Gilded Age
Conway, J. North. The Big Policeman: The Rise and Fall of America's First, Most Ruthless and Greatest Detective. Lyons Press. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 336p. ISBN: 978-1-59921-965-3. $24.95 November, 2010
The title of this book refers to Gilded age New York City's top cop, Thomas Byrnes, whose law enforcement career began in 1854 and first came to notice in 1863, during the Civil War draft riots. A product of the 6th Ward slum known as Five Points, a place that no less a personage as Charles Dickens referred to as “one of the worst slums in the world”, Byrnes rose through the ranks to become superintendent of police in 1892. Courage, cleverness, pioneering investigative techniques, good press, graft and corruption all play a part in this story.
Conway proceeds through Byrnes' career on a case by case basis beginning with New York's Jack the Ripper copycat murders and intersperses his narrative with extensive quotes from contemporary newspaper accounts, creating great period atmosphere. He leaves no aspect of wide-open nineteenth century Manhattan, including the graft, corruption and utter lawlessness that permeated it.
Some of the innovative police techniques developed by Byrnes included the compilation of a criminal database (in this time period a wall of photographs – mug shots - of known or suspected criminals), very rudimentary analysis of ballistics and blood evidence and the “third degree”, where suspects are bullied, deceived and beaten, if necessary.
Byrnes was made superintendent of police in 1892 but by 1895 investigations led by Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt into the corruption that had been present for decades forced him to resign.
An excellent book about the Gilded Age, New York City and the beginnings of modern police procedures.
The title of this book refers to Gilded age New York City's top cop, Thomas Byrnes, whose law enforcement career began in 1854 and first came to notice in 1863, during the Civil War draft riots. A product of the 6th Ward slum known as Five Points, a place that no less a personage as Charles Dickens referred to as “one of the worst slums in the world”, Byrnes rose through the ranks to become superintendent of police in 1892. Courage, cleverness, pioneering investigative techniques, good press, graft and corruption all play a part in this story.
Conway proceeds through Byrnes' career on a case by case basis beginning with New York's Jack the Ripper copycat murders and intersperses his narrative with extensive quotes from contemporary newspaper accounts, creating great period atmosphere. He leaves no aspect of wide-open nineteenth century Manhattan, including the graft, corruption and utter lawlessness that permeated it.
Some of the innovative police techniques developed by Byrnes included the compilation of a criminal database (in this time period a wall of photographs – mug shots - of known or suspected criminals), very rudimentary analysis of ballistics and blood evidence and the “third degree”, where suspects are bullied, deceived and beaten, if necessary.
Byrnes was made superintendent of police in 1892 but by 1895 investigations led by Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt into the corruption that had been present for decades forced him to resign.
An excellent book about the Gilded Age, New York City and the beginnings of modern police procedures.
California
Boessenecker, John. Bandito: The Life and Times of Tiburcio Vasquez. U. of Oklahoma Press. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 496p. ISBN: 978-0-8061-4127-5. $34.95 September, 2010.
In the pantheon of 19th century desperadoes, Tiburcio Vasquez was, I will admit, nowhere in my line of sight. Bandito has taken care of that oversight. Vasquez is second on the list of America's most infamous Hispanic bandits.
Vasquez, hanged at the ripe old age of thirty-nine in 1875, was a born and bred Californio from Monterey, which at the time teemed with the dregs of West Coast society – Mexico's unwanted, discharged US soldiers and, believe it or not, former members of the Australian penal colony known as “Sydney Ducks.” Add to this mix the wave of Anglos who arrived with the California Gold Rush and soon the native population is overwhelmed, violent crime is an everyday occurrence and racial tensions run rampant.
Boessenecker has done an excellent job at drawing back the curtain of myth and exaggeration that surrounds these larger than life individuals, sometimes, as is the case here, embellished by the individual himself. Cold-blooded murderer or victim of a biased government? A convicted horse thief and robber, Vasquez served two terms in San Quentin, where he started four separate, bloody prison breaks that left over twenty dead inmates. Finally released, he led bandit raids throughout Central and Southern California. Always a lover, his last affair led to his capture in, appropriately enough, the Hollywood Hills. His execution soon followed.
Kudos to the author who has hit another bulls eye with Bandito as fast paced and thrilling as a posse on the trail.
In the pantheon of 19th century desperadoes, Tiburcio Vasquez was, I will admit, nowhere in my line of sight. Bandito has taken care of that oversight. Vasquez is second on the list of America's most infamous Hispanic bandits.
Vasquez, hanged at the ripe old age of thirty-nine in 1875, was a born and bred Californio from Monterey, which at the time teemed with the dregs of West Coast society – Mexico's unwanted, discharged US soldiers and, believe it or not, former members of the Australian penal colony known as “Sydney Ducks.” Add to this mix the wave of Anglos who arrived with the California Gold Rush and soon the native population is overwhelmed, violent crime is an everyday occurrence and racial tensions run rampant.
Boessenecker has done an excellent job at drawing back the curtain of myth and exaggeration that surrounds these larger than life individuals, sometimes, as is the case here, embellished by the individual himself. Cold-blooded murderer or victim of a biased government? A convicted horse thief and robber, Vasquez served two terms in San Quentin, where he started four separate, bloody prison breaks that left over twenty dead inmates. Finally released, he led bandit raids throughout Central and Southern California. Always a lover, his last affair led to his capture in, appropriately enough, the Hollywood Hills. His execution soon followed.
Kudos to the author who has hit another bulls eye with Bandito as fast paced and thrilling as a posse on the trail.
Wild West & Aviation
Kuntz, Jerry. A Pair of Shootists: The Wild West Story of S.F. Cody and Maud Lee. U. Of Oklahoma Press. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 224p. ISBN: 978-0-8061-4149-7. $29.95 September, 2010.
Anyone with an interest in Wild West Shows, marksmen (and women) and early aviation will enjoy this book. Samuel Franklin Cody, who changed his name because he could pass for Buffalo Bill, was a horse wrangler and fancy pistol shooter in one of the shows touring the country when he met Maud Lee, an aspiring circus performer. They soon married and appeared together in vaudeville halls and dime museum shows as often as possible. Taking their show on the road, literally to Great Britain, the turn of the century saw them go their separate ways. Cody became interested in ballooning and early airplanes, while Maud Lee's career declined into mental illness and institutionalization. There is no romanticized view of Wild West Shows and their working performers here.
Although Kuntz focuses mainly on Cody's contributions to aviation, he has successfully reconstructed a forgotten pair and time in our history. Well written.
Anyone with an interest in Wild West Shows, marksmen (and women) and early aviation will enjoy this book. Samuel Franklin Cody, who changed his name because he could pass for Buffalo Bill, was a horse wrangler and fancy pistol shooter in one of the shows touring the country when he met Maud Lee, an aspiring circus performer. They soon married and appeared together in vaudeville halls and dime museum shows as often as possible. Taking their show on the road, literally to Great Britain, the turn of the century saw them go their separate ways. Cody became interested in ballooning and early airplanes, while Maud Lee's career declined into mental illness and institutionalization. There is no romanticized view of Wild West Shows and their working performers here.
Although Kuntz focuses mainly on Cody's contributions to aviation, he has successfully reconstructed a forgotten pair and time in our history. Well written.
George Washington
Chernow, Ron. Washington: A Life. The Penguin Press. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 904p. ISBN: 978-1-59420-266-7. $40.00 October, 2010.
Another book on George Washington? And one with over 800 pages of text? Chernow's masterpiece renders the question moot. James Thomas Flexner's four-volume biography was published in the early 1970's and since then over sixty edited volumes of Washington's correspondence have been published; not to mention various other works by other authors focusing on specific aspects of his life and career. Chernow has used it all in researching this outstanding cradle to grave story of the founding father.
The book is divided into six distinct parts: The Frontiersman; The Planter; The General; The Statesman; Acting the Presidency, and, The Legend. For those of you who shy away from long stories, this division makes the book digestible as each deal with a specific aspect of Washington's life. If you tackle this one part by part, you will enjoy the rich details and superlative writing that makes Washington come back to life.
This is not the formal portrait or marble bust of the Washington we each know but the man that he was: dignified, charismatic, a gentleman of the highest caliber. These are characteristics that he would grow and develop as he “learned” his life. Along the way, Chernow debunks the myths that have become facts, such as the fictional tale of the cherry tree and the wooden teeth (which were actually ivory but cracked and discolored over time).
Read this book and your perception of Washington will surely change, along with your knowledge of the early history of this country.
Another book on George Washington? And one with over 800 pages of text? Chernow's masterpiece renders the question moot. James Thomas Flexner's four-volume biography was published in the early 1970's and since then over sixty edited volumes of Washington's correspondence have been published; not to mention various other works by other authors focusing on specific aspects of his life and career. Chernow has used it all in researching this outstanding cradle to grave story of the founding father.
The book is divided into six distinct parts: The Frontiersman; The Planter; The General; The Statesman; Acting the Presidency, and, The Legend. For those of you who shy away from long stories, this division makes the book digestible as each deal with a specific aspect of Washington's life. If you tackle this one part by part, you will enjoy the rich details and superlative writing that makes Washington come back to life.
This is not the formal portrait or marble bust of the Washington we each know but the man that he was: dignified, charismatic, a gentleman of the highest caliber. These are characteristics that he would grow and develop as he “learned” his life. Along the way, Chernow debunks the myths that have become facts, such as the fictional tale of the cherry tree and the wooden teeth (which were actually ivory but cracked and discolored over time).
Read this book and your perception of Washington will surely change, along with your knowledge of the early history of this country.
U.S. Marine Corps
Venzon, Anne Cipriano. Leaders of Men: Ten Marines Who Changed the Corps. Scarecrow Press. Ill.; maps; bib.; index. 256p. ISBN: 978-0-8108-6081-0. $49.50 February, 2010.
Marine Corps historian Venzon relates the history of the USMC from 1861 to the 1920's through the careers of ten carefully selected men whose careers span this time period. These men, through their leadership and skills embody the ethos of the modern Marine Corps, what every Marine should attain to.
Most of the ten men are readily familiar – Robert Huntington, Joseph Pendleton and Smedley Darlington Butler have had their share od articles and books but others such as Henry Clay Cochrane, John Twiggs Myers and George Cyrus Thorpe are introduced to the reader for the first time.
A good case in point was the career of Myers, who was the hero of the siege of Peking during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. He came form a military family, being the grandson of Revolutionary War General John Twiggs, sometimes called the “Savior of Georgia”. Of his two sons, one was a Marine major killed in Mexico in 1847 and the other a career army officer who ended his long life as a Confederate Major General in 1862. Myers' father, Abraham, was a West Point graduate with combat service from 1837 through the end of the Civil War.
Well researched using little used or even known primary documents, the book goes far towards a better understanding of what it means to be a Marine.
