5 comments about Jack and Jackie: Portrait of an American Marriage.

1. As someone who was born in 1977, all that I know of the "Camelot" era has come to me second and thirdhand. This book was great at setting to rest some of the myths surrounding this famous couple and also presented some information I hadn't seen anywhere else about their private lives in the White House. I discovered many things about Jackie's life growing up that I did not know previously, and how those events factored into her decision to marry JFK.

   Sometimes the author's narrative style can be jarring ("'And what would be wrong with,' she asked coyly, 'that?'") but I do not find the dialogues related to be unrealistic. It was rather like reading a transcript of an extra-long episode of A & E's "Biography" television show. The book is an engaging account of a typical high-society marriage with a tragic "what might have been in this marriage" twist resulting from Mr. Kennedy's assasination so soon after the death of their baby brought the two much closer together.




2. A fabulous account of the childhoods and marriage of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. Fantastic pictures of the famous couple. A Wonderful read!!!! FOR QUESTIONS OR DICUSSIONS ON JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HPOE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!



3. This book brought to light so many things that I never really knew. Concerning, love, drugs, children and affairs. It was a great book, but I found the last 20 pages or so to be the most captivating. This book left me with a sad feeling, because the Kennedy's were finally beginning to truly love each other when JFK was shot. This just goes to show that life isn't always fair. This was a great book that I would recommend for anyone to read.



4. A fast read. Many details and secrets that probably would not have been published if either of them were alive.



5. This is a little light and PEOPLE magazine-y in parts. But every now and then the author slips the needle in and lets you know he knows more than he's letting on. The catty remarks by Gore Vidal spice things up. I particularly liked the account of Kennedy's personal physician, Dr. Max Jacobson -- the legendary "Dr. Feelgood." Four times a week, right up until the assassination, the Doc was shooting Kennedy up with a special concoction; 25% vitamins and 75% pure dexedrine. Isn't it nice to know we had a speed-freak tweaker in the White House with his twitching fingers on The Button? (Funny how they didn't teach me these stuff in 6th grade History class.) Beneath Jack Kennedy's "vigorous, youthful" facade was a sickly man. And the same can be said for the whole shiney, air-brushed "Kennedy myth" and the rot just underneath the surface. They don't call it "the Kennedy curse" for nothing. Truly, the Kennedys are one of the sickest families to ever inflict themselves on the American body.

5 comments about Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved.

1. `The wing tips wobbled slightly, and suddenly the plane began veering to the left with increasing speed...it swung around and tilted with its right wing tip almost almost scraping the mat. The right landing gear suddenly collapsed, followed shortly by the left gear, and the plane slid on its belly. A shower of sparks spurted from the airplane...' Honolulu, March 1937, and Amelia Earhart's plane Electra has just crashed while attempting to take off on a test flight. The crash was bad news for the famous American woman aviator and her team: it meant they had to approach their financial backers for more funds to repair the plane if Earhart was to fly around the world. They got the money, of course, but worse was to come: Earhart and her navigator disappeared four months later on July 2, 1937, on the longest stretch of their epic trans-global flight. Since then what exactly happened to the Electra and its occupants has been a mystery. One of the stranger rumours have been that Earhart and her navigator were captured and spirited away by the Japanese, who had rather frosty relations with America in the days before Pearl Harbour and World War 2. But here the authors claim to solve the mystery: according to their reckoning, and backed up with a swag of maps, radio transmissions and estimates, they say the Electra simply ran out of fuel somewhere around their destination of Howland Island, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The plane (and the remains of its occupants) are lying 17,000 feet below the water somewhere around the tiny island. The mystery, of course, is why did it happen? Long-distance flying was extremely dangerous in those days, but it wasn't complete guesswork: Earhart had the latest and best radio, planned her flights with great care and had support and encouragement from the highest levels. However, several factors - minor on their own - all contributed to the disaster that took place. The Electra's radio equipment was so new it didn't have an accompanying instruction manual. Navigator Fred Noonan was relying on a map which showed Howland Island six miles west of where it really was. The wind was slightly stronger than Earhart thought it was, thus pushing her further away from the right direction. There was a US Navy vessel near the island, but radio contact between it and Earhart was sporadic, and they never saw each other. The book is very detailed, and contains a lot of technical information. There is much talk about mile radius, azimuth and radio frequencies. The authors do a sterling job of explaining the technical stuff where necessary while narrating an exciting tale. One of the later chapters examines the `area of uncertainty' the Electra had to grapple with on its last flight: the agonising calculations that Noonan would have performed in an effort to determine where the Electra was, and where Howland Island was. The Electra is still at the bottom of the ocean somewhere. Despite the careful research, the mystery of Earhart's last flight won't fully be solved until the plane is found - as with our own Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his Lady Southern Cross. `Is the emergency equipment still there? Are there any signs of remains? There are dozens of questions that can be answered only be recovering the plane,' the authors conclude.



