5 comments about The Royals.

1. I love reading about the royal family and I just loved this book! I have read several books about Diana so I knew the history there but I never knew what an awful mother the Queen is! And I didn't realize how everything has to be approved by her! Nor did I realize what a womanizer Price Philip was and all the mistresses he had over the years!
   
   Would highly recommend if you like reading about the Windsor Family.



2. This book while big is full of lies and no wonder it isn't available in England because if it where the Queen would be all over it for the lies that it says about the royals.
   
   Here are just some of the things that Kitty Kelly says in the book that are not true
   
   1.The Queen Mum was illegitimate-she was the 8th of 9 children and her parents were married long before she was born
   
   2. The Queen Mum had to be impregnated by turkey baser to have Elizabeth and Margret
   
   3. Princess Margret was an anti-Semite because she walked out of Schindler's List
   
   4. Prince Harry is not Prince Charles' son- so not true. Harry's maternal grandfather had red hair and Princess Diana did not meet Harry's supposed father until he was already at least one year old
   
   Do not bother even reading this book. There are much better, more accurate books out there about the royal family.



3. This is the first Kitty Kelley book I've ever read (I saw it on a family member's bookshelf and I felt like slumming), and it will be the last. This woman is not a biographer: she is a human garbage recycler. And a lousy writer at that.
   
   I hold no brief for the British royal family, although I do not object to the institution and find it an interesting if quaint relic of yesteryear. But this disorganized, poorly-written collection of gossip, innuendo, and previously-reported/disclosed information is pretty trashy stuff. There is nothing positive in this portrayal of the Royal Family, only a highly selective collection of slurs. Kelley obviously operates on the principle of, "If you can't say anything nasty, don't say anything at all." She certainly does not hold herself to any journalistic standard of verifying sources.
   
   Kelley is obsessed with sex: who is sleeping with whom, who is gay, who likes to watch porn. And sex is the entire focus of this book. About the institution of the British monarchy itself - a fascinating and complex subject - the reader learns little; Kelley is more interested, for example, in the sexual preferences of the Queen Mother's staff than she is in the Queen Mother herself.
   
   The writing is atrocious. Kelley repeats herself frequently - we get the same information about Phillip's extramarital exploits in at least three different places - and the book's lack of organization muddles the chronology of events. The author's use of similes is trite (a situation "smelled worse than a dead possum under the porch") and her syntax is careless. Worst of all, little of the sensational information we are treated to comes from the author's own investigation; she relies heavily on other published sources and the narrative is replete with thrice-told tales. The entire book gives the impression of being thrown together in a hurry and with little care.
   
   I felt slightly soiled after I finished this prurient tabloid hit-piece. The only thing that kept me going was the same impulse that makes one rubberneck at a bad traffic accident. Only recommended to those with a strong stomach and limited intelligence.



4. I bought this book when it first came out and thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't sold in England and I made the mistake of loaning it to a Brit I worked with at the time. I never saw the book again. A decade or so later, I wanted to read The Royals again and found it on Amazon's used books. The book arrived quickly and in exactly the condition described by the seller. I'm very pleased to have the book again.



5. To anyone with a serious interest in recent British history, absolutely avoid this book like the plague. The author lost me in the first chapter when she depicts King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on their famous and important visit to Washington DC in June of 1939, as living a life of lavish abandon while their subjects suffered wartime privation at home.
   Too bad the war didn't start till September, Ms. Kelley!
   After this outright lie, written for no other reason than to blacken the characters involved and tell an "interesting" story, needless to say, it was impossible to take anything else the author had to say very seriously. This book is meant for the readers of "the National Enquirer", and anyone else to whom such trivial things as dates and correct chronology of events are not important. Is it any wonder that publication was banned in the United Kingdom and this rag is to be found on the twenty five cent reject shelf?
   Nuff said.

5 comments about Biko - Cry Freedom.

1. This is much more than a simple biography of Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness movement in South Africa and one of the seminal figures in the anti-apartheid movement, it is an insider's look and condemnation of the System. Though Biko died young and apartheid has faded into memories for most people who had the misfortune of living in it, his is an excellent example of the horroific prejudices to which people, even in these enlightened times, can be subjected. This book uses incredible detail and many essential sources to tell a lively, powerful, and important story. I watched Cry Freedom several years ago and was inspired tolearn more about the subject, and I would recommend the same path, because the movie really brings the characters and issues to life. I would caution people who only want to learn the basics about the history of apartheid or Biko, that this is a very indepth and detailed book, that can be difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the subjects, so I might recommend a slightly more elementary book for a first experience.



2. Woods wrote this book to show the world how desperate the need for change was in south Africa. There is a vast seperation between the black natives and the whites in south africa, up until recently the country lived under a currupt white goverment which did not allow blacks to live in white towns as anything other then slaves, forcd them into awful getto which had awful living conditions, taught them in school only what they needed to know to serve the whites, and constently terrorised their neighborhoods. Steve Biko stood up peicefully, not demanding radical change, but understanding that he must change what has happened to his people. Black Contiousness was his approch. He wanted the natives of south africa to learn their own history at school and not the whites, he wanted them to have pride in themselves and understand their own humanity. Steve Biko was band and very liking killed for saying this. Blacks who stood up in South Africa always seemed to die in police custodity one way or another. After his death Woods was inspired to write this book, he was band in South Africa and risked his life to escape the country with his book. This is a must read for anyone who is not educated about the hardships of South Africa or Africa as a whole.



3. Despite the dramatic shift in the political climate of South Africa since his death, Biko's words and beliefs are every bit as relevant today. His Black Consciousness movement was as much a political force against apartheid as it was an indictment of self-inflicted notions of inferiority. This book powerfully tells the story of Biko's life, his beliefs and the circumstances of living in banishment in South Africa. In the absence of any physical memorial for Biko, this book is a powerful rememberance to a man who should not be forgotten, and a tribute to an author who bravely brought us Biko's story.



4. The number one element stopping Blacks today is the absence of consciousness and the Orisha Biko exudes that. His essays are honest and concise and he gives you a glimpse of what South Africa was like and the resistance by him and a number of other Africans. Blacks have to be leading the league in terms of 'liberation literature' but it doesn't matter because they don't read and when they do it's not material like this. Hence, the situation remains.



5. The book not only features the story told by Donald Woods but has extensive court interviews with Biko showing his true ideas that scared the racist government of South Africa so much that they had him killed.
   
