4 comments about Justinian: The Last Roman Emporer.

1. That great narrative G.P. Baker, who also published splendid lives of Sulla, Constantine and Hannibal, takes us to what he calls the "last" of the Roman emperors. This is generally how we in the West regard Justinian, who (though his brilliant general Belisarius) made the last reconquest of the Western Empire. Justinian the Law-Giver is also famous to lawyers throughout history as the great codifier of the Roman laws. Even more intriguing to modern readers is the story of Theodora, the former actress who became wife and de facto co-empress at Justinian's court. Baker gives a wonderful description of life in 5th century Constantinople, including life around the Hippodrome and the revolt of one of its clubs. Baker ends his narrative with a meditation on the barbarian invasions and the "loss" of empire in the West. I would read this in conjunction with (1) Norwich's series on Byzantium, for whom Justinian was an early, not a late, emperor; and (2) Dr. Bray's book on "Armies of Pestilence," which argues convincingly that Justinian's attempted reconquest of the West failed because of a spectacularly virulent plague (but for which Roman history would be very different).



2. I liked it a lot, really, I did. I'm not just saying that because the author is dead either. He's really comprehensive in the way he covers Justinian's reign and doesn't, as some authors try, to cover up the pressure of the implications and effects of the Coucil of Chalcedon on Justinians reign. He doesn't talk too much about the building, or rather, the re-building of Hagia Sophia which is somewhat of a disappointment for me. He gives great insite into court intrigue and peronal decisions and friendships which reveal huge amounts about his personality such as his friendship and appointment of John as what we would today consider the head of the IRS and treasury combined. Plus, there's excellent information on Bellisarus and his character. The author makes it clear that, as sexist as it sounds, Justinian and Belisarus were just trying to get the job done and their skanky wives wouldn't stay out of it which only caused trouble. It's a real "behind the scene's look" at the person of Justianian and the people under him who made the empire work. A great read, very enjoyable, and intelligently written.



3. Whether or not you accept the idea that Justinian was indeed the "Last Roman Emperor," if you enjoy classical history, you'll get a lot out of this book. It is an excellent synopsis of the reign of that great emperor and his epic attempts to reconstitute the boundaries of the Roman Empire. Drawing mainly from Procopius and secondary sources like Bury, the author paints vivid portraits of the scenes and personalities involved: from Justinian himself, to Belisarius, Theodora, John the Cappadocian, Narses, and many others.
   
   Originally published in 1931, this book is a handsome paperback reprint. The text appears to be abridged as it contains numerous elipses (...) throughout. The author's writing style will seem a bit archaic to the modern reader and this tendency is highlighted by the antique-looking typesetting used by the publisher. The author freely injects his own opinions into the text, but it is usually very clear when he is doing so. He also uses some turns of phrase that seem remarkably un-politically correct today--such as repeatedly referring to Belisarius's force in Italy the "Little Dago Army." In the author's defense, (and I say this as someone of Italian heritage myself) he was doing this in an attempt to mimic the Goth's deprecation of the Roman imperial army as "greeklings."
   
   The only real drawback to this book is the dearth of footnotes, which makes it unsuitable for scholarly use. Having read much of Procopius already, I was curious where the author got some of the quotes and anecdotes he included which were not from that source.
   
   All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good, balanced overview of Justinian's reign that doesn't rely too heavily on the infamous 'Secret History.'



4. George Phillip Baker, a British "arm chair" historian and biographer, was actively writing during the first half of the 20th Century. An author of "popular" treatments of his subjects, his work is a cut above much of that genre from the era. He is generally dependable and trustworthy and is able to move his narratives along briskly without resort to distortion of his underlying sources or gross fictionalization. Unfortunately, the question with which I head this review remains unanswered by this book. That being said, this book provides a fast paced retelling of the history of the Roman/Byzantine Empire during the era of Justinian. Drawing primarily on J. B. Bury's classic history of the later Roman Empire and Procopius's "histories" for information, Baker presents a balanced picture of the expansion of the Empire under Justinian. In large measure, this is a military history with secondary attention to political matters.
   
   Belisarius, the great contemporary general of the Empire, is by far the most developed and discussed character within the book. This of course reflects Baker's reliance on the Procopian eight volume war histories. However, many other major events and trends were a foot during the reign of Justinian the Great. Adequate treatment is given to the codification and revision of Roman civil law which was a momumental accomplishment of the reign. The extremely important events in the history of the Christian religion that took place at this time are less well fleshed out. From the religious activities of Justinian and his empress, Theodora, far reaching consequences reverberate down to this very day. The interplay of interests represented by Justinian, Theodora, John of Lydia, John of Cappadocia along with Belisarius and his wife, Antonia, and Narses are never fully developed but all covered to some extent and never inaccurately. The important architectural, artistic and cultural trends of the reign are all but disregarded.
   
