5 comments about Constitution vs Guerriere: Frigates during the War of 1812 (Duel).

1. Constitution vs. Guerriere, the latest installment in Osprey's Duel series, is one of the first to cover actions between pre-industrial era weapons (in addition to Victory vs. Redoubtable). This volume covers the four "classic" actions between American and British frigates in 1812 and it does it very well. Early on, the author makes the point that these actions were viewed with great pride by the winning side, but that they actually contributed little to military objectives. Overall, this volume is well written, data supports the main conclusions and it is graphically attractive. However, it is primarily intended for readers who want information in-depth and some technical analysis, rather than just a nautical look at the War of 1812.
   
   The volume begins with a 13-page section on the design and development of British and American frigates in the late 18th Century. Two color plates with technical data, one of the Constitution and one of the Guerriere, are included. The next section is a 5-page discussion of the strategic naval situation in 1812 and includes a map that depicts the location of the five main frigate actions. It is in the 9-page section on technical specifications that the author makes his main points about the superior firepower and protection of the American Humphreys-built frigates. The 11-page section on combatants is also interesting and includes profiles of one British and one American captain.
   
   The heart of the volume lies in the 16-page section on combat, which covers the four main frigate actions in detail. The author's combat narrative is well done and he aptly uses data to support his conclusions. Although the period artwork of these actions is excellent, the two battle scenes are very similar and don't add very much (it would have been nice if one was from the angle of the marksmen up above or below on the gun deck, instead of two deck scenes). The author's analysis in the final section is also excellent and well-supported, making clear that superior training and gunnery were the prime ingredients for victory in frigate duels. The author also provides a bibliography and a glossary. Overall, this volume is a fine addition to the Duel series and a worthy read for anyone interested in a technical look at fighting in the age of sail.



2. Mark Lardas's "Constitution vs Guerrier: Frigates during the War of 1812" provides a good introduction to the subject, with a substantial amount of technical detail (such as armament characteristics). The four main single-ship frigate actions of the war (Constitution and Guerriere, United States and Macedonian, Constitution and Java, and Chesapeake and Shannon) are all covered in similar detail (the sidebar on whether the Chesapeake in other circumstances might have beat Shannon is a nice feature), presenting the picture that superior crews rather than merely larger ships were decisive. Although the book of course is specifically about the struggle between American and British frigates, there is much in the volume that would be of interest to a reader interested in the more general toopic of naval warfare in the Napoleonic era. As can be expected from any Osprey volume, vivid, colorful illustrations are a major part, although perhaps in this particular volume, there is less emphasis on original artwork than is usual for this publisher.



3. I read a book a day. This is one of the few books I say wow too. I really learned a good deal about the handling and building of this ship. Very informative and exciting.



4. Osprey's fine guides to battles, wars and military history are top picks for any serious military library. Mark Lardas' CONSTITUTION VS. GUERRIERE: FRIGATES DURING THE WAR OF 1812 follows a duel between two 19th century sailing frigates, one of the most brutal clashes of arms in history where four famous frigate duels were fought. A vivid analysis of combatants, ships and their battles.



5. The book notes that there were several frigate duels during the War of 1812, where it was ship versus ship. Constitution versus Guerriere (1812), United States versus Macedonian (1812), Constitution versus Java (1812), Chesapeake versus Shannon (1813). Later most American ships were bottled up in harbors by British naval forces.
   
   The book begins by noting something of the romance of the frigates during this historic time frame (Page 4): "Command of a frigate was the goal of every dashing captain during the Age of Fighting Sail, the period from 1650 through 1820. Not only could a frigate beat anything it could catch and escape from anything that could beat it, but the captain of a frigate also commanded the most potent independent warship afloat."
   
   This slender Osprey volume covers life in one of these sailing warships (grim--take a look at the rations on page 39). The book covers the structure and specifications for frigates--both British and American. A table on page 21 compares some British and American frigates in terms of length of gun deck, breadth, and tonnage. Want to learn about armament and sails? You can get a nice thumbnail sketch here.
   
   Then, the story of the combatants--the sailors and the officers of these elegant warships. Brief biographies are presented for such officers as Stephen Decatur. The hi8ghlight of the book is a discussion of the fights between frigates. For instance, Constitution versus Guerriere (pages 48-54), including a sketch of the maneuvers of the two vessels.
   
   All in all, a nice addition to Osprey's "duel" series.

5 comments about We Who Dared to Say No to War: American Antiwar Writing from 1812 to Now.

1. I heard this book discussed on Lew Rockwell's podcast, and purchased it. As I began to read through it, I was amazed that no matter the date or the particular circumstance that instigated the individual treatise, each was relevant to contemporary events. The same lies today's war party uses to pervert and exploit citizens' inherent patriotism have been used by the purveyors of endless conflicts throughout United States history.
   
   I will leave an in-depth review to those more qualified, but I was pleasantly surprised by Alexander Campbell's "Address on War", William Jennings Bryan's assailing of imperialism, everything about Randolph Bourne's famous dissecting of the State's need for perpetual war, and Helen Keller's wisdom. The entire book is filled with extraordinary quotes from these and many other clear-headed individuals from our storied past.
   
   Regardless of the various authors' backgrounds, political ideologies, etc., there is a unbreakable thread of moral/intellectual valor that permeates this compilation. These men and women, "in heart and conscience free," with integrity, fought against daunting odds. They often suffered for speaking the truth. We who oppose war today for religious/moral reasons or political pragmatism (or both) have been given their writings as an invaluable heritage. Many thanks to Murray Polner and Thomas Woods, Jr. for editing this book, for making these articles accessible to the greater public, and for preserving these priceless gems of wisdom for other generations. We look forward to a sequel!



2. THOSE WHO DARED TO SAY NO TO WAR is a collection of essays edited by Thomas Woods (a conservative whatever that term means) and Murry Polner who is supposed to be a "leftest." These essays were written by thoughtful men and women who spanned the political spectrum. Some of these essays were written by devout religious men and women. Some were written by pacificists while others were written by career military men who were officers. Readers should note that each section of the essays has an introduction written by the editors helping to explain the historical background the these essays.
   
   The first essays dealt with the War of 1812. Danial Webster's speech opposing military conscription to fight the British is an eloquent defense of individual liberty and a serious attack on military conscription which Webster argued was slavery and outright murder. Webster carefully diagnosed military conscription as a means of separating husband and wife, father from children, etc. Webster was not shy in explaining that to conscript men to invade Canada, or anywhere else for that matter, was a clear violation of freedom and an advance toward slavery. Webster proved prophetic in this speech.
   
   The second section of this book dealt with essays that expressed opposition to the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). An interesting item in these essays was the later Pres. Abraham Lincoln's speech opposing the U.S. unprovoked invasion of Mexico in 1846. William Goodell's essay that the Mexican-American War was a war for the expansion of slavery is true. Contrary to standard shallow textbook accounts, Goodell is bluntly clear that the Mexican authorities made no move whatsoever to start hostilities with the U.S. Goodell cited others whose investigations came to the same conclusion.
   
