5 comments about The Road to Nab End: A Lancashire Childhood.

1. One thing that poverty didn't diminish is Woodruff's powers of recall. Though, as soon as he becomes literate, one senses he'll inexorably transcend his meagre beginnings which ring most vividly in this tale. I loved the regional patois as much as the rising political conscience of the working class boy. The years roll by with the daily grind, humilities accompanying the unjust disenfranchisement of workers; Dickensian conditions that were worse in Lancanshire than other industrial zones. Woodruff's effortless prose is as tough as his father's persistent presence and as nuanced as his mum's mercurial mood shifts. Fortunately for readers,'Nab's End' is no end, but a beginning to further tales from post adolesence. Having just closed the covers on Roy McFadyen's, 'at A Cost', I opened Woodruff to discover a parallel story in times bedevilled by poverty and dire economic depression. If you want to visit the comparison and find, at a pinch, an even more extraordinary childhood,'At a Cost' is published and distributed by its author @ 15 Maryann Street, Golden Beach, Queensland, Australia 4551.



2. I came upon this book after hearing brief snippets of it serialised BBC Radio 4 and the World Service.
   It had added interest for me as I know Blackburn (at least modern Blackburn) very well, it was later a surprise to discover I knew virtually nothing of the town.
   The book is evocative and stirring as you follow the authors journey from early childhood to his 16th year, when he finally leaves a deprived, economically and spiritual broken town for London, in hope of work and a better life.
   The journey in between is a rich array of colourful and long forgotton characters and ways of life. Most striking by far is the harshness of past societies in which the poor were virtually ground into the dirt and totally at mercy of commerce. Yet still the love and joy of these kindly, caring and sweet natured people shines through, it took a great deal to make them lose all hope. One cannot help but to think that these poor and hardworking forbares made more than a little of the muscle in the British national psyche.
   The Authors journey is one of love, loss and curiousity, his intelligence is meant for better things than the dust and grime of cotton mills but so hard worked are his people and he that this realisation is a long time coming.
   Highlights characters are Grandma Bridget and the lovley Aunts he visits in Summer. Quite a journey and very much a joy to read.



3. This is a wonderful book which, as an Anglophile, I loved reading. Just a word to those who feel it some of the terms are American. Remember, please, that the author is now living in the US, and new terms become automatically one's own after a while. And yes, there is a sequel to this book!



4. You don't have to have been born in Blackburn (as I was) to appreciate this wonderful true story of a childhood in poverty with all the wit and humour and honesty of the working class. Their hopes for a better and fairer future are vivid and the story ends with an emotional desire from the reader to know how and if this young man succeeds as he takes his steps away from Lancashire. Inevitably the reader will read the sequel Beyond Nab End which is even better but read this first.



5. William Woodruff and I have something in common; we were both born and reared poor in Lancashire, doubly lucky as Mr Woodruff puts it. The book itself is a reader, you pick it up and you can't put it down. There is always something else you want to read in the next chapter. It is a shame the book had an ending to it as it leaves you wanting more.

   Like one of the other reviewers I was a bit disappointed when the text was dumbed down, probably for our American cousins, as little discrepancies showed through the text. For instance, stating ten pennies instead of ten pence (we would have said it 'tenpunce') and the absolute glaring mistake of calling a tanner 6p when it should have been 6d and a dodger is 3d not 3p. Little details like this tend to eat at me.

   The book was easy to read and if you know a little about Lancashire, specifically Blackburn, you will find it fascinating.

   Tim Brimelow 19 May 2003

5 comments about Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England.

1. I will admit to not being an expert on Queen Isabella. I have never read a biography on her before, so when I picked up Alison Weir's book in the store I had nothing to compare it to and enjoyed it immensely. There is wonderful period detail here, especially in the beginning, and I think the reader feels a measure of sympathy for Isabella, whose husband wasn't interested in her sexually (or emotionally it seems). My favorite part of the book was when Isabella (finally) took a lover and decided to make a stand against her husband with him. Part slighted young woman, part Lady Macbeth, Queen Isabella is a very interesting read with a few theories about Edward II's "death" I hadn't heard before (whether or not they could be accurate I can't say).



2. This is a History book. So it has just the facts, M'am. A very good History book and therefore lots of niggling details...and every detail has multiple perspectives gathered from letters and writings of the time and are based on the authors religious or nationalistic views. It is a slow read that you can put down and easily pick up again, as you will want to work your way through this beautifully written and richly informative history as seen through the mind of a very interesting queen. It covers the period of English History from the late times of Edward I (late 13th century) to Edward II and the the beginning of the reign of Edward III (mid 14th century. There is no plot so the fun is in the interesting details and analysis of those Medievil times.



3. I really tried to like this book. Inasmuch as I am an avid student of history and enjoy the tangled web of early to mid twentieth century English history, this book seemed right up my alley.
   
   I can't say that it is a bad book, but upon reflection, perhaps the most telling fact is that it took me so long to finish it. A book of this size generally takes me about a week to finish, reading for an hour or so each night before bed. Most nights, however, found me nodding off in less than half the time. Weir's style can best be described as a dry recitation of historical facts with frequent asides in which she injects her own analysis. Hardly scintillating entertainment and simply not lively enough to keep me awake.
   