Marine Corps historian Venzon relates the history of the USMC from 1861 to the 1920's through the careers of ten carefully selected men whose careers span this time period. These men, through their leadership and skills embody the ethos of the modern Marine Corps, what every Marine should attain to.
Most of the ten men are readily familiar – Robert Huntington, Joseph Pendleton and Smedley Darlington Butler have had their share od articles and books but others such as Henry Clay Cochrane, John Twiggs Myers and George Cyrus Thorpe are introduced to the reader for the first time.
A good case in point was the career of Myers, who was the hero of the siege of Peking during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. He came form a military family, being the grandson of Revolutionary War General John Twiggs, sometimes called the “Savior of Georgia”. Of his two sons, one was a Marine major killed in Mexico in 1847 and the other a career army officer who ended his long life as a Confederate Major General in 1862. Myers' father, Abraham, was a West Point graduate with combat service from 1837 through the end of the Civil War.
Well researched using little used or even known primary documents, the book goes far towards a better understanding of what it means to be a Marine.
Danton
Lawday, David. The Giant of the French Revolution: Danton, A Life. Grove Press. Ill.; notes; map; index. 304p. ISBN: 978-0-8021-1933-9. $27.50 July, 2010.
The French Revolution of 1789 has given us a few remembered characters – King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre and Jean-Paul Marat are all recognizable personalities from the time period. One who is not so well known, George-Jacque Danton, is the subject of this aptly titled book. Danton was a giant of a man, both physically and in his impact on French and European history.
Born in rural France in 1759 into modest circumstances, Danton was well above average educated and went to Paris to study law in 1780, becoming a rather well-known if not successful practicing lawyer. Physically quite large for the time, Danton was also disfigured from a bout of childhood smallpox, making him somewhat grotesque. A dangerous-looking, intimidating presence, he had a tremendous speaking ability to go along with a near perfect memory, which enabled him to quote extensively from anything ha had previously read. These abilities served him well in the late 1780's, when he became a leading member of one of the political clubs that sprouted up in the rabid political climate of France.
Danton worked his way up to minister of justice but had made a number of powerful enemies, one of which was Robespierre, which would eventually lead Danton himself to the guillotine. He did not go quietly; at his trial, he defended himself so vehemently that the tribunal quickly approved a gag motion and convicted him even faster than that.
This is a well-researched and well-written look at the French Revolution from the inside out. An exciting page-turner for history readers.
The French Revolution of 1789 has given us a few remembered characters – King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre and Jean-Paul Marat are all recognizable personalities from the time period. One who is not so well known, George-Jacque Danton, is the subject of this aptly titled book. Danton was a giant of a man, both physically and in his impact on French and European history.
Born in rural France in 1759 into modest circumstances, Danton was well above average educated and went to Paris to study law in 1780, becoming a rather well-known if not successful practicing lawyer. Physically quite large for the time, Danton was also disfigured from a bout of childhood smallpox, making him somewhat grotesque. A dangerous-looking, intimidating presence, he had a tremendous speaking ability to go along with a near perfect memory, which enabled him to quote extensively from anything ha had previously read. These abilities served him well in the late 1780's, when he became a leading member of one of the political clubs that sprouted up in the rabid political climate of France.
Danton worked his way up to minister of justice but had made a number of powerful enemies, one of which was Robespierre, which would eventually lead Danton himself to the guillotine. He did not go quietly; at his trial, he defended himself so vehemently that the tribunal quickly approved a gag motion and convicted him even faster than that.
This is a well-researched and well-written look at the French Revolution from the inside out. An exciting page-turner for history readers.
Celebrity Biography
Bosworth, Patricia. Jane Fonda: The Private Life of a Public Woman. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 608p. ISBN: 978-0-5471-5257-8. $30.00 August, 2011.
Here is a celebrity biography that is told through an insiders’ viewpoint – and what a viewpoint, that of a friend who studied with Ms. Fonda at the Actor’s Studio, way back when. That the book presents such an unsparing portrait of this particular Fonda, does enormous credit to both ladies. The candid cooperation of friends, husbands, lovers – male and female and fellow actors adds tremendously to the intimacy of this life story.
Jane Fonda –loved her in Barbarella, hated her in Hanoi. You have to read this to believe it. If you keep your idols on a pedestal, you might want to skip this one.
Here is a celebrity biography that is told through an insiders’ viewpoint – and what a viewpoint, that of a friend who studied with Ms. Fonda at the Actor’s Studio, way back when. That the book presents such an unsparing portrait of this particular Fonda, does enormous credit to both ladies. The candid cooperation of friends, husbands, lovers – male and female and fellow actors adds tremendously to the intimacy of this life story.
Jane Fonda –loved her in Barbarella, hated her in Hanoi. You have to read this to believe it. If you keep your idols on a pedestal, you might want to skip this one.
Heidler, David S. and Jeanne T. Heidler. Henry Clay: The Essential American. Random House. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 624p. ISBN: 978-1-4000-6726-8. $30. May, 2010.
one third of the Great Triumvirate, Henry Clay (with John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster), bestrode the American political scene for 49 years – from the time of Alexander Hamilton to the time of Abraham Lincoln. Clay served in the House of Representatives and the Senate (as Speaker in the former), four years as Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams and a five-time presidential aspirant. Known as “The Great Compromiser”, not even Clay could prevent the conflict that manifested itself as the Civil War.
The Heilders have presented us with an extremely detailed yet lively look at Clay's life, flaws and all; Clay's support for gradual emancipation of slaves while being a slaveholder himself is but one example. His five failed attempts to become President are also addressed in painful detail – so close and yet so far,with a lesser man winning the prize.
The major political issues of the day are also discussed and they range form the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 through to the annexation of Texas and the secession crisis of the 1850's. Congressional and election politics of the nineteenth century are quite similar to today – one thing missing is the great orator, of whom Clay was one.
one third of the Great Triumvirate, Henry Clay (with John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster), bestrode the American political scene for 49 years – from the time of Alexander Hamilton to the time of Abraham Lincoln. Clay served in the House of Representatives and the Senate (as Speaker in the former), four years as Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams and a five-time presidential aspirant. Known as “The Great Compromiser”, not even Clay could prevent the conflict that manifested itself as the Civil War.
The Heilders have presented us with an extremely detailed yet lively look at Clay's life, flaws and all; Clay's support for gradual emancipation of slaves while being a slaveholder himself is but one example. His five failed attempts to become President are also addressed in painful detail – so close and yet so far,with a lesser man winning the prize.
The major political issues of the day are also discussed and they range form the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 through to the annexation of Texas and the secession crisis of the 1850's. Congressional and election politics of the nineteenth century are quite similar to today – one thing missing is the great orator, of whom Clay was one.
Early National Period
Jackson, John C. By Honor and Right: How One Man Boldly Defined the Destiny of a Nation. Prometheus Books. Ill.; notes; bib.; 380p. ISBN: 978-1-61614-219-3. $28.00 December, 2010
There are uncounted numbers of people and events in history that have, for one reason or another, become mere footnotes to the main story or completely forgotten due to changing trends and shifting politics. Every now and then a new book w ill appear that offers new information to a particular event or specific time frame, thereby broadening our knowledge. This is just such a book.
By Honor and Right brings to life the story of Captain John McClallen, who was the first officer to follow Lewis and Clark across the Continental Divide. Intending to open up the Santa Fe Trail to trade, McClallen was twice detoured from this task by circumstances beyond his control. He had resigned his army commission earlier in order to engage in trade; his father, a New York State Treasurer, had defaulted to the tune of some $33,000 (1803) and therefore, the honor of the family name was at stake. Instead of opening the Santa Fe Trail, McClallen entered the Pacific Northwest and discovered a practicable route across the continent. He single-handedly managed to block British expansion of trade to the Upper Columbia River as the sole representative of the United States in the region. He wrote a letter in 1807 putting the British Empire on notice that the United States held indisputable right of discovery and occupation to the two great rivers of the interior and all the lands where they eventually drained. This played an important part in the border dispute in 1846. This initiative ultimately cost McCallen his life.
This is a true historical mystery, compellingly told using original sources; all the usual suspects make an appearance: Lewis, Clark, Zebulon Pike and James Wilkinson. Anyone with an interest in early US history should own this book.
There are uncounted numbers of people and events in history that have, for one reason or another, become mere footnotes to the main story or completely forgotten due to changing trends and shifting politics. Every now and then a new book w ill appear that offers new information to a particular event or specific time frame, thereby broadening our knowledge. This is just such a book.
By Honor and Right brings to life the story of Captain John McClallen, who was the first officer to follow Lewis and Clark across the Continental Divide. Intending to open up the Santa Fe Trail to trade, McClallen was twice detoured from this task by circumstances beyond his control. He had resigned his army commission earlier in order to engage in trade; his father, a New York State Treasurer, had defaulted to the tune of some $33,000 (1803) and therefore, the honor of the family name was at stake. Instead of opening the Santa Fe Trail, McClallen entered the Pacific Northwest and discovered a practicable route across the continent. He single-handedly managed to block British expansion of trade to the Upper Columbia River as the sole representative of the United States in the region. He wrote a letter in 1807 putting the British Empire on notice that the United States held indisputable right of discovery and occupation to the two great rivers of the interior and all the lands where they eventually drained. This played an important part in the border dispute in 1846. This initiative ultimately cost McCallen his life.
This is a true historical mystery, compellingly told using original sources; all the usual suspects make an appearance: Lewis, Clark, Zebulon Pike and James Wilkinson. Anyone with an interest in early US history should own this book.
Jack the Ripper
Connell, Nicholas and Stewart P. Evans. The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper: Edmund Reid – Victorian Detective. Amberley. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 191p. ISBN: 978-1- 84868-260-3. $24.95 February, 2010.
Comfortingly, this is not just another rehashing of the Ripper murders that terrorized Victorian London from 1888 to 1891, when the horrors just as suddenly stopped. It is, instead, a well researched biography of Edmund Reid, who was the head of the Whitechapel detective force by the time of his retirement in 1896. He had served twenty-six years as a member of the Metropolitan Police and had received fifty rewards and commendations over the course of his career.
Reid was on the scene for at least four of the East End murders in 1888. Using Reid's written statements, one gets a good sense of what detective work was all about during this time period and a greater understanding of conditions in London just before the turn of the century.
The book follows Reid's life after retirement as well (he died in 1917), and presents a colorful picture of the life of a retired Victorian working class gentleman. Reid's interviews for various newspapers on the Ripper also add to our knowledge of one of history's most notorious serial killers. This is an informative and entertaining addition to the literature.
Comfortingly, this is not just another rehashing of the Ripper murders that terrorized Victorian London from 1888 to 1891, when the horrors just as suddenly stopped. It is, instead, a well researched biography of Edmund Reid, who was the head of the Whitechapel detective force by the time of his retirement in 1896. He had served twenty-six years as a member of the Metropolitan Police and had received fifty rewards and commendations over the course of his career.
