5 comments about The Adams Women: Abigail and Louisa Adams, Their Sisters and Daughters.

1. Another winner for Nagel. This book is as good as his other two about the Adams family. I still don't find Abigail very likeable. The pressure she put on her children to achieve broke 3 of them and the lone successful child (John Quincy) turned around and did the same with his children. I really enjoyed the writer's descriptions of Louisa. I hope to see a full blown biography of her someday...she deserves it! I gained a true understanding why John Quincy had the personality he did. Abigail was extremely intelligent and ahead of her time. I enjoyed reading of her true partnership with husband John.



2. Nagel starts his book with a discussion of how happy he is to write another book on the Adames, specifically on the women. He then proceeds to tear the best of them, Abigail Sr., to shreds. Portraying her as shrewish, domineering, and just distasteful, he paints an inaccuratly biased view of an amazing woman who was far before her time. Although I don't know enough of the other women to critque his evaluations of them, I have read Abigails letters at the Mass Historical society and have read countless books on her during the last six months in relation to an intensive research project. I have seen many different "reads" of Abigail from feminist to domestic to maternal...but none so blatantly anti-Abigail. I suppose the world needs dissent to continue to have interesting discourse, but Nagel quite obviously hates Abigail Adams. If you read his book, please temper it with something like Portia, which is admittedly dry, but will give you a good counterpoint to Nagels criticisms.



3. Author Nagel has done a wonderful job of bringing the lives of the Adams women to life. The first part of the book concentrates on Abigail Smith, wife of John Adams and her sisters. Their letters describing their daily lives are fascinating. The various daughters of these women are also highlighted. The only daughter of John and Abigail, Abigail (nickednamed Nabby) is a particularly heartbreaking story. Pushed by her mother to marry a "promising" young man, she becomes the abandoned wife of a cruel alcoholic, living in near poverty. Unable to break away because of the strict moral codes of the time, she succombs to cancer, dying in her father's arms. Almost all of the women of the family were tortured by the alcoholism of either their husbands or sons. Louisa Johnson, the wife of John Quincy Adams is also highlighted. Her unhappy marriage to a difficult man is portrayed sympathetically.

   Even though thiese women lived almost 200 years ago, their stories are timeless. Unable to contol their own destinies, these women nevertheless contributed greatly to their families and communities.




4. Co-dependent relatives? Disfunctional families? Yes, these are modern pop-psychology terms. But Paul Nagel shows that these things existed at least two centuries ago, in one of Americaýs most prominent families.

   Most of the book discussed the Smith sisters --- Mary, Abigail, and Elizabeth. What struck me most about these three is how much they came to rely on each other. This has a good side --- i.e., thereýs always a sympathetic ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on, or a pair of hands to pitch in when help was needed. It has a ýbadý side too --- for often one sisterýs ýconcerný for or about another bordered on interference. And it seems that the first rule of the Smith Sisters was ýNever raise your own children when they can be passed on to a relative.ý But who knows, maybe that was just the eighteenth century form of ýday care.ý

   The other major chunk of the book describes John Quincy Adamsý wife Louisa: a very fascinating, intelligent, and educated woman ... whose husband probably did not appreciate her. If anything, John Quincy appeared rather wimpy compared to Louisa.

   The final generation discussed in this book is that of Charles Francis Adams and his wife --- also Abigail.

   Throughout the book we are treated to accounts and anecdotes about the various Adams relatives and in-laws. It is amazing how the behavior of these people came so close to disgracing or embarrassing the sitting presidents, John or John Quincy. If it happened today, the Press would be all over it!

   This was the second of Paul Nagelýs books on the Adams family that Iýve read. Like his John Quincy Adams, The Adams Women was informative and well-researched, if a bit pedantic in tone. It brought to life this fascinating family and the era in which they lived.




5. A small book with a large amount of information. The women described in this book are giants to my mind. They provided succor to their men and ran the equivalent of a modern business in their households, and in cases their sisters as well. I would have liked to know them all.

5 comments about 1001 Nights in Iraq: The Shocking Story of an American Forced to Fight for Saddam Against the Country He Loves.

1. I met Shant Kenderian in the Gulf War. He braved many dangers, and many hardships. I met him and his family again last July in LA, Calif. when I was coming home from a 27 day trip to Viet Nam and Thailand. He still is a wonderful man. God had blessed him. His faith in God pulled him through many hardships. It was a wonderful reunion after 15 years. He remembered things in his book that I had forgot.His book is an easy read. First hand stories of his trials and experiences. Again God has blessed him and also God blessed me for knowing him.