   From the standpoint of substance, I can't say that I agree with her efforts to rehabiltate the universally condemned Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II of England. Isabella conspired against, overthrew, cheated on and likely participated in the murder of her husband and sovereign. According to Weir, she was simply misunderstood and unfairly judged. To my knowledge, she is the only one that believes so.
   
   In order to back up her position, Weir not only spins facts to the benefit of the Queen, but she weaves many out of whole cloth and disregards the numerous facts which clearly implicate her in the crimes for which history has condemned her. In an attempt to absolve the Queen of the crime of murder, she even trots out the old, roundly rejected canard that Edward II escaped from his captors and lived the remainder of his life as a hermit in France. This despite the public, state funeral in which the body and face of the King were clearly displayed and visible to thousands. As if an escape somehow lessens the crime of ordering the murder in the first place.
   
   Even in the cases where she concedes guilt on the part of the Queen, such as her adulterous relationship with Mortimer, she pardons the Queen, holding her to current standards as opposed to those in which she lived. In this regard, she clearly states that were Queen Isabella alive today, she would be viewed as a strong, independent woman, deserving of praise and not scorn (You go, girl). Nice theory, except for the fact that she didn't live in current times. In her day, regicide was perhaps the greatest crime and sin of the day, and adultery by a royal woman was universally punishable by death.
   
   I've read several of Weir's works and to date am not impressed. She seems to be on a personal crusade to rehabiltate the reputations of various women of the Middle Ages that for some reason or another have been judged harshly by history. I've never been a fan of revisionist history and particularly when the revisions are politically or socially motivated. This book is not only not particularly entertaining, but it's not even good history.



4. The book is heavily laced with facts to establish a place in the Medieval World. While the character of the heroine stands out clearly, sometimes the factual context surrounding events is daunting.
   It's a good read although a little too heavy on historical detail particularly in lists of "guests" or of "persons in attendance."



5. This was a great read. For those who have read the author's other books on British monarchy this one will not disappoint. It is a compelling and engaging narrative that sheds light on a historical character I knew very little about. The story of Queen Isabella's reign in England is well worth the effort.

5 comments about Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia.

1. In response to your comments on Janet Wallach's writing in "Desert Queen": Her wriing made a colorful biography and her sources fill pages at the back of the book. You noted there were no footnotes: Who wants to read footnote after footnote like in a textbook? This is a story of a very vibrant woman and why not have the author envision what Gertrude Bell might have been thinking or seeing at different times e.g., "...his dark eyes were flashing..." You could not understand why she was against women's sufferage: She was a traditionalist; she might also have thought women were not well informed enough to vote or because she thought more like a man and was so involved with men she might not have given women much weight in her world. Must everything have to be explained and analyzed in a book? Exercise your mind. This discussion from my good friend Jane Kosut, Atlantic Beach, FL> Harvard '77



2. I enjoyed learning about the fascinating life and accomplishments of Gertrude Bell and the delicate and complex Arab culture and political history. I sadly realize that the knowledge and lessons that the history provided for us so abundantly are not being applied by our current government. Should we make presidential candidates take mandatory history tests in order to qualify for their candidacy? I am not much of a history reader, but this book certainly inspired me to learn more. Also it is a shame that a person as influential as Gertrude Bell has not been well known to us as much as she deserves. The writing of this book was complex but coherent, very easy to follow and enjoyable.



3. This was my book group's pick and I could hardly wait to get it and read it; it sounded timely and fascinating. Unfortunately, it was like reading a textbook, interesting but WAY too dry. No one in our group finished it and even the brilliant woman who loves a book best if no one else understands it, didn't want to read it. I only stuck with it to page 50. Maybe it gets better as you get the author's rhythm, like Dickens. As much as I would like, I can't recommend it.



4. It's remarkable that a book written about events that took place 100 years ago has direct relevance to today, but that's just one of the many strengths of "Desert Queen." When you read about Gertrude Bell's political savvy about Iraq and the stubborness of the male politicians who ignored her advice, well, the parallels are obvious.
   
   The biggest takeaway for me was imagining Bell's life traveling through the desert to meet sheiks who were truly living in a different world. The Middle East of the 19th century still had huge populations of nomadic tribes that measured their wealth in camels. They were not a part of the Western world -- though they were highly intrigued by it. With incredible bravery and an astounding ability to overcome exhaustion and discomfort, she worked her way into the tents of sheiks who would not let another woman sit in their presence. And then after a few months of visiting and gossip, she'd take a several-week journey back to the luxury surroundings of her family's home in England. There was probably only about a 50-year window in which a person could do what she did -- the heyday of British wealth, might, and arrogance -- and she took advantage of that period perfectly.
   
   Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about how Europeans thought about and influenced the Middle East. And, in fact, that's also the source of my only criticism of the book. If you don't know a lot about Middle East geography and history, the names and places mentioned in this book can sometimes be a blur. The maps and photos are very helpful, but for someone like me who has only a superficial knowledge, it's still hard to figure out at times.