   Excellent book.

5 comments about Great Tales from English History: The Truth About King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Richard the Lionheart, and More.

1. Robert Lacey has done something that many writers have failed to do (unfortunately) - he has written history in a fun, accessible, easy to grasp manner. After all, as Lacey points out in his introduction, the "history" and "story" come from the same Latin root word. Essentially, history should be the simple story of how things happened, to the best of the teller's knowledge.
   
   Lacey's power as a storyteller is highlighted here in spades. He narrates his audiobook as well so there is the added bonus of hearing the author add nuance to the reading - essentially reading it the way he meant it to be heard.
   
   The stories are short and entertaining. Only a couple of times in 5 hours and 45 minutes of listening did I find my attention wandering. This is a terrificly fun experience for any history lover. Full of interesting tidbits but not lacking in the larger themes or commentaries.
   
   I am going to look for volumes 2 & 3 and hopefully he has written or is writing his volumes on Scotland and Ireland as well.
   
   Bravo!
   
   I give this one an enthusiastic A+.



2. The first of three volumes, this narrative presents the history of the British Isles in a way that reminds one of how folktales must have once been told. The tales begin with Cheddar Man and end with the story of Wat Tyler, spanning the years of 7150 BC to 1381.
   
   Lacey intersperses stories of famous royals with little known people, which makes this a truly unique book. I really like learning stories that explain various parts of the English culture.
   
   I highly recommend this series!



3. A few days ago I finished Great Tales From English History by Robert Lacey. When I first saw this book I knew it had potential; to me, presentation has a lot to do with my overall love for a book and this one is beautiful. After checking it out from my library when I worked there, I found Mr. Lacey's writing to be exciting, interesting, and informative. A few weeks ago I set to reading the whole thing and I'm glad I did. The book presents short stories about moments from English history that you may or may not have heard of.
   
   From the introduction: "Brief though each chapter is, Great Tales seeks to create a coherant, chronological picture of our island story, while following the guiding principle that all men and women have heroism inside them - along with generous and fascinating measures of incompetence, apathy, evil and lust." The book is also beautifully illustrated by Fred van Deelen and Mr. Lacey has included fantastic end notes and bibliographies that you can investigate if you find a particular subject interesting. If you have any interest in English history, pick this one up at your local library and you'll probably find yourself reading the short chapters in just a few minutes each. You'll not be dissapointed! (And if you finish this and want more, try Great Tales vol. 2 and Great Tales vol. 3).



4. I agree with what another reviewer wrote -- this book is a wonderful read for those who know nothing about the subject, as well as for those who are history buffs. Incredibly accessible and wonderfully written, each little chapter is centered around a particular event or person, describing it in detail and with humor before moving on to the next. Great writer, great book.



5. Lacey's "Great Tales From English History" is a great and entertaining series, but I want to emphasize that the Kindle download edition is volume 3 of the series, not the volume 1 that the description and most of the reviews reference. It's still a wonderful book, just know which one you're getting.

5 comments about Fighting Castro: A Love Story.

1. I had the chance to know Lino and Emilita in Belgium when they visited me back in 2001 or 2002. Their spirit impressed me deeply.
   
   He was not keen of telling us much about his terrible nightmare in Cuban prisons, but still he found it necessary to answer some of my questions. I was quite shocked about some details, and I remember that I asked Lino how it was possible that he would not feel hatred?
   
   The answer was so incredibly short and simple that I could never forget it: ¡Justamente por lo que viví! - "Just because of what I lived!"-.
   
   We had organised a meeting between him, 2 journalists and some Belgian social democratic leaders of my party, which resulted in two articles in the Belgian press. In the same building we met with a Belgian director of FOS, the third world movement within my party, and she would most "didactically" "explain" to Lino the benefits of the Cuban regime. She didn't ask one single question about what Lino might know about Cuba! I felt deeply embarrassed for her in Lino's presence. But with all the terror Lino had lived, he would politely listen to her "explanation" without showing any disgust. I was quite impressed by man's serenity.
   
   Lino and Emilita continue every day their fight for a social, democratic and reconciled Cuba, and I can only hope that some day, while strolling through the streets of some small town in Cuba, now forbidden for them, they will find the Spanish translation of this book in the bookshop.
   
   I just transferred the money for two copies of the book: one for me, and one to lend out to my visitors. I can hardly wait to read it! Thanks Lino, Emilita, and the writer, for having understood the importance of letting us take part of their story and of their humanistic views.
   
   Dirk
   Belgium



2. Great job by Kay Abella. I highly recommend this book, specially for those who still believe that such detailed horrors do not occur in communist Cuba. The family's agony, hopelessness and despair are well described in the book, just as their convictions, hopes and dreams.
   
   On a personal note, I have had the priviledge of knowing the Fernandez family. Dr. Lino Fernandez honorably represents the lost generation of our parents, who gave it all for a better future. We would never thank them enough for their sacrifice.
   
   Carlos Luis Eguaras



3. This novel fills an incomprehensible void and is a delightful and intelligent surprise. It is beautifully written by a North American author, Kay Abella, which is unusual for a book about Cuba. Not only is it a great story, but Abella gives the reader a unique and moving picture of Castro's Cuba.
   
   And it is accurate. I know first hand the circumstances surrounding the plot that unfolds in FIGHTING CASTRO, since I spent nine years in Castro's prisons while my family dealt with the daily routine of communist Cuba.
   
   It is intriguing that, even though there are so many exiles and Cuban ex-prisoners throughout the world, so little has been written of this story that has been the lives of thousands of my compatriots. Don't miss this exceptional book.
   
   Byron Miguel



4. I am not Cuban but I grew up with Cuban friends and always heard the stories. Then, I am blessed to have a wonderful Cuban wife. She grew up in Cuba under Castro. Her father spent 17 years in Cuban prisons as a political prisoner several times along side Lino Fernandez, including Isla de Pinos and La Cabana and confirms every detail in the book. He had never spoken much of the horrors except for brief comments here and there. While reading the book I have asked him and he knew many of the characters and situations telling me the same stories without ever seeing the book and adding details that were not in the book. Gripping human drama and a triumph of love and family under unbelivable circumstances. I have always respected and admired my father-in-law for the amazing gentleman he is but after reading this I can not feel prouder of being part of his family. This is certainly a must read if you want to understand why Cubans feel so strongly about their country and against Fidel, his acomplices and the infamous Revolution.