   Despite all of these quibbles this is an important book that deserves the attention of anyone interested in the reign of Justinian. Larger questions such as whether Justinian was the last Roman Emperor or a transitional segue way from Late Antiquity to the Medieval world are left to other scholars. As another reviewer pointed out, the lack of footnotes makes the book of questionable use to a scholarly student of the period. However, having read most of the original source material from the period in translation, I believe that this book is a fair and relatively accurate portrait of its subject within the limitations I have described above. Baker's extremely judicious use of Procopius's volume twelve, "Anecdotes - The Secret History," is to be commended. All in all, I recommend this book highly, and it is an enjoyable and easy read.

2 comments about Sex Lives of the Presidents: An Irreverent Expose of the Chief Executive from George Washington to the Present Day.

1. I thought this might be a tabliod type expose, but to my delight, it really is a thorough, factual work. Each and every president is covered and the historic research is evident. Many sections are dry and boring only because those presidents weren't particularly sex driven men. But the notable exceptions like Lyndon "Bull Nuts" Johnson, Jack Kennedy and others make this an eye opening and shocking account of what our presidents really are doing behind closed doors. After reading this book, you want to give this country back to King George! 5 stars to Nigel for his tireless research and fact finding.



2. In case anyone would say "Why are you reviewing this trash?" the answer is that this reviewer is a fan of all United States Presidents. Plenty of eliminations take place before someone becomes President of the United States. Even the worst had some good qualities. Now for the book. It's been out for a few years and it was read entirely back then. The newspapers and history books had already told us plenty about Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Warren Harding, Woodrow Wilson and Grover Cleveland. In this book nobody escapes scrutiny. Since all Presidents were married men with the exception of James Buchanan, how well they kept marriage vows is the subject of this book. James Buchanan was appartenly heartbroken over a relationship with a woman early in life and never managed to marry. Truman and some other Presidents come across well in the marriage virtue department. Is the book recommended for the average person to read? No. But it is difficult for fans of Presidents not to read it if they know about it. Presidents, regardless of difficult private lives, showed great leadership and courage when called for.

1 comments about William McKinley Volumes 1 & 2.

1. Those interested in the life of William McKinley must read this book. Olcott does a superb job of describing the life of McKinley. While this is hardly a critical biography it is essential reading for those who want to observe McKinley as his contemporaries did.

No comments about The Life And Times Of Thomas Jefferson.

2 comments about Churchill (Life & Times) (Life&Times).

1. This powerfully written and informative biography of Winston Churchill tells the story of a monumental British figure who was to influenced the world of the 20th Century. European journalist and Churchill biographer Sebastian Haffner was one of the foremost figures in European writing and influenced Churchill's policy towards Germany and the Nazis. In this major examination of Churchill's life and accomplishments, Haffner provides a passionate and involving probe of the man whose methods and motivations changed the political shape of European history.



2. This book is a great account of Churchill's life; how 3 wars made him famous, his rise and fall in British politics, his private life and other subjects. Churchill had an interesting life. Haffner had an interesting way of telling and writing. Together it makes this book one that you should read.

No comments about Napoleon's Women.

1 comments about Roosevelt, the Soldier of Freedom: 1940-1945.

1. This is a study of Franklin D. Roosevelt's leadership as president between the years 1940-1945. The author is certainly a scholar on President Roosevelt and this study is choke full of information that makes this an extremely informative, but for me, a bit of a slow read. Burns' thesis is that Roosevelt was both the idealist and the realist. His often lofty goals and dreams could often be compromised for the more pragmatic (some might say perfidious) decisions reached. It is indeed a dichotomy that shows throughout this study. But despite this lack of cohesion between an effectual joining of these two traits, Roosevelt's wartime leadership is still heralded by most historians.
   
   For some who might want to know more about the actual military engagements in Europe and the Pacific, you might be a bit disappointed. This book is more concerned with strategies developed by Roosevelt and other leaders for both fronts, where priority should be given, how the alliance worked together and so forth. Roosevelt's respect for public opinion was certainly a major factor for his early hesitancy to rush to the aid of Great Britain. Indeed, Roosevelt was seemingly always guided by popular opinion, though I think he probably was ahead of it in ways.
   
