5 comments about Coolidge: An American Enigma.

1. How interesting that as we look at the last century, President Coolidge has become a polarizing figure. After smears from William Allan White, Arthur Schlesinger and others, Coolidge has finally merited re-evaluation. While not an activist President in the vein of, say, Franklin Roosevelt, Coolidge was far from indolent or passive. He gave more press conferences than any other, inaugurated the use of radio, and sponsored airplanes in the military. However, it was indeed his belief that government should exist for the people, not the other way 'round. Interestingly, he was the last President to refuse to have a telephone in the Oval Office--he considered it undignified. He supported women's suffrage and his wife, Grace, was the first First Lady to smoke in the White House. I have undertaken to read many accounts of Coolidge; he does remain a mystery to us in so many ways. Regardless of the slant of the source, though, his deep sense of decency and honor in performing public service always shines through. I'd recommend purchasing a copy of 'Grace Coolidge and Her Era' from 1962 to give a more human side to both the President and his wife. Another characteristic of this man is that despite his reserve, his overriding love for his wife and sons remains there. The heartbreak that he and Mrs. Coolidge endured with the needless death of their youngest son in the White House cannot be overstated. Especially since we know now that the Staph. infection from which young Calvin died would nowadays have certainly not been fatal. I think part of the reason the Coolidge times have become fascinating for those of us interested in history is the obscurity to which these years have been consigned. The terms of FDR with his extensive radio and movie coverage has overshown the previous three Republican administrations, not by accident. I have concluded that no one book can cover all the aspects of President Coolidge, and he deserves further reading.



2. I purchased the late Robert Sobel's "Coolidge: An American Enigma" by happenstance. I had no particular opinion of Calvin Coolidge, beyond the general impression that he was one of the very few "caretaker" presidents of the 20th century. After completing this biography, that impression remains unchanged. Despite Sobel's infectious enthusiasm for his subject, Coolidge remains a cipher: likable, decent, honest, but very deliberately lacking in color or discernable personality.
   
   Sobel knows how to write an entertaining biography, especially in light of how dry his subject is. He skillfully follows Coolidge from his childhood in Vermont, his education at Amherst, his governance of Massachusetts, and finally his rise to the office of first vice-president, then president. Through this, Sobel paints interesting portraits of the man and his times. Indeed, some of the most exciting parts of the book occur when Sobel shifts his focus away from Coolidge and focuses on the events that affect the outcome of Coolidge's life. While some of the examination of the Massachusetts political machine seem a little tangential, the passages recounting the Boston police strike and the 1920 Republican convention are particularly gripping. His overview of the scandals of the Harding administration are paticularly instructive.
   
   Still, Sobel never loses sight of the fact he's writing a book about Coolidge. His examination of Coolidge as president is intriguing, if a little sparse. Sparse, because Coolidge himself is difficult to pin down. He was very much from the laissez-faire school of government, taking great pains to limit federal intervention in state and local matters, as well as business. The downside of this was, as Sobel does note, Coolidge did very little beyond pay lip-service to social issues of the country, e.g., the plight of African-Americans and Native Americans. He was also not terribly interested in international matters, although as Sobel points out, Coolidge was able to handle tensions with Mexico. He is also very explicit that the tendency to lay the Depression at Coolidge's feet is totally unfair, as Coolidge was only in the vaguest awareness of what could happen to the booming economy, and was far less equipped to do anything about it.
   
   The most substantial problem I had with this book is Sobel's tendency to allow too much of his own bias show. Sobel, from what I can tell, was very much a Reagan Republican. This was obviously a reason for his decision to attempt to rehabilitate Coolidge. However, that often leads to awkward editorializing. The most overt example is a lengthy dissection of previous Coolidge historiography, including an an attempt to reutt the works of Arthur M. Schlesinger on the failure of the Harding-Coolidge-Hoover era. While I realize that Sobel's intent was to take on the popular view of Coolidge as some sort of failure, I felt that Sobel's decision to place this argument in the beginning of Chapter 9 inappropriate. This would have made perfect sense in the introduction or the epilogue materials. Including it in the body was distracting, and caused me to set it down for a little while.
   
   Another concern was Sobel's copious use of block excerpts, particularly in the opening of the book. It felt like Sobel was padding a little. As the work progresses, the quotes seem more useful, and less intrusive.
   