5. This is a lovely book by an elegant writer. The story Abella tells here, of country, family, loyalty and courage, is rich and rewarding. Lino and Emy are wonderfully drawn, or I guess I should say reported, as this is essentially a true story. But at its heart, with the wider political and historical backdrop, Abella gives the reader the simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming story of a family, a beautiful, loyal, courageous family, which in its way, stands for Cuba and the Cuban people. I would also say that Kay Abella has done the remarkable artistic favor to the reader of keeping this highly charged political saga well above the mundane and intellectually dissatisfying drivel of ideology. The facts are clear, and the politics are too. But the people of this story rise far above all that, emerging fully formed, flesh and blood.

5 comments about When in the Course of Human Events: Arguing the Case for Southern Secession.

1. Southrons, hear your country call you!
   Up, lest worse than death befall you!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   Lo! All the beacon-fires are lighted,
   Let all hearts be now united!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   
   Advance the flag of Dixie
   Hurrah! Hurrah!
   For Dixie's land we take our stand,
   And live or die for Dixie!
   To Arms! To Arms!
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   To Arms! To Arms
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   
   Hear the Northern thunders mutter!
   Northern flags in South winds flutter!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   Send them back your fierce defiance!
   Stamp upon the accursed alliance!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   
   Advance the flag of Dixie
   Hurrah! Hurrah!
   For Dixie's land we take our stand,
   And live or die for Dixie!
   To Arms! To Arms!
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   To Arms! To Arms
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   
   Fear no danger! Shun no labor!
   Lift up rifle, pike and saber!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   Shoulder pressing close to shoulder,
   Let the odds make each heart bolder!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   
   Advance the flag of Dixie
   Hurrah! Hurrah!
   For Dixie's land we take our stand,
   And live or die for Dixie!
   To Arms! To Arms!
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   To Arms! To Arms
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   
   Swear upon our country's altar
   Never to submit or to falter,
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   Till the spoilers are defeated,
   Till the Lord's work is completed!
   To arms ! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
   
   Advance the flag of Dixie
   Hurrah! Hurrah!
   For Dixie's land we take our stand,
   And live or die for Dixie!
   To Arms! To Arms!
   And conquer peace for Dixie
   To Arms! To Arms
   And conquer peace for Dixie



2. This book was superb. I would write a short description and/or critique; however, much of what I have to say has been covered in earlier reviews. Every student in the south should be required to read this book. Our ancestors were not traitors. We held the true government of the founding fathers on our backs in every battle.



3. As a historian, I have learned that the heart of any great work in history lies in the ample and accurate use of primary sources, and primary sources are the great strength of this work. While countless tomes have debated the perceived moral sides of the Civil War and the motivations of the various actors, this work goes back and investigates the motives of the primary players in this time from their own words and writings. This gives the work an excellent realism and accuracy.
   
   The author, Charles Adams, has earned a reputation as one of the leading economic historians in the field, particularly in the area of taxes. He utilizes this background to investigate the American Civil War, and comes to some very striking conclusions, many that defy the politically-correct history of today. His thesis postulates that the Civil War had its primary cause not in slavery or state's rights, but rather in cold, hard economic concerns.
   
   He shows that the North used its supremacy in Congress in push through massive tariffs to fund the government, and that these tariffs fell much harder on the export-dependent South than upon the insular north. In fact, the total revenue from the "Compromise" Tariffs on the 1830s and 40s amounted to $107.5 million, of which $90 million came from the South. Despite by this, the majority of the revenue was spent on projects far from the South.
   
   According to Adams, this disparity finally pushed the South to seek its own independence. Supporting this conclusion is the fact that the South enacted extremely low tariffs throughout the war, whereas the north enacted the Morrill Tariff of 1861, which enacted tariffs of as much as 50 percent on some goods.
   
   Adams also chronicles the oft-overlooked excesses of the Lincoln Administration, and compares them to the actions of Julius Caesar. While this initially made me quite skeptical, his plentiful, primary source-based examples overcame my qualms. Using the letters and reports of the times, he tells how Lincoln suspended habeus corpus, trod roughshod over the Constitution, jailed thousands of U.S. citizens who dared disagree with him and even wrote a warrant for the arrest of the Chief Justice of the United States.
   
   Adams also ably uses the viewpoints of British and other Europeans to describe different contemporary views on the struggle. These provide excellent outside insight.
   
   On the whole, readers will find the book a superb and scholarly analysis, providing fresh insights into the motivations and causes of the defining war in American history.



4. This is book seems to me like a manifesto on why the KKK was justified in terrorizing black people. Everyone who knows anything about Lincoln knows that he wasn't a racist but, he also was willing to do whatever had to be done to perserve the union. No President before or since has had to deal with such an issue. The man live through and extremely tough time period, politically and personally. I found this book offensive and demeaning to a historically great president. Our some of Charles Adams arguments true? Yes. But, to make such claims as the freed blacks brought on their harsh treatment after the Civil War is absurd. Racist and people who still believe the South will rise again, for whatever reason, will like this book.



5. I just finished this book yesterday. I have found that there is already 50+ 5 star reviews of this book, but I could not refrain from writing one myself.
   
   This book was simply amazing. I could hardly put it down. It is definetly NOT a history of the Civil War, from a military standpoint. It IS a history of the War from a political standpoint. The major arguement is whether secession is legal or not under Constitutional law. That is a question best left to the book. Though the author does make a pretty strong arguement in favor of secession being legal. Using historical precedents that predate the war, as well as the thoughts on the subject concerning the Founders.
   
   I will that I was impressed by all the new information about Lincoln that I had not known. The more I read about Lincoln, the REAL Lincoln, the less I like about him. This book also deals with the subject of Reconstruction. It is informative, and has sparked my interest in learning more about the period immediately following the war.
   
   I give this book a well-earned 5 stars!

5 comments about The Devil Soldier: The American Soldier of Fortune Who Became a God in China.