Reid was on the scene for at least four of the East End murders in 1888. Using Reid's written statements, one gets a good sense of what detective work was all about during this time period and a greater understanding of conditions in London just before the turn of the century.
The book follows Reid's life after retirement as well (he died in 1917), and presents a colorful picture of the life of a retired Victorian working class gentleman. Reid's interviews for various newspapers on the Ripper also add to our knowledge of one of history's most notorious serial killers. This is an informative and entertaining addition to the literature.
Lemay, Benoit. Erich Von Manstein: Hitler's Master Strategist. Casemate. Ill.; notes; bib.; 528p. ISBN: 978-1-935149-26-2 $32.95 July, 2010.
German Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein is not so well known in the West (except to those close students of World War II), due to the fact that the bulk of his active service took place on the Eastern Front, where he performed brilliantly. In fact, Von Manstein gathered laurels wherever he served from 1939 to 1945. He was instrumental in devising plans for the invasion of Poland; he devised the plan that captured France in 1940; in the East, he led a panzer corps to the gates of Leningrad in 1941; conquered the Crimea at the head of 11th Army; destroyed another Soviet Army in the north before being assigned the task of correcting the disaster at Stalingrad and nearly crushed the Soviets at the Battle of Kursk.
Von Manstein survived the war an was involved in establishing the post-war German Army and published his memoirs in the late 1950's. He was also influential in reestablishing the “honor” of the Wehrmacht during the early years of the Cold War. An outstanding record; still, he was convicted of war crimes at the trials at Nuremburg and sentenced to eighteen years in prison; but his early release or “liberation” from prison was negotiated at the highest levels, including Winston Churchill himself.
In this book, we get an objective analysis not only of Von Manstein's campaigns but also of his participation in the criminal aspects of Nazi Germany's war effort. Much to the author's credit, he does nor flinch when he exposes Von Manstein's participation in the “Final Solution” and an intense examination of the Field Marshal's politics, attitudes and behavior towards his enemies. A typical representation of the Prussian military caste of the time, Von Manstein was a master of modern warfare with no political sense at all.
An excellent biography of a flawed yet brilliant soldier.
German Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein is not so well known in the West (except to those close students of World War II), due to the fact that the bulk of his active service took place on the Eastern Front, where he performed brilliantly. In fact, Von Manstein gathered laurels wherever he served from 1939 to 1945. He was instrumental in devising plans for the invasion of Poland; he devised the plan that captured France in 1940; in the East, he led a panzer corps to the gates of Leningrad in 1941; conquered the Crimea at the head of 11th Army; destroyed another Soviet Army in the north before being assigned the task of correcting the disaster at Stalingrad and nearly crushed the Soviets at the Battle of Kursk.
Von Manstein survived the war an was involved in establishing the post-war German Army and published his memoirs in the late 1950's. He was also influential in reestablishing the “honor” of the Wehrmacht during the early years of the Cold War. An outstanding record; still, he was convicted of war crimes at the trials at Nuremburg and sentenced to eighteen years in prison; but his early release or “liberation” from prison was negotiated at the highest levels, including Winston Churchill himself.
In this book, we get an objective analysis not only of Von Manstein's campaigns but also of his participation in the criminal aspects of Nazi Germany's war effort. Much to the author's credit, he does nor flinch when he exposes Von Manstein's participation in the “Final Solution” and an intense examination of the Field Marshal's politics, attitudes and behavior towards his enemies. A typical representation of the Prussian military caste of the time, Von Manstein was a master of modern warfare with no political sense at all.
An excellent biography of a flawed yet brilliant soldier.
Brady, James. Hero of the Pacific: The Life of Marine Legend John Basilone. Wiley. Ill; bib; index. 275p. ISBN: 978-0-470-37941-7. $25.95 2010.
A decorated United States Marine Corps hero, the subject of a biography written by another decorated USMC hero, one serving just after the other – should be a perfect match for an excellent read. Such is almost the case, as this story is marred by too much time spent on criticizing other works on Sergeant John Basilone. Mr. Brady should have mentioned the discrepancies that he found in other works in the introduction and let it go at that because he is a much better writer than critic.
The real story of john Basilone has been shrouded in mystery and myth since the summer of 1943, just after Basilone became the first enlisted man to win the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in combat against the Japanese on Guadalcanal the previous fall. Specifics of his actions on the island grew as often as the tale was told and the young Marine was too reticent to add or subtract from the total.
An exceptionally good looking Marine, he was sent back to the States to participate in a war bond tour. Several other veterans, along with a host of Hollywood stars and starlets accompanied the tour, one which Basilone quickly grew tired of participating in. he begged and pleaded to be returned to the Pacific and was finally released from the bond drive and assigned to California, where a new Marine unit was training for combat. In February, 1945, this unit hit the beach at Iwo Jima, where Basilone earned a posthumous Navy Cross.
Criticisms aside (this is Mr. Brady's last book), the story of this hero is a sad one, still surrounded by myth and mystery. Since Basiolne's death in combat, Medal of Honor winners are no longer allowed back into combat.
A decorated United States Marine Corps hero, the subject of a biography written by another decorated USMC hero, one serving just after the other – should be a perfect match for an excellent read. Such is almost the case, as this story is marred by too much time spent on criticizing other works on Sergeant John Basilone. Mr. Brady should have mentioned the discrepancies that he found in other works in the introduction and let it go at that because he is a much better writer than critic.
The real story of john Basilone has been shrouded in mystery and myth since the summer of 1943, just after Basilone became the first enlisted man to win the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in combat against the Japanese on Guadalcanal the previous fall. Specifics of his actions on the island grew as often as the tale was told and the young Marine was too reticent to add or subtract from the total.
An exceptionally good looking Marine, he was sent back to the States to participate in a war bond tour. Several other veterans, along with a host of Hollywood stars and starlets accompanied the tour, one which Basilone quickly grew tired of participating in. he begged and pleaded to be returned to the Pacific and was finally released from the bond drive and assigned to California, where a new Marine unit was training for combat. In February, 1945, this unit hit the beach at Iwo Jima, where Basilone earned a posthumous Navy Cross.
Criticisms aside (this is Mr. Brady's last book), the story of this hero is a sad one, still surrounded by myth and mystery. Since Basiolne's death in combat, Medal of Honor winners are no longer allowed back into combat.
United States Marine Corps
Coram, Robert. Brute: The Life of Victor Krulak, US Marine. Little, Brown and Co. ill.; bib.; index. 384p. ISBN: 978-0-3167-5846-8. $27.99 November, 2010.
The more one is exposed to biographies, the more one can discern the biographers' prejudices concerning his subject. Lose your objectivity, either for or against your subject, and the biography is marred. Perhaps the hardest biography to write is one where you admire your subject who is a legend and you attempt to write a warts and all book.
Robert Coram succeeds in this task. He clearly admires Lieutenant General Victor Krulak, who is one of those Marine officers one does not want to meet the morning after a long weekend (or perhaps at any time). Krulak is a genuine Marine Corps legend who has a closet full of skeletons, secrets and lies and, refreshingly, Coram is not afraid to include, analyze and discuss them without being judgmental, taking the stance that man should be measured by the deeds of his later, not early years.
Krulak suppressed the fact that he was Jewish (this being the +1930's, a wise move), to attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and is therefore guilty of lying and falsifying documents. As a young Marine officer, he observed the second Sino-Japanese War, in which the Japanese used a drop-bow landing craft. Krulak's tireless efforts resulted in the Higgins boat and the way to victory in the Pacific in World War II. He also masterminded the invasion of Okinawa, kept the Marine Corps from disappearing completely after the end of hostilities, became an advocate for the use of the helicopter in combat, and, finally, developed his ideas of counter insurgency warfare in Vietnam. His ideas were largely rejected by President Lyndon Johnson and his enlightened confidantes and Krulak's outspokenness cost him the one job he desperately sought, that of commandant of the Marine Corps.
Krulak is possibly the greatest Marine of the twentieth century and this book secures his place in history. Krulak lived long enough to see all three of his sons serve in uniform – two as prominent Episcopal clergymen (and decorated officers), and the other as Commandant of the Marine Corps
The more one is exposed to biographies, the more one can discern the biographers' prejudices concerning his subject. Lose your objectivity, either for or against your subject, and the biography is marred. Perhaps the hardest biography to write is one where you admire your subject who is a legend and you attempt to write a warts and all book.
Robert Coram succeeds in this task. He clearly admires Lieutenant General Victor Krulak, who is one of those Marine officers one does not want to meet the morning after a long weekend (or perhaps at any time). Krulak is a genuine Marine Corps legend who has a closet full of skeletons, secrets and lies and, refreshingly, Coram is not afraid to include, analyze and discuss them without being judgmental, taking the stance that man should be measured by the deeds of his later, not early years.
Krulak suppressed the fact that he was Jewish (this being the +1930's, a wise move), to attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and is therefore guilty of lying and falsifying documents. As a young Marine officer, he observed the second Sino-Japanese War, in which the Japanese used a drop-bow landing craft. Krulak's tireless efforts resulted in the Higgins boat and the way to victory in the Pacific in World War II. He also masterminded the invasion of Okinawa, kept the Marine Corps from disappearing completely after the end of hostilities, became an advocate for the use of the helicopter in combat, and, finally, developed his ideas of counter insurgency warfare in Vietnam. His ideas were largely rejected by President Lyndon Johnson and his enlightened confidantes and Krulak's outspokenness cost him the one job he desperately sought, that of commandant of the Marine Corps.
Krulak is possibly the greatest Marine of the twentieth century and this book secures his place in history. Krulak lived long enough to see all three of his sons serve in uniform – two as prominent Episcopal clergymen (and decorated officers), and the other as Commandant of the Marine Corps
Brinkley, Alan. The Publisher: Henry Luce and the American Century. Knopf. Ill; notes; index. 544p. ISBN: 978-0-679-41444-5. $35. April, 2010.
Henry Luce was one of the major players in shaping American society from the 1920's on to the present day. The son of missionaries who traveled extensively in the United States, parts of Great Britain, Europe and China well before his majority, Luce and his partner, Brit Haddon, founded Time magazine in 1923 and changed the way we read the news and view the world around us. Fortune and Life magazines followed shortly thereafter and Luce found himself with the fame, fortune and influence that he had craved from a young age, not to mention one of the greatest media empires of the Twentieth Century.
In a well-researched, lively narrative, Alan Brinkley brings Luce's life and work into the open, analyzing his character with fair mindedness and is not afraid to criticize his social and political vision. Luce was controversial and difficult to know and work for, let alone write a book about. He was gifted, vain, arrogant and lonely and all of twenty-four years of age when he co-founded Time. Everything is here including his tempestuous marriage to Clare Boothe and his isolated final years.
This is a well crafted biography by a leading historian and a valuable addition to th history of media as well.