2. Very reminiscent of Gerald Posner's 'Case Closed' this book shows that an apparently unanswerable question can be answered if informed knowledge is brought to bear with clear logic and meticulous research. A fascinating and 'factual' analysis of the doomed aviatrix' last mission and a plausible explanation for the end. The Longs have written what must be considered the 'definitive' book on this undying mystery.



3. I'VE READ ABOUT TWENTY BOOKS ABOUT EARHART'S DISAPPEARANCE AND THIS IS THE BEST BOOK BY FAR! IF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK ABOUT AMELIA EARHART AND FRED NOONAN THIS IS THE ONE TO BUY.



4. This fine book by Elgin Long and his wife Marie is by far the most sensible and logical of all the works on this great mystery. It starts with the story of the last leg of her flight from Lae, New Guinea, to tiny Howland Island, a speck in the vast Pacific. It then goes back to trace the origins of the flight, the many personalities involved and the varied possible causes for the tragic loss of this great Aviator. As a pilot I found the navgational detail very useful although some may find it tedious.
   
   Mr. Long is currently working with Nauticos Corp. conducting a deep sea search for the Earhart plane. Filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic) is also involved in this project. I personally think that the plane will be found someday. This outstanding work belongs on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the Earhart mystery.



5. As an aviation enthusiast this is the first book I pulled in to my Amazon Kindle e-book reader. I would caution those looking for a classic biography of Amelia Earhart, as this is not what the authors of this book are offering. Although her early years and flights are covered, the book really deals in depth of the final attempt of Amelia's round the world flight, ending of course with her failure to reach Howland Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The authors break down everything from flight logs, communication schedules and frequencies, to manifold pressure, fuel flow rates, prop rpm etc. So if you are not up on propeller driven aircraft and the jargon associated with them, this work will be litany of facts and figures that will cause you to loose interest in the book quickly. On the other hand if planes and vintage aviation are your thing, you will devour every detail. I found it to be a good read, and accept the author's conclusions as to why Amelia Earhart and her plane failed to reach Howland Island. A note to Kindle readers: The maps included with the Kindle version are so small that they are not really useful to e-book readers. Never the less it is still a good book on Amelia Earhart's famous flight.

3 comments about Plains Bound: Fragile Cargo: Revealing Orphan Train Reality.

1. I traveled 3,000 miles to interview the last of the orphan train riders. Many times people would change their minds and I would be no showed. I just kept at it with patience and persistence. Today my family dresses in 1800's attire bringing the book to life at schools, libraries, town festivals, etc.! This book is sought after by people of all ages. I made a promise to a rider who passed away before he was able to see me have it published. It's in his memory. Be like the many others who have enjoyed this easy read with over 100 photos. Purchase yours today!



2. I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. It's filled with photos, poems and drawings from former orphan train riders, which is interesting, but then there's drawings by the author's daughter and other random tibdits. The book feels like a messy collage of information about orphan trains. If you are looking for a book that actually goes into details about the lives of the orphans, this is not it. This book merely gives glimpses into random riders' lives. Also, the book is poorly edited....errors just abound. The book is not for scholarly study or even a historical glimpse into orphan trains. It's a hodge-podge look at a few orphans, which plently of random bits thrown in.



3. From 1854 to 1930, New York and other cities shipped as many as 400,000 children "out west." Today fewer than 100 of these children are still alive. Charlotte M. Endorf, author of this book and a woman of amazing energy, traveled some 8,000 miles to interview 55 orphan train riders or, in some cases, their descendants. These real life stories appear in three of her books, Plains Bound: Fragile Cargo and By Train They Came, Volumes 1 & 2.
   