   The following section dealing with the Civil War. Two essays are from clergymen from the Confederacy and the North who opposed the Civil War and suggestions that members of the cloth should not serve as chaplins. One essay contained a plea to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, to honor the pleas of conscientious objectors to not participate in the armies of the Confederacy. The best essay was written by Lysander Spooner, a peaceful anarchist, who was clear in his assessment of the actual causes of the Civil War. Spooner argued that Northern bankers and industrialists were never opposed to slavery as long as the Southern plantation class cooperated with tariffs, Northern banking interests including loans for slaves, and other Northern economic and political schemes. However, once the Southern leaders said no to these Northern intersts, the Northern elite suddenly opposed slavery. One should note that Spooner was an active Abolishionist.
   
   The following section contained selections opposing the U.S. provocation of the Spanish-American War. One very interesting essay was written by William Graham Sumner who argued that the Spanish ultimately won this war even though their military performance was disasterous, and the early fighting ended in less than a year. Sumner's thesis was that the new imperialists, the Americans, were becoming like the Spanish imperialists of the 16th. century in that the Americans were becoming the new imperialist forgetting their past political tradition of a Constitutional Republic. Another short but intersting piece was written by an unidentified mother from Kentucky titled "A Lament from Kentucky." American mothers should read this essay. The essay titled "The Pesky Anti-Imperialist" was a good retort to those who whine that those who oppose military intervention are somehow un-American. Wendall Garrison, who wrote this essay, effectively argued that his use of his First Amendment Rights was as American as could be. He also stated that his reminder that Americans were to have a limited republic based on the U.S. Constitution was as American one could be. His one comment deserves repeating when he wrote, "...Anti-Imperialism is only another name for old-fashioned Americanism..."(page 99).
   
   The essays re World War I were prophetic. Robert La Follette delivered prophetic remarks about Pres. Wilson's insanely idealistic reasons for U.S. entry into this war. La Follette was blunt when he stated that those who did the fighting, dying, tax paying, etc. were not the same wealthly men who profitted from the war or any war. La Follette's statement that the taxes that paid for the wealthy bankers' loans would exponentillay increase, and if enough folks became alert,there could "be hell to pay." La Follette excorated those who claimed Wilson was one the side of freedom. The Russians were ruled by an authocracy while the British had a hereditary monarch. Wilson claimed he wanted to spread freedom and justice while the Americans were subjected to high-handed violations of Freedom of Speech and lynch mobs murdering dissenters. This was certainly something that Wilson and the American should never have been proud of in "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave." One of the essays following LaFollette's remarks was written by Ralph Bourne who coined the phrase, "War is the health of the state." Bourne stated simply and clearly that war gives power to governments to violate rights and use rigid compultion at the expense of most Americans.
   
   The essays re World War II begin with Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy who was chief of Staff to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. This brief quote expressed Adm. Leahy's opposition to the use of nuclear weapons against the Japanese when they were already begging to surrender. The MacArthur (Gen. MacArthur)Memorandum, sent to the President in February of 1945, stated the Japanese wanted to quit which was relayed by the Soviets to MacArthur who in turn sent this suggestion to the President. The essays begin with Jeannette Rankin who was the only member of Congress to vote against the U.S. declaration of War during World War I and II. Rankin was aware that U.S. entry into W.W. I was due to fears of American bankers that should W.W. I end in a stalemate that these bankers would get the money they lent to the allies which was never paid anyway. The essay, taken from the journal LIBERATION in 1958, was perceptive. Rankin reported the documents of conversations between Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Pres. Roosevelt promised he would put such economic pressure on the Japanese that with British and Dutch help would goad the Japanese into firing the first shot to start U.S.entry into World War II. As an aside, a vast literature has been written that has been thoroughly documented. The essay titled "ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE WAR" was very perceptive. The usual assumptions that love, freedom, etc. would ensue were false illusions. Big Communist vastly expanded as did communist concentration camps and mass murder regimes.
   
   Two of the essays worth noting re the Cold War were written the late Sen Howard Taft and his severe criticism of Pres. Truman's assertion that the President could send U.S. Troops anywhere without a congressional war declaration or approval. Sen. Taft detailed the problems and possible disasters that could result from such a carte blanche grant to the President or anyone else in power. This essay was followed by Pres. Eisenhower's Farewell Speech in which Eisenhower warned Americans of the dangers and expense of "The Military-Industrial Complex." The sad fact is that too many Americans have such short memories that this serious warning has been neglected.
   
   The essays re the Vietnam War are just as important. One good essay was written by General David M. Shoup who was the former Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. He argued that U.S. authorities should mind their own busness. The other essays argued that the nonsense that the U.S. should have supported the South Vietnamese elite in the name of freedom. This was farce when the reality that there was no freedom in South Vietnam. The fact is the Vietnam war was a small civil war due to U.S. refusal to honor the terms of the Geneva Accords made in 1954 when the French were forced to leave Vietnam.
   
   The essays dealing with "The War on Terror" and the disasters incubating in Iraq and Afghanistan are good. The arguement that U.S. policy makers have squandered American good will due to stupidity, international ignorance, and insane hubris makes historical sense. These essays state clearly that U.S. policy makers have made enemies out of allies and have underminded U.S. foreign policy and economic well being for a long time. Hopefully, the American citizenry will become alert to all of this.
   
   This is a book worth the time. The essays were written by diverse men and women who know what war does to people. One minor criticism is that the editors, who did a good job of writing and editing, should have included Gen. Smedley Butler's book titled WAR IS A RACKET. Smedley Butler was the first American to be awarded the Medal of Honor twice, and he also received France's highest military honors during World War I. The book is long, but the introductory essays are helpful to understand the historical context of the collections of essays. Thoughtful readers will gain insight to the possible disasters that could befall the U.S.
   



3. Arrived promply and in good condition. The book has interesting information about the war protestors of all the wars we have been engaged in.



4. Agree with the pacifist position or not, this book has compiled a number of brilliant and convincing essays and speeches against the wars in which the United States has been involved from 1812 to today. Although the editors are libertarians, the focus on the book is more on the antiwar writings of the contributors than on any conservative/libertarian agenda. For example, one of the most compelling speeches included was by Eugene Debs, the Socialist candidate for president (and vehement opponent of World War I) at the beginning of the last century. The thing that I found to be of most value was the fact that the underlying arguments against war -- whether the American Civil War, either of the World Wars, or today's current conflicts -- are the same: war is immoral, war is expensive, war doesn't permanently solve any problems (let alone bring peace), and, at base, war is simply wrong.



5. This book is a wonderful treasure trove of essays and speeches against war all collected into one place. This is a great book edited by the great Dr. Tom Woods and Murray Polner. Within its pages you will find brave men and women who stood against the tides of popular sentiment to say NO. The war of 1812, the Mexican war, the war between the states, the Spanish-American war, the Philipine-American war, WWI, WWII, the cold war, the war in Vietnam, the war in Afghanistan and in Iraq are all represented and general essays against the military-industrial complex and warfare round out this book. The is a great book and a great sampling of American history. There are some essays and speeches in this collection that are a must-read for every thinking American. Murray Rothbard's "War, Peace, and the State" is essential. I can also heartily recommend the great list at the end of the book by Butler Schaffer of Great AntiWar Films. More than anything, walking away from reading this book will fill you with a sense of conviction over the immorality of warfare and make you feel deep disgust for both the political left and the political right in our country that are both entrenched into the warfare state. The Dems and the Repubs truly are the "War Party." More than touching the emotions, this book will make you think. In this book you get a broad sampling of leftists, rightists, paleolibertarians, etc. If you have the slightest inclination that there is something terribly wrong with the current "American" view of war, this book is invaluable.

5 comments about Little House by Boston Bay.

1. I was terribly disappointed to find after purchasing this book as well as book 2 in the series that it is an abridged version. I wish that fact had been advertised on Amazon as I would have searched for an older complete version.
   
   I love the series, but I and my children want the original version, not a shortened one.



2. Warning - you will enjoy this book, and the series will not be finished according to the author herself. The author Melissa Wiley wrote this on her blog:
   
   
   "The Time Has Come, the Walrus Said...
   ...to talk about Little House. Many of you have written to ask when my next Martha or Charlotte book will be published. Plans have been in flux for over a year now, but it's time to address your questions.
   As I mentioned here recently, HarperCollins has launched new paperback editions of Laura's books which feature photographic covers and no longer contain the Garth Williams illustrations. (The Garth Williams art will remain in the hardcover editions and the colorized paperback editions.)
   There are also going to be some changes in the other Little House series. The Martha, Charlotte, Caroline, and Rose books are being reissued in abridged editions. If you wish to read these books in their original, complete forms, you'll want to pick them up now before the unabridged editions go out of print. In at least one case ( On Top of Concord Hill, a Caroline book), the original is already out of print and is hard to find. (A reader recently told me copies are selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay.)
   The abridged editions of my books and the Caroline and Rose books will be released with new covers this summer. They are significantly shorter; in some cases more than a hundred pages have been cut from the original edition.
   In light of these changes, I have decided not to continue writing Martha and Charlotte books. Although it is indeed strange to know that I will not tell the rest of their stories (especially the story of Martha and Lew's romance, for which I have been sowing seeds since the first books), I do not think it is such a bad thing to end my part of the story with Beyond the Heather Hills and Across the Puddingstone Dam. In both of those books, I had the opportunity to say something about what is good and true and enduring in this world. Martha glimpsed it, looking into the eyes of her infant niece. Charlotte glimpsed it in the eyes of her mother, the grown-up Martha, who endured the worst kind of loss but, through faith, managed to keep hold of--and share--her joy.
   It will be difficult to say goodbye to these girls who have been to me like my own children. I have loved watching them grow. I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to, in the words of Gail Godwin, "respectfully imagine" them and chronicle their stories.
   As I said, my decision to leave the series has been in the works for quite some time. Meanwhile, I've been working on new projects and am quite excited about my current novel, which is about neither a Scottish lass nor a New England villager, but something completely different. Stay tuned...
   
   You Guys Are Great
   Thank you so much for the outpouring of support and well wishes you have given in the comments from yesterday's post. You all are wonderful, and it's a blessing to have such passionate readers!
   Some questions naturally arose in the comments, and I thought I'd tackle a few of them here. One important point is that HarperCollins doesn't think of the abridgements as dumbed-down. I do, and that I am strongly opposed to the dumbing-down of children's literature must be obvious from my decision to walk away from a series of books that has been my heart's work for the past decade. Although I came to the decision many months ago, the shock of it still takes my breath away sometimes. I love Martha and Charlotte, really love them. Like daughters. I have written certain scenes between Martha and Lew in my mind a hundred times. I'm sorry that I will not be sharing them with you, more sorry than I can express.
   My decision to quit also had serious ramifications for my family. Had I continued with the series, we would still be living in Virginia; Scott would still be a work-at-home freelancer. So quitting was not a decision I made lightly; it had teeth.
   And yet, if you read this blog then you know my stance on giving children the highest caliber of literature--not a slimmed-down version of what had been a carefully crafted novel. And so, when it became clear that my publishers were committed to their decision to abridge, I made what I believe to be the right decision--the only decision I could have made. Doing the right thing, I tell my children, is almost never the easy thing.
   Certainly, this was a very hard thing to do.
   But as I said, while I see the abridgement as dumbing-down, I must say in all fairness that I don't believe my publishers see it that way at all. They see this as an opportunity to bring the books to a younger audience, a way to keep the series in print. The decision was presented to me with excitement and enthusiasm; I really think they were surprised that I was dismayed by it.
   I bear them no ill will; indeed, I shall be sorry not to be working with my wonderful HarperCollins editor anymore. She is a gem. I simply disagree, quite gravely, with this publishing decision. I do think children deserve the very best books we can give them. The books I wrote, the books that were carefully and lovingly edited by not one, but two top-notch editors (the great Alix Reid, who edited all eight of my novels, not to mention Newbery winner Ella Enchanted, has since left the publishing world for other pursuits), are, I truly believe, literature of high quality. And I don't think they are too hard, or too long, for young readers. I have heard from too many enthusiastic young readers to believe otherwise.
   HarperCollins has made a business decision, and I disagree with it on principle, as an author, a reader, and a mother. I think chopping up the books is a mistake. But--and this is very important--publishers respond to trends in the marketplace. They make decisions based upon what sells. If you, as consumers (readers, parents, booklovers), want to influence publishing trends, you must do it (I am sorry to say) with your pocketbooks. The big publishing houses don't read our blogs; they don't know how we feel about literature versus twaddle. They only know what sells.
   I see both sides of this coin, because I live on both sides. I'm a homeschooling mom with a modest household income, and frugality is a must. I'm also a writer whose livelihood depends on people spending money on books. Years ago, Scott and I made a conscious decision to strike a balance between these two competing identities: we resolved not to buy used if the book is still in print and the author is still alive. We buy new books in hardcover as often as possible, because that too sends a message to a publisher. And if we read a book at the library and truly love it, we try to buy a copy of it too.
   (Now you know why I have cheap furniture and don't dress well. All the discretionary income goes to books.)
   So. I'm deeply gratified that you are ordering copies of my unabridged novels while you can still get them. Deeply gratified--yesterday was a goosebumpy day as the comments and emails came pouring in. But if you really want to show your support for the principles on which I stand, go out and buy a new copy of The Penderwicks. In hardcover, if possible! "
   
   Pretty sad. Don't say you weren't warned. You will want to know how MArtha ends up and none of us will ever find out.



3. Charlotte Tucker, the then future grandmother of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, is featured in this book. Charlotte, then 5 in 1812 faces her nation at war. She lives in the Boston area and resents the British blockade because of its direct impact on her life. Since many Patriots (New Englanders, citizens who have cut ties with England) have boycotted British products and businesses, many families did without certain items. Charlotte chafes at not having molassses, which was a treat brought across the Atlantic from England.
   
   I enjoyed this personal look at a period of history and I was captivated by the Boston history. Boston is the Cradle of United States History.