   Some of the interesting facets of this book that helped shed some insight for me on Roosevelt's foreign policy was his belief that China had to be a major player in the postwar world, even though he perhaps overestimated China's military capabilities under Chiang Kai-shek. His understanding of the importance of trying to keep good relations with Russia came through as well. His anti-colonialism was often used to tweak Churchill, though as Burns stated, Roosevelt would never go too far in the risk of jeopardizing allied partnership. In these cases, especially with Russia and Great Britain, we see many instances where Roosevelt would often suppress some of his loftier goals for the postwar world for practical, short term success.
   
   The chapters that I thought were the best were the ones that dealt with the meetings between Churchill and Roosevelt and later between the Big Three at Tehran and Yalta. The chapter entitled Dominion of Mars was also well written and powerful, as was the last chapter. The worries, the tensions, the importance of the times all came through to me in this book. The personality traits of Roosevelt were also illuminated, though as Burns mentioned, he was a complex character and very hard to truly understand.
   
   Burns also proves himself to be a very balanced historian, detailing the things Roosevelt knew how to do and what he did right along with those things he did not excel in. Some have questioned his commitment to Civil Rights for blacks, many have castigated the Japanese-American internment camps, his efforts on helping the Jews, his dealings with Stalin and so forth. I think these and other questions are fair criticisms and let's face it, no man when dealing with so many difficult questions and situations will come off clean on all points. There can be no doubt that Franklin Roosevelt was a giant in American politics and that perhaps he was indeed the right man for the job at such a critical juncture in world history.

5 comments about PT 109 : John F. Kennedy in WWII.

1. Human beings are capable of incredibly noble acts when they are faced with the most terrifying circumstances. Such was the case with Lt. John F. Kennedy in command of PT 109 in the South Pacific during WWII. Faced with the alternative of action or death he rose to the occasion and was able to save the lives of his shipmates through great physical trauma and hardship.

   Without going into the details of the incidents described, I would merely say that this is a good example of what the best of us are capable of doing when forced to think and act or face death. If stories of this kind interest you, this book will gratify your desires.




2. The 40th anniversary edition of PT-109 is an enjoyable read despite its many flaws. The story is true and sheds light on a young John Kennedey and a small part of naval warfare in the Pacific during WWII. Yet, Donovan's writing is simplistic at times. It is somewhat obvious that when he wrote this book he did so under the gun, or in other words under a very tight deadline, something he admits in the beginning of the text. Another point of contention is his glossed over view of Kennedy. I guess when he was writing of the then sitting president it was hard to escape, but Donovan praised Kennedy at virtually every turn of the page. Something that frankly gets in the way. It would have been better to tell the story of Kennedy -- flaws included. What young man at war is --or is-- expected to be perfect? Nonetheless, PT-109 is a worthy read for WWII buffs. If you enjoy reading about the war in the Pacific, this will help carry you through the other obvious downfalls of the book.



3. This was an exciting book on John F. Kennedy. It had lots of action, and suspence. John F. Kennedy had a lot of willpower, that was surprising. The bravery was outstanding in this story. If you like action and adventure I could not recommend a better book. I gave this book a five star rating, because it was truely a good book. Even though this was an old book, it was exciting. This would be a very good book for kids, because there was not a lot of hard words.



4. I was about 10 when the Saturday Evening Post ran a serialized version of Donovan's book. I'll never forget coming home from school the day the next edition was due, and dropping everything to read the next installment. With the passage of 40 years, and a rather older perspective, I can see that the book isn't perfect. Other reviews pick on the flaws. But it's great regardless. If you've never read the story, or like me want to relive a bit of the past, I recommend it highly.



5. As Daniel Schorr in the new forward to this book suggests, World War 2 brought out the best in many men, and the ones who manned the motor torpedo boats were among the bravest, setting out in small plywood boats to fight an enemy in often large ships. The ordeal that Kennedy and his crew went through after PT-109 was destroyed is a story of courage that will last the ages. It is obvious that Robert Donovan was very careful to get the facts straight as he wrote this book, it is a great war story. For me it was a page turner, written in an easy to read, flowing style. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, a gem of a book about a small piece of American history, a fascinating account indeed. Kennedy is portrayed, and rightly so, as a compassionate and intelligent young man.

   In a very fine afterword to this 40th anniversary edition, Duane Hove give us additional details of Kennedy's military service, and also interesting text on the history of the PT boats before, during, and after the war, and also where you can see PT boats on display today, only a few of these magnificent boats remain with us.

No comments about William Howard Taft: Confident Peacemaker.

No comments about CVN-76 RONALD REAGAN, U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier.