5 comments about Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography.

1. This book is a welcome addition ot the already crowded Lincolnia bookself. The author is the presumed successor to the retired David Herbert Donald at Harvard University. Gienapp has produced a highly readable and concise version of a Lincoln biography that can be completed on a moderately long airplane trip(and it's quite portable unlike most hardcover books). While relatively short,this book is a sufficiently thorough treatment of the Civil War Lincoln. I especially enjoyed the author's analysis of the politician Lincoln who mastered his rivals, both Republican and Democrat. This a good book for either a new Lincoln /Civil War "buff" or a good refresher for a scholar of the times.



2. William Gienapp's Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America answers a longstanding need for a biography of Lincoln manageable in size, accessible in style, and wise and balanced in content. Lincoln appers on every page of the book and is never lost sight of in the welter of events. He emerges from the text a real believable person, an individual and persuasive assessment of Lincoln's leadership abilities, the finest such appraisal avilable anywhere.



3. A good short, solid political biography. While Lincoln and the Civil War is its focus, by no means is this a battle history: Gettysburg is described in one paragraph.
   
   Professor Gienapp has written a book that will introduce one to, or remind one of, the long and trying path traveled by Abraham Lincoln toward ultimate greatness.



4. A short, but very well biography of Lincoln. It counts only 250 pages, but it gives an excellent overwiew and superb analyse of the life of AL. The bibliography is also very interesting. One of the best books about the 16th president. A must for a Lincolnhistorian.



5. Bill Gienapp was a brilliant historian, and his work "The Origins of the Republican Party, 1852-1856" is a pillar of American political history. Unfortunately, his final work, "Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America," is a tremendous let-down. It is perhaps one of the worst examinations of Lincoln's life, and has almost nothing to do with "Civil War America." Essentially, it is an unqualified love poem to Lincoln, and strives only to prove his greatness -- there is no critical analysis at all. Lincoln is given credit for every political and military success 1861-1865 and is absolved from blame for all his mistakes. In reality, Lincoln was a complex personality and his public career was much more tumultuous than Gienapp proposes. It is disappointing that Gienapp, a man who dedicated his life to exhaustive, nearly flawless historical research would resort to such frivolous, uncritical "pop history" at the end of his tragically short life. Skip Gienapp's Lincoln and, instead, read Stephen Oates's "With Malice Toward None" or Don Fehrenbacher's "Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850s."

3 comments about My Life and Work - An Autobiography of Henry Ford.

1. I'll just say this about Ford. He was absolutely the greatest industrial mind off ALL TIMES.



2. Anyone who has read "My Life and Work" will understand exactly what is wrong with our country today. There are three ways to create wealth--grow it, mine it, or make it--and activities like flipping houses or trading carbon credits do not qualify.
   
   Ford developed what is now known as the Toyota production system, and readers will see a very explicit description of just in time manufacturing (and its benefits) in "My Life and Work."
   
   Ford also summarized effective labor relations in one sentence: "It ought to be the employer's ambition, as leader, to pay better wages than any similar line of business, and it ought to be the workman's ambition to make this possible."



3. A great insight into Henry Fords' way of doing business. Of course hindsight is 20-20 and Ford tells of his secrets to success with the Model T. A good reference for the automotive historian or budding entrepeneur.

5 comments about With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln.

1. In this work, Oates succeeds in illuminating the political and personal life of Abraham Lincoln. For readers interested in the psychological and social nature of the man, this may not be the best selection. However, Oates does an excellent job portraying how Lincoln worked his fingers to the bone while developing his standing as a lawyer and politician. His description of Lincoln as a rough and tumble political longshot made 16th President of the United States in the election of 1861 is vivid and memorable. Much information is also included on how Lincoln and his administration struggled with the issue that would become his legacy: slavery in America. That said, Oates neglects to discuss in any great detail the economic influence of the nation's cotton industry on the political and social conditions of the era.



2. Professor Oates in my opinion did an outstanding job in the biography he did on Lincoln. While it is not as verbose as Donald's, it was well written and to be honest I could not set the book down. For anyone who does not have the time to read a larger volumn on Lincoln I suggest Oates. If you have time then I suggest you read both and also read "Team of Rivals. They are all outstanding volumns. This biography though is articulate, a good length and at times you can see the great passions in Lincoln the boy from Kentucky, the youth in Illnois and the 16 President of the United States. I give it a 5 stars a must read for any history student and I think a must for every American.



3. Consider the great biographies of Lincoln: Nicolay and Hay,[10 volumes] his secretaries, Carl Sandburg's Abraham Licoln [6 volumes], Benjamin's single volume and all those that preceed and follow this, you must conclude this is the best single volume biography of Abraham Lincoln, indeeed the best general biography of the President and the man. The closest rival is Carwardine's Lincoln which deals in depth in one aspect of his life. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE IS THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO THAT COMPLEX MAN AND HIS TIME AND ACHEIVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE.