5. Janet Wallach's history of Gertrude Bell (1868-1926), Desert Queen, was read by my book club at least twice over the years, and several members have remarked that this was one of the best books the group has ever read. Hmmm. I guess they forgave the author her writing style...
   
   Without question, Bell is a fascinating subject; a woman who played a major role in Middle Eastern politics, and yet whose story has rarely been told. A brilliant, curious female, she was the first woman to earn a first-class degree in modern history at Oxford, she wrote seven influential books on the Middle East and, following WWI, was named oriental secretary to the British High Commission in Iraq. She spoke several languages fluently, including Persian and Arabic and was an expert on Arab affairs and Middle Eastern politics. She created detailed maps of the country that would become Iraq, wrote travel books, served as an intelligence agent, was instrumental in creating present-day Iraq, maneuvered to put King Faisal on the throne of the new kingdom of Iraq, became an accomplished historian and archaeologist, and founded the first museum for antiquities in Baghdad.
   
   All this she achieved while facing the obstacles and prejudices of being a woman in a man's world. She enjoyed a challenge and defied all social customs for women of her day. Being a woman was both her greatest asset and her biggest barrier in a lifetime of unusual ambition. She found women insufferably dull, and at parties she would head straight for where the men were gathered discussing important topics. Needless to say, she offended the wives and annoyed the men wherever she went. Yet she had a unique ability to endear herself or make herself indispensable to all levels of male Arab society. As a woman, she understood the subtleties of the culture, which were crucial to political success. This ability enabled her to build relationships with the people, helped her reach her goals, and gave her an important advantage over her team members.
   
   Unfortunately, what should be a lively and exciting account of one woman's incredible achievements is impeded by Wallach's dry, tedious, academic prose. Though the book's academic tone might seem to lend credibility, Wallach's level of research itself seems questionable and not as thorough as her subject deserves. While Desert Queen offers biographical information on a praiseworthy woman and an important perspective on the situation in the Middle East, it should not be considered a definitive work for either or an afternoon's light reading. Put on your hip boots, Myrtle. The slogging is heavy.

4 comments about Privilege and Scandal: The Remarkable Life of Harriet Spencer, Sister of Georgiana.

1. History, especially that which is viewed through the eyes of women, has always fascinated me. Over the last decade, one period of history that has really started to interest me is that of Georgian England, during the reigns of the five Hannoverian kings -- George I, George II, George III, George IV, and William IV.
   
   While at the time, women could not vote, directly own property, and legally were considered to be children -- they were able to have influence on, and at times manipulate, the world around them. In Privilege and Scandal author Janet Gleeson shows the life of one woman who did just that.
   
   Henrietta Frances Spencer, the youngest surviving daughter of the Earl Spencer and his wife, was beautiful, smart and possessed of a great deal of charm. As with her elder sister, Georgiana, she was expected to marry well, produce children, and be a credit to both her family and her new husband. She grew up very close to her older sister, a bond that would last all of their lives together. But Harriet, as she was known, was also passionate, determined and craved excitement in her life, all of which would eventually prove her undoing.
   
   She married, after several failed courtships, Lord Duncannon, the heir to the Earl of Bessborough and a wealthy Irish peer. And Harriet, with the help of her sister, Georgiana, now the Duchess of Devonshire, entered into London political society with full abandon. Once she had produced the necessary heirs to her husband, two sons and a daughter, she also gave into the admiration of the gentlemen around her, affairs that she tried to keep discreet, but sometimes got a bit out of hand, especially when it came to the playwright and politician Richard Sheridan.
   
   If this sounds shocking to twentieth first century readers, in a time when marriage was made more for financial gains and family connections, if the partners were discreet, and quiet about it, affairs could be tolerated. Unluckily for Harriet, her husband was very possessive and jealous, and Harriet did her best to keep things quiet. That is, until she met Lord Granville Gower, the younger son of a noble family who was possessed of outrageous good looks, a great deal of charm and brains to boot. While Harriet tried not to give in -- by this time she had given birth to a fourth son -- soon enough there were whispers of an affair, and Harriet was terrified that word would get back to her husband.
   
   And that marriage was shaky. There were rumours that there would be a divorce, and Harriet's health was already undermined from stress, several miscarriages, and what appears to be a series of strokes. She had already courted scandal by overspending, a bad habit of living and gambling on credit -- enough to where the Bessborough estates were mortgaged to the hilt, and the family was about to declare bankruptcy -- and her outspoken support of liberal politicians such as Fox and Sheridan. The pamphleteers and cartoonists of the day found both Georgiana and Harriet prime targets for satire and there were times when both women, with sometimes children, mother and servants in tow, would escape to the Continent to evade scrutiny.
   
   Then the worst happened -- Harriet found herself pregnant by Lord Granville....
   