1. In this involving and well-written account, Carr strains to elevate the importance of Ward, a historical footnote, a mercenary of questionable repute and eventual Qing dynasty functionary whose prime contribution was the cobbling together of the use of "superior and modern" Western weapons against backwards sword and spear carrying Taiping rebels. And by Carr's own account, Ward was only partially successful. To thank him for his assistance (which ultimately helped maintain both Western imperial domination of China, the opium trade, and the extension of the corrupt and weak Qing empire), in a relationship of dual purpose, the Manchu Qing regime (not the Chinese people)gave him an official title and a Chinese wife. Carr's pro-Western bias is strong, as is his strange love of the Ward myth, which he does his best to overblow. Carr's sourcing is spotty, and in too many places, he speculates---typically in ways that favor Ward. This book, and indeed the Ward story itself, presents a very enlightening model of how violent rogue mercenaries, terrorists, and intelligence cutouts are used to assist governments in "counter-insurgency" wars throughout history, such as the Phoenix Program.



2. A very enjoyable tale of a colorful historical character. Carr has a real flair for bringing such a strange time to life, and making it feel familiar. He talks about the Taiping rebellion as if it only happened yesterday, which adds to the sense of reportage and realism. I'm looking forward to the reputed John Woo movie adaptation, although someone should have checked the illustrations before they were finalised. My copy prints Ward's battle-flag upside down -- doubly embarrassing since it is the right way up on the book's cover.



3. In 1859 a 28 year-old sailing officer from Salem Massachusetts took service under the Chinese Empire to defend it from mortal danger. When this young man died in battle in 1863 he had put down the largest and bloodiest civil war in human history (the American Civil War raging at the same time pales in comparison), he had been made a general and a mandarin, he had married a Chinese princess, and he was interred in his own temple. Perhaps most impressively was the fact that he did all of this while retaining the reputation among his friends and foes of being a man of decency, fairness, honor and incorruptibility. And yet for all this, he is nearly forgotten in both his native and adopted country.
   
   Frederick Townsend Ward's history was erased largely because he was feared by both his Manchu masters and by the European powers that were seeking to dismember China for their own mercenary ends. The author speculates that due to his contempt for the cruelty and corruption of the Manchu's, that had he survived, he might have turned the instrument of his "Ever Victorious Army" against them in order to restore the Ming Dynasty. Had that happened, the history of China could have far different in the century that followed. It is clear that Ward found the concept of ending the Empire as unthinkable- which is why the later republic never honored his memory.
   
   One other thing struck me while reading this book: Ward wanted to attend West Point but was not able to obtain an appointment because he lacked "connections." In the long run this didn't seem to hurt him too much....
   
   If this story were fiction it would surely be dismissed as too far-fetched to ever be believed.



4. Slow starting off but if the subjects (China, military history, adventure) interest you it is worth sticking to it. The pace of the writing picks up after a bit and the last 2/3 are enjoyable. I do wish there had been more historical pictures and maps.



5. It seems fitting that one of the most implausible films ever made should be based "loosely" on a book about one of the most implausible real-life figures of history. Frederick Townsend Ward, the Devil Soldier, had nothing to do with the civil war in Japan; neither did any other American officer. But Ward did play a huge role in the defense of the Manchu imperial government against the forces of Chun Wang, the syncretic Sino-Christian rebel, in the Taiping civil war, supposedly the bloodiest conflict of the 19th Century. My five-star rating of this book is contingent upon also reading Jonathan Spence's book about the Taipings, God's Chinese Son. Otherwise you will have less than half the story. Caleb Carr writes very well, but this is not a novel, and as a history it is far too partial.
   
   In his prologue, Carr declares: "No man's life can be truly understood out of context, but in Ward's case the context is especially vital." No kidding, Caleb! In Ward's case, the context is virtually all we have, since nothing of Ward's own letters or thoughts has survived. Thus Carr is writing a biography so much as a social history of a moment in time, that moment when the vast culture of China first "discovered" the West. Carr's short moment of importance was his organization and training of the "Ever Victorious Army" of Chinese soldiers using Western military training and tactics. For better or worse, Ward's model army became the nucleus of the forces that destroyed the Taipings, though the man who replaced Ward as commander after Ward was killed, the scoundrel known as Chinese Gordon, has replaced him in historical memory also.
   
   More novelist than historian, Caleb Carr might fairly be criticized for overdrawing his sources, or for not maintaining sufficient academic reserve. It would be wrong to ignore this book, however, if you have any interest in the history of modern China, in which FT Ward was a meteor in the sky, an omen of things to come.

5 comments about The Orchard: A Memoir.

1. The Orchard, a Memoir, is a great book. Last week I was on a long flight back to San Luis Obispo from Omaha and I had this book with me, a gift from my mom. I started reading it and totally forgot about the flight, never noticed the movie they were playing. A good number of times tears were just pouring down my face and I'd wipe them away, wondering if the people on the plane around me thought I was a bit crazy.
   But I tell you, I'm crazy about this book! Honestly, I read a good deal and this is easily one of the most interesting, deepest, most powerful books I have read in years. Although true, a memoir, it reads just like a fine novel. I was so totally absorbed reading this rare gem of a find, that it was difficult to realize that the author had died some 20 years ago--she, Adele Crockett Robertson, seems so real, so full of life, so gutsy, so immediate.
   Briefly, this is the story of a young girl, a smart, educated girl with a good head on her shoulders, who loses her job in the great Depression, and goes back to the family farm to try and save it from the bank. The many people in the book all come to life perfectly and there are surprises aplenty. I am a gardenwriter (author of Allergy-Free Gardening)and have farmed myself, and I appreciate what Adele went through. I would also add that this is no doubt the best picture of life during the Depression I've ever come across.
   I plan to review this book every place that I can, because to my mind, this one is so good, so readable, so well worth reading, so enjoyable, so satisfying, that it completely deserves to be a best seller. Do yourself a favor and read this marvelous book!



2. This book was truly one of the most interesting and capturing books I have ever read. I felt like I was present in the story and now can't wait to go to Ipswich and see this old farm house.



3. In this extraordinary memoir from 1932-1934, Kitty Crockett Robertson describes her life on the North Shore of Massachusetts during the Depression, a time when she, a Harvard graduate, became a hard-working apple farmer to save the family farm in Ipswich. Her physician father had died, and Kitty, wanting to keep the farm from being sold for development, which her Boston-based brothers favored, decided to give up her job working at the Harvard Library to try to make the orchard profitable enough to save the land.
   
   Working almost single-handedly, she spent the next two years doing all the dirty work, learning in the process that "The Depression was that time of leveling when she and her neighbors kept going on the strength they learned from each other." From her earliest days on the farm, she personally pruned trees, cleared land, repaired sprayers and tractors, gathered swarming bees into hives, hired five workers at twice the going rate (because they, too, needed to make ends meet), dealt with an arrogant banker anxious to foreclose, protected her apples at gunpoint when necessary, and then fought the weather, storms, and a December temperature drop to twenty degrees below zero in her efforts to bring the crop to market.
   