Henry Luce was one of the major players in shaping American society from the 1920's on to the present day. The son of missionaries who traveled extensively in the United States, parts of Great Britain, Europe and China well before his majority, Luce and his partner, Brit Haddon, founded Time magazine in 1923 and changed the way we read the news and view the world around us. Fortune and Life magazines followed shortly thereafter and Luce found himself with the fame, fortune and influence that he had craved from a young age, not to mention one of the greatest media empires of the Twentieth Century.
In a well-researched, lively narrative, Alan Brinkley brings Luce's life and work into the open, analyzing his character with fair mindedness and is not afraid to criticize his social and political vision. Luce was controversial and difficult to know and work for, let alone write a book about. He was gifted, vain, arrogant and lonely and all of twenty-four years of age when he co-founded Time. Everything is here including his tempestuous marriage to Clare Boothe and his isolated final years.
This is a well crafted biography by a leading historian and a valuable addition to th history of media as well.
Bray, Gary W. After My Lai: My Year Commanding First Platoon, Charlie Company. University of Oklahoma Press. Ill;map. 184p. ISBN: 978-0-8061-4045-2. $16.95 March, 2010.
This short but brutally honest memoir of the Vietnam War is an important addition to the literature of that conflict. As a first person account, its focus is on the day-to-day experiences of First Platoon, Charlie Company, Twentieth Infantry Regiment and pretty much stays on point, free of all the other rhetoric associated with that war.
Lieutenant Bray, following his family's tradition of military service, arrived in-country in the fall of 1969, fresh out of basic training and Officer Candidate School. He ultimately assumed command of Lieutenant William Calley's old platoon and, although those events took place eighteen months previously and all those concerned with the massacre had rotated home, there was a certain stigma or notoriety attached to this unit. The Viet Cong placed a monetary reward on the heads of everyone in Charlie Company, placing additional stress on everyone.
Bray had a wonderful opportunity when assuming command and he took every advantage of it – a steadfast, reliable and savvy non-commissioned officer to lean on while learning the ropes. After My Lai is a poignant story of an infantry platoon in a no-win situation with only each other to rely on. In its honesty, it reveals what combat will do to change your life forever.
This short but brutally honest memoir of the Vietnam War is an important addition to the literature of that conflict. As a first person account, its focus is on the day-to-day experiences of First Platoon, Charlie Company, Twentieth Infantry Regiment and pretty much stays on point, free of all the other rhetoric associated with that war.
Lieutenant Bray, following his family's tradition of military service, arrived in-country in the fall of 1969, fresh out of basic training and Officer Candidate School. He ultimately assumed command of Lieutenant William Calley's old platoon and, although those events took place eighteen months previously and all those concerned with the massacre had rotated home, there was a certain stigma or notoriety attached to this unit. The Viet Cong placed a monetary reward on the heads of everyone in Charlie Company, placing additional stress on everyone.
Bray had a wonderful opportunity when assuming command and he took every advantage of it – a steadfast, reliable and savvy non-commissioned officer to lean on while learning the ropes. After My Lai is a poignant story of an infantry platoon in a no-win situation with only each other to rely on. In its honesty, it reveals what combat will do to change your life forever.
New York Gangster
Hanson, Neil. Monk Eastman: The Gangster Who Became a War Hero. Knopf. Ill.; maps; notes; bib.; index. 416p. ISBN978-0-3072-6655-2. $29.95 October, 2010.
It is difficult to fashion an accurate biography of an individual when the details are missing or buried deep within myths and legends. This is especially true if your subject lives (or lived) on the “other side” of the law.
English historian Hanson has done a creditable job in finding Edward “Monk” Eastman, a notorious gang leader from New York City's Lower East Side. A man who lied about practically everything, Eastman operated from the 1890's through about 1907, when he began a ten-year sentence in Sing Sing Prison. By 1900, at the ripe old age of seventeen, he led a gang of some two thousand thugs, prostitutes and thieves. At his release from prison in 1917, political and neighborhood demographics had changed; Eastman was no longer protected nor trusted by either side and he joined the New York National Guard, lying about his age, saying that he was 39 when he was 42. Shipping out to France as a part of the 27th Infantry Division, Monk and his fellow New Yorkers saw heavy combat beginning in May, 1918, as the Allies began the assault on the Hindenburg Line and the final defeat of Germany that November. Although neither decorated nor promoted, Eastman distinguished himself in brutal combat, repeatedly risking his life to save his comrades. In their eyes, at least, he partly redeemed his nefarious past. Returning to an “honest” civilian life, he couldn't quite remain completely straight and was murdered by person or persons unknown in 1920.
Neil Hanson paints a decidedly ugly portrait of New York City's Lower East Side – one that is undoubtedly true – comparing it unfavorably to Dickens' London: the Lower East Side was dirtier, scarier and more crowded with downtrodden humanity than practically anywhere else on the planet. Hanson's impeccable research reveals Eastman to have come from a respectable New York family of English extraction, not Irish or Jewish as every other writer has made him. Also, a life of crime was something he chose.
This is a biography and an excellent history of the time period.
It is difficult to fashion an accurate biography of an individual when the details are missing or buried deep within myths and legends. This is especially true if your subject lives (or lived) on the “other side” of the law.
English historian Hanson has done a creditable job in finding Edward “Monk” Eastman, a notorious gang leader from New York City's Lower East Side. A man who lied about practically everything, Eastman operated from the 1890's through about 1907, when he began a ten-year sentence in Sing Sing Prison. By 1900, at the ripe old age of seventeen, he led a gang of some two thousand thugs, prostitutes and thieves. At his release from prison in 1917, political and neighborhood demographics had changed; Eastman was no longer protected nor trusted by either side and he joined the New York National Guard, lying about his age, saying that he was 39 when he was 42. Shipping out to France as a part of the 27th Infantry Division, Monk and his fellow New Yorkers saw heavy combat beginning in May, 1918, as the Allies began the assault on the Hindenburg Line and the final defeat of Germany that November. Although neither decorated nor promoted, Eastman distinguished himself in brutal combat, repeatedly risking his life to save his comrades. In their eyes, at least, he partly redeemed his nefarious past. Returning to an “honest” civilian life, he couldn't quite remain completely straight and was murdered by person or persons unknown in 1920.
Neil Hanson paints a decidedly ugly portrait of New York City's Lower East Side – one that is undoubtedly true – comparing it unfavorably to Dickens' London: the Lower East Side was dirtier, scarier and more crowded with downtrodden humanity than practically anywhere else on the planet. Hanson's impeccable research reveals Eastman to have come from a respectable New York family of English extraction, not Irish or Jewish as every other writer has made him. Also, a life of crime was something he chose.
This is a biography and an excellent history of the time period.
Ernst, Donna B. The Sundance Kid: The Life of Harry Alonzo Longabaugh. U. of Oklahoma Press. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 233P tp. ISBN: 978-0806-141152. $19.95 May, 2010.
Thanks to the efforts of Hollywood, the history of the American West resounds with tales of gun fights, Indian disputes and damsels in distress. One of the more well known tales is that of Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and the Hole-in-the Wall Gang, who terrorized several states at the turn of the last century. And, separating fact from Hollywood “fact” is sometimes difficult if not impossible depending on the extent of the damage done by the silver screen to the truth.
Leave it to a relative (by marriage) of Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, aka the Sundance Kid, to set the record straight about a life lived to a fuller extent than history or even Hollywood has admitted. After more than twenty-five years of solid research into archives and family records, Ernst has written an engaging biography, describing a life quite different from the famous name. She tells the whole story from his beginnings in Pennsylvania, his move west, his fall off the legal path and his attempts to go straight. As is the case with most outlaws, Sundance was blamed for more misdeeds than he actually committed and Ernst presents good evidence in setting the record straight. She also brings to light his activities in South America and presents convincing evidence that Butch Cassidy and Sundance were killed in Bolivia in 1908. Along the way, we get to meet the Wild Bunch and learn more about the outlaw life as it was just before the turn of the century.
Reading this book is time well spent for those who love the American West, the outlaw life and American history in general.
Thanks to the efforts of Hollywood, the history of the American West resounds with tales of gun fights, Indian disputes and damsels in distress. One of the more well known tales is that of Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and the Hole-in-the Wall Gang, who terrorized several states at the turn of the last century. And, separating fact from Hollywood “fact” is sometimes difficult if not impossible depending on the extent of the damage done by the silver screen to the truth.
Leave it to a relative (by marriage) of Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, aka the Sundance Kid, to set the record straight about a life lived to a fuller extent than history or even Hollywood has admitted. After more than twenty-five years of solid research into archives and family records, Ernst has written an engaging biography, describing a life quite different from the famous name. She tells the whole story from his beginnings in Pennsylvania, his move west, his fall off the legal path and his attempts to go straight. As is the case with most outlaws, Sundance was blamed for more misdeeds than he actually committed and Ernst presents good evidence in setting the record straight. She also brings to light his activities in South America and presents convincing evidence that Butch Cassidy and Sundance were killed in Bolivia in 1908. Along the way, we get to meet the Wild Bunch and learn more about the outlaw life as it was just before the turn of the century.
Reading this book is time well spent for those who love the American West, the outlaw life and American history in general.
Medieval France
Adams, Tracy The Life and Afterlife of Isabeau of Bavaria. Johns Hopkins University Press. Notes; bib.; appendix; map; index. 368p. ISBN: 978-0-8018-9025-5. $55.00 August, 2010.
Women in history can certainly be a subject worth pursuing, if not as standard fare, At least from time to time. Women at or near the “power”, especially those with a reputation always add a bit of spice to historical study.
All of the elements of a good story are here: Isabeau (the name alone conjures medieval heroines), the Queen consort of France; her husband, the mad King Charles VI of France; feuding, power-hungry factions all anxious to rule; and rumors of treachery and adultery.
Isabeau of Bavaria was born around 1370 to Stephen III of Bavaria – Ingolstadt and his wife, Taddea Visconti. The child's legitimacy to rule came from both sides of the family whose family lines descended nobly in Sicily, Hungary, Milan, as well as Bavaria. Chosen as a bride in 1385, Isabeau served as Queen Consort until 1422, when Charles VI died that October. Her husband's frequent bouts of mental illness, now believed to have been schizophrenia, put her in an unusually powerful role in government. The fact that France was torn apart by feuding families lends even more credence to her capabilities as ruler. It was after her death, with France going through even more turmoil, that her reputation suffered, going from respected and revered, to being reviled as a traitor and adulteress. And for those who study the period, it has been the latter reputation that has been repeated enough to become historical truth.
This is where the author steps in and shows in a very convincing manner that Isabeau's evil reputation is a myth for which there is no substantial historical evidence. The rumors began as a consequence of the political power struggle between the Armagnacs and Burgundians for control of France.
This is a fascinating reassessment of medieval French history.