   I'm not going to reveal much more of this story, as how it all worked out for Harriet, Georgiana, their husbands and children does make for remarkable reading. I had always wondered why the women of the Regency period had such loose reputations, especially with the later Victorians, but now, it becomes much more clear. Women were finding a new freedom, in the press, in the arts and in politics. And Harriet, determined to enjoy it all, did just that.
   
   Author Janet Gleeson creates a vivid portrait of Harriet Spencer, using Harriet's letters, those of her contemporaries, and the history of the times to write this story. The depictions of high society life in London and France are particularly strong, and compelling to read. The writing style and pacing get somewhat dry at times, and slow the book down about a third of the way through, but once Harriet meets Lord Granville, the story truly picks up again.
   
   I found Harriet to be a very interesting woman to read about, complex and at times maddening, but also very sympathetic. Gleeson, to her credit, doesn't go too far in making her subject unbelievable or overly romantic, but stays within what is known, and only rarely goes and makes conjectures about Harriet.
   
   If the name Spencer is familiar, yes, this particular Spencer family were the ancestors of that Lady Diana Spencer who would live and die so tragically.
   For those who would like to learn more about the Spencers and the world that they lived and moved in, I would recommend two other biographies, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman (republished as The Duchess and made into a film starring Kiera Knightley) and Elizabeth and Georgiana: The Duke of the Devonshire and His Two Duchesses by Caroline Chapman and Jane Dormer. All three books provide a well-rounded picture of turbulent times and a fascinating group of people.
   
   As well as the story itself, there are ample notes, two inserts of black and white photos showing portraits and places, as well a bibliography that gives hints for further reading. Happily, a genealogical chart unsnarls the complicated relationships.
   
   Four stars overall, and recommended for those interested in this period of time.



2. harriet was no stranger to private and public scandels but lived a life she wanted to.she had two unwed childern while hiding pregancy when living with her husband.running up huge gambling debts,being interest in politics when women had no say in politics at all.



3. Before I read the biographies of Harriet and Georgiana, I thought the stories of £50,000 gambling debts were just made up for romantic novels. Harriet and her sister Georgiana, members of the influential Spencer family, made "brilliant" marriages, set the fashion trends of their times, lived scandalous lives, and mixed with royalty in England and across Europe. Their interest and influence in politics were incredible for a time when women were still thought of as useless and frivolous creatures. This biography is well documented and gives a great introduction to late 18th Century English society.



4. Highly recommend this book. Harriet had a celebrated life like her more famous older sister, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Harriet's world included a who's-who of late 18th-early 19th century English society. If you liked Amanda Foreman's book on Georgiana, you will really enjoy this book on Harriet...a star in her own right.

5 comments about Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander.

1. Amazon.com has many comments already which praise the quality of this history of Cochrane. I thought it was good, also, and was impressed by how hard the author tried to present different viewpoints of some controversial circumstances in his life. I don't think I need to add anything to what has been written about the book's appeal to those with an interest in the age of fighting sail. I did not like the recording on the MP3 version, however, because of the length of each chapter. Tracks ranged from 20-35 minutes or so in length rather than most audio books that break up the tracks into 5-10 minute sections. Since I listen to audio books on the treadmill and am normally on the treadmill 35-50 minutes, I was always in the middle of a track when I quit and had to repeat that entire track the next day to hear the end of it. It was annoying as it is the only audio book I have that was done like this. The quality of the reading, the consistency in volume between tracks, and the clarity of the recording were excellent, however.



2. Many readers will come to David Cordingly's The Real Master and Commander from a desire as fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester to learn more about the remarkable man whose life provided the raw material for the tales of Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower. Make no mistake, however, Cordingly's excellent historical biography deserves to be read on its own merits.
   
   Lord Thomas Cochrane executed such stunningly audacious feats - successfully attacking much larger ships with his small sloop Speedy, leading an attack of fireships on the French fleet at Basque Roads, and helping Chile and Brazil establish their independence - that one might cry `what pitiful stuff' if one read it in a work of historical fiction. But it really happened.
   
   Cochrane was a flawed man who could not restrain himself from reckless attacks on powerful forces in the navy and the government generally. When he found himself entangled in an infamous stock exchange fraud (the leaders spread false rumors that Napoleon had died and then sold their shares when the market predictably spiked), he discovered that powerful men were only too happy to see him convicted and drummed out of the navy. Cordingly judiciously sifts the evidence of Cochrane's guilt or innocence from our vantage point nearly 200 years later.
   
   In addition to his naval feats Cochrane also fought for reform causes as a member of parliament. His intemperate tactics and language did him little good. Of course, he was quite right in insisting that either the electoral system would be reformed from within or reformed with a vengeance from without.
   
   After several years in the `wilderness', Cochrane sailed to South America and successfully aided the rebellion against Spain and Portugal. He eventually wore out his welcome there as well, in part due to fights over prize money. From there he went to the Greek Fiasco, as Cordingly aptly names it. He spent his remaining years fighting with some success to restore honor to his name. A sad dwindling away for this remarkable man.
   
   A must read for fans of Age of Sail historical fiction and an excellent histroical biography.



