5 comments about The Presidency of George Washington (American Presidency Series).

1. Forrest McDonald is an excellent writer. He produced a wonderful full length bio of Alexander Hamilton that I recommend to anyone interested learning about our government's start and the role played by the man second only to Washington in ensuring that these United States succeeded in laying a firm foundation for self government.

   This book is one of McDonald's two contributions to the Univ. of KA's "Presidency Series." It is splendid.

   McDonald concisely explores the challenges presenting themselves and issues demanding attention from our new and untested government. In just under two hundred pages, the author does an excellent job of boiling down the topics to their essentials and describing how the nascent government struggled to define its role, the meaning of it's constitutional structure, the balance of factions and America's relation to warring European giants.

   His book accomplishes this with brevity, clear and concise writing and in an interesting manner. Along the way are fascinating tidbits. For example, neither Washington nor the Senate knew what "advise and consent" meant regarding treaties. About to send negotiators to several indian tribes, Washington walked down to the Senate to seek their advice on instructions for his agents. As the Senate sat dumbfounded, and then finally began to debate the seven points Washington sought advice on, it became clear how impractical legislative micro management of treaty making would be. Washington turned on his heels and left in disgust when it became obvious the Senate could not give him clear and definative advice. Thereafter, it was mutually agreed that the Senate's role would revolve mainly around "consent" and come when the President presented negotiatied treaties to that body for consideration and not before the treaty making in the form of advice. And thus has it been, evermore.

   This is a very good book that will inform those interested in learning how our government got up and running and how important Washington and the players around him were in charting the course for our young government.




2. The general consensus is that the two greatest US presidents were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I firmly believe that and in my opinion, Washington was the greatest. Before he became president he did something very rare in the history of the human race. After the victory in the war of independence, his stature was such that he could have been "elected" king. However, his honor was such that he had to be persuaded to run for president and then re-persuaded to run for a second term. He then thoroughly rejected any thought of a third term.
   The nation that he led was still very fragile and every action by Washington or congress that was not explicit in the constitution would establish a precedent. Furthermore, the world was still a dangerous place, with the French revolution and subsequent European war creating a dangerous environment for the new nation. His actions in building the new government and keeping it out of foreign entanglements fully justify the admiration that he receives.
   This book kept my attention from the first page as the early years of the new government are described. For this is a book about the Washington administration rather than Washington the man. So many legends in the annals of history were there and setting the tone for over 200 years of continuous government. You also learn of the emergence of political parties, as Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson and Adams among others vie for power and influence. Alexander Hamilton is the most interesting of these giants, as he successfully creates the financial institutions that made the country fiscally sound.
   The more I read about Washington and that period of history, the more I am impressed by him. I have no idea what would have happened if he had been different, but it is a sure bet that it would have been worse. It is unfortunate that we teach our children nonsensical myths like the one about the cherry tree. The truth is so much more inspiring, and he truly deserves the accolade of "the father of his country."



3. "The Presidency of George Washington" is exactly what its title implies. It is the story of the Washington Administration. It is not a biography of George Washington, nor is it even a book which revolves totally around George Washington. It is the story of the people, issues and events which made up the administration of George Washington.

   The book starts out with an introduction into the United States of 1789. The regions and interests, as well as the political alignments, which supported and opposed the adoption of the Constitution are explained in some detail. The economy, trade, finance and the neighboring powers of Spain and England all laid the background for America's experiment with its new Constitution.

   The first task facing Washington was the establishment of the National Government. While reading this book we come to understand just how little guidance he had from the Constitution. Many of the practices which we take for granted derive, not from the Constitution, but from precedents established by Washington and his successors. The title of address for the President and the role of the heads of the executive departments, which were to become the cabinet, were among the first issues to be addressed. The role of the Senate in granting "advice and consent" on foreign policy matters had to be defined. An early trial occurred when President Washington appeared in the Senate to present his proposals and ask for advise and consent. After this awkward exercise, the practice was established that the executive would formulate policies and negotiate treaties, which would then presented for advice and consent.

