jung Chang's family in life altering ways. They suffered intolerably. The author describes the life of her mother who raised her children without emotional support from her husband or from the Communist Party, to which both parents at the time belonged. Jung Chang is the third generation daughter of China in this personal story. The reader will learn about the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese invasion, the famines, land reforms, denunciations, Red Guards, Chairman Mao (who made such declarations as the burning of books and art, pulling out grass, destruction of temples, etc.) and Mme. Mao who made cruel commands of her own. There are lessons to be learned in reading about masses believing whatever their leaders tell them and following their dictates unquestioningly. It is frightening and compelling at the same time.
   
   Although many of the author's accounts of atrocities perpetrated on the populace are difficult to comprehend and uncomfortable to read, it is a valuable book for those who want to know more about the history of a country where a fifth of humanity lives in our shrinking globe and now has one of the fastest growing economies; China currently holds a trillion dollars in U.S. securities. Reading Wild Swans is a good way to understand the Chinese culture in the 20th century and the generations who endured great hardships at the hands of those described in this book. It is uplifting to see the influence of Chang's parents in her decision making and read of her own acts of bravery and compassion. I won't divulge the ending, but Chang does find happiness.
   
   It was inspiring to read about the personal integrity, ethical standards, courage and moral values in the face of incalculable brutality, degradation and mindless destruction of real people, not fictional characters. Jung Chang spared no detail in describing these virtues and vices in telling her story. If you want better insight and understanding of China, for a firsthand account -Read Wild Swans! This is a very significant book and I highly recommend it.



3. I've had this book on my shelf since published in 1991 and decided this week to read it. I am sorry I waited so long. Beautifully written and an invaluable insight into the Chinese mind. In my opinion it goes a very long way toward explaining the historical distrust between Chinese and Western peoples. Chinese people could not/were trained not to express their thoughts (and in many instances were encouraged to not even have thoughts) and this lack of ability to communicate directly is perceived as untrustworthy by Westerners. I did have to laugh when I read that Chinese told their children to be grateful for their food as children in the capitalist West were starving! (Being of an age where when I said "yuck" I was told children in China were starving and I should be glad I wasn't.) But many did starve and many more were starved of spirit and individual thought. An outstanding and extremely readable history of a period of relatively recent political events and the results therefrom. Alas, the philosophy and practices of Mao have permeated many other parts of the world.



4. Wild Swans is an amazing, eye-opening look at China's past and reveals much about why China is the country it is today. I spend about 6 weeks in China (in manufacturing) per year, yet never began to understand what some of the people I work with with have been thru until I read this book. People my parents age being tortured, being starved, seeing arbitrary violence and murder of their children, their families, entire villages. Compared to Mao, Hitler was a nice guy. So few people seem to know or care about the needless starvation, violence & sadistic political game-playing that was inflicted on China by it's own government resulting in deaths of millions of people. I couldn't put this book down. Jung interweaves her family's history with the history of the country in a matter of fact way, documenting China as I have never seen it before. This is a must read.



5. I found it interesting for the first half of the book but then it became redundant and tedious.