Women in history can certainly be a subject worth pursuing, if not as standard fare, At least from time to time. Women at or near the “power”, especially those with a reputation always add a bit of spice to historical study.
All of the elements of a good story are here: Isabeau (the name alone conjures medieval heroines), the Queen consort of France; her husband, the mad King Charles VI of France; feuding, power-hungry factions all anxious to rule; and rumors of treachery and adultery.
Isabeau of Bavaria was born around 1370 to Stephen III of Bavaria – Ingolstadt and his wife, Taddea Visconti. The child's legitimacy to rule came from both sides of the family whose family lines descended nobly in Sicily, Hungary, Milan, as well as Bavaria. Chosen as a bride in 1385, Isabeau served as Queen Consort until 1422, when Charles VI died that October. Her husband's frequent bouts of mental illness, now believed to have been schizophrenia, put her in an unusually powerful role in government. The fact that France was torn apart by feuding families lends even more credence to her capabilities as ruler. It was after her death, with France going through even more turmoil, that her reputation suffered, going from respected and revered, to being reviled as a traitor and adulteress. And for those who study the period, it has been the latter reputation that has been repeated enough to become historical truth.
This is where the author steps in and shows in a very convincing manner that Isabeau's evil reputation is a myth for which there is no substantial historical evidence. The rumors began as a consequence of the political power struggle between the Armagnacs and Burgundians for control of France.
This is a fascinating reassessment of medieval French history.
Boylston, James R. and Allen J. Weiner. David Crockett in Congress: The Rise and Fall of the Poor Man's Friend. Bright Sky Press. Ill; appendices; bibliography; index. 340p. ISBN: 978-933979-51-9. $29.95 October, 2009.
For those of us who grew up on the Walt Disney version of “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier”, his service in Congress was merely an interlude between fighting Indians and dying heroically at the Alamo. At least we who could sing the song knew he was in Congress. Starting in his own time, the Crockett myth has grown to obscure the real man so much that it has turned a well-known historical figure into an unknown.
David Crockett in Congress is the first book to focus primarily on Crockett's political career, complete with all extant letters, political circulars and selected speeches. It reveals a politically savvy and shrewd man who stood on principle rather than on party policy, always an advocate for those who elected him and usually at odds with the Andrew Jackson political machine. First elected in 1827, Crockett was a strong supporter of poor squatters rights, which immediately put him at odds with the Jacksonians who worked endlessly from then on to unseat him. Losing his seat in 1831, he was reelected from another Tennessee district in 1833 and, although he saw active campaigning in the earlier Creek War, Crockett became an advocate for Indian rights and fought against Jackson's policy of Indian removal. Serving until 1835, Crockett decided he would not sit through the Van Buren administration and decided to begin a new life in Texas, where opportunities were plenty.
This book is an outstanding addition to the Crockett literature, illuminating an unknown and misrepresented period of his life. It reveals the man to be more than the myth; a public servant whose morals and ideals should serve as the standard for all elected officials to live up to. It is also a beautifully produced item; heavy stock paper with a plethora of illustrations, many of them in color and is modestly priced. Truly a masterpiece.
For those of us who grew up on the Walt Disney version of “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier”, his service in Congress was merely an interlude between fighting Indians and dying heroically at the Alamo. At least we who could sing the song knew he was in Congress. Starting in his own time, the Crockett myth has grown to obscure the real man so much that it has turned a well-known historical figure into an unknown.
David Crockett in Congress is the first book to focus primarily on Crockett's political career, complete with all extant letters, political circulars and selected speeches. It reveals a politically savvy and shrewd man who stood on principle rather than on party policy, always an advocate for those who elected him and usually at odds with the Andrew Jackson political machine. First elected in 1827, Crockett was a strong supporter of poor squatters rights, which immediately put him at odds with the Jacksonians who worked endlessly from then on to unseat him. Losing his seat in 1831, he was reelected from another Tennessee district in 1833 and, although he saw active campaigning in the earlier Creek War, Crockett became an advocate for Indian rights and fought against Jackson's policy of Indian removal. Serving until 1835, Crockett decided he would not sit through the Van Buren administration and decided to begin a new life in Texas, where opportunities were plenty.
This book is an outstanding addition to the Crockett literature, illuminating an unknown and misrepresented period of his life. It reveals the man to be more than the myth; a public servant whose morals and ideals should serve as the standard for all elected officials to live up to. It is also a beautifully produced item; heavy stock paper with a plethora of illustrations, many of them in color and is modestly priced. Truly a masterpiece.
Danisi, Thomas C. and John C. Jackson. Meriwether Lewis. Prometheus Books. Illustrated; appendix; notes; bibliography; index. 424p. ISBN: 978-1-59102-702-7. $28.98 May, 2009
Best known as one-half of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806, which explored the uncharted territory west of the Mississippi River, Meriwether Lewis' life was surrounded by myth and mystery, no doubt stemming from his premature death in October, 1809, just three years after the successful conclusion of the expedition. Not much else is really known of his life, neither before nor after the trek to the Pacific.
Authors Danisi and Jackson have produced the first full length biography of Lewis in fifty years and it focuses on his early and later life with the famous expedition sandwiched in between the two. This gives tremendous insight into why Lewis was chosen to lead the exploration and how he continued his career afterwards.
Meriwether Lewis' lifelong mentor was Thomas Jefferson. The two were native Virginians and near neighbors who shared like scientific interests and, when the time came, Jefferson obtained for Lewis an army appointment. Lewis later became the President's personal secretary and, came in close proximity to those learned friends of Jefferson's who founded the American Philosophical Society. It wasn't long after the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France that the idea of an exploratory expedition be launched and Lewis was given a crash course in just about every relevant subject in the natural sciences. What is evident is Jefferson's involvement, much more so than is generally known.
After the expedition, Lewis, who would have been happy to write up and publish his journal notes and remain a noted natural scientist, was thrust into the position of governor of the Louisiana Territory by his friend/mentor/boss Thomas Jefferson. The Territory at that time, rife with Spanish and American intrigue, was no place for a neophyte and, subsequently, Lewis was quite possibly out of his league as a politician/soldier.
Finally, the authors make a convincing case for the cause of Meriwether Lewis' early death. Using medical documentation, the authors reveal him to be suffering from terrible bouts of malaria, overwhelming pain and a desire to be quit of it all. So his death may not have been murder, nor suicide.
This is an excellent study of a misunderstood hero and of the early national period in U.S. History.
Best known as one-half of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806, which explored the uncharted territory west of the Mississippi River, Meriwether Lewis' life was surrounded by myth and mystery, no doubt stemming from his premature death in October, 1809, just three years after the successful conclusion of the expedition. Not much else is really known of his life, neither before nor after the trek to the Pacific.
Authors Danisi and Jackson have produced the first full length biography of Lewis in fifty years and it focuses on his early and later life with the famous expedition sandwiched in between the two. This gives tremendous insight into why Lewis was chosen to lead the exploration and how he continued his career afterwards.
Meriwether Lewis' lifelong mentor was Thomas Jefferson. The two were native Virginians and near neighbors who shared like scientific interests and, when the time came, Jefferson obtained for Lewis an army appointment. Lewis later became the President's personal secretary and, came in close proximity to those learned friends of Jefferson's who founded the American Philosophical Society. It wasn't long after the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France that the idea of an exploratory expedition be launched and Lewis was given a crash course in just about every relevant subject in the natural sciences. What is evident is Jefferson's involvement, much more so than is generally known.
After the expedition, Lewis, who would have been happy to write up and publish his journal notes and remain a noted natural scientist, was thrust into the position of governor of the Louisiana Territory by his friend/mentor/boss Thomas Jefferson. The Territory at that time, rife with Spanish and American intrigue, was no place for a neophyte and, subsequently, Lewis was quite possibly out of his league as a politician/soldier.
Finally, the authors make a convincing case for the cause of Meriwether Lewis' early death. Using medical documentation, the authors reveal him to be suffering from terrible bouts of malaria, overwhelming pain and a desire to be quit of it all. So his death may not have been murder, nor suicide.
This is an excellent study of a misunderstood hero and of the early national period in U.S. History.
Cushing, William B. The Sea Eagle: The Civil War Memoirs of Lt. Cdr. William B. Cushing, U.S.N. Rowman & Littlefield. Illustrations; appendices; index. 169p. ISBN: 978-0-7425-7053-5. $34.95 August, 2009.
This latest entry in The American Crisis Series, Books on the Civil War Era, brings to print one of the more dashing participants of the War Between the States, William B. Cushing, USN. Named by later biographers as “Lincoln's Commando”, Cushing is best known for his daring nighttime raid against a Confederate ironclad, the CSS Albemarle in late October, 1864.
Cushing was born in Wisconsin, raised in New York State and expelled from the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland for a variety of reasons, among them poor scholarship and “pranks.” Personally pleading his case to Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, he was given one last chance and reinstated in the Navy as an acting master's mate just as the bombardment of Fort Sumter ended.
Cushing first saw active service at Hatteras Inlet, off the North Carolina coast, and then at Hampton Roads, Virginia. Promoted to Lieutenant in mid-1862, he was known for his personal courage and daring. In 1864, in a nighttime raid, Cushing and his volunteer crew sank the ironclad CSS Albemarle with a spar torpedo ram for which he received the thanks of Congress. As the Navy's youngest Lieutenant Commander, Cushing ended his Civil War service at the Battle of Fort Fisher in 1865. Postwar service in both the Pacific and Atlantic Squadrons eventually weakened his already unstable health and he died in 1874 at the age of thirty-two.
In The Sea Eagle, editor Carter adequately portrays Cushing in his introduction to the commanders' wartime memoirs. The addition of glossaries describing officers and ships mentioned in the text, plus contemporary articles originally published in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War flesh out the life and exploits of the dashing Cushing.
This latest entry in The American Crisis Series, Books on the Civil War Era, brings to print one of the more dashing participants of the War Between the States, William B. Cushing, USN. Named by later biographers as “Lincoln's Commando”, Cushing is best known for his daring nighttime raid against a Confederate ironclad, the CSS Albemarle in late October, 1864.
Cushing was born in Wisconsin, raised in New York State and expelled from the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland for a variety of reasons, among them poor scholarship and “pranks.” Personally pleading his case to Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, he was given one last chance and reinstated in the Navy as an acting master's mate just as the bombardment of Fort Sumter ended.
Cushing first saw active service at Hatteras Inlet, off the North Carolina coast, and then at Hampton Roads, Virginia. Promoted to Lieutenant in mid-1862, he was known for his personal courage and daring. In 1864, in a nighttime raid, Cushing and his volunteer crew sank the ironclad CSS Albemarle with a spar torpedo ram for which he received the thanks of Congress. As the Navy's youngest Lieutenant Commander, Cushing ended his Civil War service at the Battle of Fort Fisher in 1865. Postwar service in both the Pacific and Atlantic Squadrons eventually weakened his already unstable health and he died in 1874 at the age of thirty-two.