2. There's a popular saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." In the case of Shant Kenderian, the saying certainly applies. In his nonfiction book (once the most popular selling book on BookSurge before being picked up by publisher Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster), Kenderian recounts his own tale of being drafted to fight a war against his own country.
   
   Born in Iraq as an Armenian Christian (already an outsider in a country populated with Muslims), when his parents divorced, Kenderian went to live with his mother and siblings in Chicago. Like many children of divorce, he felt torn between his parents, and after two years of living in the United States, he decided to go to Iraq for a brief visit in 1980. His goal was to see his father and reconcile their acrimonious relationship (because of his parents' divorce) before returning to the US to complete his schooling. Days before he was due to return to the US, Saddam Hussein closed all the Iraqi borders, ordering all men of draft age (between 17-55) into service to fight for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War. Under the threat of execution for refusing to serve, Kenderian did his time in the Iraqi Navy and returned to Baghdad, where he continued his studies in engineering while awaiting the issuance of his green card from the US Embassy.
   
   Two days before he was scheduled to depart Iraq, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, thus pulling Kenderian into yet another war (Desert Storm) before he could leave. Thus begins the saga that is recounted in "1001 Nights in Iraq." As an Iraqi-born US resident, Shant Kenderian was put in the unenviable position of being forced to fight against the country he loved and considered his own--the United States.
   
   Kenderian recounts with depressing detail his time as an engineer aboard a ship in the Iraqi Navy just off the coast of Kuwait. Forced to service the ship with only a wrench and screwdriver, Kenderian tells of the depravity faced by most soldiers on the Iraqi side of the conflict. Of his crew, only 2 Iraqis of 15 had guns of any sort; Kenderian himself had none. Food was scarce, as were any other sort of supplies. Every day was a nightmare in which the Iraqi soldiers expected death at any moment by the Americans.
   
   Clearly, Kenderian had to do something to change his fate, and so he devised a plan--to surrender to the Americans at the earliest opportunity. Kenderian thus hoped to plead his case as a US resident forced to participate in a war not of his own choosing on a side he would not have selected. Kenderian eventually did get captured by the Americans, but not before his ship struck a mine, killing several of his Iraqi crewmates. However, even his capture by US forces meant extreme hardship. As a prisoner of war (POW), again and again, he was interrogated, forced to live in difficult conditions, and plead his desperate case, to return to his family in the United States.
   
   Despite this unbelievable story, Kenderian never lost his sense of humor, his humanity for others (Iraqi or otherwise), or his faith in God that he would eventually be returned to the country he considered home. Only a man of real courage and compassion could have survived this ordeal to tell this story of resilience and hope. Through his book, Kenderian has opened the door into a world few Americans understand or have experienced. His story been featured on public radio's "This American Life," and truly it is a unique one.



3. I just finished reading Mr. Kenderian's book, and for me as an Iraqi (and Christian), it sheds light on many facts of Iraqis life under Saddam's rule. It is an interesting, must to read, story of a struggle of a man to reach his goals. What impressed me more is the strength of his faith that made him come through all these difficulties (the least his circumstances could be described with).
   However, Mr. Kenderian gave an impression that Armenian Iraqis were treated differently (less favorably) from other Iraqis. I see this as unfair description. Christians in Iraq were always been seen as harmless Iraqis, and I never witnessed or heard that there was any discrimination against them because of their religion or of being Armenians in particular.
   I enjoyed reading this book very much. Thank you Mr. Kenderian



4. This is by far one of the most inspiring books I have read in a while. I am amazed by Mr. Kenderian's strength of character despite all the opportunities and justifications there was to have been less than honorable. It made me realize how much I take living in this country for granted. Yes, we have our flaws but how many other countries to people make such an effort to get to? Please continue to write Mr Kenderian!



5. Let's be clear here about one thing. It is not possible to give a book 6 stars otherwise i would have done so. It is also not possible to rate something according to its peers quality. When I think five stars i think the classics. This book will perhaps be a classic one day. I really was captivated by his story the entire way through, really something else. To put it in perspective I understood the whole bioluminescent thing when i saw it first hand. After seeing it myself i can see what he must have went through mentally, wow!!

5 comments about The Haldeman Diaries: Inside the Nixon White House.

1. Nothing in this is going to break Watergate wide open. But if you are interested in the goings-ons in the NIxon White House, this is an excellent book. A little slow at times, but well worth reading.



2. A reader said that the book was a continuation of the 1970s policy-deny,deny, deny.

   First of all, it was not a story or an analysis. Read Haldeman's prior book, THE ENDS OF POWER for that sort of thing.