   This thoughtfully illustrated book, Plains Bound: Fragile Cargo, contains 28 stories. Charlotte amplifies her text with pictures of orphan train riders, letters, indenture paperwork, drawings, a title page of the Children Aid Society's annual report, orphan train quilts, a map showing number of placements, and a historical timeline of the period. Her daughter, Sarah M. Endorf, illustrated the book.
   
   Anyone interested in American history, but especially students of orphan train history, will find much to ponder in this slim attractive volume.
   
   MARILYN COFFEY is an award-winning poet and a widely published author of prose. Visit [...] to purchase her work: GREAT PLAINS PATCHWORK, MARCELLA, or KANSAS QUARTERLY Vol. 15 No. 2.

5 comments about A Golfer's Life.

1. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, by its candor and by how well-written it was. It minimized many warts, but there is still some bite to it.

   Arnold Palmer defines what charisma is. Charisma has nothing to do with skill, he certainly was not the most skilled or accomplished golfer. His talent and achievements fall short of those of Nicklaus, Hogan and even Gary Player. Yet Palmer with his amazing charisma can arguably be considered the most important golfer in the last 50 years.

   A few years ago I was watching a Senior tournament. My wife came by and became enraptured by what was on. That was extremely odd, she usually does not watch golf. She asked me who the man on the screen was that was so fascinating. It was Arnold Palmer.

   The portraits that Palmer draws of his parents, especially of his father, are wonderful. His stories of growing up are wonderful and I feel a good sense of the man and his roots. And he spares no words in discussing the death of his best friend while he was at school at Wake Forest, a death he still somewhat blames himself.

   However, the story about the Ku Klux Klan meeting and his mother's reaction to it (live and let live) is rather naïve.

   Palmer brings up an interesting theory about his career, that his decision to stop smoking played a factor in it. Nicotine creates a dependency, physical and psychological, no doubt about it. Palmer feels that cigarettes helped him concentrate. But I admire him for not starting again, even if it cost him some strokes. So do his grandchildren and his fans, if he had not stopped, he would not be here today.

   Palmer talks about several people in the golf world at length. He speaks highly, yet evenhandedly, of Clifford Roberts and the Masters. I daresay that there are others who would not agree with that opinion.

   It is obvious that Arnold did not get along with Ben Hogan, but few people did. Hogan was a hard man and while Palmer speaks highly of Ben's skills, you can see that he did not like him personally.

   The section about Nicklaus is fascinating. There is a major rivalry in many ways between the two of them, there is no question about it. Palmer makes some very astute observations about their divergent styles and personalities.

   There is much greater kinship with Gary Player and the stories about Player are quite funny.

   People have tried to analyze Palmer's appeal for years. One of the ideas is that he comes across as a blue-collar worker in a rich man's sport. It was him that drew fans across income and class lines.

   To many people, Arnold Palmer is old-line establishment. He was a close friend of Eisenhower, and of Bob Hope. The book slows when he talks of the rich people he is friends with.

   In particular, I was repulsed by a golf course he built with an airstrip within, so one can land one's private plane and then tee off. Give me a break!

   And his apparent tolerance for many of the racist policies of the PGA is galling as well. Palmer could have done more to bring the PGA into the 20th Century. His decision to keep quiet and "work within the system" again shows naivity beyond belief.

   But Palmer has some wonderfully nice things to say about President Clinton, so he is even-handed.

   Palmer is not overly introspective, so he does not try analyzing his popularity very much. He does say that he loves to perform, to show off and entertain people. He talks of his joy the first time that happened.

   A section of Feinstein's "A Good Walk Spoiled" discusses Palmer from a fan's perspective and also from a fellow player's. It gives a different perspective on the man.

   Palmer has always been treated well by the press. But he deserves a lot of the credit himself. He tells a great story about Jim McKay getting all noisy and excited in the 1960 Masters and interrupting Palmer's concentration. Palmer could have snarled or been nasty. Instead, he just smiled and McKay realized what was going on. You can get more with the carrot...

   At the time this book was written, his wife Winnie had just been diagnosed with cancer. She is no longer with us and my heart aches for Mr. Palmer and his loss. Palmer also talks little of his own fight with cancer and the remarkable recovery he has made. Nor does he talk about all the money he has raised for research of prostate cancer.

   There is very little about his daughters as well, or his family life beyond his early married days.

   In an ESPN show, one of those daughters said on-camera that her dad loved being Arnold Palmer. There are countless people who can testify of how nice a man he is.

   Good book!




2. Palmer deserves his reputation as one of the most respected figures in professional sports. This book, with its down-home style is far above the mind-numbing blow-by-blow accounts of careers hardly justifying the ink and paper which clog the sports book shelves. For this, his collaborator, golf writer, James Dodson, must be due for a large share of credit. Arnold Palmer looks back over a fantastic career with no lack of humility, but with personal glimpses in sufficient depth to maintain the interest at all times. But more than this, Palmer gives fascinating insights to his business life and associations with the famous in other fields, from presidents to show business personalities, to his fellow-golfers over six decades, always making it clear that his first love is his family. Palmer may be a little old-fashioned in his outlook for some of today's readers and indeed the schmaltz might be a little thick at times, but this still rates as a sports book of excellent quality.



3. I have to give this five stars because Arnold Palmer is my all time, all time sports idol, but I think the writing could have been better. That is evident in the people who thought Arnie was not candid about his feelings on Jack. In numerous other accounts, those feelings are explored in depth, so if there is a problem in that regard it is a failing in the author, not in Arnie. Also, I disagree that he doesn't see Jack as the best of all time, because he's said that numerous times. If there was rancor there on Arnie's part, it was probably because he felt that in Jack's younger days he didn't respect the fans enough, which is probably why I sense some rancor in some of the things Arnie now says about Tiger. In any event, this is a purely classy guy, who deserves all the accolades he's gotten, and this book gives a good glimpse into his soul.



4. This is fine book about a man with deep principles that have continued to deepen and nourish his life. What a life! From golfing legend to aviator to business entrepeneur to course designer to philantropist to family man to cancer recoverer et al.

   One of the true heroes of our time. Growing up with this guy, we baby boomers need one like this to exude what it truly is about -- not the titles or record or such, but how one played the game and treated others.

   Such neat memories from AP's life: earning nickels hitting over the ditch for ladies when young; his detest for media's microscopic view; his leaving the French Open after being mistreated by the Frogs (guess things never change); his opinion of the PGA's historical problems; his committment to his word; his enjoyment of piloting immediately after tournament, whether win or lose.

   Guy is first class and leaves us with much to emulate and pass on. His family roots run deep and it's evident. Maybe influence some parents to such as well.

   More enjoyable read than assumed. This guy has given so much to the development of the sport we love. His views should not be lightly glanced over.




5. Biographies by old warriors and old jocks usually are just not that good. This one is different. I have followed Mr. Palmer's career from the start, and after reading this work, felt I knew him much better. It was pure Palmer. The book is well written, informative and actually rather inspiring. As I suspected, I could not find one line in the book to lead me to a different opinion, one I have held for years, that this is a true gentleman. Wish there were more like him in the world of sports today. On the other hand, as hinted at above, Mr. Palmer has been one of my "heros" since I was eight years old or so, so, in my eyes, he could do little wrong, including writing his autobiography. Recommend the read for anyone.

1 comments about The Diaries of Dawn Powell: 1931-1965.

1. Thank you, Steerforth & Tim Page (and Gore Vidal) for making the work of Dawn Powell available. Of all her books, I like the diaries the best--so candid, such a grown-up view of the world; her comments on writing, the New York literary world, and the gritty beauty and ugliness of New York are always acute. Her grasp of the complexity of relationships is amazing-her comments about her husband Joe, her sweetheart, and her child are poignant reminders that life need not be perfect to be rich. Here is the voice of a remarkable woman, one of the most clear-eyed American writers of the twentieth-century. She captures a particular New York moment as does no other writer, and that's saying something.

   I am somehow reminded of another great writer, another unsentimental woman: Natalia Ginzburg. An Italian, her work and Powell's are very different, yet they share a rare candor and stoicism.

5 comments about Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort And Staff.

1. Just about the time you think you've seen it all on Forrest, including the old rehashed yet another way, Michael Bradley comes along with some great new source material. My hat is off to him. The book is well written with nice overviews of material that many of the readers may already be somewhat familiar with, but it necessary and complimentary to the subject of Forrest's escort and staff, and the addition of his new material. The appendixes with the rosters are worth the cost of the book alone. Two others were an unexpected surprise that I enjoyed, "Forrest in Literature" and "Forrest and Race", both of which were exceptionally apt at putting both into their proper perspective, something I don't think I've ever seen done so well, concisely, or in one place before. While a few photographs are included in the text, I would like to have seen more, and perhaps they will be added in future editions. Maybe it is just a personal thing, as I like to browse and read sometimes. There are some interesting images out there on the escort and staff, as well as badges only issued to them after the war. Anyway, I'd latch onto a copy, as I don't think you will be disappointed, and the author has managed to find a new niche not previously explored.



2. I just read the book and I must say I couldn't put it down till I finished. There were so many little things from 1st hand accounts of Forrest that I haven't found in other places. I have read all the books on Forrest and wanted more details, this book gave me several. There were also some first hand accounts and quotes in here that make me know Forrest was not the racist some try to make him out to be. Many accounts clarified his personality. The more I read of him, the more respect I have for him. There could never be a more accurate statement than Forrest led by example,(for friend or foe). That point made clear in a never before tidbit about him. The 6th US Tennessee had a reputation as looters and rapist. When Forrest and his men entered Purdy, Tennesse, the hometown of Col Fielding Hurst, commander of the US 6th, he sent one of his men to Col's home to tell his wife he was posting a guard from his own escort around her house so that she wouldn't be harmed. Knowing what her husband's men had done to other women less fortunate, the woman broke down in tears. It was the "do unto others as you would want them to do unto you", No doubt when Hurst came home and saw how well Forrest treated his wife, the shame of his own actions must have humiliated him.
   As for the Escort, they were as incredible as Forrest. This book is a must for anyone who wants more info on Forrest.



3. Other than providing readers with mini-biographies of different members of Forrest's escort and staff this book brings nothing new to the study of Forrest. The book is relatively dry and does not flow well. A glance at the bibliography reveals the fact that the book is poorly researched and documented.



4. This book is a "must" for all Civil War buffs and especially those with an interest in the most interesting civil war character , General Nathan Bedford Forrest !
   
   This book give details of Forrest's special escort & staff , that has never been know until this book . These we truely unique & talented men who served a unique & talented Confederate general . It enables an interested person to understand how Forrest "knew so well what his oponents were going to do" from superior intelligence provided by his special escort .
   
   We see how Forrest used his escort as "shock troops" , that could respond in seconds to changing conditions , that Forrest saw developing ! They were the "best of the best" , hand selected by Forrest and utilized to their utmost !
   
   The background of these men & their lives after the "lost cause" is most fascinating !
   
   The point brought up , in this well written book , is "did Forrest make these men outstanding or was it a mutual uplifting ?" I think Forrest "infected" these brave & talented men with "heroic quilities" , but they enabled Forrest to "succeed in emplementing his genius at deciding the exact moment in a back & forth battle , when a lightening-like strike to a point of weakness could change the entire course of the battle to one of victory for your side !" Forrest had this genius in deciding the moment to strike , but it took his unique escort & staff to be "Forrest's lightening bolts" !!
   
   A most interseting book and highly recommended !



5. There is simply not enough information out there about General Forrest's staff. This book corrects some of that. My ancestor Captain John Watson Morton Jr. has been recently, since this books publishing that is, honored as his Battery has two obelisks erected: One at Brice's Crossroads in 2003 for his brilliant use of artillery. He broke the yankees and sent them reeling and ADVANCED his guns ala a tank attack in 1864. This threw the yankees into a rout. This had never been done with horse artillery before and was a precursor to the tank attack of the first world war. Also at Parker's Crossroads Tennessee 1862 his Battery was instrumental in containing and forcing the surrender of a yankee force and he was personally mentioned in the General's dispatches for his bravery. The second obelisk was raised and dedicated there in June 2008. This is a matter of historical record. Unique for a small slight man such as himself to have accomplished. In any event I wish to applaud the author of this book as he does detail something about Johnny as well as the rest of the GREAT man's staff. General Forrest himself was and remains THE natural genius of warfare, and he is beloved in the south by true patriots. His men were only a reflection of his best.