4. Book arrived quickly and in shape described. I am very satisfied with the seller. Thanks.



5. My daughter has already read the Laure Ingle Wilder series and loved them so much she wanted to read more from the series. I encourage it not because it is good to read (though it is), but also because I love the fact that I don't have to worry about inappropriate material in these books. They were shipped fast and well packaged. It was a winner all around.

5 comments about When the Mississippi Ran Backwards : Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes.

1. This is an interesting book but somewhat disorganized. The best part was when the author was describing the earthquakes and all that occurred. The historical facts were well researched. This book would make a good source of material for any researcher.



2. Well, speaking of earthquakes...this is one book that I've meant to review for quite a while and now, with a typhoon set to arrive at any moment, we'll begin.
   
   Jay Feldman has written a fascinating study of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811--1812 which takes us through the politics of Native-American removal, the advance of the industrial revolution, internationsl politics, the horrors of slavery, the science of geology, the physics behind it, and all points in between. Not only does he give us a look at first-hand accounts of the tragedy itself--in which a series of quakes (some of which would have measured a mind-boggling 8 or higher on the Richter scale!) refashioned several hundred miles of the American frontier, and explains in a cogent fashion the arcana of seismology so that a layman can understand exactly what happened; but he gives us four focci through which we see how the quakes impinged on society, impelling savants, scoundrels and even seers to their peculiar destinies. He deftly interweaves the stories of Tecumsah, the gifted orator who attempted to set up a pan-tribal league to oust white domination of North America; the first riverboat, built and piloted by Theordore Roosevelt's great uncle; the grisly death of a slave at the hands of Thomas Jefferson's nephews and the consequent frontier justice; and the career of a scoundrel who plotted against American shipping interests, yet still managed to attain high distinction in the military, and was not found out until after his death. Each of these turbulent stories happened at the same time and reached their crises and denouements as Nature turned herself upside down and islands disappeared, new lakes fashioned themselves in front of disbelieving eyes, columns of water and sand blew into the air and wild birds were so frightened that they alighted on the arms of astonished on-lookers.
   
   Feldman is in complete command of his sources, and recounts the various stories in a gripping manner. It's rare for a book of history to be a page-turner, but this one certainly is.
   
   I guess the saga of Nicholas Roosevelt and his wife Lydia gripped my imagination the most. Nicholas designed and built the New Orleans, the first steam-boat to navigate the Mississippi. As fate would have it, Nicholas unwittingly chose the year of the quakes to test the New Orleans against the potentially murderous waters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. As anyone who's ever read Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi knows, the river was filled with perils for those who were fortunate enough to captain river boats in more cultivated times; but can you imagine navigating the "American Nile" for the first time ever? In addition, Roosevelt's wife insisted on coming along, even though she was due to give birth during the trip. Roosevelt's little girl was also with them as well as the family dog. Moreover, the Mississippi was the haunt of river pirates, the war-gound of Native-Americans, and the catch-all for all manner of rough and tumble individuals who lived comfortably outside the reach of the law. But the crowning danger was the night that the Mississippi did indeed flow backwards! Did the Roosevelts and their ship survive?
   
   Read the book.



3. I would have liked to have given this book more than a two star rating. However, for those who wish to discover more about the New Madrid earthquake, you probably won't find it here. Somewhere between steamboats on the Mississippi, relations with local Indian tribes, and the War of 1812 the story of the quake is minimally told.
   
   A glaring error is found on page 227 where the author states that at the Battle of New Orleans the British troops fought with Wellington at Waterloo--a battle that occured six months later. This type of mistake is untenable in that it draws a conclusion within its assertion and suggests the possibility of other errors throughout the text.
   
   Readers of history would be better served by David McCullough or Joseph E. Ellis.



4. Unfortunately, this book's Title is a misnomer as it promises so much and goes backwards from there. It is as if the author were unsure - did he want to write about an historical period in time (1800 to say 1815), or about some very important events (the first steamboat down the Mississippi which just happened to coincide with one of the New Madrid Quakes), or about the not as important but certainly tawdry tale of a failed branch of the Jefferson family. It seems he chose to weave the tales together and, by doing so, did justice to none. He does explore some interesting historical events that coincided in time with the quakes, but fails to make any of the events real or meaningful, leaving the reader wondering why he bothered to write this ultimately superficial book.



5. 
   
   It's a shame more wasn't written down (letters, diaries) in the aftermath of the New Madrid earthquakes as this would have given the author more to work with. As it is, he basically stretches what probably would work best as an article in American Heritage magazine into a book stuffed with a lot of events (the Battle of New orleans? Really? Why?) The historical figures he concentrates on are interesting, but he's kind of stretching things when he tries to tie them all together.

5 comments about The Star-Spangled Banner (Reading Rainbow Book).

1. our four-year-old claims this is his FAVORITE book. Perhaps it is because his mother chokes up and tears drop to her cheeks as she reads this book. We have found that this is an excellent read-aloud and has stretched our four-year-old's language skills in many ways. As if The Star Spangled Banner weren't moving enough, the arrangement of pictures flows along with the words of the song to create an image of heroics and bravery. In addition, little incidentals like soldiers feeding their horses and wet clothes hanging to dry aboard ship cause us to remember that these were real people fighting. Peter Spier mixes history with the present as he causes us to remember what these men were fighting for. We see schools and businesses, Arlington Cemetery and the Statue of Liberty, cities and rural farms, synagogues and churches, Amish buggies and a Friends Meeting House all as evidence of our cultural diversity. We also see that the fight continues as we witness a renovation project and scientists working in a lab. The first, second and fourth verses are illustrated. The pictures help the capable parent define words such as "conceals" and "discloses." In addition, the artwork contains so much information and story that conversation just develops as the book is read. There is an oustanding collection of Flags of America and a thorough history of the War of 1812. The words to all four verses of the Star Spangled Banner and the music by J Stafford Smith follow. Peter Spier is becoming our hero as the author of our favorite children's books.



2. Peter Spier is one of my favorite illustrators of children's books. Here, his illustrations for three verses of Francis Scott Key's poem and song, "The Star-Spangled Banner," provide an excellent introduction for children to the meaning behind his famous lyrics.

   I usually read this aloud to primary classes around a patriotic holidays. This year, because of our late school year, I read it for Flag Day. Since the words and historical setting are unfamiliar to most younger students, I have begun introducing this book with "The Story of 'The Star Spangled Banner,'" which can be found in "The Children's Book of America," edited by William J. Bennett. These two volumes make fine companions.

   Even with this introduction, Key's text needs explaining, however with Spier's finely detailed illustrations, this task is much easier. Children love to examine the intricacies and they usually come up with some excellent comments and questions. On the page featuring Arlington National Cemetery, they ask about who died in battle, why some of the grave markers are stars instead of crosses, and why the flag is flying at half-mast.

   Our copy of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is nearly worn out from heavy use. That should say something about the popularity of this excellent patriotic book.




3. This book is great for young minds learning about the great history of America. It reminded my son and I of the opportunities we have here because of the freedom we enjoy and that is due to the many brave soldiers who have fought over the years for that very purpose. Also, wonderful illustrations!!!



4. I purchased this book for my youngest grandson. Andrew was in first grade and had discovered the library! The problem was he loved this book so much that he didn't want to turn it back in. My daughter in law got notes from the librarian that it was late. She searched out the book, put it in Andrew's backpack and firmly told him that he had to return it. Sure enough, days later she would again hear from the librarian. He even cried when he was told that he had to turn it in.
   
   I went on this site to see if I could possibly find The Star-Spangled Banner in the exact form...it is an older book. Sure enough here it was. I talked to Andrew and told him I had ordered him his very own copy of the book and that he could now give the book back to the library. He did. I did.
   We all lived happily ever after.
   
   The book is great. The illustrations are wonderful. The words are timeless...the actual words to the song. Maybe your little ones would love to have this as much as Andrew does!



5. Thanks so much for this book! My girls are going to really enjoy it.

5 comments about 1812: The War That Forged a Nation (P.S.).

1. Good, very readable overview of the war of 1812 from an American perspective. Serious history scholars will want more but for the casual reader this book makes a great read.
   
   The author does a good job of outlining the convoluted reasons for how and why we got into the war. Along the way we are introduced to many colorful characters, ranging from the heroic to the hapless and corrupt. The war ends simply because each side is war weary, leaving the reasons for the war unresolved.
   
   I disagree with the author's ultimate conclusion that the war of 1812 "forged a nation". However, I do recommend the book.



2. This is a very readable account of the War of 1812 aimed at ordinary readers who want to learn more about it. Borneman is not really a historian, or at least not an academic historian; this is reflected in his bibliography which consists mostly of secondary sources. So, there is nothing new here that has not been told in other books. But I don't have any problem with that. I got just what I wanted from the book: a brief history (under 300 pages) of the war that was informative, accurate, well organized, and enjoyable to read. Some reviewers have criticized Borneman's writing style which is very familiar and conversational; I did not mind it.
   
   Borneman sensibly split his narrative into 3 parts: "Drumbeats", "Bugles", and "Finale". The first covers the events that lead to the war. The second covers the first part of the war in which America took the offensive, attempting several times to conquer parts of Canada. The third covers the last year of the war during which American was on the defensive against an England no longer restrained by the Napoleonic War in Europe. He does a good job covering both the land and naval engagements. While there are some maps, some extra or improved ones would have helped since some locations described in the text were not on any maps.
   
   My only real caveat (which other reviewers have shared) is that Borneman claims on his final page (and his subtitle) that the War of 1812 made the United States more united and changed the nature of the "United States" from a plural to a singular term. Given the fact (which he acknowledges) that we still had to fight the Civil War, this seems farfetched. While it might be true that Americans after the war chose to fondly remember their victories and forget their defeats, there was still a lot of division between the different regions of the country. It took a lot longer for the "United States" to really be a singular entity.



3. Just want to preface my review with the fact that I'm in my 20's, was a history major in college, and enjoy reading history books now for fun, to expand my knowledge, but will read these books on a plane, at the beach, and other non-quiet locations so I'm not reading them very intensely. That being said ...
   
   I just could not get into this book. I've always loved the War of 1812 and James Madison so I was excited by seeing this book, the synopsis, and particularly the length of the book. Books on this war tend to be too long because it is not one that many people seem to "care" about. I cannot say, however, that Borneman did a poor job; he simply does not write a way that I like to read. I think this book was written more in a format of a lecture instead of a book (and I think I would have enjoyed the lecture). I found myself reading line after line after line after line (literally there would be four points in one sentence) and by the time I was finished I realized I ended up two years and three generations later than when I began the sentence. Make sense? Exactly my point.
   
   Borneman tends to go off on tangents that are meaningless and very hard to follow. Again, these side stories, if you will, would be interested in a lecture style format but are hard to follow while reading. The book is well-researched, and I enjoyed certain parts of the book which were then filled by technical details about the number of boats lost, the number of sailors lost, and then far-fetched opinionated statements that consistently made me question the author's credibility.
   
   In the end I think my frustration with the book is personal preference (but my frustration did cause me to write a review which I rarely do). If you want to read a history book that is easy to follow but will still teach you something I recommend Joseph Ellis. If you want technical military details thrown around trite sentences amongst puns, juvenile expressions, and silly opinions (Borneman clearly thinks very little of Jefferson and Madison's presidency) you might enjoy this book.
   
   In one sentence: the book was all over the place and hard to follow. Borneman's research should be lauded, but his editor should be looking for another job.



4. I found this book to be very interesting and readable. The author writes in a conversational and easy to understand manner. Also, the chapters are easily digestible and discuss the key events in the war in a colorful way that brings them to life.
   
   One element that would have improved this book is more maps of the battles that occurred. Without maps, it was hard to figure out where the participants were fighting geographically and what tactics helped one side or the other win.
   
   I also felt a sense of detachment from the participants. The author does not spend a lot of time delving into the mindsets of the key commanders. It would have been interesting to learn of the thoughts and emotions each side was experiencing (including the President) to make the experience more real.
   
   Overall, though, this book is very interesting.



5. Walter R. Borneman's "1812, The War That Forged A Nation" is a readable and well-written account of one of America's least understood conflicts. The book begins and ends with the political moves in both Washington and London that brought about the war, but the bulk of the narrative is operational and tactical history. The emphasis on the military side of the conflict at the expense of the political side may be off-putting for some readers who enjoy a greater context and are happy with only brief descriptions of armies marching. This is not to say that Borneman's account is completely lacking in political considerations. Indeed, his chapter on the Hartford Convention is very illuminating, but the soul of this book is very much military history. Borenman's accounts of America's naval wars in the Atlantic and upon the great lakes are first rate, as is his description of the great land battles in Canada and the British burning of Washington D.C. Perhaps the best reading in this book is his clear, straight-forward account of the battle of New Orleans. One can almost smell the powder and blood in the air as the British made the same mistake before Jackson's position as Robert E. Lee was to make at Gettysburg nearly fifty years later with Pickett's Charge. While occasionally prone to offering flourishes that come of as a little less than scholarly, Borenman nevertheless largely succeeds in presenting this chapter in American history.

5 comments about The Far Side of the World (Vol. Book 10) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels).

1. I am working through Patrick O'Brian's famed Aubrey-Maturin series in order, and am both proud and sad to say that I've reached the midway point with Book 10, "The Far Side of the World." But it is without reservation that I say that this is my favorite novel in the series so far.
   
   Part of that enjoyment stems directly from my enjoyment of first nine books in this series - this is not an example of one sterling novel in a series of sub-par efforts. Rather, I appreciate "Far Side" for the new directions where O'Brian is willing to take the characters he has established so well.
   
   The first nine novels can be safely broken down into "Aubrey novels" or "Maturin novels". The "Aubrey novels" have plots that follow the personality of Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey - they are action packed, with taut sea-chases and horrific broadsides. "Master & Commander" and "The Mauritius Command" fall into that category. The "Maturin novels," on the other hand, focus their plots on Dr. Stephen Maturin and his spy-games. "The Surgeon's Mate" is one of these novels. While all the novels feature the classic O'Brian love of language, their plots tended to focus on one over the other.
   
   "Far Side" takes a new tack, as in this novel Aubrey is charged with tracking down an American frigate, the "Norfolk," that is harrassing British whalers in the Pacific. So there is lots of sailing - they have to get to the Far Side of the World, after all. O'Brian reveals himself as a travel writer of surpassing skill as he describes the wild sights that enchant the naturalist Maturin, including the Galapagos Islands. For the nature-lovers in O'Brian's cast of characters, the thought of spying a new type of beetle is just as romantic a notion as encountering a pod of eighty-ton sperm whales.
   
   In addition to some spectacular travel writing, O'Brian musters up fights, murder, mayhem, shipwrecks, and even the sub-plot of Aubrey and Maturin winding up lost at sea, only to be rescued by seafaring Polynesian/Amazonians. The novel twists and turns, but always seems both plausible and restrained. Look for a lot of humor and touch-and-go action in this novel, and the novel's conclusion is highly satisfying and yet leaves one panting for Book 11, "The Reverse of the Medal."
   
   Be warned - despite its title, this is not the sole O'Brian novel that was used to make the fantastic Peter Weir movie, "Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World." That movie borrowed several plots and ideas from many different novels in the entire series - you will surely recognize some of them in this book, but not all. For fans of the movie, this is a good thing - it will encourage you to read all the other novels as well. And you will be glad you did.



2. The 10th book in the Aubrey-Maturin seagoing series. This was my least favorite so far in the series. O'Brian's books are always episodic, rather than plot-driven, but this story seemed even more of a collection of random incidents than usual. In this book, the Surprise is sent to protect the British whaling fleet in the Pacific. Along the way, there's adultery, a murder, a shipwreck, sharks, a lesbian band of runaway Polynesian women, and much, much more. Maybe O'Brian had writer's block and a deadline when he wrote this one, or maybe he was just "having us on."



3. This was perhaps one of the best novels in the series. For those that enjoyed the film, loosely based on this book and others from the Aubrey-Maturin set, the book is far greater than the movie. I greatly enjoyed this volume in the series.



4. One of the better of the series, perhaps because, as O'Brian explains in his introduction, he has mined out the history books for dramatic sea stories of the time, so is turning to strictly fictional action for this book.
   
   This time, Aubrey's beloved Surprise, apparently headed for the boneyard, is instead drafted to try to cut off an American war ship before it turns the Cape of Good Horn to prey on English whalers. Through doldrums and storms, he comes up short, which takes the chase into the South Seas where a dramatic rescue of Aubrey and Matarin from a tiny coral outcrop and the stranding of the pair with a small contingent from the Surprise on a not-quite deserted island makes for some fine dramatic and comic writing (and reading!).
   
   Eleventh in the series: The Reverse of the Medal



5. In my case the fascination with the o'brian books came slowly- and admittedly the detail and complexity involved in many becomes tedious. But once you read the first couple (in sequence) you're hooked. Great history research and engaging plots.

5 comments about Sharpe's Company (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #13).

1. The adventure just doesn't stop. It is worth the read. Keep it up, Mr. Cornwell.



2. If you're reading them in chronological order, rather than the order Cornwell wrote them in, this one has a greater intensity than the earlier Spanish books. Some enjoyable elements have returned. Sharpe is truly up against the career wall once more, his provisional appointment to Captain denied. He has a real love interest, his earlier dalliance with Spanish partisan Teresa Moreno taking a more serious turn. Harper's career is in jeopardy as well with the return of Sharpe's nemesis Obadiah Hakeswill, absent since the end of the third book, "Sharpe's Fortress" and the Indian battle of Gawilghur almost a decade before. All this fateful tension takes place against the backdrop of a monumental battle, the British assault on the heavily fortified city of Badajoz, held by the French and essential to any invasion of Spain. The heavily walled city is surrounded by a dozen strongpoints, water on two sides and modern fortifications elsewhere.
   
   Losing his company to a well-born stranger with no experience, the now merely Lieutenant Sharpe must plot his future as the British wallow in the winter mud outside Badajoz waiting to breach its walls.
   
   Cornwell's best writing in this series has been about 18th century siege warfare - the battering of the walls with artillery, use of the rubble as a ramp up to the broken part of the wall, and the hell the first invaders must go through to sieze the hole, after which they are invariably dead, or heroes. It is this and nothing but this, Sharpe thinks, that will win him back his captaincy.
   
   Cornwell's writing of the storming of Badajoz, and the pillaging of it by British troops, has a special and fearful intensity to it, his best siege and fortress storming since the aforementioned Gawilghur in "Fortress". And Hakeswill - merely evil, malign and relentless in the first three books - is here not only that, but mad as well. At times he sounds like Tolkien's Gollum, talking to ... well, you'll see.
   
   In the order that Cornwell originally wrote them, this is the first time he does a real siege and the first time he writes Hakeswill. Both come horribly alive. This book is short and bowstring-taut. Not a word is wasted.



3. Since I've already reviewed the television adaptation on Sharpe's Company, I'll only briefly give my praise for the Bernard Cornwell novel.
   
   The film adaptation keeps true to the written word, but the battle scenes on the page are much more detailed and complex. Cornwell finds historical niches for Richard Sharpe to appear, and the siege of Badajoz is lengthy, rough, deadly, and dirty. Several failed siege attempts are also in the book-unlike the film-raising the stakes for Sharpe-who of course has to deal with army politics, enemies within, and the rescue of his wife and daughter.
   
   Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill makes just as much trouble for the written Sharpe as he does onscreen. It's morbidly delightful to read the twisted thoughts of this madman, and Pete Postlehwaite does a fine job of bringing the character to the screen. Of course, on film characters are dropped or combined and dismissed, but in the Sharpe's Company novel, all the supporting officers and soldiers are given plenty of time to develop themselves and their relationship to Sharpe. Hard core friendships and army loyalty between Harper and Sharpe are almost more of a delight to read than see.
   
   Historical fans will love any Sharpe novel. I'm not really reading them in order, more as I find them, but it's easy to jump into the series-especially for Hornblower fans. As realistic as C.S. Forester's books are on naval warfare, Sharpe is their equal on the battlefield. The British-ness may take a few folks some getting used to, but Sharpe's Company is well worth the journey.



4. This was the third novel written in the Richard Sharpe Napoleonic Wars series, though by internal chronology it's about halfway through Sharpe's recorded career. It's early 1812 and the comparatively small British-Portuguese army under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, now Lord Wellington, is about to undertake the invasion of Spain. But first, they have to take the fortified Ciudad Rodrigo, guarding the principal highway in the north. Sharpe has a part in that, naturally -- and then he's reunited with Teresa, the Partisan leader from _Sharpe's Gold,_ and finds out he's a father. Now the army will move south to attempt (for the third time) to take the much larger and much more formidable city of Badajoz. Things appear to be looking up. But Sharpe is never lucky for very long, and when his badly wounded colonel (his old friend from India, Lawford) is shipped back home, the replacement is a fox-hunting countryman with no patience for Sharpe's somewhat eccentric ways. More than that, Sharpe's temporary promotion has been rejected back in London and he finds himself replaced in command of the Light Company by a young officer with the funds to have purchased the position. Sharpe is back to being a lieutenant, at least until a vacancy opens up. To retrieve his command, and in a way that no one can deprive him of it again, he's determined to be the first man through the breach when they assault Badajoz. But, worst of all, Sgt. Obediah Hakeswill has joined the battalion. Hakeswill is a thief, blackmailer, inveterate liar, and the man who not only recruited Sharpe nearly twenty years before but also got him unjustly flogged when he was just a private. He's also increasingly insane, believing (with some justification) that he cannot be killed -- and he harbors a passionate hatred for Sharpe. The reader can sort of see where all this melodrama is going, but it's the journey that Cornwell makes fascinating. Badajoz was one of Wellington's greatest challenges in the Peninsular Campaign and taking it cost him thousands of casualties. Cornwell takes his time telling of the siege, the assault, and the sack that followed, and does it all with his usual attention to the gritty, bloody details.



5. Sharpe! Sharpe! Sharpe!
   
   I encourage you to read these books in order of the chronology of the events, rather than the order in which they are written. If you've been doing that, you've probably wondered whatever happened to Sergeant Obadiah ("I can't be killed") Hakeswill who we last read about in India. In Sharpe's Company, this spawn of the underworld returns to cause lots of mischief.
   
   Viscount Wellington is still leading the allied forces in the Peninsula, having secured Portugal. In Sharpe's Company, two fortresses bar the way into Napoleon's Spain, Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. Naturally, Sharpe plays a key role in both battles. In this book, you get two sieges for the price of one.
   
   The love story is much stronger here than usual in the series as the female partisan leader from Sharpe's Gold, Teresa, makes an important return appearance. In the process, Sharpe learns he has become a father . . . and his daughter is being cared for in Badajoz.
   
   Sharpe's career also takes a turn for the worse. The temporary captaincy comes to an end, and he's reduced in rank to lieutenant reporting to a new captain who isn't as decisive as he might be. Hakeswill is soon undermining everyone to put himself to an advantage, and Sharpe's morale plummets while his hatred of Hakeswill grows.
   
   Sharpe also comes to resent that he cannot become a permanent captain and toys with the idea of leading a Forlorn Hope into the breach to gain such a promotion.
   
   The story's ending may turn your stomach more than a little as Mr. Cornwell treats us to a pretty graphic description of the sack of Badajoz by the British and Portuguese. It may be more historical realism than you really want to know about. Before that, the blood and guts get to be pretty strong as suicidal charge after suicidal charge is led into Badajoz's breaches.
   
   It's an exciting book that you won't soon forget. I happen to like fiendish villains, and Hakeswill is a fine example to my taste. I love to wonder what horrible trick he will pull next.

5 comments about The Fortune of War (Vol. Book 6) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels).

1. For the first five novels in Patrick O'Brian's hallowed Aubrey-Maturin series, Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey was the swashbuckling hero and Dr. Stephen Maturin was the mysterious sidekick. Thanks to O'Brian's wonderful prose, this balance worked exceedingly well.
   
   And yet, there was always a sense that there was more to the surgeon-spy Maturin than O'Brian was letting on . . . that he was more than a sidekick, but a serious player in his own right. Of course, this was slightly undercut with Maturin's hilarious inability to master even the most rudimentary elements of the seafaring life, but you still knew that Maturin had a courageous, dashing heart to go with his naturalist's brain.
   
   In "The Fortune of War," Maturin shoves his way to the fore and Captain Aubrey is more or less sidelined with a grevious wound to his sword arm. The War of 1812 has broken out, and the British navy experiences some shocking defeats at the hands of the heretofore contemptible American navy. Eventually, Aubrey and Maturin find themselves going broadside-to-broadside with the Americans, but perhaps since Aubrey is not in command of his vessel (Aubrey and Maturin being saved from certain death after their ship sinks in a fiery accident), Aubrey is forced to watch his ship strike its colors.
   
   Maturin and Aubrey are brought to Boston as prisoners of war, and while Aubrey convalesces, Maturin dives pell-mell back into his life as a spy. Boston is a city of intrigues, and Maturin's history as a spy plays havoc with his attempts to free himself, Aubrey, and the lovely Diane Villiers. Maturin gets to demonstrate that he's got a bit of super secret agent in him, and many readers will be shocked at the violent means Maturin often uses to achieve his ends. He's a far cry from the non-violent physician he is often assumed to be!
   
   Perhaps spending more time on land than any book in the series so far, "The Fortune of War" still offers thrills and escapades galore. For fans of this series, this novel is not to be missed.



2. THE FORTUNE OF WAR is the sixth volume in Patrick O'Brian's masterful adventure series about Captain Jack Aubrey, R.N. and his dear friend, Dr. Stephen Maturin. Though the Aubrey-Maturin novels can stand more-or-less alone, the narratives are closely linked. THE FORTUNE OF WAR in this way finds Aubrey's ship, HMS Leopard, limping into the fictional bay of Pulo Batang in the Spice Islands, after its disastrous near-sinking by an iceberg in DESOLATION ISLAND. This volume has Aubrey and Maturin suffer two more disasters at sea before finding themselves prisoner in Boston. Earlier books in the series, in particular DESOLATION ISLAND, had had Americans figure into the story line, but this is the first in which the young American nation features prominently. The cause for this is the War of 1812, and now the focus of battle turns from the French and Spanish to the United States.
   
   Maturin plays an especially strong part in the plot of THE FORTUNE OF WAR. Although the Aubrey -Maturin novels are historical nautical fiction, largely renowned for their accurate depiction of the early eighteenth-century Royal Navy, some of the novels may also be seen as part of the espionage genre, with Maturin serving as a spy on behalf of the British crown. In previous stories, for instance, Maturin suffered torture under the French for his espionage; in another instance, one closely tied to the plot of this story, he tricks the French into killing off a number of their intelligence assets. In THE FORTUNE OF WAR, Maturin's past catches up with him, and he is forced to take action of a sort that belies his reputation as a physician and gentle naturalist.
   
   This novel is in some ways much stronger than the fifth volume, DESOLATION ISLAND, which, though having a strong finish, at times appeared to lose the wind in its sails. THE FORTUNE OF WAR makes it clear that O'Brian's ideas and storytelling remain strong and vibrant in this series; with so many volumes yet ahead, this is indeed reassuring.
   
   As usual, O'Brian's research is thorough, yet the historical details don't overwhelm the story. The pace is fairly brisk, with only some stalling--perhaps appropriately so--in Boston. This is fortunately not caused so much by the reappearance of Diana Villiers, Stephen Maturin's great love of his life. (She is as welcome to this reader of O'Brian's stories as is Jack's wife, Sophie.) The wimpy minor character Michael Herapath, the son of a wealthy American trader, also reemerges. But I find him somewhat interesting for his passionate interest in Chinese poetry; this accurately reflects the growing interest in the nineteenth century in the literature of China, and is an example of the interesting ways O'Brian treats the reader with tastings of such historical esoterica.
   
   THE FORTUNE OF WAR describes a couple of naval engagements. The one that features at the end of this novel is as good (if not better) as any rendered by Patrick O'Brian in any of the volumes up to this one. In it, O'Brian captures the technical details of the fighting while also conveying very effectively the horror of the moment (actually, fifteen minutes). It is crackerjack writing, vivid and spellbinding.



3. Maybe the best of the series so far, in spite of or because of the long shore-bound center section when Aubrey and Matarin are unwilling guests (prisoners) of the US during the War of 1812. Both seem more human, more nuanced, than ever before.
   
   Seventh in the series: The Surgeon's Mate



4. Aha! I got you, O'Brian! Johnson and the doctor are discussing turkey buzzards and such, and Johnson mentions that he expects to see a bald eagle's nest the following day at a friend's place "in the state of Maine". But Maine did not become a state until 1820; before that year, it was part of Massachusetts.
   
   This is the last of the superb sextet which begins the series; then a decline in quality sets in, and the final few installments are just plain bad. But I would recommend the first six to anyone. "The Fortune of War" belongs more to Maturin than Aubrey, who is without a command from very early in the book. It's quieter than its predecessors, with more inner monologue than action.



5. The pace of THE FORTUNE OF WAR, sixth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series of sea-faring novels by Richard Russ (the real name of "Patrick O'Brian"), moves smartly along from cover to cover. The action aboard His British Majesty's frigates is guaranteed to hold the reader's interest, and the novel provides a fast and gripping experience, vicarious though it be, for the reader.
   
   Of course, as with the other nineteen complete novels and the unfinished twentieth book of this series, it definitely behooves the reader to begin with the first (MASTER AND COMMANDER) and proceed through the books in the story line's chronological sequence. While the descriptions of naval warfare are thoroughly gripping regardless of the story line's chronology, each book contains references to characters that are far more meaningful if one has read the preceding volumes.
   
   Also as in every other Russ/O'Brian novel that I have finished thus far, this one is not without a few stylistic weaknesses, which, although not numerous, are annoying and pretty well ensure that Russ/O'Brian is by no means the "five-star author" that less demanding readers have rated him. This one also contains a strange and spurious etymology for a common American expression that, were it to be spread today via the Internet, would merit the label of "urban legend." While there is never any question that Russ/O'Brian is a writer of fiction, this particular explanation is so superficially believable that it is decidedly in danger of being spread as accurate:
   
   Maturin, captured by the American navy, ponders an American's expression that "hominy grits cut no ice with him." This is an unidiomatic use of the phase to start with, but that problem pales into insignificance in light of the explanation from another American speaker, who explains that it derives from Iroquois "katno aiss' vizmi" meaning "I am unimpressed." This is, in a word, balderdash. The so-called Iroquois is bogus, and numerous sources (try a simple Google search) thoroughly debunk that explanation of the origin of the phrase "cuts no ice." Now, it may be that Russ/O'Brian is attempting to interject some levity into his text at this point and never intended for any reader to take the "explanation" at face value. This becomes more apparent if one reads the supposed Iroquois words aloud. If indeed the author is writing this tongue-in-cheek, then it seems to be an inappropriate place in the story in which to interject humor and will likely be misinterpreted by most readers. Russ/O'Brian had best avoid slapstick as a genre.
   
   The other stylistic shortcoming is one that we see again and again in the books of this series, the author's total disregard for transitioning between scenes. At one point, we see two characters, Maturin and young Herapath, approaching the Asclepia hospital in which Aubrey is recuperating, when they behold the elder Herapath leaving the building. Maturin speaks to his companion, saying, "Should you not relieve him of his burden...? Enlightened self-interest, no less than filial piety, demands such a course. Good day to you now, and I thank you for your company."
   "Jack," he said, "how do you do?"
   
   Somehow, instantaneously after speaking to Herapath, Maturin has been transported from the approach to the hospital into Aubrey's room inside the building. No time has elapsed, and no distance has been traversed. Even the transporter aboard the Starship Enterprise takes longer to move a character from one location to another!
   
   Such instantaneous teleportation pops up again a hundred pages or so further on when Captain Broke speaks from the deck of his ship: "Pass the word for Dr. Maturin" and, in the very next sentence, addresses the man he has just sent for: "Dr. Maturin, how good of you to come." As written, the words even appear in the very same quotation, as though there were no more than a pause for the single period between the two sentences. The time it took for word to be conveyed to Maturin and for him to ascend to the deck has simply vanished without a trace.
   
   As I have opined in reviews of other novels in this series, Russ/O'Brian may be considered a "good" writer for he does generate a captivating story line and is generally entertaining and attention-holding. However, his repeated stylistic weaknesses and gaffes surely preclude him from being considered "great" by any but the most superficial readers. Yet, because he does create a captivating historical fiction, I have little problem recommending his series to readers who enjoy the genre--just don't accept his analysis of American idiom at face value!

5 comments about Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy.

1. Extremely well researched and written. Just the right amount of detail. Not only presents the birth of the U S Navy, but ties this into all the political and economic issues of the period. Briliant narrations of key battle scenes. Highly recommend to lovers of early American history.



2. With recent global concerns bout the resurgence of piracy, a couple of chapters in here would shed some interesting light upon the subject! Very well written naval history, packed with lots of insights on concurrent American politics and culture. A history book that reads almost like a Clancy novel (except not so long). I expect to read it again.



3. Six Frigates, was an intriging account of our young country deciding to build
   world prestige one ship at a time. There was no money in the treasury to spend
   on ships and only a few ship designers and two shipyards. Every seagoing nation,
   England, France, Spain and the Tripolitian Pirates had a better navy than Thomas
   Jefferson's U.S.A. History was well written between the covers of Six Frigates.
   You don't have to be a black shoe sailor to thoroughly enjoy this book.



4. The author has taken what should have been a fascinating and elegant story and turned it into a disjointed catalog of events. For the history buff who wants to understand what role America played in the late age of fighting sail, this book is an excellent resource. However, if you are looking for the personal touch, gripping tales and tightly woven prose, look elsewhere. It is certainly well researched, and the author brings in a lot of political points that provide the background to this fascinating piece of American history, but he misses some obvious points that should have been made, such as the factor the choice of wood made in the effectiveness of the ships, or where many of the American sailors got their training. Worth getting for anyone who wants to learn about this era, but a more tightly woven story would have helped immensely.



5. Ever since reading Patrick O'Brian's depiction of the battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Java in "The Fortune of War," I've wanted to learn more about the United States's own naval history from that period. Finally, Toll's "Six Frigates" has arrived, and it's exactly the sort of book I was looking for. Unlike O'Briens overblown prose with multiple compound/complex sentences, Toll is able to capture the essence of the time and war with primarily simple sentences, limited, to no use, of the subjunctive and a small number of pictures (the previously never-been-seen-before photo of the Earl of Bathurst leading the British attack in only his boxers was worth more than 1,000 words). Toll's work is marvellously full-flavored and towers over the works of OBrien and the work of his communist son-in-law stepson Nikolai Tolstoy like a three-decker over a ship's longboat.