In The Sea Eagle, editor Carter adequately portrays Cushing in his introduction to the commanders' wartime memoirs. The addition of glossaries describing officers and ships mentioned in the text, plus contemporary articles originally published in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War flesh out the life and exploits of the dashing Cushing.
Trow, M.J. Jack the Ripper: Quest for a Killer. Pen & Sword ill; maps; notes; bib.; index. 208p. ISBN: 978-1-84563126-0. $39.95 November, 2009.
Perhaps the most hunted killer of all time is Jack the Ripper, namely because the identity of the Whitechapel murderer has eluded the best manhunters since the 1880's and has created a cottage industry of speculation and finger pointing. The list of suspects runs the gamut from the royal family of England to lunatics of all stripe and national origin, insane doctors, incompetent midwives, policemen and bad lawyers (or barristers, as they are known in Great Britain). Conspiracy theories abound and interpretation of the facts have crossed over into pure imagination.
In Quest for a Killer, Mr. Trow present a rational reexamination of the case,using modern forensic techniques and profiling of the list of known suspects, including a previously unknown one. In doing so, he destroys the conspiracy theories, outlines a new motive for the killings and proves the Ripper killed seven women, not five as everyone is led to believe. His suspect, for which he presents a solid, sane case, is Robert Mann, a Whitechapel resident who worked as a mortuary assistant at the Eagle Place mortuary.
Trow's book is an honest one, painstakingly researched and presented, making for a very plausible case. In addition, he presents a painfully accurate picture of what it was like to live in Victorian London, especially the Whitechapel section.
This book is for Ripperologists and those interested in the time period.
Perhaps the most hunted killer of all time is Jack the Ripper, namely because the identity of the Whitechapel murderer has eluded the best manhunters since the 1880's and has created a cottage industry of speculation and finger pointing. The list of suspects runs the gamut from the royal family of England to lunatics of all stripe and national origin, insane doctors, incompetent midwives, policemen and bad lawyers (or barristers, as they are known in Great Britain). Conspiracy theories abound and interpretation of the facts have crossed over into pure imagination.
In Quest for a Killer, Mr. Trow present a rational reexamination of the case,using modern forensic techniques and profiling of the list of known suspects, including a previously unknown one. In doing so, he destroys the conspiracy theories, outlines a new motive for the killings and proves the Ripper killed seven women, not five as everyone is led to believe. His suspect, for which he presents a solid, sane case, is Robert Mann, a Whitechapel resident who worked as a mortuary assistant at the Eagle Place mortuary.
Trow's book is an honest one, painstakingly researched and presented, making for a very plausible case. In addition, he presents a painfully accurate picture of what it was like to live in Victorian London, especially the Whitechapel section.
This book is for Ripperologists and those interested in the time period.
Trow, M.J. Pocket Hercules: Captain William Morris & The Charge of the Light Brigade. Pen & Sword. Illustrated; notes; bibliography; index. 224p. ISBN: 1-84415-378-9. $39.95 2006.
This is the story of a British officer who was in the front rank during the Charge of the Light Brigade in October, 1854. Leading the 17th Lancers, Morris was one of the first to reach the Russian guns after the mile long charge down the Valley of Death. Severely wounded with several serious saber cuts about his head and arms, he survived. The Battle of Balaclava was not his first, nor his last action.
William Morris was gazetted into the 16th (Scarlet) Lancers in 1842 and saw active service in India, participating in the battles of Sabraon, Freozepur and Aliwal. It is in India that Morris earned not only his spurs but the nickname “Pocket Hercules”, on account of his forty-three inch chest and stocky physique.
Morris left India to serve in Ireland with the 17th Lancers, a regiment he exchanged into; his commission was dated in 1848. Service here and his voluntary attendance at the Staff College at Sandhurst precluded his service in the Crimea. He also married in 1852.
morris was appointed to the staff as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General under General Sir Richard Airey, Quartermaster General and was employed at Varna; by September he had barely recovered from cholera. The following month he participated in the great charge, being severely wounded in the process. He was invalided home in December, 1854. In June, 1855, he was back in the Crimea and was one of the last English officers to leave after the conflict ended in early 1856. Through oversight or just plain prejudice and spite, Morris' name was never put forward to receive the Victoria Cross for his heroism at Balaclava.
On September 2, 1857, the 17th Lancers received orders for India. Morris, of course, wasted no time in applying for a position with the regiment and a chance to fight the Indian mutineers. Before he could see active service, Morris took sick and died of dysentery at Poona in July, 1858. He was thirty-eight years old and , had he lived, would certainly have made his mark on the army he enjoyed serving.
Trow's book presents an intriguing insight into the English officer corps of the Victorian Army, with all of its idiosyncrasies, such as the purchase of commissions, seniority, etc. The author shows no sympathy for some of the leading characters, in particular Lord Cardigan, commander of the Light Brigade, of whom he says, “Stupid, autocratic and overbearing, Cardigan has been called the English Murat, an insult to one of the truly great leaders of cavalry.” this is an important contribution to the military history of the period.
This is the story of a British officer who was in the front rank during the Charge of the Light Brigade in October, 1854. Leading the 17th Lancers, Morris was one of the first to reach the Russian guns after the mile long charge down the Valley of Death. Severely wounded with several serious saber cuts about his head and arms, he survived. The Battle of Balaclava was not his first, nor his last action.
William Morris was gazetted into the 16th (Scarlet) Lancers in 1842 and saw active service in India, participating in the battles of Sabraon, Freozepur and Aliwal. It is in India that Morris earned not only his spurs but the nickname “Pocket Hercules”, on account of his forty-three inch chest and stocky physique.
Morris left India to serve in Ireland with the 17th Lancers, a regiment he exchanged into; his commission was dated in 1848. Service here and his voluntary attendance at the Staff College at Sandhurst precluded his service in the Crimea. He also married in 1852.
morris was appointed to the staff as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General under General Sir Richard Airey, Quartermaster General and was employed at Varna; by September he had barely recovered from cholera. The following month he participated in the great charge, being severely wounded in the process. He was invalided home in December, 1854. In June, 1855, he was back in the Crimea and was one of the last English officers to leave after the conflict ended in early 1856. Through oversight or just plain prejudice and spite, Morris' name was never put forward to receive the Victoria Cross for his heroism at Balaclava.
On September 2, 1857, the 17th Lancers received orders for India. Morris, of course, wasted no time in applying for a position with the regiment and a chance to fight the Indian mutineers. Before he could see active service, Morris took sick and died of dysentery at Poona in July, 1858. He was thirty-eight years old and , had he lived, would certainly have made his mark on the army he enjoyed serving.
Trow's book presents an intriguing insight into the English officer corps of the Victorian Army, with all of its idiosyncrasies, such as the purchase of commissions, seniority, etc. The author shows no sympathy for some of the leading characters, in particular Lord Cardigan, commander of the Light Brigade, of whom he says, “Stupid, autocratic and overbearing, Cardigan has been called the English Murat, an insult to one of the truly great leaders of cavalry.” this is an important contribution to the military history of the period.
Wareham, Tom. Frigate Commander. Pen & Sword. Ill; notes; bib.; index. 304p. ISBN:978-184415073-1 $39.99 September, 2004.
Based on the private journal of Graham Moore, who served as a lieutenant, then captain, in His Majesty's frigates from 1784 to 1806. This handwritten diary runs to an astounding thirty-seven volumes, a remarkable achievement in and of itself for an active duty officer in the late Eighteenth/ early Nineteenth Centuries. It is a veritable warehouse full of pertinent information on the care and feeding of a sailing warship and her crew.
As it is a dairy, Moore is relatively unguarded in his comments and reflections. He is worried about his prospects for prize money and success. He reveals the problems he faces in managing the ship and crew; difficult superiors and incompetent subordinates; maintaining discipline; and turning his ship into an efficient killing machine. He also talks about his abhorrence of flogging and its necessity for maintaining discipline. He accepts the loneliness of command and laments the loss of men under his command through action and accident.
Moore was present during the Naval Mutiny of 1797 and saw action against the French fleet off the coast of Ireland in 1798. In 1804 he captured a Spanish frigate whose holds were filled with treasure and was present in HMS Indefatigable during the opening stages of the Battle of Trafalgar. In 1806, he relinquished command of Indefatigable and here the book effectively ends. The remainder of his career in various ships of the line and as an admiral are given a brief survey.
For anyone who is a fan of nautical adventures should not miss this book.
Based on the private journal of Graham Moore, who served as a lieutenant, then captain, in His Majesty's frigates from 1784 to 1806. This handwritten diary runs to an astounding thirty-seven volumes, a remarkable achievement in and of itself for an active duty officer in the late Eighteenth/ early Nineteenth Centuries. It is a veritable warehouse full of pertinent information on the care and feeding of a sailing warship and her crew.
As it is a dairy, Moore is relatively unguarded in his comments and reflections. He is worried about his prospects for prize money and success. He reveals the problems he faces in managing the ship and crew; difficult superiors and incompetent subordinates; maintaining discipline; and turning his ship into an efficient killing machine. He also talks about his abhorrence of flogging and its necessity for maintaining discipline. He accepts the loneliness of command and laments the loss of men under his command through action and accident.
Moore was present during the Naval Mutiny of 1797 and saw action against the French fleet off the coast of Ireland in 1798. In 1804 he captured a Spanish frigate whose holds were filled with treasure and was present in HMS Indefatigable during the opening stages of the Battle of Trafalgar. In 1806, he relinquished command of Indefatigable and here the book effectively ends. The remainder of his career in various ships of the line and as an admiral are given a brief survey.
For anyone who is a fan of nautical adventures should not miss this book.
Springer, Shaun and Stuart Humphreys, Editors. Private Beatson's War: Life, Death and Hope on the Western Front. Introduction by Henry Allingham. Pen & Sword. Ill; notes; bib; index. 176p. ISBN: 978-1848-84082-9. $39.95 December, 2009
In private hands since 1915, this diary was purchased at auction in 2006 by one of the editors who outbid the other editor. The editing and publication of the diary as a collaborative effort with the proceeds going to charity attests to their selflessness and their desire to share this remarkable diary with the world.
James Beatson was not quite twenty-four years old when he was killed in action during the first weeks of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. His diary covers the period from February to December, 1915, a period of only ten months; but in this short time span, Beatson creates an incredible piece of literature at one of the darkest periods of history – the meat grinder that was the Great War. It is very personal, beautifully written and a testament to a generation soon to be lost on the Western Front.
The diary is dedicated to his sweetheart, Caroline. Beatson was granted a weeks leave in December, 1915 (when his diary stopped) and he went back to Scotland and married her. Upon his return to the front, chances are god that he started a second volume of his diary and, no doubt, it lies with him still.
There are many World War I diaries that have been edited and published to choose from but not many have the realism, intelligence and humanity of this one.