   In the process she earned the love of her workers (who had regarded her, at first, as an idle "North Shore millionaire"), gave up everything in her personal life to devote herself completely to her task, worked up to 16 hours a day for two years during the apple and peach seasons, and gained new appreciation for the values she saw every day among her workers, the wholesaler who bought her drops and cider apples, and the purchasing agent of Harvard, who helped her make commercial connections to sell her crop.
   
   Robertson, who became a newspaper and radio columnist in her later years, was a formidable writer who always recognized the values which unite people, regardless of their "class," and this quality pervades her personal memoir. Unfinished, because her life became too busy to finish it after 1934, it was discovered upon her death in 1979 by her daughter, and it is she who moves the story to its conclusion after 1934. Filled with personal detail and wonderful tributes to those who helped her, Robertson is never self-serving, readily admitting her weaknesses while stressing her efforts to succeed. A unique look at one farm and its history during the Depression, The Orchard is an extraordinary record of the times, written by a truly extraordinary woman. n Mary Whipple



4. My only complaint about this book is that it only covers two years of the author's life in detail. I hated for the book to end. I wish she had had time to write more, because she was an amazing person. Kitty's father, a doctor, raised his family in a colonial farmhouse by the ocean. Beginning in her childhood, he made Kitty learn to do a man's work in the orchard. He also gave her a series of boats to sail on the ocean. She loved the farm and the sea. She got a college education and a good job in a college museum, but gave it all up when her father died at the beginning of the depression. None of her brothers were willing to do the backbreaking labor to keep the heavily mortgaged farm working. Kitty quit her good job and immersed herself in running the orchard, which her father had always said would save the farm he loved. She lived alone except her beloved dog, with no money and little heat in the winter. Her own family seemed determined to see her fail. She found good, loyal friends though, and though her life was daunting, it was also full of the joy of nature and achievment. I can't praise this book enough.



5. This compelling memoir of Adele Crockett Robertson, known as Kitty, chronicles just a few years of her life during the early 1930's. While her story takes place during the Great Depression, it is uplifting and inspiring. I found myself cheering Kitty on as she describes her exhausting experiences to save the family property from foreclosure.
   
   Kitty was not down and out as millions were. She was young, optimistic, and energetic. Faced with enormous debt when her father died and propelled by childhood memories of her family harvesting bumper crops of apples, Kitty decided to work the old family farm. The farm, in Ipswich, had become a rundown homestead; but the orchard was still there, holding promise. The very first obstacles are members of Kitty's family, her mother and two brothers, who speculate how quickly the venture will fail: "Let the bank take it," they chorus.
   
   Undaunted, Kitty leaves her secure job to take up residence on the abandoned farm. What she finds are a stack of unpaid bills, neglected farm equipment, and leaky pipes. Like her father before her, Kitty believes in the fruit trees he planted for his retirement: "I wanted to preserve what we'd had, even though the animals were no longer there, and it was apples now."
   
   Negotiating with creditors, Kitty settles some of the unpaid bills, while securing credit of much larger amounts to repair the farm machinery. Unable to pay for coal, she moves her bed and sofa to a small area near the sunny kitchen.
   
   One of Kitty's first tasks is the spraying of the trees, a job that normally takes two men to accomplish. Kitty tackles the job alone. More challenges ensue. We are right beside her as she describes her first encounter with a swarm of bees, her frantic search for the old smoker, and finally getting the bees under control.
   
   As a helper, Kitty hires Joe, a memorable figure. With a family of six to feed, he skips meals in order to feed the children. Joe comes to Kitty's rescue time after time, even staring down, with an unloaded gun, peddlers bent on stealing a truckload of apples.
   
   Later, following a good harvest, Kitty despairs as she tells of racing to gather blankets from attic trunks, even her own bed, as temperatures drop and she attempts to cover hundreds of freshly packed boxes of apples ready for market, to keep them from freezing in the cellar.
   
   The Foreword and Epilogue, written by Kitty's daughter, Eleanor Robertson Cramer, tell how she discovered the manuscript Kitty had stashed at the bottom of a bookcase. We learn of Kitty's life beyond the years of her memoir--further struggles, marriage, and later her accomplishments as a local historian, town selectwoman, and journalist.
   
   The Orchard brings the Depression close to those of us who have heard the wrenching stories from parents and grandparents, as I have. Kitty's narrative, like my father's stories, is real, about a lone woman who strives to keep the family heritage with determination and grit, tempered with kindness to those around her in worse situations. Adele (Kitty) Crockett Robertson deserves a place in the annals of literature of the Great Depression. If you read but one personal account of surviving the Depression, let it be this.
   
   by Diana Nolan
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women

5 comments about Grant Takes Command: 1863 - 1865.

1. A change in Focus--Grant takes the Reins

   Until 1864, the Army of the Potomac had never won a campaign. Each Union attempt to capture Richmond drove south, was repulsed, withdrew to Washington, found a new general, and tried again. After his successes at Vicksburg and Chattanooga, Grant came east to a promotion, to general in charge of all Union Armies.

   Grant brought a different focus, and Catton defines this superbly in this book, drawing on many of Grant's memoranda to other officers, as well as President Lincoln. Catton captures the essence of a Grant campaign: hold on to the enemy, grasp and retain the initiative, and always move your logistics aggresively forward.

   Catton also tries, albeit weakley, to show that Grant was not a "pure" attritionist. He offers examples of Grant's desires to push west and sever Richmond from the Shenandoah. Catton explores the political reality of uncovering Washington to a Confederate thrust, while attacking the logistics that sustained Confederate armies, while Sherman simultaneously attacked Atlanta and its strategic railhead. Catton states that after the battle of Cold Harbor Ggrant's numerical superiority was at its lowest level, but he does not provide the hard math to support this stance. On the other hand, Catton shows well the manuever warfare used by Grant to slip away after Cold Harbor, steal a march, and get across the James River before Lee, stripped of his cavalry, could discover the move and react.

   This book does a very solid job of capturing Grant's determination, his unyielding efforts to impose his will on the leaders and staff of the Army of the Potomac, and to integrate the political realities of volunteers, political appointee generals and a presidential election with the cold hard reality of constant campaigning.

   A good read not just for students of the martial art, but for any leader who must address the Sisyphean task of invigorating old "we've always done it that way" people with a new ethos and drive.




2. This is a well-researched account of the last two years of the Civil War (1863-1865). The harsh realities of the battles and living conditions are especially given great detail here. The final days of the war and the surrender of General Lee are extremely poignant as the author examines the tattered remains of the once invincible Army of Northern Virginia. The exchange between the victors and the vanquished at Appomattox is the highlight of the book. The author also takes pains not to overlook any of Grant's military blunders such as Cold Harbor and gives an even-handed viewpoint throughout. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the darkest days of our nation's history.



3. In this superb second volume on Grant's war-time service, Bruce Catton shows how Grant devised and executed the grand strategy that ensured we'd be one country.

   Beginning at Chattanooga, Catton chronicles Grant's successful battle to save a beleaguered federal army there and his selection as head of all of the armies of the Union.

   The strategic plan, the overland campaign, the investiture of Petersburg and the finale with Lee at Appomattox are chronicled well.

   What Catton does very well here is focus on Grant the General-in-Chief. We see how Lincoln and Grant are drawn toward each other through a shared and fundamental understanding of what it would take to win the war and the will to do it -- incredibly a trait Lincoln could find in no other General selected to head the Army of the Potomac.

   The actual management of the Union's armies and efforts is given great attention. Even the Civil War devotee who knows a lot about the battles of the war will appreciate this focus on grand strategy, army management and the particular and singular attributes possessed by Grant to manage the affair to a successful conclusion.

   A wonderful book, as is it's predecessor, "Grant Moves South."




4. "Grant Takes Command" is the second of two volumes by Bruce Catton on Grant's Civil War service and the third volume of a trilogy on Grant's military career (beginning with Lloyd Lewis's "Captain Sam Grant"). However, this volume can easily be ready by itself. Catton picks up the story in the fall of 1863 with Grant's successful raising of the siege of Chanttanooga, following which President Lincoln picks him for a third star and command of all the Union armies.
   
   Grant is the latest in a long series of Union commanders, most of whom have been badly beaten by General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, and none of whom have been able to bring superior Northern resources effectively to bear on a slowly weakening Confederacy. In fact, as Grant takes command, the war has not yet been won and could still be lost.
   
   Grant will be the commander that Lincoln has long sought. Lincoln's telling exchange with an aide, repeated by Catton, lays out why. Grant is the first general to take the supreme command who will work in harness with Lincoln and in full acceptance of Lincoln's constraints as President of a democracy in the midst of a civil war. Grant is prepared to take full responsibility for the conduct of the missions of the armies, and without setting up an alibi in advance for possible failure. And as it becomes apparent in the course of Catton's absolutely superb narrative, Grant understands the terrible math. Lee and his army are too proficient to be easily beaten; great persistance will be called for. Grant grasps the essential truth that Lee's army is the Confederate center of gravity, and the corallary that Lee's requirement to protect Richmond ultimately limits his ability to maneuver. Further, Grant is able to cause the Union armies to work at a common design, denying Lee the ability to reinforce Virginia by drawing on other theaters of war. The result will be a long, grinding, and exceedingly bloody campaign stretching from 1864 into 1865, as Lee's army is slowly bludgeoned to death.
   
   Catton's narrative does not spare Grant his errors; in the 1864 campaign, Grant underestimates both Lee's abilities as a general and the difficulties of conducting campaigns on such a huge scale. Grant has to learn the job of Army commander in chief on the move; the unnecessary casualties of Cold Harbor and the repeated failures to flank Lee out of position in Virginia are proof of the learning curve. But Grant's great gift is his refusal to be deterred from his objective; he pins Lee at Petersburg and uses the Union armies of Sherman and Sheridan, among others, to destroy the Confederacy's means to make war.
   
   "Grant Takes Command" was first published in 1960, and the details of the history of the Civil War have evolved since then. However, Catton's prose has stood the test of time. This is a truly magnificently told story on an epic scale and a highly recommended treat for the Civil War enthusiast and the casual reader alike.



5. It is almost amazing that even after nearly 40 years, this book still stand the test of time as one of the best studies of General U.S. Grant's tenure as the military commander of all Federal forces. The book starts off from the Chattanooga campaign in late 1863 and moving on to his promotion as overall commander and his attachment to the Army of the Potomac for the rest of the war. By this move he clearly determined that General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia will be his primary target and a key to overall victory for the Union. Bruce Catton does a wonderful job in narrating each event in a clear and colorful way that make this book a joy to read.
   
   Best part of Catton's writing is the way he make individual characters stand out in a way that most pertaining to the event at hand. We understand how Lincoln and Grant bonded so well, how even Meade and Grant worked well on surface and why Grant kept his eye on the ball when grinding Lee down to earth.
   
   This book is a follow-up to Catton's earlier work, Grant Moves South which was published 7 years prior to this book and captured Grant's military activities from the beginning of the war to end of the Vicksburg campaign in 1863. As part of the two book set, Bruce Catton continued to captured the essence of Grant's military chronicles with clarity and understanding that any reader can appreciate.
   
   For anyone interested in the American Civil War, this book is sure to be part of your mandatory reading material and the best part is that its really is a great reading book.

5 comments about A Godly Hero: The Life of William Jennings Bryan.

1. William Jennings Bryan is somewhat of an enigmatic figure in American history. Many of his contempories saw him as a dangerous radical while today he is often seen as a fundamentalist reactionary. How in the world can one man be thought of in such vastly differing ways? In this book Michael Kazin has attempted to answer this question and at the same time he has gone a long way toward clearing the reputation of this great man.
   
   To be sure, Bryan had his flaws and Kazin does not try to gloss over them at all. As a product of his time Bryan was not a friend of African-Americans but how many politicians of his time were? Bryan was also had a terrible problem ever admitting that he was wrong as did his fellow progressive Woodrow Wilson and both men ran into trouble because of it. Still though, when one looks at his entire career Bryan looms as a very large presence in the history of the reform movements of early twentieth century America.
   