3. As a die hard Patrick O'Brian fan and an amateur history buff this book was intriguing to me. It is very well written and presents the life story of an amazing British Navy hero not well known today.
   
   David Cordingly does a superb job presenting the real life exploits of Cochrane, which incredibly are every bit as extraordinary as the fictional exploits of Captain Jack Aubrey in the Patrick O'Brian Master and Commander series.
   
   I highly recommend it.



4. A great story and a great read about a great commander by my new favorite author, Thank You, Sir. I am going to order "Billy Ruffian".



5. I think I am correct in saying that I have read all of the biographies of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, published in the last few decades, and I would rate this volume as the being the best of all, giving good coverage of all phases of Cochrane's long naval and political careers. Unlike some authors, Cordingly is careful to match Cochrane's own accounts of his activities against other primary sources, and to give equal balance to Cochrane's activities in the wars for South American independence with those during the Napoleonic Wars.
   
   Cochrane was an extraordinary man, his genuine history perhaps more amazing than any of the fiction inspired by his real-world activities, this is a biography that does him justice, lauding his good qualities and achievements without hiding his flaws and failures.

5 comments about The Wicked Wit of Winston Churchill.

1. A good review and background of famous quotes of Churchill. It also showed him to be a good husband and sober man, despite the rumor otherwise.



2. I am a long-time admirer of Sir Winston Churchill. As a leader he had few (if any) equals, but I have always been impressed with his sharp wit and stinging retorts. One can learn much about the man from what is found in this little book, not only from the quotes attributed to him, but also from those zingers hurled his way by friend and foe alike.
   This book is an easy read. It can be picked up for a few moments' pleasure without distracting from the greatness that is Sir Winston Churchill.



3. You do have to think about many of his quips, most are very funny in a dry, perhaps a bit cynical manner. It is sometimes difficult to place his statements in the context of WW-II (I was born in 1944 and I do have a memory of that era because it was the biggest event in my parents lives - they talked about it all the time).
   
   After a session with Mr. Churchill, I often wish American politicians had a bit of his prespective (though I reall doubt they would ever get elected).



4. 
   The wise and witty words of Winston Churchill ring throughout the 20th Century.Any that knew him personally or had anything to do with him must have waited with anticipation of hearing what he would say anytime he opened his mouth.This held true for Kings,Presidents,Generals and yes even for his family,including his grandaughter.At times, his use of silence could be as cutting
   a reply as anything he could say.No doubt, he took as much enjoyment in his words as anyone he was aiming them at.It wasn't all one way either,he seemed to love a well delivered line,even if he was the object.
   He neither claimed to be nor in fact was an'educated man',he
   was similar to Mark Twain,in that he could cut to pieces,people of much greater formal education,if they tried to engage him in 'a battle of words'.
   In his book "My Early Life" he said."It's a good thing for an
   uneducated man to read books of quotations" and described how he read "Bartlett's Quotations".It is obvious that he often used and modified others quotations.
   His friend Lord Brinkenhead quipped,"Winston has devoted the best years of his life to preparing his impromptu speeches."
   "One of Churchill's most famous speeches is that of June
   1940:'We shall fight on the beaches,we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,we shall fight in the hills...' It is said that,as he paused in the great uproar that greeted these words,Churchill muttered to a colleague next to him,'And We'll fight them with the butt ends of broken beer bottles because that's bloody well all we've got!"
   A great little book reminding us of the words of one of the great voices of the 20th Century.



5. I received this book as a birthday gift from my lovely wife. I loved this book so much I bought is twice more as a gift for a departing superior and for a friend of 10 years. Anyone who has a love of history (particularly this era) will love this book, anyone in possession of a sense of humor will appreciate this book as well.
   
   Recommended for a quick, witty read and as a gift for anyone you know with an 'off' sense of humor. We all know someone like that, are related or married to them, or publicly disavow any association with them. Regardless, buy them or yourself (ii case its you who is openly disowned) this book.

5 comments about The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory.

1. If I had to pick my favorite biography of all time, this would be it. It has of course as it's subject one of the most fasinating figures of all time. Although Winston is known primarally for his stand aganist Hitler, Manchester's book makes us realize that even if World War 2 had never occured he would still have expericenced one the most action filled and important lives of the twentith century. And Manchester has a real gift for making the past come alive. His masterful use of telling detals gives an almost tactial sense of what life must have been like in the Victorian and Edwarian ages. And there's another reason why the book is special. One of the themes is how often Churchill was mistunderstood and deried for his actions. He was widely blammed for the Gallilopi affare, for example, but the book makes clear that he had little to do with that misadventure. And there were many other episodes where he was villified and unfairly pillored. And I think that is someting we can all understand and identify with. Doesn't everyone at time feel thaat our actions,indeed our very selves are not understood by others? Winston suffered through this many times in his life, yet he remained true to him, his values, and his vision. Reading this book can give you courage.



2. The wonder of the Internet. I googled the New York Times Book Review of the Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill Visions of Glory written by William Manchester. What I read of this review dated May 25, 1983 rather stunned me. Ms. Michiko Kakutani wrote a very critical and to my way of thinking pedestrian review. I am currently a subscriber to this paper and read the New York Times Book Review faithfully every week. Good thing I was in Cleveland at this time and never read this review.
   I read this book back in 2003 with only a cursory knowledge of Winston Churchill. I learned many things which included a rather hard childhood in a privileged family of aristocracy. Randolph Churchill married Jenny Jerome of America in 1874. Winston Spencer Leonard Churchill was born on November 30, 1874. God help us all!
   William Manchester writes a splendid review of the life and times of Winston Churchill. His due diligence as to the historical narrative is indeed grand. The letters of Churchill to his parents when he matriculated at Harrow are priceless.
   Manchester describes all from Churchill's years at Sandhurst to his excursions to the U.S.A. and Canada. From his service in the Calvary in Africa, India and onto the Boer War, Winston was indeed there on the ground.
   His consistent promotion by his mother after his father's death is fully described. Also detailed is a life in upper class Victorian England. Ms. Kakutani thought that Manchester really had no concept of English life during this time frame. Oh really?!! Just what makes a 28 year old Japanese American journalist an expert on Victorian England? I found Manchester's descriptions and historical narrative of this time frame in Winston's life informative and entertaining. Martin Gilbert's narrative was informative and true but it lacked the style of Manchester's writing.
   Manchester covers Winston's entry into the House of Commons and the offices he held in high government before during and after World I. This book represents Winston's first 58 years of life. Manchester has written a classic. Unfortunately he will not complete the full life of Mr. Churchill. His second book will cover his Wilderness Years through to the start of the Second World War. He never could finish the third book. I find Manchester's biography more interesting and informative than Martin Gilbert's "Churchill a Life". So Ms. Michiko Kakutani what do you think about them apples?



3. This is a truly *massive* work, equal parts scholarship and artistry. Though volume one runs close to a thousand pages (counting notes, sources, etc.), I finished reading it this afternoon after an off-and-on reading of about two weeks, and it just flew by. Manchester crafted this with such precision care that I fell into the narrative from page one.
   
   The greatest strength of the book itself-- aside from it's subject-- is Manchester's gift of narrative. WC was the quintessential Victorian, as Manchester points out time and again throughout both volumes. It is only appropriate, then, that the author should give some feel of what it was like to live in the British Empire at the time of Queen Victoria. Some of the very best passages, in my opinion, deal with life during the last quarter-century of Victoria's reign. These are not mere digressions. These fascinating glimpses into WC's era help the reader to better understand Churchill himself, who was born a Victorian and remained one to his dying day.
   
   Manchester provides insight into British colonial administration, life in the British Raj at the end of the 19th century, and the upper class's attitudes toward sexuality and marriage. While this is fascinating in itself, Manchester goes even further and weaves a vivid tapestry of politics, history, and culture through his use of personal correspondence. It is his exhaustive use of personal correspondence-- between WC and his parents, WC and his wife and children, WC and Members of Parliament, and between all sorts of people talking about Churchill and the events in which he was caught up--- that this gives Manchester's work the feeling, not of history or even biography, but of a life too large to have been lived by one man.



4. well this is the first book i read on winston churchill . bought it in 1983 . the foreword is unforgettable but historical mistakes in it makes this work not the very best on the luife of sir winston. great prose nevetheless.same can be said of book number two.



5. Manchester is one of those writers who appears unable to disappoint. This is a book to be read and savored. For years, it sat on my shelf - I saw as a large undertaking that I wanted to do right.
   
   The book has a very interesting structure. First, it begins with a kind of interpretive introduction to the man, vividly characterizing him while also evaluating his strengths as a man of history and his glaring weaknesses. You see him, worts and all, and it is both funny and enlightening. The psychological depth is virtually unprecedented in any other bio I have read. Second, you get a view both into his milieu - as an aristocrat of talent and privilege in Victorian Britain - and a biography of both of his parents. This is crucially important, as we come to see Churchill as an anachronism, but also as a boy neglected by narcissistic parents. (Interestingly, the absence of one or both parents is a common trait in extraordinary achievers.) Third, you get his life story, more from the events he was involved in than as an intimate portrait, though much of his personal life is covered. Indeed, he used action as the most effective tonic against depression.
   
   The man that emerges is flawed and complex, but evidently a political genius. In my view, the key to his character is that he remained a Victorian gentleman, who viewed martial valor as the greatest source of meaning and glory in life. This suited him to titanic struggles, such as the one he faced with Hitler that places him in the ranks of the greatest historical figures. As an egotist, he always wanted to place himself at the center of events and yet did so with courage and tenacity in spite of his physical weaknesses. When out of power, he exercised other gifts, such as writing, with equal talent and energy.
   
   Nonetheless, Manchester proves that Churchill was not a politician deeply in touch with his constituency: he never developed a typical base of power and often his views did not synch with the mainstream. Without Hitler, his hour might never have arrived: this duality is a theme that runs through the entire book.
   
   If there is any flaw here, it is that Manchester includes a plethora of detail, not only about world events but in Churchill's political maneuverings. Normally, I delight in these details, if I know there is a purpose to all of it, which I did not always sense in this book. (Here a comparison with Robert Caro is instructive: you always know where he is going and why.) Others may see it differently, of course. Also, many of the historical details I already knew, so did not need Manchester's wordy introductions, but they were useful in the many cases of which I was ignorant.
   
   All in all, this is one of the most engrossing and fascinating bios I have ever read. Warmly recommended.

5 comments about Fever Pitch.

1. Brillant book... Almost wet my pants a few times. I relate a million percent to the obsession...
   
   Its football... Its my life... And I am American...



2. Nick Hornby's warm autobiographical book deals with his life as a football fan from 1968 (when he was a teenager) until 1992, especifically as he supported his beloved Arsenal during that time. There's some good insights about football culture (for a true football fan, football is not really an entertainment, a concept that is probably hard to understand in the US, where sports are just a part of the entertainment business) as well as football tactics (there are few good passers in the sports, he says, as hard as this might be to believe to outsiders; Liam Brady, one of his favorite players, was that rare player, a great passer). Each of the chapters (so to call them) deals with a particular football match that he remembers during that period. And along football, he also makes comments on his relationships, be it with his family or with girlfriends. What Hornby tells is the story of traditional English football in its last throes, a time when hooliganism ruled, but when it also was a genuine, integral pastime of the English people. When the Premiere League was established (in 1992, the year this book ends), and the megamoney and the huge tv contracts came along, and some clubs (like, say, Arsenal) did not put in the field a single English player, it became more of a commercial business and less of a cultural phenomenon. And while I like football, it's hard not to come out from reading this book with the impression that being a football fan at the level Hornby was is not a colossal waste of time.



3. This is simply put, a great book. I have been a fan of football for a few years now and have to admit I am always interested to read or hear about people experiences. More importantly I was always interested in how people picked their team and the life of an English fan. This is a very well written version of how someone became a life long football fan. It will keep you laughing and show you exactly how important football and sports in general can be to people.
   
   1 Warning: Do not buy this book simply because you enjoy Nick Hornby. This is a book about a football fan, not a novel. That being said if you enjoy football, or sports, and a good witty read, this book is for you!



4. I pretty much hate all forms of football. The fact that I read a book about football (to the British, that is: the rest of the world calls it soccer) from cover to cover, smirking, chuckling and at times laughing out loud, attests, once again, to the talent of Nick Hornby as a wordsmith. This book is witty and clever, incredibly insightful about obsession and definitely worth a read!



5. A 2007 summer reading list mini review
   
   If you are so passionate, it's scary about sports you must read this book. Many reviewers have said here and elsewhere that a rudimentary understanding of British Football is imperative to enjoying this book. Quite simply, they are wrong. All I knew about soccer in Britain, prior to reading this, was from watching Bend it like Beckham. However,I had no trouble following the book, as obsession translates for itself.
   
   When Hornby tries to take partial credit for Arsenal's championship seasons simply because he attended their games I related. I still feel partially responsible for the White Sox winning the World Series in 2005. The previous 2 seasons the Sox had excellent records at home but were 0-8 when I attended. The sign that states welcome to the ballpark was modified adding except Dave Roller. But that did not stop me. I bought my first and only multi ticket plan and the White Sox went on their winning journey (musical pun intended).
   
   I encourage obsessive fans of any sport to put the lessons of Fever Pitch in their arsenal (again pun intended) of sports literature.

5 comments about Good-Bye to All That: An Autobiography (Anchor Books).

1. GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT is the autobiography of the 34 year old Robert Graves, who, at this book's 1929 publication, was a former army captain who served with distinction in The Great War, an emerging poet, and a father, separated from his wife, with four young children. As a Yank, I'm not quite sure where Graves fit in the English class system of his day. But his family was distinguished and comfortable and Graves endured the bullying at Charterhouse, a prominent English public school.
   
   Certainly, the two great themes of GBTAT are life in the British army in World War I and the friendships of Graves, the poet. For anyone with special interests in the war, I recommend Chapter 15, where he describes his participation in the disastrous Battle of Loos, a poorly planned and executed debacle where many senior officers showed haughty indifference to the plight of the common soldier. Those interested in the lives of poets might read Chapter 28, where Graves describes the many poets living in his midst at Oxford in 1919. Meanwhile, Chapter 29 offers profiles of T.E. Lawrence, his friend, and Thomas Hardy, who Graves visits while biking with his wife.
   
   Graves's style in GBTAT is fabulous. This style is very efficient--he never lingers--yet also slightly discursive. This has the effect of building a rich texture around the distinctive theme of each chapter. In Chapter 9, for example, Graves describes his experiences as a rock climber. Here, his subject is the techniques and dangers of this sport, as well as its sometimes eccentric practitioners. But, he also works in a story about George Mallory, a mountaineer who died on Mount Everest, who was a friend and teacher at Charterhouse. This allows Graves to comment on the grim culture of the public schools of his day, where the beneficent Mallory was wasted. At the end of this chapter, my marginalia reads: fluid and very interesting.
   