In private hands since 1915, this diary was purchased at auction in 2006 by one of the editors who outbid the other editor. The editing and publication of the diary as a collaborative effort with the proceeds going to charity attests to their selflessness and their desire to share this remarkable diary with the world.
James Beatson was not quite twenty-four years old when he was killed in action during the first weeks of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. His diary covers the period from February to December, 1915, a period of only ten months; but in this short time span, Beatson creates an incredible piece of literature at one of the darkest periods of history – the meat grinder that was the Great War. It is very personal, beautifully written and a testament to a generation soon to be lost on the Western Front.
The diary is dedicated to his sweetheart, Caroline. Beatson was granted a weeks leave in December, 1915 (when his diary stopped) and he went back to Scotland and married her. Upon his return to the front, chances are god that he started a second volume of his diary and, no doubt, it lies with him still.
There are many World War I diaries that have been edited and published to choose from but not many have the realism, intelligence and humanity of this one.
Revell, Alex. Brief Glory: The Life of Arthur Rhys Davids, DSO, MC & bar. Pen & Sword. Ill.; appendix; index. 224p ISBN: 978-1-84884162-0 $39.95 April 30, 2010.
Many are the unsung heroes of the First World War in the air. Even those whose aerial exploits were well known have faded somewhat during the intervening years. One aviator who falls into the latter category is Arthur Rhys Davids, a young British ace who has not really had a serious biography until the publication of this book, Brief Glory by noted aviation historian Alex Revell.
Rhys Davids was not your ordinary soldier. Educated at Eton College as a classicist, he came from an intellectual family and was a prolific letter writer. He entered the Royal Flying Corps direct from college and became a proficient and popular flyer. His operational career lasted all of six months on the Western Front before he was shot down and killed in October, 1917 at the ripe old age of twenty years. He is credited with twenty-seven aerial victories, including the German ace Werner Voss, and was awarded the Military Cross twice and the Distinguished Service Order. In the opinion of his commanding officer, he was also deserving of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for valor.
Based on family letters, recently released, this moving biography traces Rhys Davids life from early boyhood until his death in combat. His last letter was written the night before his last patrol. The letters give great insight into his personal life, intellect and outstanding character typically cut short. Included are a number of previously unpublished photographs, ranging from his childhood to his service days. This book is a welcome addition to any library.
Many are the unsung heroes of the First World War in the air. Even those whose aerial exploits were well known have faded somewhat during the intervening years. One aviator who falls into the latter category is Arthur Rhys Davids, a young British ace who has not really had a serious biography until the publication of this book, Brief Glory by noted aviation historian Alex Revell.
Rhys Davids was not your ordinary soldier. Educated at Eton College as a classicist, he came from an intellectual family and was a prolific letter writer. He entered the Royal Flying Corps direct from college and became a proficient and popular flyer. His operational career lasted all of six months on the Western Front before he was shot down and killed in October, 1917 at the ripe old age of twenty years. He is credited with twenty-seven aerial victories, including the German ace Werner Voss, and was awarded the Military Cross twice and the Distinguished Service Order. In the opinion of his commanding officer, he was also deserving of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for valor.
Based on family letters, recently released, this moving biography traces Rhys Davids life from early boyhood until his death in combat. His last letter was written the night before his last patrol. The letters give great insight into his personal life, intellect and outstanding character typically cut short. Included are a number of previously unpublished photographs, ranging from his childhood to his service days. This book is a welcome addition to any library.
Nelson's Hero
Sharman, Victor T. Nelson's Hero: The Story of His 'Sea Daddy' Captain William Locker. Pen & Sword. Ill.; notes; bib.; appendices; index. 256p. ISBN: 978-1-84415-266-9 $39.95 September, 2008.
As with every successful person, there was a time when that person was just starting out in his career, learning his craft; there was a person from whom they learned; an example they followed. Such was the case with Admiral Horatio Nelson. It is hard to imagine, or remember, that he was once a midshipman who knew next to nothing about ships and the sea and had to learn from someone.
That someone, Captain William Locker, is the subject of this biography by Victor Sharman, who is the chairman of the Nelson Society. Locker was Nelson's first captain, aboard the HMS Lowestoffe, a frigate of 32 guns, when Nelson reported aboard as a newly qualified second lieutenant in the year 1777. the captain was forty-six years old at the time and had been at sea since 1746.He had seen much active service, serving with Sir Edward Hawke during the Seven Years War with France. In 1762, he gained his first command, being appointed commander and made master of the fireship Roman Emperor. In 1768, Locker attained the vital rank of Post Captain, a rank to which every naval officer aspired. After quite a distinguished career, he died at home in 1800, at the age of seventy. Nelson took his death hard, evidence of the relationship between the two. Nelson would join him in death a scant five years later.
Well researched and written, this book is supported by Nelson's correspondence with William Locker and a great deal of it is devoted to Nelson's career but never is the influence of the older man doubted throughout the younger man's glorious career. This book should appeal to Nelson disciples and students of the age of sail.
As with every successful person, there was a time when that person was just starting out in his career, learning his craft; there was a person from whom they learned; an example they followed. Such was the case with Admiral Horatio Nelson. It is hard to imagine, or remember, that he was once a midshipman who knew next to nothing about ships and the sea and had to learn from someone.
That someone, Captain William Locker, is the subject of this biography by Victor Sharman, who is the chairman of the Nelson Society. Locker was Nelson's first captain, aboard the HMS Lowestoffe, a frigate of 32 guns, when Nelson reported aboard as a newly qualified second lieutenant in the year 1777. the captain was forty-six years old at the time and had been at sea since 1746.He had seen much active service, serving with Sir Edward Hawke during the Seven Years War with France. In 1762, he gained his first command, being appointed commander and made master of the fireship Roman Emperor. In 1768, Locker attained the vital rank of Post Captain, a rank to which every naval officer aspired. After quite a distinguished career, he died at home in 1800, at the age of seventy. Nelson took his death hard, evidence of the relationship between the two. Nelson would join him in death a scant five years later.
Well researched and written, this book is supported by Nelson's correspondence with William Locker and a great deal of it is devoted to Nelson's career but never is the influence of the older man doubted throughout the younger man's glorious career. This book should appeal to Nelson disciples and students of the age of sail.
Heathcote, T. A. Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles: A Biographical and Historical Dictionary. Pen & Sword Books. Ill.; bib.; index. 201p. ISBN: 978-1-1848-8-4061-4. $39.95 2010.
A companion piece to the author's Nelson's Trafalgar Captains and Their Battles, Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles covers the lives of forty-one of the best known divisional commanders, heads of supporting arms and services (i.e. artillery, cavalry and supply), and principal staff officers of Wellington's Army in Spain from 1808 to 1812.
The book is divided into two distinct sections, the first consisting of the biographies conveniently arranged alphabetically, and the second consisting of the battles these men fought in, arranged chronologically, beginning with the Low Countries in 1793 and ending with Waterloo in 1815. At the end of each battle entry is a list of generals in the book who participated in each. There is an Introduction wherein the author discusses the promotion system, the purchase of commissions and the importance of patronage in Georgian England.
As any reputation would pale when next to Wellington's (not to mention his own low opinion of practically everybody), a close look at these men and their careers reveals extensive active service both before and often after the war against Napoleon. Also revelatory are the facts that most of them came from or married into titled families; almost half of them were of Scottish descent; and two were Germans.
All in all, this book is informative, well written and an essential reference tool for those interested in the period.
A companion piece to the author's Nelson's Trafalgar Captains and Their Battles, Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles covers the lives of forty-one of the best known divisional commanders, heads of supporting arms and services (i.e. artillery, cavalry and supply), and principal staff officers of Wellington's Army in Spain from 1808 to 1812.
The book is divided into two distinct sections, the first consisting of the biographies conveniently arranged alphabetically, and the second consisting of the battles these men fought in, arranged chronologically, beginning with the Low Countries in 1793 and ending with Waterloo in 1815. At the end of each battle entry is a list of generals in the book who participated in each. There is an Introduction wherein the author discusses the promotion system, the purchase of commissions and the importance of patronage in Georgian England.
As any reputation would pale when next to Wellington's (not to mention his own low opinion of practically everybody), a close look at these men and their careers reveals extensive active service both before and often after the war against Napoleon. Also revelatory are the facts that most of them came from or married into titled families; almost half of them were of Scottish descent; and two were Germans.
All in all, this book is informative, well written and an essential reference tool for those interested in the period.
World War I
Reed, Paul. Great War Lives: A Guide for Family Historians. Pen & Sword Books. Ill.; notes; maps; bi b.; index. 240p. ISBN: 978-1-8488-4324-0. $39.95 November, 2010
This is the latest addition to the How Your Ancestors Lived series and deals with twelve English servicemen who fought and died in the Great War; it covers all services and includes a rifleman, an infantry officer, an aviator, a tunneler, a sailor and a Royal Marine, among others. The accounts themselves are often quite fascinating and often sadly tragic – although all are casualties, a few did survive the war.
Each account is detailed. Reed describes their lives at the front, in rear areas and on leave. He looks at how they fit into the armed forces as a whole and the conditions they endured. Some of the more unforgettable chapters include: Britain's Black Pilot, A Poet at War, A Tunneler in France (for which a Victoria Cross was awarded) and, A Great War Guinea Pig, (which has to do with facial reconstruction from gunshot wounds).
In each of the twelve chapters, the author describes how the research was done, what records were consulted and what methods were used in recreating their lives which makes this not only an excellent insight into the First World War but an extremely useful reference source for genealogists and historians.
This is the latest addition to the How Your Ancestors Lived series and deals with twelve English servicemen who fought and died in the Great War; it covers all services and includes a rifleman, an infantry officer, an aviator, a tunneler, a sailor and a Royal Marine, among others. The accounts themselves are often quite fascinating and often sadly tragic – although all are casualties, a few did survive the war.
Each account is detailed. Reed describes their lives at the front, in rear areas and on leave. He looks at how they fit into the armed forces as a whole and the conditions they endured. Some of the more unforgettable chapters include: Britain's Black Pilot, A Poet at War, A Tunneler in France (for which a Victoria Cross was awarded) and, A Great War Guinea Pig, (which has to do with facial reconstruction from gunshot wounds).
In each of the twelve chapters, the author describes how the research was done, what records were consulted and what methods were used in recreating their lives which makes this not only an excellent insight into the First World War but an extremely useful reference source for genealogists and historians.
Buttery, David. Messenger of Death: Captain Nolan & The Charge of the Light Brigade. Pen & Sword Bks. Ill.; notes; maps; bib.; index. 225p. ISBN: 978-1-84415756-3. $39.95 2008
Those of us familiar with the Crimean War of 1854-1856, will immediately focus on the Charge of the Light Brigade, which took place during the Battle of Balaclava. Led by Lord Cardigan in a mistaken attempt to attack Russian artillery, between 658 and 690 officers and men began the charge. Less than 200 mounted men reported to roll call at the end of that day, October 25, 1854. The reason for this bloody, senseless action has been debated ever since the order were delivered by the subject of this book, Captain Louis Nolan of the 15th Hussars.