5 comments about "An Honorable Profession": A Tribute to Robert F. Kennedy.

1. This beautifully written biography of the late Senator Robert Kennedy does an excellent job of focusing on not only the man's career, but the issues and questions he was confronted with, such as civil rights, poverty and the disenfranchised citizens.

   Robert Kennedy had a very impressive resume -- father of 11, an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a law degree from University of Virginia, attorney, Attorney General, Senator and lastly, presidential candidate for the 1968 election.

   This was a man who apparently set high standards for himself throughout his life. The seventh of 9 children, he fought to prove himself among his siblings. As a boy, he strove to develop his physical prowess. One can smile at the young Bobby, then 4 trying to teach himself to swim despite his older brothers' chagrin. The same small boy who kept jumping in deep water would, 35 years later climb a previously unscaled mountain. Robert Kennedy, by then a senator suffered from acrophobia his entire life, yet pushed himself to climb that mountain. In March of 1965 he would table his fear and, with veteran mountain climbers Jim Whittaker and Barry Prather (both of whom had scaled Mt. Everest in 1963) ascend Mt. Kennedy in Canada. He climbed that mountain out of love for his slain brother, the late President. This particular event is inspirational; this man faced his biggest fear and acted out of love.

   As a boy, Robert Kennedy grappled with a mild form of dyslexia. Although by all accounts he learned to read within normal limits and was certainly an intelligent man, he learned early to combine his intelligence with diligence and very hard work. In adult life he would seek solace in classic literature; by 1964 he was able to quote long passages by authors such as Camus and Aeschylus by heart. The title of this book is a nod to the Senator's love of classic literature; "An Honorable Profession" is from "The 39 Steps" by Lord Tweedsmuir.

   Diligence appeared to be the core Robert Kennedy; the man who drilled himself in academic pursuits was the man who would also set high standards for himself throughout his professional/political career. In reading this work one cannot help drawing the conclusion that Robert Kennedy was at core a good man and a sincere man and a man who would stop at nothing to accomplish all tasks he had set for himself. His daughter Kerry Kennedy Cuomo's input provides some enlightening insights into the characteristics of this complex, often driven man.

   In reading this work as with many on Robert Kennedy, one can readily draw the conclusion that this man genuinely cared about people; his work with and for civil rights certainly attests to his deep level of empathy. He appeared to move and blend with equal ease among all people. Robert Kennedy could easily be described as the man for everybody. He was certainly a strong voice and considered by many to be the advocate for all.

   In 1968 Robert Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, California. His loss leaves the questions open today of what he would have accomplished had he lived to win the 1968 election.




2. There are beautiful poems, touching stories, and inspirational words in this book. I learned a lot about the good and decent man and his course. I sensed the feelings and spirits of so many Americans at that troubled time. There has never been a book of tributes after reading which I have been filled with so many hopes, though so sad at the same time... Robert F. Kennedy died in the course of the honorable profession, but he did not die in vain. His course made the profession an HONORABLE one, and made people believe that we can do better, and that we can also make our profession honorable.



3. "An Honorable Profession" : A Tribute to Robert F. Kennedy, is one of the best memorial book of rfk, there are a lot of picture and some newspapers article.
   the texts are good and interesting, it is never boring.
   I recommend it to all rfk admires



4. It's amazing how a young man (THAT'S WHAT HE WAS WHEN HE DIED) who came from the most wealthiest of surroundings can relate to people from all fronts and walks of life, who could walk to the strongest and hardest of ghettos across this land amongst people less fortunate than he and with sincerity and fearlessness & yet still have an immediate connection with people on the other side of the fence (UPPER MIDDLE CLASS, WEALTHY) Robert Francis Kennedy was perhaps the last white man/ politician who the trust, respect, and effection of the entire human population (with the exception of BIll CLINTON) that's why you can a feel the dispair and sense of loss that people felt when he was murdered. "AN HONRABLE PROFESSION" is more than just a tribute to a man who was coming into his own but it is a tribute to the best and grestest sides of the Human Spirit,.