4. This book generated controversy among Lincoln scholars. The general reading public, however, will probably enjoy both the book's prose and its story. Regardless of whether there is much, or anything, new in the volume, its account of Lincoln is told with flair. Points that disturbed some Lincoln scholars will probably not be noticed by general readers. I read the book before I knew about the dispute, and found the volume enchanting.



5. Will anyone dare to write an accurate assessment of the 16th President or are the myths that surround him just to strong to penetrate? I await a writer willing to discuss the wholesale destruction of property in the South that left thousands of civilians to starve, destruction sanctioned by Lincoln. I await a discussion on the hostage taking and the indiscriminate killing of Southern civilians. I await a thorough discussion of the Dahlgren Raid and its implications, I await a real assessment of the Lincoln/Seward relationship, and I await a real judgement on Lincoln's lack of religious belief. This book, like all the others ignores anything that might be the slightest cotroversial and that might dent the aura surrounding Abraham Lincoln.
   Alan Lowe. BA. Manchester Metropolitan University.

5 comments about WALT DISNEY: AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL.

1. This was a great and interesting book. I loved reading it and learning things about Disney and his history that I didn't know. A great read.



2. If you are a Disney fan this is the one to read. Lots of info about his early days & how Disneyland came to be. He was sure he would die before he had finished what he set out to do. The Disney company was never the same after his death.
   But is John Lassiter the new Walt..... Let's hope so.



3. This book was such a pleasure to read. It allows you to escape reality and enter the wonderful world that Walt Disney created. I loaned it to my father as soon as I finished it, and he cannot put it down!
   Walt was a true inspiration and is to be admired.



4. Bob Thomas gets to the heart of things early: Disney was a greatly talented man whose singular vision lives on in his work. Fair enough. We really do forget that all this, that we call "Disney," was created by a man of extraordinary creative genius. The 60s generation sneered at Disney. Many resented the militarized discipline of the Disneyland work force with their clean-shaved faces, the uniforms and the regimented smiles. Now that the hippies have gone with the wind, we see what is enduring in the culture. Ironically, Disney himself was not a money man, not a finance wizard, not a bean counter. He was in debt most of his creative life, owing millions to the Bank of America. It was TV that saved Disney studios, not Cinderella. Disney cared about quality, cared about product, cared about audience. It is almost quaint to read about such an idealism; it even sounds like a mantra from the 60s. If Disney has become a dirty word, it is because of those who came after the Master himself. The greedy killers of the golden goose weren't interested in Disney's world; they were interested in exploiting it. This biography leaves out much, no doubt, but as hagiography it has its purposes. We see that Disney lived at that moment in America when it was possible to turn suffering into nostalgia. Like many of his generation, the down-home mid-westerner that Disney was put aside memories of mindless drudgery and turned his early childhood into a show, with singing ducks, dancing goats, and happy farmers. Author Thomas makes clear that Disney - like other film moguls like Louis B. Mayer - held a vision of America that had not yet been made anachronistic. But what astonishes most of all is Disney's integrity as a man of the arts. His donations to CALARTS coupled with his wife's gift to Disney Hall in Los Angeles make the Disney name synonymous with creative life.



5. I am very pleased with the poster overall. It is a bit light and fuzzy but that only adds to the era of when the picture was taken. The poster is not signed as in the photo for the review but thats a good thing as it would take away from the art work. I give this item a rating of 5 as it was just what i was looking for in a price range I could afford and in color it beats all expections.

5 comments about Fortune's Children.

1. Since the book was written by a Vanderbilt, I dubiously expected a sanitized version and was delightfully surpised to find the author was brutally honest about the characters covered. This book was engrossing. I could not put it down. The portion about the Gloria Vanderbilt custody case was particularly engaging - what a piece of work the maternal grandmother was. But the book as a whole was a gem - I devoured every page and was sad to see it end.
   I do agree with the previous reviewer who said a genealogical tree would have helped to refer to when reading about the characters and keeping track of how they were all related to each other, especially since the family was so fecund and so many of the men had similiar names. I think it also interesting the author does not mention precisely which branch of the family he is descended from. So perhaps he is trying to maintain some of his own identity. But all in all, this excellent read has whetted my desire to read more about the Vanderbilts, as well as other East Coast aristocratic families.



2. It was like reading a trashy novel - but this is nonfiction. I found it fascinating to read how a mob mentality can take over a person even when it is "mobs" of money surrounding them. Greed and status overtook any common sense, or even love for their children. I now understand why Andrew Carnegie gave all his money away.