   On the whole, I surprised by "Coolidge: An American Enigma". I found Coolidge the man appealing. While he would have been horribly out of step with this day and age (indeed, just years later he would have been quaint), Coolidge was a man of his time, lending further credence to the idea that times make men as much as men make times. Had Sobel distanced himself a little more from his subject, it would have been about perfect. As it stands, it's an excellent single volume about a caretaker president.



3. Author Sobel creates an interesting read, bringing to life an obscure President, obscure from the fact historians and the general media have tended to ignore him. Cooledge exhibited an unusual degree of statesmanship, while cognizant of the politics that got him to the highest elected office in the land.
   Much of Sobel's writing is in a matter of fact vain. While helpful, I found the constant insertions of Cooledge quotes to be distracting at times.



4. I read this book based on recommendations that this is the bio to read regarding Coolidge. Those reviews are right on point. This is an outstanding book, well researched, moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged throughout.
   
   It is obvious that the writer liked Coolidge and thinks he is an underrated President. That said, he did acknowledge Coolidge's shortcomings, almost all surrounded his dry demeanor.
   
   The book was well researched and gave me a really good taste of the times that Coolidge grow up in. It talked about the issues that led to his Presidency (The Teapot Dome Scandal) and gave enough detail to explain the entire situation to better understand why Coolidge could've been implicated in the events that led to Harding's downfall...but ultimately the author explained why he wasn't implicated.
   
   I've read a lot of Presidential bios and I would rate this against any I've read so far. It is a difficult task for an author such as Sobel to write a bio about a little-known President who didn't serve during the "sexiest" events in American history. However, the author wrote in an interesting way about the issues Coolidge had to face and by the stats and details provided it appears Coolidge did overcome and manage the events that needed his expertise during his Presidency. And, it appears he gets blamed incorrecly for laying the foundation that led to the depression. As a side note, I think Hoover is wrongly blamed for the depression as way. The economy has an ebb and flow to it and Coolidge served during a downturn, while Hoover rode the worst economic times in our history that I feel he is wrongly blamed for.
   
   Great book and really an underrated President that I am glad I know a lot more about.



5. If you want to learn about Calvin Coolidge the man, the father, the husband, the politician and the President this is the book to read. Sobel does a excellent job at presenting Coolidge in a blanced way showing his strengths, accomplishments and achievments as well as his shortcomings, weaknesses and failures. Unlike some historians who like to just say Coolidge did nothing or slept through is Presidency silently, Sobel shows he had achievements, was active in reducing government, its taxation and spending while bringing in surpluses that he successfully pushed to have refunded to the taxpayer. Sobel also shows that while the rich benefitted from the tax breaks given under Coolidge's Presidency that in the end the vast majority of people did not have to pay taxes under his tax plans. Unemployment was down to almost 3%. Was there problems? There are always problems no matter how good times are and Sobel explores these as well. Farmers struggled under Coolidge's administration and Sobel does a good job of showing why. Sobel's book shows all of these things in a balanced light bringing forth Coolidge, his life, his Presidency as they were with the roaring 20's in full swing and being potrayed in this book as a backdrop to what Coolidge was doing at the time. The book is well written, I was never bored and never found it tedious to read and enjoyed every page. Excellent job by Sobel in presenting us with one fantastic biography of Calvin Coolidge! 5 Stars!
   [...]

2 comments about Lincoln Legends: Myths, Hoaxes, and Confabulations Associated with Our Greatest President.

1. Most of Lincoln Legends is directed at buffs attracted by such arcane topics as the provenance of the Lincoln "birthplace" cabin, the final resting place (or more likely, places) of Ann Rutledge, whether Lincoln could have been baptized by immersion in the Sangamon River, and assorted odd notions about the assassination. A few chapters are of greater significance, among them the one spiking the myth of a "gay Lincoln" and the thorough examination of the "deceptive doctor," Samuel Alexander Mudd.
   
   Steers writes well enough, but the book might have been improved by a more vigorous application of the editorial pen. Steers' method is usually to begin by laying out the mythological tale at perhaps too great a length and then to demolish the myth at the end of the chapter. This course often leads to wordy repetition. Books about myths and hoaxes are often fun to read; and this one is no exception, although it would have been better if it had been say, fifty pages shorter.