   Second, the DIARIES were more like a 5 1/2 year daily memo pad, talking about the day to day operations, from the mundane to the high charging.

   Put that in your blowhole and smoke it!




3. As Chief-of-Staff, Bob Haldeman is to be commended for keeping such a detailed review of his White House years even during his "fall from grace" in 1973...That being said, the reader should be ready to be taken on an exhaustive and sometimes hard to follow review of the Nixon Administration. A previous knowledge of the Nixon Presidency and particularly Watergate is essential to get the most from this book. I found myself skipping pages as discussion after discussion about Grand Jury testimony and policy meetings on Watergate flooded the chapters towards the end of this book. I gave it 4 stars because the beginning of the book dealing with the initiation of the Nixon Presidency and the day-to-day observations (pre-Watergate) of an intelligent and observant White House executive far outweigh the "burned-out" and frustrated entries that close the book. The most surprising conclusion that I came away with was that Haldeman seemed to be a warm/accomodating "real" person, not the "Nixon Nazi" that he's been made out to be in other works on Watergate. Good reading



4. I appreciated this book in the same way that I did Lady Bird Johnson's "White House Diary". It is an excellent peek into the daily workings of the Nixon White House. It's amazing to read this very large volume and realize how much time was wasted by Nixon trying to analyze and manage personalities on his staff, particularly the feud between Kissinger and Rogers. Perhaps every White House staff is like this. We won't know because no one since has put out this type of detailed record. In the Watergate era I considered Haldeman, along with Erlichman, to be some of the most repulsive characters in American politics. My opinion of Haldeman hasn't changed; he's still a man I'd rather not meet. His defense that he was Nixon's mouthpiece doesn't hold water any more than military men who insist they were "following orders". My impression upon finishing the book is relief that I've never had to work in such an awful atmosphere. Great historical record, though.



5. It's amazing the amount of time spent on incidental and personality conflicts when the bigger issues were floating around the Nixon administration.
   
   However, as a businessman, it is refreshing to know that the office of the CEO of the world's greatest power got (and probably still gets bogged down) in small issues, just like an corporation!
   
   A great read. It was hard to put the book down.

No comments about Legacies of Camelot: Stewart and Lee Udall, American Culture, and the Arts.

5 comments about The Ciano Diaries, 1939 - 1943: The Complete, Unabridged Diaries of Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1936-1943.

1. Written as personal diary, this book offers a keen insight into the events leading to World War II. Count Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law, served as his foreign minister. Ciano opposed Italy's participation in the war and disliked Hitler. Yet Ciano also has his share of faults and moments of poor judgement. Undoutedly one of the most honest books from the period. The editing is often uneven. Some material contained is trite. The last entry, when Ciano knows he willbe executed by the Fascist puppet state, is quite moving.



2. This diary has little interest: no political analysis and no view on military affairs... obviously Ciano and the rest of the Italian government and military have no clue about what's happening around them. They keep saying stupidly: 'this war is going to be long'. Needless to say, not a world of moral or ethical judgment.

   Most entries are criticism of some inept Italian General (too fat, and dyes his hair !), complaints about the Germans , or complaints about Albanians stealing silver cutlery at official dinners. Admittedly there is some emotion after 1942 when they start to realize that everything is going wrong, but the psychological analysis is very shallow (Ciano merely notes the 'depressed' mood of everybody after 1942). Nothing about Ciano's personal life in Rome's upper class, which would probably have been more interesting.

   For a clever (too clever ?) Italian view of the war, read Kaputt, by Curzio Malaparte.




3. There are very few published writings by those that sat in positions of power during the period leading up to and during the Second World War that are of this personal and telling nature. This is the great difference between Ciano's Diary and the writing of the defeated or victorious from this time.
   Ciano was not looking back and writing in an attempt to absolve himself of his role nor was he allowing the glow of victory to taint his recollection of events.
   These sometimes seemingly shallow entries in his personal diary can allow us to view events of unfathomable consequence from his seat and without the ideological raging or gossamer thin excuses and attempts at self absolution of many other works; Albert Speer being a prime example of the latter; written by politicians or those that held office at this time.
   To read this Diary in search of ideological or moral answers would be misdirected but to study this Diary and gain insight into Ciano, Mussolini and the machinations and power struggles of what was in reality a far from stable Dictatorship with an often tenuous alliance with Hitler's Reich would be to serve yourself well. This is a work that no scholar of Politics or History should overlook.