   Of course the biggest thing that Bryan is remembered and reviled for is the famous Monkey Trail in Dayton Tennessee. It is all too easy to look at this episode and see a reactionary rather than a progressive thinker but even on the issue of Darwinism this book shows that in some ways Bryan was very much ahead of his time. Bryan critics often fail to mention that many of the early proponents of Darwinism used Darwin's theory to justify eugenics, which is the idea of taking the weakest people out of society so that only the strongest genes will be passed on. Bryan foresaw the serious implications of this idea and it was one of the key reasons that he fought Darwinism so fervently. It was almost as if Bryan could already see Hitler and Stalin with their death camps and this aspect of Bryan's stance on this issue should never be forgotten.
   
   Mr. Kazin has with this book given us the most balanced biography of William Jennings Bryan that I have ever come across. His close association with race bating bigots like Ben Tillman and Tom Watson is not the least bit whitewashed but then again neither are his accomplishments. This book shows us the Bryan who had his warts but who also fought long and bitter fights to gain equal rights for women, to see that free enterprise run amuck would not trample the rights of the average wage earner, and who is as responsible as anybody for the adoption current Federal Reserve System. People all over America owe Bryan a debt of gratitude every time they get their Social Security check and every time that they go to the bank feeling secure because their money is insured. Yes, this author points out Bryan's flaws but he also takes pains to remind the reader of all the positive good that Bryan did and he does so in a very pleasing way. There is not in fact a single boring page in this book. The author's arguments are clear and well defended, his writing style and research are superb and most importantly he has taken up this project with an open mind and because of this he has turned out what I consider the authoritative biography of William Jennings Bryan.



2. Why read a book about a politician who lost the US presidential election three times in a row, and was a white racist to boot?
   
   More than just retelling an American history story, Kazin's masterpiece of US political history does an excellent job of bringing back to life a political scene that has long since passed and mostly forgotten. I burned through this book in one sitting.
   There has not been a WJB biography of this magnitude for quite some time.
   
   Kazin himself in the introduction admits mixed feelings about his protagonist, and there are certainly warts to Bryan's character seen through our 21st century lens. He does an excellent job pointing these issues out, despite the title of the book that makes Bryan sound like a saint. He wasn't - he profited impressively from his public speaking, and like many of his party, was a racist.
   
   What makes Bryan's life worth studying is one sees the start of the 20th century Democratic party in terms of their economic issues. Additionally, one also sees echoes of Bryan's religious bent to politics in modern politics today (think: what recent presidents have invoked the name of God repeatedly, and managed to win overwhelming majorities in rural areas? hmm). No wonder many politicians like him, at least pieces of him...



3. If you want to know more about William Jennings Bryan, this is the book for you.
   
   Very well done!



4. There isn't much of substance that I can add to the many excellent reviews already posted here. But perhaps I can provide some comments in minimalist fashion that can get this important book into the hands of "a wider audience." I think there is much we 21st century Americans can learn from William Jennings Bryan. I will divide my comments into two sections: the first dealing with the literary value of the book and the second noting things we can learn from Bryan's life.
   
   The Book -
   1. The organization and pacing is excellent. Nine of the twelve chapters are divided into discreet time periods that correspond to the various political episodes of his life, which was largely defined by his participation in the political life of America. The other three chapters - his early years, his career on the Chautauqua public speaking circuit, and the response of his political admirers - work very well, never losing the focus of the book, politics and evangelical Christianity.
   
   2. This is a good read. The level of diction and writing style is just right for a popular audience. Best of all, Kazin does not "get in the way" of his subject, Bryan. Some academics seem to want to display ALL their knowledge, whether it fits into the narrative or not (are you listening, Joseph Ellis?), but Kazin resists the temptation. I am quite certain that Kazin knows a lot more about Bryan and his times, but, thank God, he is keeping it to himself. I read a lot of history and biography and this effort would have to be in my top 10% in terms of its literary value.
   
   William Jennings Bryan -
   1. He is a very important figure for the history of the Democratic Party, but I am not sure why, even after reading this biography. Certainly, he was an important figure in the Democratic Party during an era when they transformed themselves from the conservative laissez-faire era of Grover Cleveland into the liberal activist times of FDR. If you can overlook his racism and support of prohibition (more on that below), almost all of his positions would be cheered by 21st century liberals. Was Bryan responsible for helping the party make this remarkable transition, or was he simply in the "right place at the right time", fortuitously carried along by other leaders or social forces beyond his control? In either case, he is far more important in the making of modern America than historians have heretofore recognized.
   
   2. He is important for evangelicals who want to be engaged in politics(Self-disclosure: I am an evangelical who is vitally interested in American politics). I think he lived an exemplary life, one that other evangelicals could emulate, but what does that look like for me? It seems to me that 19th century evangelicals generally favored an activist government, working for reforms like abolition, temperance, education, care of the mentally ill, etc, yet that seemed to die after Bryan left the scene. The social gospel seemed to suck them into a new paradigm of seeking "salvation" only in this world and ignoring the next. They turned formerly evangelical denominations - Presbyterian, Methodist, American Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran, etc. into sects that seemed to downplay Christ's gospel for the social gospel. Personally, I am disappointed in their religious direction, yet I am also disappointed in the path taken by those who stayed "true" to evangelical principals. They largely abandoned politics until the abortion controversy of the 1970s and since then, have all too often been used by economic conservatives for purely electoral purposes. I think there is a "third way", in which one defends the gospel in spiritual matters, yet also sets an independent course in political matters, all the while using scriptures as the guide to best "love your neighbor."
   
   3. He is important for today's Democrats. He was obviously deeply committed to many issues that 21st century Dems feel are important, yet he came at these concerns from a Christians perspective. Can Dems allow this type of person to have an important place at their "table"? I'm not talking about phony rhetoric. That will not work because it will be obvious that it is not sincere. I am talking about being serious about making people of faith feel welcome in the Democrat Party. For example, could a Pro-Life Democrat ever be allowed by party bosses to run for President? Not in the past, but perhaps in the future. Secularists and secularism has controlled the party for many, many years. I feel it hurts the party very much in "fly-over" land.
   
   4. A word about his racism and silence about the KKK. Indefensible in our day, but in his? Wilson was certainly racist, and did much to deepen Jim Crow. Why is he given a pass? (For that matter, why is Sen. Robert Byrd of West Va., former KKK organizer, given a pass on his embarrassing past?)Most people were very racist in Bryan's times, including most of the Democratic Party. So why is he singled out for censure? I think a lot has to do with his evangelical identity, and his role in the Scopes trial. Some secularists loathe evangelicals and, I think, have trouble thinking in a balanced way about someone like Bryan. Take a look at the ridiculous review of this book by Publishers Weekly on this site. How does someone read this book and produce that review?



5. I must say -truthfully- that that is the best political biography I've ever read (and there have been many).
   
   I accidentally happened into discovering William Jennings Bryan. He is a figure who is given only a brief mention in any grade or high school history book, and that is a shame. While reading a biography of William McKinley (Bryan's rival for the presidency during the election of 1896) I found myself wondering, "Who is this man Bryan?" I wanted to know more. How did a man rise to the head of his party and lead three unsuccessful bids for the presidency? He had to have been a considerable figure. Only Grover Cleveland (who won the popular vote in three elections) and later Franklin D. Roosevelt held such a command over their party. Bryan had to have been just as dynamic.
   
   Thankfully, the author, Mr. Kazin, provides his readers with a deep, very well-researched and enjoyable account of Bryan. Turns out that Bryan WAS a considerable figure. Though he might seem very distant and certainly out-of-place when seen in the context of current events and attitudes, William Jennings Bryan was a perfect fit for the times...someone who could -without apology- campaign for the highest office as a common man of deep faith, extolling the romance "of Jefferson and Jesus." One is left to question what it would have been like had Bryan attained the Presidency of the United States.
   
   The events covered in the pages of this book occurred during the late 1800s/early 1900s...right around the time when many students in their history classes begin to daydream with heavy eyes. (The tariff debate of the 1890s for example, can't possibly hold as much interest as say the question of secession leading up to the Civil War during the 1860s). It would take a pretty determined writer, then, to engage his audience into discovering William Jennings Bryan. Michael Kazin proves to be such a writer.
   
   I can't be sure whether it was Mr. Kazin's strong writing, which given the subject matter could have been very plodding and boring in lesser hands, or the subject himself (Bryan deserves to be remembered for the role he played in our nation's history, even if he did fail to acheive the Presidency)...but I enjoyed the hell out of this book. And that is saying something.

5 comments about The Pearl: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in Catherine the Great's Russia.

1. Douglas Smith has written a fascinating book. The Pearl tells the tale of Nicholas Sheremetev, Russia's richest noble, who secretly marries Praskovia Ivanovna, his serf and the star of his "serf theater". The book reads like a novel with characters straight out of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, but bears all the signs of great history -- thorough research, good judgment, a sense for the times and characters, and deep insight into the social and political forces at play. This work of dual biography and social history is also a joy to read.



2. The title and the cover's description lead one to expect a biographical story of the love story between the Pearl, Praskovia Kovalyova (the Count's mistress and later wife) and Count Nicholas Sheremetev which occurred during an exciting time in Russian history, the time of Catherine the Great. However, the author admits there is little information about this love affair and actually spends most of the book describing the Count's theaters, operas, and dazzling homes. The author even spends a few chapters describing things that bear little relationship to the so-called love story. There is very little information, in fact, about the Pearl, after whom the book is title. Quite misleading!
   
   However, well researched the book, the love story is still to be told.
   Disappointing book.



3. I loved this book! As a student of Russian Literature over thirty ago, this wonderful novel offered me an opportunity to revisit the beautiful and complex history of Zsarist Russia. The story was compelling, and I found myself unable to put it down. The attention to historical detail, which was obviously very well researched, brought the beauty and grandeur of that unique time and nation vividly to life. I learned a great deal about the Russian theatre and it's importance in the evolution of theatre as we know it today. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, and a good love story.



4. This was a disappointing book. The author seems to have spent years in research and ended up with enough material for a short essay, which he inflated with filler to reach book length. The first major problem was that the author seemed unsuited to write about 18th century aristocrats. His views appear to be petit bourgeois and Victorian in that in every chapter he spends ink in scolding the long dead for living lives of self indulgent pleasure. Whats the point? The social system they lived in is long gone. Why complain about it. In fact, the author could have saved about 60,000 words by simply stating "The rich and powerful in Russia in the time of Catherine II behaved exactly as the rich and powerful everywhere behave in all time periods."
   
   Next, he gives little information on the Pearl. This appears to result from the fact that there is very little information to find. She MAY have met Catherine the Great, she MAY have met Alexander I, etc. The book should have focused on someone there was information on, like Count Sheremetev himself. By trying to focus on The Pearl the book reads like a biography of Napoleon's valet.
   
   The Pearl comes across as a shadow of a shade. She was apparently extremely superstious but not adverse to sleeping with her master to get on in her world. She starred in performances of obscure and justly neglected operas given by a meglomaniac grandee.
   
   The essay on "Serf Theatre" is fascinating and almost makes up for the tedium and maudlin sentimentality of the rest of the work.



5. Douglas Smith has written a thoroughly readable, immaculately researched tale detailing the life of the talented opera singer Praskovia (aka "The Pearl")--who was born as a serf, but raised to become one of the serf "intelligentsia" (whose job it was to entertain the aristocrats), rose too become an singing star, and eventually entered into a long-term forbidden relationship with her master, Nicholas Sheremetev, whom she eventually married in secret.
   
   Against the lush backdrop of Tsarist Russia, the story is not just a tale of "forbidden love" (as indicated by the quasi-salacious subtitle of the book) but also a fascinating piece of psycho-social history that details again and again the essential contradictions of a talented and passionate woman living a life trapped within a strict social system that officially relegated her to a position of slavery, with no official hope of ever getting out of that position. The tale is made all the more gripping for the sympathetic portrait it draws of Sheremetev, who bucks social and class convention and pursues his love for Praskovia, in sharp contradiction to the mores of the Russian nobility.
   
   The biggest challenge Smith faced in writing this book was probably the lack of historical data about Praskovia's life. Thus, much of what he describes about, say, her separation from her family and move to the "Big House" is extrapolated from what is generally known about serf upbringing. Luckily, Smith, an internationally known expert in the Russia of Catherine the Great, is up to the task and masterfully manages to fill in details based on his extensive research of the social lives of serfs, without falling into the trap of simply fictionalizing her life.
   
   Overall, Smith is a virtuosic writer, balancing a historian's need for well-researched detail with a novelist's flare for the telling description, the clear narrative thread, and the emblematic moment or detail that reveals a larger psychological or social truth. In particular, the "serf theater" interlude sections are masterfully written. Truly fascinating stuff. I got hooked at the beginning, and with each chapter it became harder to put the book down. Highly recommended!