2. This was such an engrossing and captivating book that I read it in only a couple of days. Of all of the many, many, many books already published about President Lincoln, this one is a most worthy addition to the canon. For many people who have grown up treasuring or swearing by urban legends or outright historical falsehoods (such as Betsy Ross making the first American flag or President Washington chopping down a cherry tree), it can be hard to be confronted with the facts demolishing the legends, but intellectual honesty and historical truth should matter more than preserving a myth just because it makes one feel good or because it's been repeated so often that it's taken on the stature of truth.
   
   I've read a lot about President Lincoln since I was a child, but some of the legends in this book were new to even me, such as the stories about his supposed out of wedlock birth, his alleged late-night baptism in a freezing river, and "Peanut John," the boy who held Booth's horse while he was inside of Ford's Theatre on that fateful night. Other topics covered include Dr. Samuel Mudd (was he or wasn't he an innocent doctor caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?), the true nature of the relationship between the young Abe and Ann Rutledge (I was kind of disappointed to learn that they may not have had a romance, though there is still no conclusive evidence in either direction), the modern-day myth about President Lincoln being gay, the "lost" draft of the Gettysburg Address, and Andrew Potter, the man who never was. Some of these legends may be more interesting to Lincoln scholars than to the general public, but they're all interesting. Some of them even made me laugh, like the one about his supposed true paternity and the totally implausible scenario for his alleged secret late-night baptism in the freezing December weather. There's something in here for everyone who has more than a passing interest in our greatest president.

4 comments about Mrs. Ike: Portrait of a Marriage (Capital Classics).

1. Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower, has written a beautiful portrait of her grandmother and the strong marriage between the President and his First Lady.



2. Ike is one my historical favorites. I think his life testifies to the American dream - that a poor but enterprising boy from Kansas could achieve everlasting distinction as a Supreme Commander and President.

   In Mrs. Ike you learn about his life partner. It wasn't always a happy marriage, and it was certainly tested by tragedy (death of 3-year old son) and the rigors of nomadic military life, particularly during the disarmament era after WWI. Yet they hung in there and made the most of their life together.

   This is easy reading and a sometimes touching intimate portrait of a nice old-fashioned couple. They shared a 53-year marriage that took them from a difficult penny-pinching existence post WWI to great distinction and wealth later in life.

   For those interested in the Ike-Summersby question, I think this book puts another nail in that silly coffin. I particularly like the description of their relationship as like "Lou Grant and Mary Richards" (from the Mary Tyler Moore Show). Based on everything I've read they were more like affectionate father and daughter than lovers. Yet its painful to read how, after Ike's death in '69, Mamie had to endure rumors and scuttlebutt during the next decade, including a nutty divorce story by Harry Truman, now discredited and widely cited as perhaps testament to Truman's senility late in life.




3. I thought Margaret Truman cornered the market on good writing about parents. However, Susan Eisenhower has written a book of the same caliber. Being born in 1955, I only vaguely remember when DDE was President, though I certainly remember when Ike died in 1969. I had read so many unflattering things about Mamie, with the main exception being J.B. West's book of memoirs about being Chief Usher in the White House. Mamie is largely forgotten nowadays, particularly in light of the Kennedy administration that followed. What greater contrast than between the sixty-something Mamie and the thirty-something Jackie! After reading this book in all its details, one can better understand that Mamie considered herself first, last and always as an Army wife. It's easy for us to think of the period during and following WW II when Ike shot up through the ranks, with the perks that such a position brings. This book reminds us of the many, many years of their marriage with constant moving and not enough money to go around. Was it any wonder, then, that she would shop the newspapers for bargains while First Lady? I think we all hope that by our sixties we have a good working conception of who we are and what we want--this Mamie had in spades. She wouldn't change her hairdo or wardrobe for whims of fashion--she knew what worked for her. We also might be reminded that the position of First Lady is indeed unpaid and she is truly under no obligation to perform for us, the American public. In this book Susan Eisenhower reveals that in the eight years that Ike was President, Mamie only entered the Oval Office 4 times! Now, that's what I can call a separation of duties. We are also reminded that no President before or since had the foreign experience, including living in many foreign countries. They were a most cosmopolitan couple, perhaps masquerading as our grandparents! As West said, no couple looked more spit-and-polish than the Eisenhowers in their formality, and this included the Kennedys.

   This is a must read for any fan of 20th century American history.
   Many thanks to Ms. Eisenhower for her work.