4. I had been wanting to read Count Ciano's Diaries for years because I kept seeing quotations from them in all sorts of books on the period. They did not disappoint! Count Ciano had a front row seat to the whole show. Well, up until early '43 when the Nazis shot him... It truly is an amazing perspective on the war. Ciano vacillates between fear and admiration for the Nazis, as their fortunes run hot and cold. He pouts when Hitler does things behind the backs of the Italians, yet he gleefully acknowledges every time the Italians attempt to pay the Nazis back in their own coin. It's stunning to see how completely incompetent the Italians were in military affairs, and how incapable they were of reversing their fortunes. They stuck with much of the same military leadership throughout the conflict, despite their constant bumbling. More than anything it was a text that had me questioning why the Axis could be so stupid as to extend a war that they hadn't won. After the fall of France those must have been heady days for the Axis leadership. The world stretched before them. You really get a sense of this reading the diaries. Yet Hitler attacks the Soviet Union with the UK at his back. Inconceivable! Even Mussolini attacks Greece when he had more fighting than he could handle in the sands of Egypt. Looking back it takes your breath away. What if these guys hadn't pushed their luck way too far?



5. Ciano's Diaries are an invaluable resource to scholars who want to study the diplomacy of the Nazi's and Italy in World War 2. For those who are just causal readers of history these diaries will probably not be of interest. For the scholars of Europe they are essential. These are great and honest reports of what Italy under Mussolini was thinking. Ciano's second set of diaries paints the dark days of World War 2 for Italy and how the regime was on the brink of collapsing. Ciano himself would be executed as a traitor by the end but he and a small group worked to preserve Italy. The diplomatic maneuverings between the Germans, Russians and the Allies are captured here in unabashed detail making for interesting reading. For those who want to understand the diplomatic realties of World War 2 this is essential.

5 comments about Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover.

1. This book is important to read in the post-9/11 era. At a time when every cable-news pundit is crying out for Congress to take the shackles off the FBI, it is good to remember why Congress slapped those shackles on in the first place.

   The author makes a pretty strong case that J. Edgar Hoover was a thoroughly corrupt, racist, mentally unbalanced megolomaniac who egregiously abused his powers for financial and political gain. I'm skeptical of some of the author's wilder allegations -- for example, a suggestion that Richard Nixon may have had Hoover killed by poisoning his toothpaste. However, many of the abuses of Hoover's FBI were well-documented in Congressional investigations in the 1970's: the secret files; the unfettered use of wiretaps, bugs, infiltration, warrantless searches and seizures (i.e., burglaries), and other methods of surveillance, all done without any judicial oversight and often without any legitimate law enforcement purpose; harassing Vietnam War protestors, people in the Civil Rights movement, suspected "Communists," and other political "enemies."

   One of the book's main points is that Hoover kept himself in power for so many years -- despite evident corruption and manifest incompetence -- by blackmailing successive presidents with the dirt he had gathered on their private lives. Although largely speculative, the possibility does seem to be frighteningly plausible. Other allegations that appear to be supported by fairly good circumstantial evidence include Hoover's ties to the Mafia and his sexual hypocrisy.

   I'm giving the book only 4 stars because the author's breathless, tabloid style makes it difficult to really sort out established facts from mere rumor, innuendo and hearsay. Still, it is a very entertaining and thought-provoking read.




2. Britisher Anthony Summers is a crack researcher who was seasoned in the finest documentary atmosphere available, that of the legendary BBC. This book is every bit as fascinating as Summers's work on Richard Nixon. While the Nixon book was entitled "The Arrogance of Power," this work on the life and times of controversial FBI director J. Edgar Hoover could well be titled "The Abuse of Power."

   Summers reveals how Hoover was a man in between who was trapped by the same method he used to compromise and place in fear presidents and members of Congress. A tenacious investigator, he turned his agent-bloodhounds loose on men in power, gaining enough information to compromise them. The moment an influential House or Senate member would complain about FBI abuse, he would receive a call from Hoover informing of information he held. At the same time, Hoover was in turn compromised by what the Mafia held on him. Hoover, an outwardly homophobic director who stated bluntly that he did not anyone of that persuasion working in his Bureau, had a homosexual life he attempted to keep secret. Frank Costello and other Mafia chieftains let him know that if he threatened their domain they had important information they would use against him.

   Another fascinating element of Summers's book is his detailed revelations about Hoover's influence with U.S. presidents. He was said to have influenced John F. Kennedy's choice of Lyndon Johnson for his running mate in 1960 because Hoover held potentially damaging evidence on Kennedy's womanizing, which would have destroyed efforts to paint the Massachusetts senator as a loyal family man in the hard-fought 1960 campaign against Richard Nixon. Nixon was a politician who also had reason to fear Hoover. He was never willing to replace him for that reason, despite an expressed preference to do so.

   This is a book that takes the readers to the highest portals of power and uncovers many secrets. Hoover had a profound influence on American politics from the thirties until his death in 1972.




3. Anthony Summers has written a masterpiece; no other way to put it. Well written and researched--the best book on HOOVER, bar none. Get this! Vince Palamara
   Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of 2 books, in over 32 other author's books, etc.)



4. It's incredible how some still think that J. Edgar Hoover was a great American. Maybe these people should read this book to see how he really was. Anthony Summers did a great job investigating the life of number one of the FBI. Although written in a kind of a tabloid style, it still gives us some shocking details of the life of this man.
   
   Thanks to his vast knowledge, Hoover blackmailed his way through American society. Because of his 'compromising documents' he was able to keep the members of Congress and the presidents quiet. The fact that Hoover told the people what they wanted to hear, made a hero out of him. If only they had known what we know now.
   
   Hoover was corrupt and received a lot of nice presents from his rich friends. The fact that Hoover hated homosexuals was all the more strange, because it was a well kept secret that his 'friend' Clyde Tolson was more than just a friend. The incompetence of the FBI was never questioned, because Hoover was able to lie his way through his career.
   
   Well written and interesting new facts.



5. This book is an expose' of J.Edgar Hoover and his actions as Director of the F.B.I.
   Mr. Summers covers Hoover's entire career and his rise to fame thanks in part to his personal PR man. He was definitely an oppurtunist and exaggerated his stories frequently. Thoughts expressed by his nieces were candid and of interest in that aspect.
   Hoover had far too much power and that becomes more obvious through the relationships he had with the Presidents he was supposed to serve. FDR made the regrettable decision to enhance Hoover's powers.
   That fateful decision adversely affected a lot of people including Charlie Chaplin and John F.Kennedy to name a few.
   Hoover was the most powerful figure during most of his tenure. He used that power to gather as much blackmail material as possible and he frequently used it. Often-times blackmail was used for his job security or, as in the case of the 1960 Democratic ticket, to force political decisions. His longevity was due in large part to fear. He wasn't trusted by most of the Presidents during his directorship.
   Anthony Summers wrote about other abuses by Hoover which includes the free vacations he took with Clyde Tolson,the backing by Organised Crime figures of his horse racing bets,the staggering amount of taxpayer money spent on Hoover's luxuries.
   There were a lot of pages dedicated to Hoover's relationship to many mafia figures. The Mob's blackmailing of Hoover was covered in detail also.
   This book is easy reading and covers J.Edgar Hoover from birth to death. There are some startling details of his abuse of power. A very good book overall!

5 comments about Founding Fathers: Brief Lives of the Framers of the United States Constitution.

1. I have the original title, In Worthy Company, and while I agree with the author that the Founders were indeed worthy and gave us a Republic that has endured, the book's premise, that the Founders were Christians and that, by default, what they wrought is based on Christianity and the Bible, is flawed

   The Founders were men of all faiths, Deists, Freemasons, and free thinkers. They were children of the Enlightenment and the Age of Reason, well-versed in the classics, and fully aware that English Common Law was descended from Roman Law, Saxon Law, and the Danelaw, none of which were Bible or Christian based.

   There is a growing revisionist movement that is trying to prove that the Constitution is Bible based, which is false, and this revisionism is flawed history, a type of 'make it up as you go' and this volume is, unfortunately, in that category. It is badly researched, not documented at all well, and some of it is blatantly inaccurate. The author's treatment of the War of the Revolution in the section on George Washington is semi-fiction.

   For an accurate, well-researched account of the origins of American political thought, Bernard Bailyn is a much better and reliable historian.




2. ~Founding Fathers: Brief Lives of the Framers of the United States Constitution~ is a perennial classic and an excellent introduction to understanding the history of the early Republic and the men who framed the Constitution. The founding fathers featured herein, that is the framers of the 1787 Constitution, came from all walks of life. "One was a shoemaker, surveyor, lawyer, jurist, lay theologian, and statesmen. Two became president, one vice-president. Over half were experienced in the legal profession. The majority were well off and, for their time, well educated." They came together in Philadelphia and produced the most profound document in the history of the United States.
   
   M.E. Bradford amplifies the length and scope of content of each mini-biography based in proportion to the respective founding father's contribution and influence. Some biographies are obviously limited in scope due to lack of available materials. The brevity of this book does not hamper its quality, as it is an excellent starting point for researching the founding fathers and the ones who are lesser known today, but monumental in their influence during the time such as Deleware statesmen John Dickinson, New Hampshires' John Langdon, New York's Gouverneur Morris and Virginia's George Wythe. The objectivity is to be commended, and Bradford gives the reader a good feel for the positions of each of the men and usually explains whether they were centralizing nationalists, moderate Federalists, or decentralizing Anti-Federalists. Each biography is annotated with a bibliographical list of source materials, which may be useful for probing deeper into each founding father's background. This book is well-written and offers great capsule biographies of the most influential men who helped frame the Constitution and shape it in the course of debates.
   
   As for the other reviewer grumbling about Mel Bradford's making the American founding to be based on Christianity, I do not know where he gets that from. I think his criticism is unwarranted and I would point out that there is a flip side to the erroneousness of portraying ALL the founding fathers as devout Christians, which is his erroneous statement that "most were deists and freemasons." It is not however erroneous to say most were Christians, however popular the token deists among them were. Bradford did little more than sketch backgrounds on the founders; it just happens that Madison studied at seminary, Hamilton founded the short-lived Christian Constitutional Society, William Few was a devout Methodist, etc. That a few founders were deists, Jefferson foremost, possibly Franklin does not make the founders all secularists. Consider that the vitality of the Christian religion to the founding father's times compelled even the deist politicians to generally speak in Christian platitudes, and embrace public prayer. They typically speak in the rhetoric of Christian moralism, hence Jefferson's insistence on his being a "true Christian" and his extol of the morality of Christ. Franklin was no different. In the end, I am not a discerner of hearts, but I do know a great many of the founders made bold affirmations of their Christian faith.



3. The brief and deceptively simple nature of this book makes you wonder why so few collected biographies of the Framers exist. But a closer look answers the question. Mel Bradford actually undertook for himself a pretty mammoth task: not only to tell who the Framers were, where they came from and what they did, but more importantly to analyze what they individually believed and what they were trying to achieve in Philadelphia that fateful summer.
   
   Discussions of the origins and drafting of the Constitution are all too frequently simplified to the point where we assume that everyone agreed on the basic issues involved, and gathered only to work out the details. In fact, as Bradford shows, that was hardly the case at all. The author did a magnificent job, in my opinion, sorting out the degrees and shades of political opinion across a much wider spectrum than, I think, is generally thought to have existed. From extreme nationalists like Hamilton, who would have abolished the separate states entirely if he could have, to the most ardent anti-federalists, Bradford has dug into the original sources, the journals, memoirs, and letters, and brought forward the evidence to support the portraits he has created.
   
   To respond to the reviewer who suggested the point of Bradford's work was to prove the Framers were all Christians bent on establishing a Christian government: I have to wonder how closely that reviewer really read this book. Bradford of course discusses many of the Framers' religious beliefs. In some cases, this is a necessary part of understanding their philosophical roots. It's also an inescapable part of biography, since many of the men were in fact active supporters of one or another branch of the Christian faith. But the very core of Bradford's argument is that the Constitution is nomocratic, not teleocratic. In other words (and in marked contrast, again, to most modern understandings), most of the Framers were not trying to shape or create a *novus ordo seclorum* at all, but rather (and simply) to lay out the rules by which a federal government would operate. Society would be left free to shape itself. Whether that shape was Christian or otherwise was a matter for people, families, and communities, not the government. Some of the men at the Convention may have had other plans, but they were kept from realizing them by the moderate majority of delegates.
   
   "Founding Fathers" is a short book, but there is an awful lot crammed into it. As a basic reference, I think it's an essential part of any shelf of books dedicated to America's founding. As an introduction to the larger philosophical issues with which the Founders were dealing, and the ways in which they tried to address them, it's a summary, and an invitation to further study, that's pretty hard to beat.



4. This is a great book that offers a summary of The Founding Fathers of the United States. The book does not waste too much time with detail but provides a wonderful overview of their lives and offers a jumping off point to other books for in depth reading. I feel I have a much better understanding of what our fathers wanted for us and how far we have deviated from the path.



5. "Founding Fathers" is well written and well researched. Many thought provoking biographica sketches of the "Founding Fathers" from each of the 13 states. Not an easy rad due to the impact of the bios of each man, but well worth reading. Of interest was the lead roles played by the men who signed attended the Second Continental Congress, debated the Declaration of Independence, and now saw the need for a new form of government. Noteworthy also were those delegates who opposed the Constitution in its origin, yet returned home to help ratify the documment. Most surprising was the role played by James Wilson of Pennsylvania. Of course, James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Ben Franklin were important conference impact folk as you would expect.