5. This Book is a must read for all who Loved Kennedy.What a great man and Father.Its great reading.

1 comments about Prince John Magruder: His Life and Campaigns.

1. You certainly don't need to read this--his role in the war being minor enough to be mentioned offhand in great works like Shelby Foote's The Civil War--but you should. Magruder was a truely unique individual, and has long deserved a spot on history's shelf all his own. From his days at West Point and his subsequent service in the Mexican war, to his time on the penninsula, where his masterful mind tricks kept the Union at bay, and his banishment to Texas, which would be spared the horrors of Total War thanks to him and Kirby Smith, Magruder would earn a unique place in the grand of history, not only of Texas, but of the United States.
   
   The book itself is a short read, written in a clear, concise style--with plenty of maps (useful when covering the attack on Galveston). Paul Casdorph doesn't judge the man for his flaws, nor does he build him into something he's not; no, his retelling of Magruder's life is unbiased and, refreshingly, non-political.

2 comments about God Help the Irish!: The History of the Irish Brigade.

1. Mr. Tucker's book is a good overview for those who nothing about the Irish Brigade. Unfortunately the book focuses on the usual suspects, Nugent, Meagher, Kelly, and most of the field grade officers. I was surprised to see Captain Maurice Wall mentioned--however Mr. Tucker didn't provide us with the details of Captain Wall's escape with his buddy Lieutenant Charles Grainger. Mr. Tucker completely ignores Irish Nationalism in the equation--this seems to be a recent trend by American authors.



2. The famed prowess of the Irish Brigade at Antietam and Gettysburg is well known, but "God Help The Irish!: The History of the Irish Brigade " takes a look at their other exploits and their day to day lives and how they became one of the most elite combat units of the civil war. A fascinating and valuable perspective on America's nineteenth century inner conflict, "God Help The Irish!: The History of the Irish Brigade" is thoroughly recommended to civil war studies shelves and civil war enthusiasts everywhere.

5 comments about Journal of a Trapper: A Hunter's Rambles Among the Wild Regions of the Rocky Mountains, 1834 - 1843.

1. The trapper's journal by Osbourne Russell during the early to mid 18 hundreds came as a bit of a surprise. First the book is a factual account without any explication of the events more than is necessary. It is not told as an adventure story eg "Last of the Mohicans" but rather as a journal pure and simple of the travels through the Rockies, mainly Yellowstone, of this young trapper over 9 years in the pay and as a member of Jim Bridger's fur company, around 100 men. The trade was at its peak at this time. As is true of most journals it is full of abbreviations of words because of time constraints eg brot. for brought, staid for stayed etc. This gives the impression of crudity in the writing, or of a man not used to writing but rather writing in only a haphazard fashion. Every reader knows how easy it is to loose all the fine points of writing when it is not practised constantly. The journal is full of place names and directions of travel and a few maps indicating the progress of the trappers. There is some description of the scenery and the Indians of the area eg Blackfoot which are a constant threat, Shoshones (Snake), Bonnack and Crow. Occasionaly I was pleasantly surprised by paragraphs of eloquence and beauty mixed in with the simplistic writing which was the norm. Russell was capable of very good writing when he was inspired or wished to do so. This is also demonstrated by his letters to his sisters which are written with great style and few grammatical errors, completely unlike his journals.

   There is much which comes to the fore in regard to the period eg the waste and destruction as the parties of trappers even in groups as small as 3 wonder the countryside and simply kill a Bison Cow for a meal and then discard it, or just take the tongue to eat. Incredible disregard for nature is shown at times. The trapper is in continual fear of Blackfoot war parties who harrass them, both white and Indian, constantly. In one instance an enormous group of Blackfeet, thought to number up to 1000 or more by Russell, attempt to eradicate the entire group of Bridger's trappers, about 100. They decide not to due to an unfavourable (omen) display of Northern lights. Even in his day as the story nears the end of the 9 years Russell tells of the scarcity of Buffalo which were not wiped out in total until 1870 or so (80 million -> 1000). Its almost as if it comes upon them suddenly, "5 years ago thousands crossed the valleys of the Yellowstone, now its hard to find any". Russell even becomes a little conservationist in spirit when he states that maybe its time for the white man to leave this country because the wildlife has been so denuded.