3. Being a recent visitor to The Breakers and a past visitor to the Vanderbilt mansion on the Hudson River in New York, I am fascinated by this family and their lives.
   I am still reading this book and find it quite interesting, but I would have liked to have a family tree just as another reviewer mentioned and definitely more pictures would have been appreciated.
   
   I know that I will be purchasing other Vanderbilt books to quench my thirst for knowledge of this family.



4. Extremely interesting account of the demise of the Vanderbilt fortune. Obviously, this will not be available at the Biltmore Estate bookshop!



5. Arthur Vanderbilt II takes great care in researching and describing his own family tree. despite the fact that there are still many Vanderbilts that are missing, such as Frederick Vanderbilt who built the mansion in Hyde Park, NY, the book is a very good quick reference of the family tree.
   This is a must have for historians of the Guiled Age and Vanderbilt family, as Arthur has compiled an extensive bibliography of re fences and primary sources that are immensely important for further research.

5 comments about The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1).

1. It's no accident that the first two books by Robert A. Caro have the word "Power" in the title. Power is what interests him, and in Lyndon Johnson, Caro has the perfect figure for analyzing how power is amassed and used within a democracy.
   
   The first in a published trilogy extending to Johnson's election as Vice President in 1960, "Path To Power" presents Johnson as a skilled amasser and user of power for its own sake. No ideology bound him, no loyalty for God or man. He courted women based on their wealth and social standing, picked his associates by virtue of their acquiescence, and focused all his energy on personal glory.
   
   There was something inside him, Caro explains, that made him hard, beyond his simple and needy upbringing in the Texas Hill Country. It had something to do with a family on his father's side named the Buntons, people so cold that when Lyndon was born, his grandmother, a Bunton, tried to dissuade her husband from visiting their grandchild, believing, as Caro puts it, that "charity begins at home."
   
   Perhaps there was more to Johnson than such self-interest. If so, Caro doesn't say. Perhaps it comes out in later volumes, but it's clear here that Caro, for all his stellar, admiring prose of Johnson's rise, doesn't like the man. Fortunately, this wasn't so clear before the publication of "Path Of Power" in 1982, meaning that many of Johnson's closest friends and associates (including his widow Lady Bird) were willing to share honest insights about LBJ, who would have still been in his 60s at the time Caro began his research, just a year after the resignation of Johnson's successor as president.
   
   Caro does write pointedly about Johnson, but not without a sense of dramatic purpose. In fact, there's a kind of grudging admiration in Caro's narrative for a man who toughed out every day of his life in such an uncompromising manner. Like many readers here, I was struck by how like Shakespeare's Richard III LBJ is portrayed, not only that he's so amoral but presented so that we half-root for him to get away with such tricks as masking himself as a New Deal liberal to get Franklin Roosevelt's ear and playing up to the paternal instincts of House Speaker Sam Rayburn, whom he then knifes.
   
   Writing about his days at San Marcos Teachers College, where he transformed himself into a shadow leader with the help of a secret society, Caro writes: "He had won believing in nothing - without a reform he wanted to make, without a principle or issue about which he truly cared." Caro makes clear this didn't change at all when Johnson became a U.S. congressman, preferring to exercise his slick tongue in the cloakrooms and hallways rather than the House chamber itself, where entire years went by without him addressing his fellow Members from the floor.
   
   Caro's take on Johnson makes "Path Of Power" entertaining, but it's his broader view of the times LBJ lived that makes the book so compelling beyond the bounds of traditional biography. There are so many layers in Caro's narrative, such as the hard lives women led in central Texas during the Depression, various colorful Texas politicians LBJ aligned himself with or against, and the often underhanded way business and politics came together in the early 20th century.
   
   Is it unfair? Caro does dwell on the negative, and ignores at least in this volume the possibility Johnson had some redeeming qualities beyond his professional abilities. But that may have been a function of Johnson's growing as life went on; it's clear that he was a sneaky, ruthless, miserable character in his early days chronicled here. A couple of his underlings, though still devoted, have to excuse themselves to regain their composure as they recount their boss's hard ways.
   
   There are bios that connect the dots but bore you silly, others that use lives as platforms for wowing you with the author's eloquence. Caro writes masterfully but keeps your focus securely on the story and the real-life history behind it, making you feel like a passenger on Johnson's amazing journey. Even the footnotes are captivating. You will be surprised how quick a read 800 pages can be.



2. This is the second book by Robert Caro I've read, the other being Master of the Senate. Caro's work I'm sure is probably considered the most thorough and all-encompassing study on the life and career of Lyndon Johnson. Path to Power starts with the Bunton and Johnson families who moved to the Texas Hill Country. Caro's description of this region is impressive and very effective. Establishing this setting and its nature and its isolation, we get to learn about the early years of Lyndon Johnson. This book takes us up through 1941 when Johnson first ran (and lost) a race for the U.S. Senate.
   
   It's the Hill Country that receives a lot of attention in the first part of the book, what the land was like, how people's hopes and fortunes could be broken by it, and so forth. The nature of the Bunton and Johnson family lines, i.e. their habits, their ambitions and how they lived off the land. Anyway, these early years of Lyndon Johnson and his family, with special focus on his father who was a well-respected public servant in the Texas Legislature, are all detailed.
   
   The Lyndon Johnson that emerges from this book is nothing short of an attention seeking, power grabbing individual who would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. His way of courting and winning favor with older people, his political savvy that came into being at the Teachers' College at San Marcos, and so forth served as indicators of the sort of man that was developing. If his father was respected and known for his principles, the son would be known for his do and say anything approach to achieve power at a higher level. This is Caro's Johnson, maybe it's a bit rough and maybe too critical at times (though his interpretation could be head-on), but that's what you'll see in this book.
   
   To mention some of the periods in Johnson's journey to position and power, we read of his years as a teacher and debate coach, his years as a Congressional secretary, Johnson's role in the New Deal years as state coordinator of the National Youth Administration, his run for and election to Congress, his money ties to influential businessmen and lobbyists and others who would provide huge sums of money (at that time) for Johnson's political ambitions and on and on. His political skills in cultivating relations with people in power was certainly notable and his knowledge and use of political tactics and maneuvering are amazing to read about.
   
   The book culminates with his first run for a Texas U.S. Senate seat in 1941 upon the death of one of that state's sitting senators. This section of the book is utterly captivating in terms of the unfolding nature of the primary campaign, the characters involved, the voting fraud and its aftermath. Caro's work on the career and character study of Lyndon Johnson is an impressive body of work. His assessment of Johnson in this book is not flattering, though we do see the immense political skills possessed by this remarkably ambitious man who would indeed one day achieve the highest office.



3. Robert Caro's biography is one of the great series ever written. This first book looks at the things that shaped LBJ's early life. The first part is focused on the parents and grandparents of LBJ. The times growing up in Texas were very interesting to read about and while I was afraid this book would not be interesting I was proven wrong quickly. The hill country is a fascinating place and you can see the poverty that Texas experienced even before the depression. Most striking is Lyndon Johnson's childhood where he was an almost constant terror to his parents who loved him anyway. He would runaway constantly. After running away to California he came back and was involved in a series of local gangs and street races. His parents were finally able to talk some sense into him and he went to college
   Lyndon Johnson continued his pompous attitude at college and was notable for creating the political scene at Southwest Texas teachers college. He was constantly in debt during his college years but played the political game well becoming friends with the president of the university and other top students. Although leaving college several times hew as able to thrive there. He was able to gain a job in Washington DC as a congressman's aide afterwards and built his power base.
   Lyndon Johnson was an expert at the political game and he played it well in DC. This book categorizes his rise from congressman's aide to congressman in the 10th district. It shows how he built his network, worked with and against Sam Rayburn, FDR and his wife Lady Bird. Through it all he truly is shown as a manipulator and an expert political operator. He is morally reprehensible as a person throughout the entire book which was not something I expected to find. For a book about LBJ's early years this is absolutely amazing. It is so well written and you cannot wait to read what is in store next. I cannot wait to read the next three books in the series!



4. Robert Caro combines the skills of muckracker, tabloid journalist, and serious scholar to produce this magnificent volume. I read Means of Ascent 10 years ago and loved it, and Path to Power is even better.



5. I picked up this book because I had to read a book on a president for a history class. Am I glad I got assigned LBJ as it has made me cross path with quite possibility one of the best biography ever written.
   
   Although I have more then a passing interest in American politics, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is just mildly interested in a book such as this. The reason I say this is because the book is extremely detailed and covers all sorts of angles that bring to light a lot of areas which you normally don't on a typical biography book. The amount of information contained in this first book is staggering and you can tell where all the years Mr. Caro has spent has gone into.
   
   The style of writing is also extremely smooth and pleasing. You will not be bored from reading this book as it almost read like a well written novel. I am surprised and amazed at how well the information is conveyed to the reader in such a pleasing manner.
   
   One of the things I love about this book is the portrayal of some of the powerful men Johnson encounters. Caro explain the characters in a way that relates to Johnson and in the process gives you a deep angle into the motivation of both the character and Johnson.
   
   Politics is a complex subject is is hard to understand. Most of us are on the surface and have little access and understanding of all the nooks and crannies of politics. This first book does a great job of understanding local politics and how it relates to the bigger picture. All this is done just by studying such a complex character that is Johnson during a complex period of history.
   
   I will be reading the next two books which I'm sure will be as good as the first. Looking forward to learning more.

5 comments about Ulysses S. Grant : Memoirs and Selected Letters : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant / Selected Letters, 1839-1865 (Library of America).

1. This book is a must-read for any Civil War or American history buff. Grant's writing is consistently clear, elegant, beautiful. He gives an engaging account of his wartime experiences that are accurate to the best of his ability, and he writes with introspection and humility. The personal letters at the end of the volume reveal much about this fascinating man, and are a welcome addition. Please read this one! Another wonderful book in this series is the volume containing Frederick Douglass's autobiographical works.



2. General Grant's use of the English language is very interesting and informative. Absolutely a pleasure to read.



3. U.S. Grant is often said to have been a failure at everything in his life except his marriage, war, and his memoirs. The latter, written as he was dying of throat cancer in 1884-1885, provide a straightforward account of his years in uniform during the Civil War.
   
   Grant passes quickly over his Ohio boyhood and time at the United States Military Academy. His service in the Mexican War and his financial misfortunes out of uniform between the wars get only slightly more coverage. His story really begins with his return to uniform in 1861 as a commander of Illinois volunteers. The narrative follows Grant's campaigns in Missouri, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, his elevation to supreme command of the Union Armies, and the final grinding agony of the war in Virgina. The account ends with the cessation of hostilies in 1865.
   
   Grant's memoirs are remarkable reading for a number of reasons. First, they provide insight into the first-rate military mind of a consistantly successful general. Grant's ability to determine the essentials of a situation and remain focused on them are evident. Second, the memoirs are a classic example of clear, simple, English narrative. Third, they display the considerable modesty of a naturally reserved man, a departure from the egotism often found in the personal memoirs of famous men. Grant himself continues to be something of a mystery to historians; these memoirs do not really lift the veil of his sense of privacy.
   
   The Union Army of the Civil War had more than its fair share of politicians in uniform and politically-minded generals. Grant was not immune to spinning history his way; careful-eyed scholars have found more than a few instances where Grant remembered only part of the story or settled a few scores with old opponents. Nevertheless, Grant's memoirs are a valuable resource for understanding the conduct of the Civil War, not least because Grant became such a key figure in the winning of it.
   
   Grant's memoirs are highly recommended to students of the Civil War, and to scholars seeking to understand the art of war in the midst of rebellion.



4. 
   
   
   References to political memoirs often suggest that Grant's memoirs are some of the best ever published. Have worked my way slowly through almost 800 pages of his memoirs, the accolades are deserved. Autobiographies by their nature are bound to be someway self-serving (he makes no reference to his well documented drink problems) and I am sure many historians could pick flaws with some of Grant's recollections, but the book is exceptionally well written and interesting. To my surprise, the author comes across as being compassionate and showing a high degree of empathy for many he fought against during the civil war.
   
   He is very honest in his commentaries and is not afraid to be critical of US policy. The Mexican-American war (1846-1848) was unnecessarily provoked and in his opinion "the war which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation. ... We were sent to provoke a fight, but it was essential that the Mexicans should commence it."
   
   Grant is not shy in admitting that especially in his early military career, he was often frightened and would rather have been somewhere else when the bullets were flying. He is also self-effacing and sometimes humorous about his impact in early combat situations. "My exploit was equal to that of the soldier who boasted that he had cut of the leg of one of the enemy. When asked why he had not cut off his head, he replied: `Someone had done that before.' "
   
   Grant is a very good storyteller and has an excellent eye for detail and description. His contrasting profiles of Generals Taylor and Scott whom he fought under during the Mexican war are models of clarity and painting pictures with words.
   
   His account of the civil war contains numerous interesting anecdotes including one instance when inspecting a picket line which was close to a Confederate picket line. After his picket line called "Turn out the guard for the commanding General," he heard a similar command from the Confederate picket and a reference to General Grant. The Confederate line saluted "which I returned." - Amazing!
   
   Obviously, the bulk of his memoirs relate to the civil war. He suggests that he was of the same mind set as Secretary of State Seward, "that the war would be over in ninety days." Grant is very respectful of many of his former colleagues who fought against him during this war. He has little respect for the "Demagogues who were to old to enter the army ... others who entertained so high an opinion of their own ability that they did not believe they could be spared from the direction of the state of affairs," but who constantly poured oil on the secessionist fire.
   
   He lauds many of his comrades including Generals Sherman and Sheridan. While respecting Secretary of War Stanton, he does not appear to have been a great fan of his style of management. He also writes approvingly of Confederate Generals Longstreet, Lee, Bragg, Joseph Johnston and others, and takes great delight in ridiculing the military genius of Confederate President Jefferson Davis who he obviously despised. Grant writes sensitively of General Lee and the surrender at Appomattox.
   
   The author believes the death of Lincoln was a disaster not just for the North, but for the vanquished South. "He would have proven the best friend the South could have had." Interestingly, Grant makes no reference to the Gettysburg Address and to the best of my recollection only references the Battle of Gettysburg but once. He was otherwise involved in the Battle of Vicksburg at the same time.
   
   I glossed over some of the detailed military and battle descriptions in this book, but overall it is a great read. It is also interesting to note that the book saved Grant's penurious family from a life of poverty. Published by his friend Samuel Clemens, these memoirs became a bestseller after Grant died from throat cancer.



5. Well written history is a rare treat, and rarer still is a history by one who lived through it. Grant writes engagingly and humorously and with great humility for a man who achieved so much. That he wrote this in the throes of cancer, finishing it on death's door and yet has no sence of savig himself or self pity is remarkable. It's a pity there is no one like this in the elections.

5 comments about The Civil War Diary Quilt: 121 Stories and The Quilt Blocks They Inspired.

1. I really enjoyed the stories, just wish that there were more. Good book for quilter's who like to take patterns and recreate them in EQ6 or other software to print out hard copy patterns. You could trace and draw out patterns in the book and do English paper-piecing too.



2. This is a great thick book of blocks that coincide with letters from the Civil War period. A group of us made quilts from this book. ITs a keeper.



3. This is a lovely book but not as good as i thought it would be. I have wanted it for over one year and now that I have it, realise I could live without it. The illustrations and overall appeal ie. colour, setout and feel are lacking. Not a really appealing book in my opinion. Overall it is a lack-lustre offering. Some good facts re: real life stories from the Civil War however.



4. I collect quilt history books and "The Civil War Diary Quilt" book is an excellent addition to my collection. The diairies are priceless pieces of our nation's history and I feel an emotional attachment to each one of the writers. The title of this book is misleading, however, because the main theme is not a quilt pattern, but the fantastic collection of diaries. Don't get this book if you want patterns - buy it for the wonderful history.



5. This was a very interesting book. I find this time in our history rich. The stories are compelling and touching. I have become interested in quilts of this era and have began to do some piecing that reflect this period I was very excited to find this book for its patterns as well as it rich historical content.

5 comments about American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964.

1. This is perhaps the best biography of an American ever written. Manchester juxtaposes the good MacArthur (the military genius and patriotic family man) with the bad MacArthur (the megalomaniacal general whose lapse led to his entire air force being destoryed on the ground at Leyte; not even his wife called him "Douglas"). MacArthur is still one of the most polarizing figures in American history; I have spoken to WW2 and Korean veterans who either love him or hate him. This book is a study of greatness. No matter your opinion of MacArthur, one cannot deny the fact that he graduated from West Point with one of the highest averages ever, or how his post-war control of Japan shaped that nation's history. An excellent look into the life of an American Hero/Villain.



2. william manchester & his work are a national treasure. i picked this up after being blown away by manchester's 3-volume churchhill series.
   
   few historians can produce a work like this that's both painstakingly researched & scholarly and so well-written and absorbing. be it churchhill or maccarthur, manchester always takes the long view in terms of how his subject fits in the pantheon of great leaders.
   
   this volume about america's greatest general of the last century provides both a great history of the time period (wwi-korea) as well as a colorful & in-depth look at one of the great personalities of american history. as with churchhill, macarthur is complex, courageous, brilliant and flawed.



3. General Douglas MacArthur is one of the few military figures in American history who, even today, evokes heated partisan responses. The title of the headline for this piece clearly tells where this writer is on the partisan divide. The nickname "Dugout Doug" goes back to the days when after the Japanese invasion of the Philippines General MacArthur got himself out of harm's way, with a due fanfare, while his subordinates and the troops for the most part got left behind to face the brunt of the Japanese forces. It was not pretty. This story and many others are detailed in the late journalist William Manchester's biography of the general.
   
   The history of the United States has produced a few military figures who were flamboyant. It has also produced a fair number with some military skills. It is, however, unusual to have the two come together as they did in the self-advertised grandeur of MacArthur. Europe has had some familiarity with the `man on horse back'. One thinks of France, in particular. In America that notion, at least publicly, has not been presented by military leaders while in uniform. MacArthur was an exception. Manchester is not incorrect to see that if there were such a candidate for the role of Caesar (or its modern variant, Bonaparte) in the United States MacArthur by skill, élan and appetite fit the bill. That thread runs through the whole story line here.
   
   No one can question that MacArthur had exceptional military skill in both World Wars, especially his role in the Pacific in World War II. One, however, should note, and note carefully his role in dispersing the Bonus Army in Washington, D.C. in the early 1930's. That might provide a taste of what the American Caesar had in store if he ever took power. Furthermore, one should note that MacArthur was well out of his element when he faced essentially `unconventional' armies in Korea. Call it `limited warfare' if you will but he totally underestimated his North Korean and Chinese opposites in the age of new `warfare'. Later American generals faced, and are today facing, similar conditions. And making the same wrong estimation. That MacArthur's reputation has mainly survived his Korea debacle owes more to hubris, including his own, than reality. In any case, read this book to get a flavor of the old American Army and its most well known general.