5 comments about Kissinger.

1. This book has sat on my shelf unread for years - I think because I'm somewhat leery of "contemporary" biographies. Just another error in judgment on my part - this is an excellent book. (A back cover review describes it as "riveting" and that's not far off - I found it difficult to put this book down.) It's all here - the chronology - Kissinger's immediate family's escape from Nazi tyranny, Kissinger's time in the armed services, Harvard, Rockefeller - with the bulk of the book, (understandably so), covering Kissinger's life and times in the Nixon administration - including the bizarre relationship that only these two men could have had. As for concerns about objectivity, the author addresses this in his introduction - how can a reader not come to this book without preconceived notions/opinions on such controversial/polarizing topics as Watergate, the Vietnam War, détente, etc. - and I found the writing to be fair, (as well as extremely engaging), concerning "gossipy" issues - the subject's thin skin, temper tantrums, zeal for secrecy, back-biting, etc. - and "real-politik" issues - China, the USSR, the Paris Peace Talks - All deftly written combining anecdotes, news reports and analysis, and behind the scenes sources. Kissinger's place in history is up for time to tell - this biography's place is secure. If you're debating about reading this book - don't - pick it up and start it - you won't be disappointed.



2. Walter Isaacson, who has written esteemed biographies of Benjamin Franklin, The Wise Men, and Einstein, tackles the complex character of Henry Kissinger, academic, diplomat, and consultant. Kissinger is a difficult character to pin down, as Isaacson notes. He was devious, self-promoting, self-deprecating, intelligent, ambitious, and successful. The author interviewed over 150 people--including Kissinger himself--to gather information for this lengthy volume (767 pages of text).
   
   At the outset, Isaacson says (page 9): "Three decades after he left office, Henry Kissinger continues to exert a fascinating hold on the public imagination as well as intellectual sway over the nation's foreign policy conversation." He was a well-known apostle of "Realpolitik," emphasizing doing what had to be done to advance the national interest, balancing power with power, concerned more with accomplishing things than getting caught up in ideology and morality. Again, a realist as opposed to an idealist. And this is the tension that is described throughout the course of this powerful volume (page 15): ". . .Kissinger had an instinctive feel. . .for power and for creating a new global balance that could help America cope with its withdrawal syndrome after Vietnam. But it was not matched by a similar feel for the strength to be derived from the openness of America's democratic system or for the moral values that are the true source of its global influence."
   
   The book begins with a brief early biography of Kissinger, including the misery he experienced after the Nazis came to power and the departure of his immediate family from Germany when they came to understand how inhospitable that country was becoming for Jews. The book also notes that many of his relatives died during World War II, part of the Holocaust. There follows the tale of his adolescence, his military service, his graduate study, and his promising academic career.
   
   But the major portion of this book focuses on his role as National Security Advisor and then Secretary of State under Richard Nixon's presidency and Secretary of State under Gerald Ford. There is a relatively brief discussion in several chapters of his life after Nixon-Ford, as consultant, commentator, intellectual-without-portfolio.
   
   After having worked with Nelson Rockefeller as an advisor, it is somewhat surprising that he ended up serving one of Rocky's antagonists, Richard Nixon. The book traces the odd relationship between Nixon and Kissinger. Sometimes hard-edged and combative, sometimes oddly supportive of one another. The secretive Nixon and Kissinger as lone cowboy accomplished a great deal in foreign policy; however, their penchant for secrecy also created problems of its own. Kissinger could be viewed is devious (for telling different people things in such a way as for each to think that Kissinger was on his/her side), but he also earned the trust of many leaders as he invented "shuttle diplomacy." Leaders might become exasperated with his style and his deviousness, but he was effective in a number of key instances. Examples worth exploring and reflecting upon in the book include the negotiations with North Vietnam to extricate the United States from a quagmire of its own making; the effort to end the Yom Kippur War in a manner that would stabilize the Middle East; the opening to China; détente with the Soviet Union.
   
   This is a biography that is worth investing time and energy into. It portrays Kissinger, warts and all, in a manner that illuminates this complicated individual. On some pages, one will think of railing against him; on other pages, one may well feel admiration for his strengths and accomplishments.



3. This is a well-written look at the career of one of America's most accomplished (though perenially controversial) diplomats. Mr. Isaacson studies his subject carefully, in numerous foreign policy crises around the globe. Moreover, he digs deeply into Dr. Kissinger's formative years to enable the reader to understand Kissinger's world-view, which is most decidedly non-American (consider Kissinger's deep admiration for such conservative European diplomats as Prince Klemens von Metternich and Otto von Bismarck). Mr. Isaacson is by no means a Kissinger partisan, but then again, he is not among the anti-Kissinger crowd either. What I found especially complex was Dr. Kissinger's relationship with President Nixon: the 2 men deeply distrusted each other, but they had a similar diplomatic vision, and were capable of coming up with bold initiatives.



4. The author provides in this seemingly complete history of Kissinger numerous interesting insights into US Foreign Policy. The most interesting one, I thought, was that if Kissinger's realpolitik policy had prevailed we might have had a second Yalta and a repressively stable Soviet Union would be here still today. But Ronald Reagan "...who saw simple truths where Kissinger saw nuances..." came along and changed history for the better by attaching a greater importance to values than to stability and order that Kissinger prized so much.
   Dr. Kissinger's pessimism and belief in realpolitik prevented him from seeing that there was such a thing as the "Evil Empire" let alone imagine defeating it.



5. This is a real tour de force which left me with a complete sense of my own utter ignorance on the subject of foreign policy and recent American history. Who knew that the Russians had wanted to do a tactical strike on the Chinese before they developed nuclear weapons? That Nixon had not wanted a cease fire before his election against McGovern? That Time magazine had developed its Man of the Year as a way of putting Lindbergh on the cover after it had failed to do when he landed in France? Etc. Etc. Virtually every chapter had a revelation practically tossed off in a casual manner. Yet there is nothing casual in the author's approach which is amazingly even handed and well researched, as well as highly readable given the exceptional complexity of the issues involved. This is a terrific and remarkably accessible book. Highly recommended.

3 comments about Isabella Greenway: An Enterprising Woman.

1. Isabella Greenway: An Enterprising Woman is the biography of an amazing woman, who played a crucial role in FDR's nomination for President. Married and widowed twice to two of Theodore Roosevelt's rough riders, an energetic businessperson who managed a ranch, an airline, and a resort, a leader who was elected to Congress as Arizona's only U.S. Representative, and was dubbed the "most talked-about woman" at the National Democratic Convention by the New York Times, her contribution to women's role in politics is nothing less than trailblazing. Illustrated with a scattering of black-and-white photographs, Isabella Greenway: An Enterprising Woman chronicles her life in a narrative manner as vibrant and evocative as Greenway herself must have once been.



2. Despite my years of interest in Arizona history (primarily 19th century), I never knew anything about Isabella Greenway beyond "the wife of Jack Greenway" (who I also knew almost nothing about).
   
   What an oversight! She was a remarkable woman and this book does an excellent job of bringing her to life through the many letters that she wrote to her family, friends (such as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt), and lovers.
   
   Growing up on the periphery of New York high society in the 1890s, she was the "poor cousin" who socialized with the Roosevelts, Astors and many others. Following her NY debut, she married a much older man and then spent fifteen years living on a ranch outside of Silver City, NM as she nursed him through a long struggle with tuberculosis. For several years their home was a pair of wooden-floored tents and she spent her days building callouses as she hauled water, chopped wood and tended the horses and chickens. What a change from New York society life! But, her letters reveal a spirit that remained positive throughout her ordeal and her family developed an intense love for the west and the ranching life.
   
   Her fortunes changed dramatically after the death of her husband when she married her longtime love, Jack Greenway, an extremely wealthy mining engineer and executive. Her happiness, however, was short-lived. Several years later, following her establishment of the Arizona Inn, she responded to a call to public service and ran successfully for Congress after transforming the Arizona Democratic party in her role as Arizona's National Democratic Committeewoman.
   
   Through her use of resources from the AHS' extensive Greenway collection (several hundred boxes of materials) Author Kristie Miller has revealed the most intimate thoughts of Isabella Greenway to compose a remarkable portrait of a most remarkable woman. It is very well written and reflects her meticulous research skills. Interestingly, while her public life is adequately covered, it was the glimpses into her personal relationships that intrigued me the most.



3. This is a biography that reads like an engrossing novel -- except that you'd never believe it as fiction. Isabella Greenway was not just enterprising; she was courageous, committed, visionary, passionate, a true pioneer. Miller, a brilliant historian and a graceful writer, makes Greenway and her era come alive. Each of her lives -- frontier woman, wife of two of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt (their letters are touching and illuminating), one of the first women elected to Congress -- is riveting reading.

No comments about The Vatican Pimpernel: The Wartime Exploits of Monsignor Hugh O'flaherty.