   Likewise, Graves's voice is also fabulous. Basically, he is an honest observer, always near a center of interest, who is never seriously political. As he writes, he both sketches the traditions of his era while he personifies the aspirations and experiences of his rising generation. Once in a while, there is a dated remark. But even this adds to GBTAT, since it helps Graves summon and explore a vanished world. A great work!



2. It took me years to get around to reading this, but, "better late than never." For me, GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT turns out to exceed its reputation. It is a classic memoir by a very singular, honorable, intelligent, and compassionate man. It also is a classic first-person account of trench warfare in World War I (since the book originally was written in 1929, that conflict is referred to simply as "the War").
   
   Graves appars to have been unusually self-aware and unusually honest, both with others and himself. For me, it is that personal characteristic that most stands out. But certainly GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT is also noteworthy as an account (one of the best ever) of the otherworldliness of war as experienced by a front-line combatant. It also is notable for shedding light on the English preparatory school world and the ubiquitous class divisions of English society in the first quarter of the 20th Century. Adding to the general interest are Graves's friendships and interactions with other notables of his era, such as Siegfried Sassoon, John Masefield, T.E. Lawrence, Edmund Mallory, Thomas Hardy, and Walter de la Mare.
   
   Although quite well-written, GOOD-BYE TO ALL THAT seems to have been written almost effortlessly. There are few marks of labored craftsmanship, and the narrative is relatively informal, almost as if it were being told with wine after dinner. As with the best of memoirs, it is neither scholarly or pretentious. To give one example of its style, I offer the last sentence of the book:
   
   "And if condemned to relive those lost years I should probably behave again in very much the same way; a conditioning in the Protestant morality of the English governing classes, though qualified by mixed blood, a rebellious nature and an over-riding poetic obsession, is not easily outgrown."



3. it is the first time i have purchased a product from internet and ofcourse i had doubts if i came across with somthng wrong,problem..
   at first,i was not sure in giving my credit card numbers but later,i understood that there is no neeed to worry about this subjet.
   in addition,i am really happy to get the product before the date that amazon.com has informed me.
   i really want to thank amazon.com for sending the book that i couldnt find in anywhere..



4. Obviously a must read for all Graves fans and pre-world war Britain. Later chapters will be worth the wait for World War I fans. The reading is clear, fluid, and to the point; making it am excellent reference to the war. I gave it four stars since I am not a Robert Graves fan; although he seemed like a nice bloke.



5. If you want to learn about and from Graves, then you will love this book. The Great War was a turning point for the generation of Robert Graves just as post September 11th is a turning point for the current generation: nothing can ever be exactly the same, but it takes a great poet to put those changes into context for the rest of the world. Graves was that poet for his generation.
   Misunderstood early in life, at times labeled a subversive, after ninety years, he departed this world as a wise sage. This is the story of his early life, including his experiences in the Great War. It is a must read for any ex-soldier and for anyone who wants to understand the core of Graves' thought.

5 comments about The Lord God Made Them All (All Creatures Great & Small).

1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312498349/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
   James Herriot's book "The Lord God Made Them All" is the final book in his series about his experiences as a Scottish veterinarian, dealing with both large and small animals. His love for his patients and their owner's shines through in every story, and takes the reader through the gamut of emotions from laughing out loud to tears of frustration and empathy.
   Dr. Herriot was, without a doubt, a man who put his patients and their owners far above financial gain, and that is what sets his stories and the loyalty of his patient's owners apart from anyone in his time. If he was called, he went, no matter what time, the weather, the circumstances.
   His love for his profession may not have made him rich, but he set a standard for veterinarians everywhere that has yet to be matched.
   This is a wonderful book with only with disappointment:that it ends when the reader finishes the final page.



2. I think we've all heard of ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL. The book was brilliantly written in every way, and I thought that was that. But then he wrote a sequel, and I marveled that it was at least as great as the original. Then he did it to me again with a third book. The titles come from a famous poem or hymn, by the way. He used the second verse, for the creatures, then the first, then the third, and now we're at the fourth.
   
   I'm going to say it again. I believe I'm enjoying this one most of all. All the humor, all the spot-on accurate observation of animals, of both the four-legged and the two-legged variety. And, I'm feeling this time, a maturity in the veterinarian, the author, and the person. He still has the ability to write a chapter so touching or sad that I stop and wipe my eyes, and then read a few more so I can laugh before I put the book away for the evening.
   
   So I've read four in a row by this guy, and they all get five stars. I ordered all of mine from Amazon, but you in "the west" can probably just swing by your local library. Do so.



3. I read his books as a teen and loved them. Bought the whole set for my grandsons, [teens]. They laughed until they cried. [so did I].



4. I was verey satisfied with the whole process of ordering
   on-line and I will continue buying books this way.



5. As an animal lover, if I were to be restricted to a single author on my bookshelves, it would be James Herriot, hands down. All four books by James Herriot, The English Country Veterinarian, comprise a collection of stories that remain unsurpassed in all animal literature.