4. I could not put the book down... Douglas MacArthur's life from beginning to end was so interesting... His life had meaning... Say anything you wish about his personality but his accomplishments during his life will never be out done... Well written book.. and well worth reading...



5. This superb biography examines the many sides to General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964); superb commander in war and peace, vain malcontent, and megalomaniac. The author begins by examining his famous father`s service in the Civil War. Then we learn of MacArthur's upbringing and days at West Point (graduating first in his class in 1900), and his reckless bravery during World War I. As the author shows, MacArthur was a progressive-minded superintendent at West Point from 1919-1922, and chief of staff during the 1930's (where his aide was Major Eisenhower). Then we learn of his skilful island-hopping as commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific during World War II. My late uncle served in the Philippines and cursed MacArthur's name 50 years later, but Mac was talented and sparing of his soldier's lives. Ironically, his greatest success may have been as military governor of occupied Japan, where he helped implement democratic reforms. Then came his blundering command in Korea (1950-51) where he misread Chinese intentions and went over President Truman`s head - for which Truman rightly fired him. Mac had previously doubled-crossed President Hoover over the Bonus Army and made juvenile threats to President Roosevelt over retaking the Philippines. In his last years, he advised against action in Vietnam. As the author shows, a complex figure, talented but flawed.
   
   William Manchester (1922-2004) was a superbly readable historian, who used a nice mix of quotes, memos, messages, and family life to describe MacArthur. The result is a well-crafted, balanced account of a man the author probably disliked but admired. Readers should also consider the author`s other superb books, THE GLORY AND THE DREAM, ARMS OF KRUPP, etc.

5 comments about The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher.

1. This book is the excellent product of twenty years of research and documentation by many people. The data upon which the book is based comes from the letters and diaries of the individuals portrayed and from the newspaper accounts about them at the time. The author skillfully weaves the data into a picture spanning from the 1820s to the 1880s.
   
   Reading this book is like sitting before a window and peering into the life of an amazingly charismatic individual and those upon whom he had a great impact. You see his gradual escape from the extremities of religious fundamentalism to an extremity on the other end of the religious spectrum. Along the way he succumbed to his human weaknesses. His temptations were made more potent due to absolute adoration by his followers and his spontaneous and haphazard personality. Perhaps, in this country, he was the most skillful speaker of his century in spite of his inconsistent message. Without him England might have intervened in our civil war on the side of the South profoundly changing our history.
   
   You get, not only, a view of their lives, but also of their hearts, minds and emotions because you read their diaries and most personal letters which were concealed from others at the time. Many are famous people such as Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Mark Twain and his sibling Harriet Beecher Stowe among many others.
   
   As you read this book you begin to understand nuances of the late colonial and early Victorian era that history books miss. You see the holes in the stereotypes of the time. You see similarities to current times and you will see profound differences. You see how lack of modern medical technology and birth control put intense pressure on women. The divisive issues of the day like abortion, promiscuity, drugs (including alcohol) and religious extremes are all still issues today. They addressed them in a different manner and with a different perspective.
   
   I don't read much fiction because it is just fiction and based upon the author's perception of reality at best. This book interests me because it portrays many people's perception of the reality of their time based upon their own written records.
   
   Jim Fuqua



2. I am an author, a Christian, and a Calvinist. I love good history. However, after the deep prejudice against, and misunderstanding of Calvinism portrayed in the first two chapters, I almost put the book down.
   
   Despite these reservations, I am glad I persevered. Applegate writes in an engaging, entertaining style. I finished with fresh incite into the political machinations of early 19th century America, especialy New York, New England, and the history of the early abolitionist movement.
   
   I also concluded down deeply disturbed and distressed by the subject of the book, Henry Ward Beecher. Applegate repeatedly stresses two attributes of Beecher's moral character. The first was his lust for fame and popularity. The second is his continual compromise of conscience to obtain that popularity. These compromises ruined his life and the lives of many associated with him. She closes by comparing him to Dr. Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton, all good comparisons, and in my opinion, all deeply distressing hypocrites like Beecher.
   
   I finished the book with mixed feelings of revulsion and empathy for Beecher. He was a first class hypocrite. He continually preached love, but abused and used his wife, his congregation, his business associates and the women with whom he comitted adultery. He pretended to be one thing, but in reality was the exact opposite. Was he weak? Yes, like all of us he was weak. But was he sincere? It doesn't appear that he was. A sincere man seeks help. He wants to change. He humbles himself and exposes his weakness. Beecher did none of these Instead, continually and habitually covered up the damning evidence that pointed to his sins. That is not the definition of a good person.
   