   The power of removal of executive officers also had to be refined. It was presumed by some that any officer who required Senate confirmation for appointment, also required Senate consent for removal. It was the Washington Administration which established the principle that executive officers could be removed by the President without Congressional approval. This was an issue which was to be resurrected during the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

   Beyond organizational problems, the towering challenge facing the administration was that of finance. The debts of the Continental Congress and the states raised a myriad of issues. Should debts be paid? Should the debts be paid at par? Should payment be made to the bearer, who had often bought the bonds at a discount, or should some or all of the payment be made to the original lender? Should the national government assume the debts of the states? All of these issues had important consequences to the credit worthiness of the government. The assumption of state war debts had unequal impacts, depending on whether the individual state had serviced its debt or let it accumulate. Ultimately the Hamiltonian proposal to assume the war debt of the states and to pay the holders of the bonds was adopted, with the concession of the location of the national capitol in the South to win necessary support.

   An issue which would remain controversial until the Administration of Andrew Jackson was the establishment of the Bank of the United States. One of the main reasons for the establishment of the bank was the dearth of banks in the country capable of handling federal deposits.

   The domestic issues confronted by the administration introduced the spirit of party into the Administration. The differing views and personalties of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson brought contention into the administration. It was their personalties, particularly that of Hamilton, which came to be the heart of the Administration, even more than that of Washington himself.

   The second term was to be dominated by foreign entanglements and a domestic insurrection. The advancement of the French Revolution and its wars with the powers of Europe brought European problems to America. The continuance or renunciation of America's treaty, made with Royalist France, was a hotly debated issue, as was the ratification of a later treaty with Britain. Acceptance of the Jay Treaty with Britain was, ultimately, decided in a reaction to alleged official corruption. In America's first encounter with Islamic Terrorism, raids against American shipping in the Mediterranean by Barbery Pirates, resulted in, again after heated debate, the establishment of the U.S. Navy.

   1794 saw resistance to federal taxation on whiskey erupt into the Whiskey Rebellion. The assertion of Federal authority lead to the raising of the militia for the suppression of the rebellion. The declaration of the Rebellion and its suppression may have had more to do with Hamilton's desire to crush his political opponents and brand them as traitors than it did with any actual insurrection.

   Washington's ultimate gift to the nation was his retirement and transfer of power to an elected successor at the conclusion of his second term.

   This book is recommended to anyone desiring an understanding of the personalities who made up our first national administration, the challenges which confronted them, their responses to those challenges and their legacies to our country.




4. This book is well written and very informative. This is more of an academic history than a page-turner, such as the books by the likes of David McCullough, but then again few books are. This book will appeal to those interested in history, especially American history. It is about the first 8 years of the government of the United States. Because the constitution was not specific on many of the aspects of how the government was to be run, it was necessary for Washington, his Cabinet and the Congress to further define their roles. This book describes how the men involved and the challenges that they faced directed the evolution of the government of the United States. It describes, in detail, Hamilton's financial system, the internal challenges of Indian uprisings and the resistance to the power of the government (as shown by the Whisky Rebellion) and the relations with foreign powers (primarily with Britain, France and Spain). I especially liked the discussion of Hamilton's system of monetizing the debt incurred during the revolution and using this as the basis for a currency system. This is a very complex subject, one that few at the time (or later) understood. This book not only clearly explains his system but also shows that it was based on the British system, thereby making it less mysterious and not a completely original creation of Hamilton's. Much time is also spent on the attempts of the French and Republican politicians, such as Jefferson, to support the French Revolution, even at the risk of war with Britain. In opposition to this were the Federalists, such as Hamilton, who wanted to avoid war with Britain at all costs. A considerable amount of space is therefore spent on the Jay treaty with Britain, and the support and opposition to it. The book also shows how the challenges faced by the US and the rivalries between the men involved helped to lead to the evolution (much to Washington's dismay) of political parties.
   
   While the title is accurate, it is also a bit misleading. This book is not primarily about Washington, in fact, in most of the book he is only in the background, ratifying or rejecting the acts of others. The author's view of Washington really only becomes clear in the last two pages, where he is depicted more of a symbolic presence than a dynamic leader. Nonetheless, the book makes it clear that Washington was more than just a figurehead. He created a stronger president than the weak one desired by Congress. He brought the heads of the departments of the government (State, War and Finance) clearly under the control of the President, reporting to him and not to Congress. He refused to hand over the papers associated with the development of the Jay treaty and refused to acknowledge the Senate's right to prevent him from firing someone they had previously approved. This book thus shows how the presidency of George Washington shaped the history of the Presidency and the US.



5. Forrest McDonald is one of the best academic historians of early American political, intellectual, and economic history. I've read several books by him and they've all been very good to excellent, and this book is right up there with them.
   
   One thing to keep in mind: This is NOT a biography. One could even argue that Washington himself is -- in McDonald's narrative -- not really the "star" at all, and that in fact others (such as Madison, Hamilton, & Jefferson) are far more important to driving the events of the early Republic. However, this depiction seems appropriate given Washington's reserved leadership style as President. In McDonald's words, "George Washington was indispensable, but only for what he was [ie, a figurehead everyone respected], not for what he did."
   
   What this book is, is a very good chronicle of the political history of our first presidential administration, covering all the important issues you would expect from the period. It is particularly strong at chronicling the emergence of the United States' first real national political parties.
   
   Though I thought this book was quite good overall, I rated it four rather than five stars for the following reasons:
   1. McDonald sometimes throws in a few too many extraneous details which can dilute his points.
   
   2. As he himself admits, some of McDonald's narrative is based on conjecture -- particularly when he describes a trip Jefferson and Madison took together to Lake Champlain. On that trip, McDonald supposes, Madison had an epileptic seizure that Jefferson witnessed, and this revelation of Madison's hidden personal weakness cemented their friendship and alliance. McDonald also engages in psychological analysis of some people -- such as Jefferson -- that comes across as not much more than speculation and conjecture, too.
   
   3. I thought McDonald was a little too biased towards the Hamiltonian/Federalist side of the emerging partisan divide. (Though, to be fair, most historians seem to go to the opposite extreme in praising Jefferson and his faction. Even so, McDonald seemed to always assume the best intentions on the part of the Federalists, and the worst intentions on the part of the Republicans.)
   
   In sum: This is a good scholarly look at the period, but those in search of a general biography of Washington should look elsewhere.

1 comments about Mystery Man: William Rhodes Davis, American Nazi Agent of Influence.

1. America has always been cursed with opportunists willing to do business with dictators. The current crop of people willing to profit from China - from President Clinton's apparent cash payments from the Chinese secret police to Republican businessmens' use of near slave labor to boost their profits - have their antecedents in William Rhodes Davis, who made a fortune supplying Hitler with the oil to launch World War II. There were many mysterious things about Davis - his relationship to FDR, his role as a Nazi agent, even his death. Mr. Harrington doesn't, can't give us the answers to everything, but he does a brilliant job laying out the facts that are known. The author is both an investment banker and a sensible man. Both are necessary skills to bring to a book like this. As an investment banker, he is anexcellent guide through the thickets of financial manueverings. As a sensible man, he weighs the information carefully and allows the reader to draw his own conclusions. I have only one quibble: he mentions that Sir Harry Oakes became associated with Davis shortly before Davis' strange death. Oakes himself of course figured in a strange murder case in the Bahamas shortly thereafter. I would have liked the author to see if there was any connection between the cases. That is the minorest of quibbles, however, and readers of this book will be able to reflect on just how many facets history has.

4 comments about The Essential Ronald Reagan: A Profile in Courage Justice & Wisdom.

1. This book is essential for anyone wanting to learn about Ronald Reagan--especially those who are reading about him for the first time. It is a favorable treatment of the man and his legacy, and portrays him just as he was, humorous and yet serious in regards to the things that were important. Essential? Absolutely.



2. Brief as it is, this compelling political biography manages to capture the gist of Ronald Reagan in a clear and engaging manner. Edwards investigates Reagan's childhood, his leadership qualities and his accomplishments with keen insight and understanding.
   
   The narrative concentrates on those people, events and circumstances that shaped the great man's character and career path, from his childhood and student days through his movie career, his two stints as governor of California and his presidency.
   
   Both the failures and the great and enduring successes of the Reagan administration are covered. For example, Edwards looks at the Iran-Contra debacle as well as the economic miracle, the benefits of deregulation and the West's victory in the Cold War.
   
   A highlight of the book is Edwards' analyses of the four essential qualities of leadership that Reagan possessed: courage, justice, prudence and wisdom. The author points out how these qualities came into play at various occasions in Reagan's life and career.
   
   He discusses the books that helped persuade Reagan to change his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and in the bibliographical essay at the end, he reviews the best and the worst books on the 40th President. The Essential Ronald Reagan concludes with copious notes and a thorough index.
   
   I also recommend the books When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan, Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader by Dinesh D'Souza and Ronald Reagan: An American Hero, with an introduction by William F Buckley. The CD set Speaking My Mind, is a most inspiring collection of speeches and observations by the great man himself. God bless Ronald Reagan.



3. The Essential Reagan is the perfect book if you want to a quick but thorough biography on this incredible man. It is an enjoyable read, and concise. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about Reagan or a diehard Reagan fan needing a "refresher course" on him and his legacy.



4. Great book. I did not know all that much about Reagan and I feel as a introductory enthusiast this book is a great start. Compare the Republican of then to the Republican of now and it's amazing the swing in ideology. Ron Paul is the closest candidate to representing the traditional Republican ideology. Today other candidates hardly show a difference from left to right. Understanding Reagan is understanding Barry Goldwater conservatism.

4 comments about Ribbentrop.

1. Bloch's "Ribbentrop" is an excellent work on a figure who is often only mentioned as a supernumerary in histories of the Second World War and the Third Reich. From Ribbentrop's early years, to his pre-Nazi days, to his rather baffling rise to power, to his last days as a defendant (then convict) at Nuremberg, Bloch's book illuminates the reader as to this important but often overlooked individual. Divided into well-ordered chapters, filled with many fascinating footnotes, and drawing from diplomatic archives, interview records, and memoirs, "Ribbentrop" provides a deeply interesting look at the state of the German diplomatic machine in the 1930's and 1940's and sheds light on the Reichsaussenminister who despite his participation in terrible crimes was, as written by Philip Ziegler in his review, "never quite a monster".



2. I have read a lot on WW2 history and found this study very good. I certainly learnt much from it.
   
   A man promoted well over his ability and experience into a position of foreign minister. Yet in the scheme of things he was a fairly minor character.
   
   Yet it surprizing how much influence that he did play in the conflict. I found the questions raised by the writer in relation to Rippontrop causing Hitler to misjudge Britain response to the invasion of Poland fasinating.



3. For enthusiasts of diplomatic history Michael Bloch produces a masterpiece that lets us see inside the Nazi regime and their struggle to deceive the world. Ribbentrop was a cowardly and self centered bureaucrat who helped justify some of the worst atrocities that were ever seen. The book is well written and is good for a beginner on an expert. It is an essential addition to any library about Nazi Germany. Bloch's contempt for Ribbentrop is apparent and you find yourself wondering how Ribbentrop ever achieved power. His ineptitude is stunning but through this look we get a look at one of the more interesting Nazi's after Hitler and Goebbels.



4. ... but also very entertaining and terrifying at the same time. While I agree with almost all what the previous three raters wrote, I want to stress that the entertainment value of this well written biography cannot be overstated. If you want to know how papers were retrieved at the Buero Ribbentrop, the parallel foreign ministry (by emptying a renaissance chest in which everything was thrown into), or how the usually obedient Ribbentrop once enraged the Fuehrer to the point of giving him a nervous breakdown, or how Ribbentrop embarassed himself and the Royal family while he was ambassador in London, look no further, Bloch describes it all, with dry humour, mild pity and all references. And if you ever doubted what a professional diplomatic corps is good for, read this book.

5 comments about Greenspan: The Man Behind Money.

1. An extremely shallow book that offers no insight how Greenspan thinks or makes his decisions. The reason Greenspan is such an interesting character is how he has managed to constantly adapt to changing market conditions. The real story would be why and how he came to the decisions he did, but this book just reports his actions. There is almost no economic anlysis or justification. Anyone looking to gain some understanding of Greenspan's thought process will be left wanting and extremely disappointed with this book.



2. The principles that Alan Greenspan follows politically and economically are all accounted for in the in-depth writing Justin Martin presented in this book. Justin Martin even gets into small details about Alan Greenspan that not many people know about. I recommend this book to anyone willing to learn rock solid principles surrounding our economic conditions.



3. This book is an excellent journalistic account of Alan Greenspan's life up to the first part of 2000 - the zenith of his career and fame.

   The book is not a serious biography. You will be disappointed if you expect the book to give you a deep and insightful analysis of Greenspan's life philosophy, his work methodology, or a revelation of the detail working of the Federal Reserve System.

   On the other hand, this book is a fascinating account of his life - both its private and public sides. Greenspan's brush with band music, his own economic consulting business which employed mostly female economists, his relationship with Ayn Rand and as an esteemed member of her Objectivist Collective, his role and relationship with the Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush and the Clinton teams. There are also some vivid accounts of how he handled some high profile financial and monetary situations as well as how he left his handprints on several important presidential commission reports and recommendations. And, of course, the book has not neglected to give brief but interesting accounts of the women in his life.

   This book is very well written - the material is interesting and well organized, and presentation is smooth and captivating. I find it to be very enjoyable reading.

   Read to the end. The last two paragraphs of the book were as weighty as everything written prior!




4. Read all about the frightened little ec0nomist who happens to be (pragmatically) the most powerful man on the planet.
   Greenspan's dreadful fear of inflation is really the origin of our current economic recession, his timing is worse than a paranoid knife thrower afflicted with Parkinsons disease.
   This book isn't written objectively and will only benefit those who worship the detritus he leaves behind. It works too hard to portray him as well meaning guy who just happened to luck into his current job, but skims or omits his blunders and mistakes.
   This book is best for the Greenspan groupies.



5. Justin Martin's "Greenspan" -- from beginning to end -- is a delightful read. I was laughing over and over as the pages turned, and was disappointed upon running out of pages to read.

   Here is one humorous example (page 225), about Greenspan changed his seating position at the FOMC meeting table.

   "Then there's the table flap. Since 1977, the FOMC has conducted its business around a twenty-seven-foot-long table fashioned out of Honduran mahogany, with a center section made of black granite. It weighs two tons. Since becoming Fed chairman, Greenspan had always sat at the head of this table. But in November 1998, attendees at one of the Fed's periodic public meetings noticed that he had moved to a spot in the middle.

   "The hubbub began immediately. What did it mean? Was Greenspan sending a message about increased 'collegiality' at the Fed? Turns out the move was for the sake of acoustics. 'Given the speed of sound, the advice arrived too late and inadvertently we got behind the curve,' joked Greenspan, during a meeting of the Fed's Board of Governors."

   I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in economics.

No comments about Lineage, Life And Labors Of Jose Rizal.

No comments about Max Yergan: Race Man, Internationalist, Cold Warrior.

5 comments about In the Shadow of a Saint: A Son's Journey to Understand His Father's Legacy.

1. I was in bed on the morning of the 10th of November 1995 when the death of ken Saro Wiwa was announced over the radio. As it is in Nigeria there is always the official and unofficial news so speculations the previous night dismissed as rumours...even though i was almost twenty at this time, it dawned on me that i knew next to nothing about Mr Saro-Wiwa..and folks made up to many stories that usually left you confused but Ken Wiwa has done an excellent job. He initial presents hiself has a spoilt kid who saw more meaning to life in the west than in Africa his home (Or so i understood it) but as he grows, he matures to the point where he does not only understand his father and what he stands for but learns to forgive and even sympathise with his many dilemas in his struglle to liberate the lifes and minds of his people. The most refreshing thing about the story is that Wiwa Snr and Jnr reach a compromise in what seemed like a stumbling relationship (as it is with many first sons who are similar to thier fathers) and reconcile before Saro-Wiwa dies. I gues like Wiwa snr said "it's a shame we cant choose our parents" but having ready a story like this one I'm quite glad it so too.

   Bro Ken i agree with your Dad you do have a good style keep the books coming.




2. This is a beautiful, inspiring book. It is not just a biography of internationally acclaimed activist and novelist Ken Saro-Wiwa, but also an account of a son who manages to find himself despite the notoriety of his famous father. Ken Wiwa traces the history he has shared with his father, and examines his changes in perspective through his childhood, adolescent and adult years. He recounts his father's successful life, from government worker to TV writer, novelist, and finally, to political activist. He tells of his father's efforts to improve the lives of the impoverished Ogoni people, which included a heroic struggle against a multinational oil company. With brevity, and brutal honesty, Ken Wiwa leaves no stone unturned in examining his own thoughts and emotions in relation to these events.
   It would have been easy for Ken Wiwa to wax poetically about his father's heroism in the face of such a powerful opponent, and to fill all the pages of a book on this subject alone. He could have possibly sold many more books this way. But he purposely chose not to, and instead invites his readers on a rich, multi-faceted exploration of his father's life, his family and of his own growing self-awareness.
   In the end, we, the readers, are just as proud of Ken Saro-Wiwa as his son is. But it is the journey that we took to get there that makes it all the more moving.



3. I remember where I was the day I found out Ken Saro-Wiwa had been murdered. It's a day that will forever be with me.

   Ken Wiwa does a beautiful job of honoring his father's human rights work and expressing the complexity of their relationship. It is a shame that Mr. Saro-Wiwa will never be able to see his son's heartfelt tribute.




4. A moving and evocative memoir of Ken Wiwa's difficult coming of age, caught between two cultures and the collision with history of his domineering father, Nigerian playwright and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa. In effect the story is told in two parts - the author's life up to his father's hanging on trumped up charges in 1995, and his subsequent attempt to come to terms with his fathers ambiguous personal legacy, in part from seeking out the children of other political martyrs such as Nkosinathi Biko and Aung San Suu Kyi. One gets the sense that by the end of the book Wiwa has achieved some sort of closure and establishment of stable, constructive self-identity. Recommended to anyone interested in Nigeria, international diplomacy, or the relationship between fathers and sons.



5. A befitting gift to the memory of a great man from his son. Ken Wiwa has arrived as a major voice of his generation with this sincere and serious work of literature that looks at Nigerain politics and history from the eyes of a Niger Delta son. This is a personal document with a straight forward message.

5 comments about The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years.

1. While there is some merit to Edward Klein's books, they read like tabloid journalism. More importantly, there are passages which raise eyebrows, such as his alleged interview with Dave Powers. Read with a skeptical eye.
   Vince Palamara-JFK/ Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of two books, in over 30 other author's books, etc.)
   Pittsburgh, PA
   
   BEST JFK ASSASSINATION BOOK: ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
   BEST JFK SECRET SERVICE BOOK: SURVIVOR'S GUILT BY YOURS TRULY :)



2. This book is not boring... easy to read...good insight to the Kennedys... would recommend for anyone who likes real life..



3. In Edward Klein's The Kennedy Curse: Why America's First Family Has Been Haunted by Tragedy for 150 Years, there isn't much new here except for pure gossip, rumor and innuendo.
   
   Klein starts off to make this a pseudo-scientific study of facts contributing to the Kennedy curse including lots of psycho-babble, genetic factors, etc. He claims his book is a detective story. He tries to show how "the Irish immigrant experience of poverty and humiliation developed into an obsessive lust for power and dominance over others at the expense of all ethical behavior." Throw in domineering fathers, cold mothers, alcohol, drugs, sex, thrill-seeking behavior, ADHD, restlessness, boredom and impatience, and you get a prescription for tragedy. Many people believe a black cloud has followed the Kennedy family for many generations. It actually appears that the Kennedy's followed the black cloud on their own.
   
   In trying to prove his curse theory, Klein spotlights seven family members including immigrant Patrick Kennedy, Joe Kennedy, Sr., Kathleen (Kick) Kennedy, JFK, William Kennedy Smith, JFK, Jr., and JFK's maternal grandfather, John Honey Fitz Fitzgerald. He barely mentions other Kennedy's that have suffered tragedies including Bobby Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Joe Kennedy, Jr. It was interesting to read about the immigrant experience of the Irish, as well as some of the lesser known family members including Kathleen Kennedy and Honey Fitz. But overall, there isn't much new here, and what is new seems mostly rumor and innuendo. For instance, Klein accuses JFK of having "chronic venereal disease" and claims it is possible that this caused the death of his pre-mature son, Patrick. This is a pretty serious allegation to make without proof. He also tells how Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's friends destroyed her drug stash after that fateful plane crash. I don't believe the Kennedy's are saints and I know they've done some atrocious things, but give us hard facts.
   