4. I never knew much about Mamie Eisenhower other then she was a first lady until I read this biography it was well written and a fun read. Reading about Mamie's wealthy childhood and marrying Ike and becoming a army wife. Reading about all the places they've lived Denver, Panama, the Philippines, Europe, and the long separations from her husband. The sad death of their first child. I defiently recommend this book.

3 comments about John Quincy Adams (American Profiles (Madison House Paperback)).

1. Lynn H. Parsons has written a biography that is blessedly free from 'academic speak' or the sense that he is only writing for other historians. This is definitely a biography for even the most casual lover of history. Parsons' familiarity with JQA allows him to introduce us to that prickly character as one would introduce an eccentric friend--always aware of the eccentricities but never apologizing for them. Adams (and his father) are two of the greatest of America's early statesmen and two of it's worst politicians. Parsons presents the genius and the folly and allows us to weigh our opinions--tho' its clear where Parsons' affections lie. It is hard to imagine that anyone will (or could) write a better one volume popular biography of JQA. Parsons clearly could tell us much more, but he chooses not to bog his narrative down in the kind of historical detail that glazes the eye of the casual reader. For serious historians this is a valuable book because it doesn't get lost in its own importance--the writing is direct, succinct and keeps the reader aware of the difference of the attitudes of Adams and his contemporaries to our current sensibilities. Parsons ends with a note that JQA's only monument in Washington is a small plaque in statuary hall in the Capitol. I would argue that Adams' best monument in DC is the one he would be proudest of--the Smithsonian Institution he fought so hard to help establish. I highly recommend this book.



2. After reading this well written biography, I experienced the sorrows, joys, and accomplishments in the life of one of our country's greatest statesmen.



3. John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, the second President, was one of America's greatest diplomats. He made a name for himself as the country was being formed, especially with his defense of "the rules of law" against the will of the majority. He was one of the last of the old Federalists. He was a foreign minister to Holland, Portugal, and Prussia, and was Secretary of State under Monroe (where he was the main force in establishing the Monroe Doctrine). He became the sixth President in a controversial election that was decided in the House of Representatives.
   
   Parson's short (272 pages) but thorough and well-written biography of Adams is a job well done. She details the accomplishments of his life, but focuses primarily on the man himself. Adams was a stern man (his portrait reminds me of some evil Dickens character, Marley perhaps), and not well-liked by the public. He believed that one should not "run" for a political office, but should just accept it if offered (imagine that today!). He hated Andrew Jackson and slavery, and fought hard against both. This is an excellent book on an interesting man.

5 comments about One Woman's Army: The Commanding General of Abu Ghraib Tells Her Story.

1. She gives a believable insight to the nonchalant attitude of the higher military leaders that continue to this day. Many of us have fell victim to leader's incompetence and quest for promotion and the details she gives are accurate.
   
   Her background is impressive and that alone should have been enough to get her through this deployment without incident. She knew what had to be done but could not get the male commanders to care about the situation. She broke testosterone barriers throughout her career but still took the hit when the male officers bailed after everything hit the fan.
   
   Her book explains her elaborate and extensive background without gloating. Any commander in her position would have a difficult time and she describes in detail the walls and curtains put before her while she maintained her unit the best she could.
   
   Beautiful insight to military leadership during an American occupation.



2. First the book reads smoothly and quickly, providing a sense of the grit, determination, and personal integrity required to move up the chain of command as a woman in the army. Second, Janis reveals a peak behind the curtain of what is really going on on the ground in Iraq, and the decisions that were made which led us into our current intractable position in the Middle East. It's a sad commentary on our current administration that a woman who led with integrity was set up to take the fall for decisions that were made by General Sanchez and Donald Rumsfeld. Several of the men who made the decisions that led to the torture at Abu Ghraib were given medals for their service while she was stripped of her Commission. Janis Karpinski represents exactly the kind of person we want in our Army (I've actually met her in person and found her to be strong, intelligent, and concerned about the direction our country is heading). This book should be required reading for every citizen who cares about the future credibility of the United States on the world stage. The truth doesn't change and eventually we will come to understand how badly we have treated this brave woman who served her country with honor. More importantly we will understand how badly we have fumbled our responsibilites to the world in our mishandling of Iraq and the problems in the Middle east.



3. ONE WOMAN'S ARMY: THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF ABU GHRAIB TELLS HER STORY considers the events of 2004, offering General Karpinski's first-hand account of not only her command of troops in a combat zone, but her experience of being a commanding female leader in the modern army. From how the scandal destroyed her career to her rise in the ranks, ONE WOMAN'S ARMY is a recommended pick for any female who would understand - or enter - the military.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. As far as an entertaining read, it was great! I loved the large font, color photos, and of course, the interesting anecdotes. What everyone is forgetting is that we are reviewing the BOOK, not her, or her message. Though personally, I find her to be extraordinary. If you are looking for a light, interesting read, pick this book up. If you started off hating her, you might be blindsighted by your emotions anyway so no amount of information is going to help you. Just don't bother reading it. If, however, you feel neutral about her role in the scandal, by all means, read it, listen to her message, pay attention that she mentions several times her faults in the scandal, and enjoy the fast paced read.



5. General Janis Karpinski, commander of the U.S. military prison in Iraq, provides her personal account of the corruption and failures in the chain of command that permitted prisoner abuse to occur. She discusses her inexperience in running a prison, lack of disciplined guards, and use of private firms.
   
   Though she spends a bit of the book on the army's preference for male soldiers in combat related arms, the book rings true. You can see how Karpinski and her people had too many responsibilities and too few people. The cover-up lasted for three months and then she contends that the blame was shifted to her. She feels she was the sacrificial lamb because of the fact that she was not regular army and an expendable woman. Yet the army did think she earned a star, so how expandable was she before this incident happened. The book is a fast read.

2 comments about Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen.

1. This book could not be given enough stars. It takes a fascinating episode in history, the revolt of the Queen of the Iceni of Britain in AD 60-61, and looks at it from historical, archaeological, literary, and mythical points of view. It shows how Boudica has went from simply the best-remembered of many contemporary British female warlords to variously being portrayed as a sadistic villian, a feminist hero, and a champion of British nationalism and politics. Overall, the book examines the real Boudica's role in history and her subsequent impact on modern Britain in a manner that is both informative and enjoyable to read. It is a fine source on Queen Boudica, the Celtic 'Woman of Victory' from every perspective!



2. This is one of the best books on Boudica yet, and if you only read one, this should be the one you read. There is relatively little known about the woman that has become so important in some many ways to so many segments of society, and what is "known" should be treated with caution. Hingley and Unwin do an excellent job of showing what we do know, what we don't know, and what we might know but should think critically about in the context of the story of Boudica. They manage to create an interesting story without compromising on the evidence, avoiding what so many do when they say all the right things about biased sources and then mostly ignore what they just said and relate what those sources say as fact. Instead, Hingley and Unwin weave the critical assessment of both written and archaeological courses into their discussion in a way that keep it relevant to the story they tell. This story is given substance by the up-to-date discussion of current archaeological research on the period, which provides as useful review for professionals and interested others alike. The second half of the book was also interesting, providing a review of the ways in which "Boudica" became transformed into "Boadicea", the cultural icon variously of the right, the left, and the centre. This is far more standard in this type of literature, but nonetheless valuable in terms of what it brings to the table.
   Probably most importantly, they manage to do all this in a highly readable fashion. Tackling the deconstruction of assumptions of Roman superiority, the inevitability of Romanization, and the uncritical use of written sources can often get mired down in jargon and so sail beyond what most people understand or care about. However, this book does it in a way that is both accessible and convincing. Nice job all around!

2 comments about William Wilberforce: A Biography.

1. Tompkin's has written a sympathetic biography of the great reformer but the author shows a better understanding of Wiberforce's Christianity than he does of his conservatism. I think that the author is in danger of judging Wilberforce by 21st century standards over his opposition to trades unions, support of fewer of civil liberties in the face of threatened French invasion and the persecution of the promoters of atheistic books. Wilberforce's campaign to abolish the slave trade is the major theme of the book as it was the dominating thing in his life. But this history would be improved by the inclusion of a brief chronology or time line, putting Wilberforce's campaign and life in the world historic context of the time which included the American and French revolutions as well as the rise and fall of Napoleon. Wilberforce turned down all office and advancement including a peerage. He was ever a man of principle not party, a great philanthropist and saint whose perseverance was a greater gift than his oratory.



2. A thorough, inspiring, and insightful biography, although the author at times displays a mean-spirited judgmental streak.

1 comments about Catherine Parr: Henry VIII's Last Love.

1. It was dangerous to be married to Henry VIII. His first wife was cast away and died prematurely; the second was beheaded; the third died in childbed. When Henry was casting about Europe for his next wife, Christina of Denmark is supposed to have quipped, "If I had two heads, one should be at the King of England's disposal." Fortunately for his fourth wife, she was merely divorced (and outlived Henry); but the fifth was beheaded; and the sixth too had a brush with the king's deadly wrath. Only by her wits did Catherine Parr survive.
   
   In the first biography of Catherine Parr (1512-1548) in a quarter century (since Anthony Martienssen's), Susan James approaches her subject as more than just the sixth queen of Henry VIII (which is the context of books like Antonia Fraser's, Alison Weir's, and David Starkey's). The present book is a new, slightly shortened edition of the 1999 biography Kateryn Parr: The Making of a Queen. The footnotes of the earlier book have been relegated to the end, and gone is the last section on Catherine's brother William Parr after her death, as are the appendices, including the love letters of Catherine and Thomas Seymour and a discussion of the painting previously thought to be of Lady Jane Grey. What remains is a lively (if abruptly ended) account of Catherine Parr's life, rich in detail about her before, during, and after her reign as queen.
   
   It is a Victorian misconception that Henry married Catherine for her nursing abilities--but she was well-versed in the medical arts of that period. She also had a humanist education normally given to noble boys at the time, since she was tutored in the same group as her brother, her sister, and their cousins, all under the keen eye of their mother Maud Parr. (Maud had been widowed young and took advantage of the independence this allowed; she was also a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon, who, ironically, was probably Catherine's godmother.)
   
   Rather, Henry became genuinely attracted to Catherine when she was still married to Lord Latimer (her dying second husband) and in the service of the princess Mary. No doubt it helped Henry with his competitive spirit that Sir Thomas Seymour was also courting the soon-to-be widowed Catherine. And it was perhaps key that Catherine (unlike Anne of Cleves) didn't offend Henry's sensitive nose: "she carried with her small jewelled boxes of lozenges flavoured with liquorice or clove or cinnamon for sweet breath."
   
   The notion of Catherine as Henry's nurse gives the impression--wrongly--that she was secure in her position. She certainly found her niche in the royal family, making peace between its warring members and restoring her stepdaughters Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession (she'd had practice with her Latimer stepchildren, and this part of the traditional view is correct). And she made a good and competent regent when Henry was making war in France--almost too good, though, because her conservative enemies (including Bishop Gardiner and Thomas Wriothesley) began to conspire against her. Ever since the break with Rome, Henry had been growing steadily more conservative in his religious views, although he tolerated Catherine's progressive beliefs and her choice of his younger children's tutors (enthusiastic reformers). She'd had to keep her beliefs secret during her previous marriage, especially when she was a hostage in the 1536 Pilgrimage of Grace protesting Henry's dissolution of the monasteries. But now as queen, she felt the freedom to read forbidden books and argue with the king--tendencies that the conservatives exploited in their efforts to overthrow the queen.
   
   When the conservatives contrived to have Catherine arrested, she had her forbidden books destroyed and then took to her bed, sick. She was probably more sick with fear than anything, but the ploy brought Henry to her, and she expressed her fear of his displeasure and eagerness to make amends. The next day when she was permitted to visit him, Henry baited her for another argument, but she demurred, saying that she had only argued with him to distract him from his health troubles and to learn from him. This savvy appeal to his self-concern and vanity had the intended effect, and Henry received her back into favor--and into his bed. Wriothesley and the guards were not informed, and when they came to arrest the queen, Henry publicly humiliated them. The conservatives thus fell from power, and into their place came the reformers, including Edward Seymour and John Dudley, who would wield power during Edward VI's reign.
   
   Catherine, too, had influence with the new king, until she alienated him by her ill-advised affair and hasty marriage with Sir Thomas Seymour. It was, finally, a marriage for love long frustrated--but it was fateful all around. Catherine herself died in childbirth (and the child appears to not have survived infancy); Thomas Seymour went to the block; and her stepdaughter Elizabeth suffered a blow to her reputation and nearly lost her life.
   
   Susan James has written an excellent scholarly biography of Catherine, illuminating her motives and passions and highlighting her influence on the future Elizabeth I (who shared with Catherine a particular "restraint in the face of religious excess"). Catherine Parr comes across as a formidable woman, a match for Henry VIII, and a role model for her stepdaughters.

1 comments about Simon Bolivar: Liberation and Disappointment (Library of World Biography Series) (Library of World Biography).

1. This was a barely average book from a readers stand point. The story of the life of Simon Bolivar was quite interesting, but the author seemed bound and determined to sedate this excitable tale down to a sleepy murmur. The index was poorly done, and the book lacked anything in the way of personal writing of the principle, or anything from his intimates. It also had a notably sophomoric feel, and for a biography of such a looming historical figure I find that unacceptable.

5 comments about China Hands: Nine Decades of Adventure, Espionage, and Diplomacy in Asia.

1. This is the story of an American and his life - which was totally interwoven with China.
   
   Lilley was born and raised in China. And then working for the American government was either stationed in China or working on China from outside. In many ways giving him a unique view of the country.
   
   This book tells that tale. And while the book is clearly China from his viewpoint, his view is such that it gives a very interesting picture of China over the last several decades.



2. This book is part autobiography, part family history, part spy thriller, and part diplomatic history. James Lilley's life and family was shaped by the collapse and rebirth of China. Even his tours in the CIA in Laos and the Philippines and his tour as the Ambassador to Korea seemed to be shaped by the giant leviathan that is modern China.
   
   Prior to 1800, China was about 25% of the world's economy. By the time that Ambassador Lilley's father worked in China prior to World War II, China was a broken country - occupied by Japan and exploited by western powers. The United States, perhaps uniquely, had an interest in China both as a venue for evangelical Christians to recruit and as a potential trading partner. As the child of a prominent business man, that was the world where James Lilley grew up.
   
   Today we have a China that is the regional hegemon in East Asia. The United States has a vested - some would say symbiotic - trade relationship with China. In terms of virtually every other issue with China, we find ourselves in a tight adversarial dance in terms of Taiwan, human rights, intellectual property, and China's own war on terrorism against Chinese Uighurs.
   
   In the case of Taiwan, the Republic of China views itself as the rightful descendent of Sun Yat-Sen's successful revolt against the last Emperor. Likewise, by emphasizing Sun Yat-Sen's socialistic leanings, the People's Republic of China considers itself the rightful "one China" and Taiwan as some sort of breakaway province.
   
   How we got from the reality of a weak dysfunctional China in 1939 to the current balance of power in East Asia is discussed in the form of a very personal family history by James Lilley.
   
   Ambassador Lilley missed World War II and the attempt at a unified Chinese government negotiated by Gen. Marshal. However, with those exceptions, he was like the Forest Gump of Chinese American relations throughout the 20th Century, constantly being on the spot as history was being made.
   
   This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.



3. 
   Through this personal memoir, you get an insider's view on how intelligence and diplomatic communities work with and against each other and how they influence and are influenced by elected officials. It's a delicate dance of meetings, hierarchies, secrets and logistics.
   
   I like that Lilley first introduces himself to us through his childhood in China. Unlike other reviewers, I felt that the discussion of his brother was appropriate and just enough (not too much) for us to understand him and the significance his work had had for him.
   
   We follow Lilley through his covert operations to being, through wide experience (and I presume great competence), exactly the man for various important jobs when decisions are made to re-establish relations with China. Lilley, refreshingly, loves his work, and tells us what he is proud of and unabashedly, about his mistakes.
   
   I was surprised to see some aspects of the CIA work in print. While it is a moot point that Lilley flaunted British law in his CIA work in Hong Kong and Chinese law/protocol in China, I wondered about the propriety of these open admissions. Even more surprising to see in print was the founding of communist groups in the Middle East to create fellow travelers who could travel to China. I presume these things, since they appear publically here, along with the CIA'S 1960's work in Laos are now common knowledge. Lilley writes some of them in sketches, some in facts, some in passing. He gives no analysis or discussion of ramifications or controversies of these activities. His straightforward approach to these assignments was probably essential to doing this kind of work.
   
   Also of interest to those like me who often wonder how things "work", were the two "outings" he had, and how he overcame them to continue a useful career, a career he sees not as something for him, but something important for his country.
   
   Lilley is clearly loyal to family, friends and country. His career flourishes with Republicans and he is loyal to them too. The problems caused by balancing Taiwan and China, and conflicts within and across administrations are presented with criticism of the Carter administration, but the framing of similar problems posed by Reagan/Bush (who do not agree on the China-Taiwan balance) are framed as "challenging". He minimizes Fitzwater's exposure of the dissident Lilley was harboring in the embassy which results in over a year of domestic logistics and unneeded complications in relatonships. (This dissident did not prove to share Lilley's quality of loyalty.)
   
   Lilley and his various teams were skillful in managing Chinese relations in turbulent times, and the world owes him for this. If you are interested in the Asia and the daily grind of the people who make it all happen, this book is for you.



4. First of all, some clarification. This book doesn't really cover nine decades. I don't think the title is deliberately misleading, but it really is the autobiography of one man. James Lilley does tell a little bit about how his father came to China, and I guess the background information is useful, but it covers no more than three pages in the book. This, then, is the autobiography of James Lilley, former U.S. ambassador to China.
   
   The book is helpful in several respects. I guess I relate to it more than some, because I was an expat child myself. My parents were missionaries in northern Japan. James Lilley grew up in the pretty coastal town of Qingdao. For those who are not familiar with Qingdao, a brief explanation: Before the revolution of 1949, China had been carved up by foreign powers who each helped themselves to different parts of China and notified the other powers to keep their distance. The British dominated Shanghai, and actually signed treaties that exempted British citizens from Chinese law. The Germans controlled Qingdao (which was called "Tsingtao" at that time).
   
   Lilley's upbringing is significant in a couple respects. He downplays his language ability, telling his superiors that he could speak Chinese "like a four-year-old." I can relate to this, because I grew up in Japan, and I would certainly not consider myself fluent. Nevertheless, he was, in fact, a native speaker, and thus possessed an ability to learn Chinese that was far above average. Because he grew up in Asia, he was able to deal with Asia more effectively than other Americans, especially given the fact that Americans have not understood Asia well. America's foreign policy vis-à-vis Asia has been weak, to say the least. American diplomats and leaders hove not understood Asia well. Those who did were the exceptions who proved the rule. MacArthur was successful in large part because he had grown up in the Philippines. Nixon grew up among Chinese Americans in California. Lilley's idyllic childhood in Qingdao, running around in a big house with lots of servants, gave him a good feeling about China.
   
   But Lilley was born to privilege. He did not live in an ordinary Chinese community. He was American, but he did not grow up in a normal American community. He was a "third culture kid," but a kid whose life was remote from both larger cultures. In many ways, he was ideally suited to the job, because of his background. But he does seem to be more critical of the Chinese way of life than perhaps he would have been if he had not been quite so remote from it. Still, compared to most Americans, Lilley had a huge advantage, because of his childhood experience in China.
   
   Lilley was profoundly influenced by the suicide of his older brother, who took his own life while a young man in the military in post-war Japan. This experience hugely overshadows the book, and obviously, his life. It's interesting, because Lilley did have another older brother, but he says very little about him. Reading between the lines, it seems evident that Frank's death influenced Jack as much as it did James himself, and may be part of the reason Jack had some difficulties adjusting in his adult life, and may explain why James Lilley was not close to Jack, the older brother who survived.
   
   This book is most useful because of the time period that it covers. James Lilley was the ambassador during the Tiananmen crisis. But he was also there during the first Gulf war, and describes how Saddam Hussein sent hit squads to China to take him out. And although he ended his career as a diplomat, he spent the first part of his adult life as a CIA agent, and thus is able to give lots of insight into American clandestine activity during the Cold War. It's a personal narrative, not an exhaustive history. But if you can take it for what it is, I think you will find it to be a useful addition to the history of the period.



5. Mr. Lilley led a fascinating life, growing up in China, going to Andover and Yale and winding up with many years of government (CIA, State Dept.) service in Asia, including being the Ambassador to Korea during the important student uprisings in the 1980s and Ambassador to China during the Tienanmen Square uprising.
   
   His detailed description of his youth growing up in Tientsin was for me the most vivid and evocative part of the book as he recounted the life of an American family in China in the days of foreign concessions. The story of his experiences in the CIA and the State Dept. were also interesting but, I felt, hampered by something -- I am guessing by an inability to delve into detail due to the confidential nature of much of his work. His discretion is appropriate but one is left feeling sometimes that either not much was getting done, or there was not much from the period that he feels free at this time to recount. This can be contrasted with William Colby's CIA memoir Honorable Men, where he goes into some detail about the Phoenix program in Vietnam.
   
   Nevertheless, an interesting recollection of a unique American life.