   Did he do some good? Yes. He was a key figure in the abolitionist movement. But, in other respects he was much like the men exposed in Paul Johnson's insightful book, "Intellectuals." He was a man who loved the world in general, but was incapable of loving those closest to himself.
   
   Despite these facts, the author was unwilling to call Beecher what he really was, "a wolf in sheeps clothing." She concludes, "His painful awareness of his own weakness and his ongoing battle to overcome them were the wellspring of his great and lasting contribution to American life: the all forgiving Gospel of Love. As Beecher would have said, without sin there can be no saving grace."
   
   It appears that Applegate, like Beecher, is in love with love, but not real virtue. True loves serves, expends itself, humbles itself, and dies that other might live. But Applegate's conclusion spins evil, refusing to come to grips with it or condemn it. Yes God is love, but He is also justice. The two cannot be separated.
   
   This is not the definition of a good man. I expected Applegate to draw this clear conclusion. I was disappointed.
   
   In short, Applegate writes well. I am thankful for her research, and the volumes of excellent information on Beecher and his times. I am deeply disturbed by her conclusions. They express the same loss of moral compass as the man she writes about, Henry Ward Beecher



3. This book was really great. You feel like you are alive at the time of Beecher. You watch as he emerges from his father's formidable shadow to become the most popular American preacher of his day.
   
   But in the process, you will also see Beecher jettison virtually every doctrine of Christinaity save the doctrine of love for God and for others. Unfortunately, it appears that Henry took the "love for others" part a bit too literally, as he was a very flirtatious and apparently adulterous man.
   
   It is amazing to see how he skirts out of trouble time and again. He somehow has his wife convinced that he is a man of high virtue, and he is also able to convince a number of his mistresses that their affairs with him are higher forms of love, even religious love.
   
   And yet in spite of his peccadilloes, Henry Ward Beecher was an indispuably great orator, a man who had his congregation eating out of his hand. Henry loved to preach about the pressing issues of his day, although one could accuse him of waffling on issues when the boat was rocked. He was at first neutral on the slavery issue, then he was a cautious abolitionist, then he even came to the point of advocating violence if necessary.
   
   Perhaps his most shining moment was in 1863 while preaching in England. His stirring speeches about America convinced the British not to lend their support to the South, and this may have helped Lincoln to preserve the Union.
   
   You will learn not only about Beecher's relationships with women (his wife Eunice, Elizabeth Thornton, Edna Proctor, Chloe Beach), but you will also get to know the New York newspaperman Henry Bowen, who convinced Henry to come to New York. You will also meet the complex Theodore Tilton, who goes from being a star struck Beecher fan to being a jealous husband who wants to see Beecher fall from grace.
   
   Debby Applegate writes in a stirring style, and you will want to drop everything else and keep reading. You learn a lot about history along the way.
   
   The only complaint I have is that Applegate slams Calvinism way too much. She treats it as if it is a terrible system of belief and that it makes happy people dour. She seems to think that Lyman Beecher (Henry's father) was a much better man than his theological system would allow.
   
   I am not a Calvinist, but I respect Calvinism as a viable and reasonable expression of Christian faith. The book would have been just as great without the anti-Calvinist bias.



4. A remarkable read for its insight into the America of the 1850s and 1860s and into the America of the 2000s. The only real difference is that the Evangelists of 1850-60 are now tele-evangelists, still raising money, still getting involved in politics, and still dabbling in sins of the flesh to one degree or another. The more things change, the more they remaint the same.
   
   A thoroughly fascinating read for the information it imparts about that time and the similarities to the times in which we live.
   
   Helps the reader understand in new and different ways some of the causes of the Civil War and puts those reasons in in very human terms. Politics and Religion were entangled then, as now....
   
   Henry Ward Beecher would be as much at home now, just as rich, just as popular and probably just as promiscious as he was in his day. By understanding his day, we have a better, cleaner understanding of this day.
   
   In other words, Men of God can accomplish good, sometimes great things without being perfect people.



5. Applegate's biography on Henry Ward Beecher is very readable, but too short. Some things are covered very well, and others almost ignored by comparison.
   
   You learn alot about his relationship with his father and siblings, but very little about his wife and children. His thoughts and actions regarding slavery are well fleshed out, but I wish word one had been said about his opinions regarding other controversies of the time. What did Beecher make of Mormonism, for example? Applegate doesn't have much to say about Beecher's theology either, after he breaks with his father - at least not enough to satisfy me. She prefers to pay attention to the intrigues and finances of his congregation (which, by all means, is worth while).
   
   In other words: I was left wanting more.