   An interesting book but with far too few passages describing the trapper's feeling along the way.




2. This is by far one of the best books that a fur trade re-enactor can read. It is also a must read for the modern beaver trapper as well. Osborne describes the everyday events of the fur brigades in their heyday. If you are a buckskinner, living historian, trapper or just an old west history buff then this is a MUST have!



3. This well-known and highly-regarded account of the life of a fur trapper in the Rocky Mountain West was born as a corrective by its author of an earlier narrative (Pattie's PERSONAL NARRATIVE) that he thought was filled with inaccuracies. Osborne Russell spent eight years as a trapper in the employ of a number of fur companies before becoming an independent trapper working out of Fort Hall. Fortunately, when he first went to the mountains with Nathaniel Wyeth's expedition in 1834, he began to keep a journal. From his journal he compiled a manuscript for publication; it's from this manuscript that the present book is based on. Osborne had a tendency to run sentences together and to practice unconventional language usage, all of which editor Aubrey Haines retains in this edition. One quickly gets used to it, however.
   
   Russell was an acute observer and, especially in describing his travels, was careful to mention distances and names (streams, mountains, etc.) when possible. Haines has been able to trace Russell's travels accurately, and ten accompanying maps illustrate his wanderings. (Haines's annotations are also numerous and thorough.) He trapped for a time with Jim Bridger, and some of what we've learned about him has direct bearings on Russell's journal accounts. In fact, Russell's book is the major source of information for a number of important events in the Rockies during this time. He also writes about the Indians (especially the Crows, Blackfeet, and Snakes) and much about the animals found in the West. Most of all, he tries hard to convey the life of a trapper - scouting the country, the laying of traps, hunting for game, dealing with the weather and terrain, the rendezvous experience (Russell attended six of them) - all the everyday routines trappers went through. This indeed is the most valuable thing about the book. Russell left the mountains in 1842 and settled in Oregon City; after an unsuccessful run for governor in 1845, he wrote his manuscript for JOURNAL OF A TRAPPER. He got the gold fever in 1848 and went to California, where he became a merchant. After his partner ran off with the company funds, Russell spent the rest of his life trying to pay off the creditors. He died near Placerville in 1892.
   
   This is a must-read book for anyone interested in the fur trade period of the trans-Mississippi West. It's gone through many editions and always seems to stay in print, thank heaven. Highly recommended.



4. There's not much that one can add to this list of great reviews. That's what kind of book this is. I found it remarkable how quickly the landscape changed in those 10 years regarding populations of Native Americans, buffalo, and beaver. In the last few entries we begin to see some of the damage done upon the Native Americans i.e. small pox, alcohol, and lifestyle and it's very depressing. Likewise, Osborne describes the plummet in buffalo populations and the approaching end of the fur quest as beaver populations dwindled and other furbearers were becoming more profitable. These were a rugged bunch of men and this is perhaps the best look into their lives and into the changed and vanished West.



5. Osborne Russell was never one of the elite of the Mountain Men. He spent most of his time in the mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning, and other camp chores while on trapping expeditions. But he wrote one of the best accounts -- certainly one of the most accurate -- of the peregrinations and the exciting events in the life of a Mountain Man. Osborne was in the Northern Rockies between 1834-1943 and was a minor participant in many expeditions and fights with the Blackfeet.
   
   Editor Haines has compiled the routes of Russell's travel in 10 maps and added explanatory notes to his narrative. However, a lot more could be done to make this book more readable. First, there are no chapter or paragraph divisions to ease the task of the reader. It's even hard to keep track of what year Russell is talking about. Secondly, there is room for many, many more footnotes and explanations of what Russell was doing and when and where.
   
   We need a new edition of Russell's work which will make it more accessible to the reader. This old edition is invaluable if you are a student of the Mountain Man, but the casual reader will bog down.
   
   Smallchief