   Overall, my recommendation is to skip The Kennedy Curse. If you want to read more about this fated family, there are much better and more comprehensive books to be had. It is hard to believe this book was written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.



4. Edward Klein covered John F. Kennedy's 1960 Presidential campaign and later served as foreign editor of Newsweek and editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine. He has authored countless articles and several books, including two others on Kennedy family members. He's a good writer and meticulous researcher. However, despite his resume and, sadly, in concert with virtually every other biographer and historian, he reverses cause and effect.
   
   As discussed in by books, How to Spot Hidden Alcoholics: Using Behavioral Clues to Recognize Addiction in Its Early Stagesand Alcoholism Myths and Realities: Removing the Stigma of Society's most Destructive Diseasealcoholism mimics virtually all the Personality Disorders, particularly Narcissism. A diagnosis of this Disorder requires any five attributes out of a menu of nine, including "a grandiose sense of self-importance," "a belief he is `special,'" "a sense of entitlement" and an "arrogant and haughty attitude." These, as well as the other five attributes, are all classic symptoms of alcoholism or severe codependency, especially in children of alcoholics.
   
   According to studies cited in my first book, Drunks, Drugs & Debits: How to Recognize Addicts and Avoid Financial Abuse70-80% of recovering addicts with two or three months of sobriety who were diagnosed with a Personality Disorder when drinking are found to have been misdiagnosed. While most Disorders clear up or become far less of a concern after two to three years of sobriety, experience shows that what most consider normal behaviors usually don't return for five to ten years.
   
   Klein includes vignettes on a potpourri of Kennedy clan members, some alcoholics and several children of alcoholics. The manifestation of narcissism in apparent non-alcoholic members of the family, including Joe Kennedy's favorite daughter Kathleen, suggests the power of familial alcoholism. Extraordinary tolerance to alcohol makes the disease all but invisible in many, including Joseph P. Kennedy, even while numerous behavioral indications of the disease are evident (I counted two dozen such clues in the 45-page chapter on Joe, from attempts at blackmail to hyperbole and a public display in which he flouted long tradition). The fact that narcissism can be so obvious in non-alcoholics, as well as in those who defy the diagnosis, may account for the fact that alcoholism is overlooked as the most common root of the Disorder. However, the likely underlying cause becomes more apparent when we realize that a confluence of narcissists is found in families in which alcoholism is epidemic.
   
   The Kennedy Curse is billed as a "detective story". Unfortunately, Edward Klein helps to perpetuate the myth that most character flaws are inherent, when they are instead usually rooted in alcoholism. While including some interesting and telling depictions in the lives of alcoholics and their codependents in what may be America's most famous family, Klein's book fails in its most fundamental goal.



5. This story is very interesting. It details the lives of some of the famous Kennedys/Fitzgeralds and tells how "the Kennedy Curse" affected them in their life. The author even has a timeline of major things that have happened to the extended familie for 150 years.
   
   The first to be aflicted with the Kennedy Curse was Patrick Kennedy in the 1850's. He was an Irishman who immigrated to the United States, married and had children, but 9 years after arriving died leaving a widow with an infant son.
   
   The next to be cronicaled is Rose Kennedy's father John "HoneyFitz" Fitzgerald. He was a polition in Boston and Massachutes before being forced to give it up when the competion found out about an affair he had with a woman the same age as his daughter.
   
   The next person cronicaled is Joe Kennedy himself. He wanted to be President of the United States of America and shortly after leaving his post as Ambassador to the Court of Saint James during World War Two he gave an interview that ended his career and his dreams.
   
   The next two people cronicaled are Joe Kennedy's children Kathleen and John. Kathleen fell in love with two Protestants during her life. The first she married but he died during the war. The second was married, but wanted a divorce. They were on there way to meet Joe in Paris when the plain that they were on crashed killing all on board. John of course was President of the United States and partily due to his lacks rules about his safty he was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
   
   The next people are JFK Jr who like his father was taken too soon and William Kennedy Smith who was on trial for rape.

No comments about Wild Herb Soup.