Nolan has either been hailed as a hero who died in the act of trying to correct a terrible mistake or a reckless fool who sent the Light Brigade to their doom. In this, the first full biography of Nolan, David Buttery reassesses the man, his background and training, his character and his contributions to the army in the use of the cavalry. The author looks at Nolan's entire career, not just his fatal role in the Charge.
In addition to new insights on Nolan, the author also sheds new light on the Victorian Army, its officer class and on the conduct of the war itself, which was fraught with poor planning, commanding officers way past their prime, an inept supply system and a tragically inadequate medical corps.
This is a sympathetic biography of Nolan but ine that is filled with new information of a professional officer not quite so typical of his time and class.
Those of us familiar with the Crimean War of 1854-1856, will immediately focus on the Charge of the Light Brigade, which took place during the Battle of Balaclava. Led by Lord Cardigan in a mistaken attempt to attack Russian artillery, between 658 and 690 officers and men began the charge. Less than 200 mounted men reported to roll call at the end of that day, October 25, 1854. The reason for this bloody, senseless action has been debated ever since the order were delivered by the subject of this book, Captain Louis Nolan of the 15th Hussars.
Nolan has either been hailed as a hero who died in the act of trying to correct a terrible mistake or a reckless fool who sent the Light Brigade to their doom. In this, the first full biography of Nolan, David Buttery reassesses the man, his background and training, his character and his contributions to the army in the use of the cavalry. The author looks at Nolan's entire career, not just his fatal role in the Charge.
In addition to new insights on Nolan, the author also sheds new light on the Victorian Army, its officer class and on the conduct of the war itself, which was fraught with poor planning, commanding officers way past their prime, an inept supply system and a tragically inadequate medical corps.
This is a sympathetic biography of Nolan but ine that is filled with new information of a professional officer not quite so typical of his time and class.
Hinman, Wilbur F. Introduction by Allan R. Millett. Corporal Si Klegg & His “Pard” Bison Books. Ill. 706p. ISBN 978-0-8032-2473-5. $24.95.
First published in 1887, Corporal Si Klegg is one of the best portrayals of daily life in the Union Army during the Civil War. Although its characters and their regiment, the 200th Indiana, are fictional, the books' author, Hinman, was a four-year vetearn of the Civil War in the Western Theater. He enlisted in the 65ht Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving in the ranks of corporal, sergeant, first sergeant, lieutenant and captain in Company E. Hinman finished his service in November, 1865, mustering out as lieutenant colonel and regimental commander. He died in 1905 after an active journalism and governmental career.
The story of Corporal Klegg and his pard Shorty roughly follows the actual service of the 65th Ohio from mustering in through the battles of Stones River, Chickamauga and others to the final mustering out and Si's troubles getting a pension. Related entirely in the vernacular of the day (which takes some getting used to but once mastered, it flows naturally), this is as close to how it was as we are ever going to get.
From Si and Shorty's perspective, no subjects are off limits (with the exception of sex, which was taboo). Especially telling are the instances of camp life, complete with descriptions of food, equipment, sickness, disease, “ossifers” and the ever present pests that a soldier becomes well too acquainted with, among them ticks, lice and “skeeters:. Discussions of camp architecture and the mens' natural ability to adapt scanty shelter to their needs.
Hinman's descriptions of the battles fought are told with honesty and, in some instances, tongue in cheek humor. The first time Si and Shorty are under artillery fire, they up and “skeedaddle” for the rear. As Si pulls himself together and stops, Shorty is right there with him, stating he just came along to keep him from falling back too far.
This is an excellent book for reenactors and students of the war who wish to gain :insider” information about the soldiers who fought this war. The illustrations are reminiscent of World War II and Bill Mauldin's Willie and Joe characters. The informative introduction by Allan R. Millett puts the tale in its historical perspective.
First published in 1887, Corporal Si Klegg is one of the best portrayals of daily life in the Union Army during the Civil War. Although its characters and their regiment, the 200th Indiana, are fictional, the books' author, Hinman, was a four-year vetearn of the Civil War in the Western Theater. He enlisted in the 65ht Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving in the ranks of corporal, sergeant, first sergeant, lieutenant and captain in Company E. Hinman finished his service in November, 1865, mustering out as lieutenant colonel and regimental commander. He died in 1905 after an active journalism and governmental career.
The story of Corporal Klegg and his pard Shorty roughly follows the actual service of the 65th Ohio from mustering in through the battles of Stones River, Chickamauga and others to the final mustering out and Si's troubles getting a pension. Related entirely in the vernacular of the day (which takes some getting used to but once mastered, it flows naturally), this is as close to how it was as we are ever going to get.
From Si and Shorty's perspective, no subjects are off limits (with the exception of sex, which was taboo). Especially telling are the instances of camp life, complete with descriptions of food, equipment, sickness, disease, “ossifers” and the ever present pests that a soldier becomes well too acquainted with, among them ticks, lice and “skeeters:. Discussions of camp architecture and the mens' natural ability to adapt scanty shelter to their needs.
Hinman's descriptions of the battles fought are told with honesty and, in some instances, tongue in cheek humor. The first time Si and Shorty are under artillery fire, they up and “skeedaddle” for the rear. As Si pulls himself together and stops, Shorty is right there with him, stating he just came along to keep him from falling back too far.
This is an excellent book for reenactors and students of the war who wish to gain :insider” information about the soldiers who fought this war. The illustrations are reminiscent of World War II and Bill Mauldin's Willie and Joe characters. The informative introduction by Allan R. Millett puts the tale in its historical perspective.
Hessler, James A. Sickles at Gettysburg: The Controversial Civil War General Who Committed Murder, Abandoned Little Round Top and Declared Himself the Hero of Gettysburg. Savas Beatie. Illustrated; bibliography; notes; maps; index. 432p. ISBN: 978-1-932714-64-7. $32.95 July, 2009
Where else but in the annals of American history can one find a figure born wealthy, an elected politician, murderer, Civil War general and self-proclaimed hero of the Battle of Gettysburg? Sadly, the Battle of Gettysburg aside, there could be several possibilities but the subject here is Daniel Sickles, a man surrounded by controversy in his time and “spin” and memory in our time.
James Hessler has produced a comprehensive biography not only focused on Sickles' role at Gettysburg but his postwar career as well. Hessler's story is fair and balanced; one either loves Sickles or hates him after reading this. He separates and examines the facts, the official record and the controversies to present an illuminating picture, not only of Sickles but also of the inner workings of the Union and Confederate high commands.
Starting with Sickles' early political career, Hessler recounts the event which should have ended it – Sickles' murder of Phillip Barton Key, son of Francis Scott Key. Phillip was having an affair with Dan's wife (Dan was no saint himself) and, with Edwin Stanton on the defenses' team, Sickles was acquitted using the very first temporary insanity defense. He being a War Democrat, and subsequently connected to President Lincoln, was able to secure a prominent command in the Army of the Potomac – the Third Corps. His ability to recruit soldiers was no liability, either.
Sickles' defining moment came on the second day at Gettysburg with his unauthorized deployment to the Peach Orchard. Here Hessler is at his best in recounting the actions of all of the participants. Contending (correctly), that Sickles' move was wrong, he points out that General Meade was vague in his orders and failed to follow up those orders for deployment on the left flank of his lines. Sickles, acting on similar past experience at Chancellorsville, did what he thought best in contesting the high ground to his front. Both Sickles and Confederate General Lee overestimated the importance of the Peach Orchard as an artillery platform. Hessler is correct in stating that there were bad tactics on both sides of the battle lines.
After recovering from the loss of his leg in the battle, Sickles becomes involved in what Hessler calls the Second Battle of Gettysburg, the one fought in Washington involving the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Here is where Sickles portrayed himself as the hero of the battle and went to great lengths to discredit Meade. The author points out that the Committee had its own larger political agenda and that Sickles cooperated but did not set that agenda. Sickles went on to play a prominent (what else?) role in the creation and maintenance of the Gettysburg National Military Park and attended reunions there until his death in 1914.
Hessler's book is well-written, superbly researched and should become the standard by which all Civil War books should be written.
Where else but in the annals of American history can one find a figure born wealthy, an elected politician, murderer, Civil War general and self-proclaimed hero of the Battle of Gettysburg? Sadly, the Battle of Gettysburg aside, there could be several possibilities but the subject here is Daniel Sickles, a man surrounded by controversy in his time and “spin” and memory in our time.
James Hessler has produced a comprehensive biography not only focused on Sickles' role at Gettysburg but his postwar career as well. Hessler's story is fair and balanced; one either loves Sickles or hates him after reading this. He separates and examines the facts, the official record and the controversies to present an illuminating picture, not only of Sickles but also of the inner workings of the Union and Confederate high commands.
Starting with Sickles' early political career, Hessler recounts the event which should have ended it – Sickles' murder of Phillip Barton Key, son of Francis Scott Key. Phillip was having an affair with Dan's wife (Dan was no saint himself) and, with Edwin Stanton on the defenses' team, Sickles was acquitted using the very first temporary insanity defense. He being a War Democrat, and subsequently connected to President Lincoln, was able to secure a prominent command in the Army of the Potomac – the Third Corps. His ability to recruit soldiers was no liability, either.
Sickles' defining moment came on the second day at Gettysburg with his unauthorized deployment to the Peach Orchard. Here Hessler is at his best in recounting the actions of all of the participants. Contending (correctly), that Sickles' move was wrong, he points out that General Meade was vague in his orders and failed to follow up those orders for deployment on the left flank of his lines. Sickles, acting on similar past experience at Chancellorsville, did what he thought best in contesting the high ground to his front. Both Sickles and Confederate General Lee overestimated the importance of the Peach Orchard as an artillery platform. Hessler is correct in stating that there were bad tactics on both sides of the battle lines.
After recovering from the loss of his leg in the battle, Sickles becomes involved in what Hessler calls the Second Battle of Gettysburg, the one fought in Washington involving the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Here is where Sickles portrayed himself as the hero of the battle and went to great lengths to discredit Meade. The author points out that the Committee had its own larger political agenda and that Sickles cooperated but did not set that agenda. Sickles went on to play a prominent (what else?) role in the creation and maintenance of the Gettysburg National Military Park and attended reunions there until his death in 1914.
Hessler's book is well-written, superbly researched and should become the standard by which all Civil War books should be written.
Corum James S. Wolfram Von Richthofen: Master of the German Air War. University Press of Kansas. Ill; notes; maps; index. 421p. ISBN: 978-0700615-988. $34.95 2008
One recognizes the name Von Richthofen and immediately associates it with Manfred Von Richthofen, the World War I air ace; or, quite possibly, his brother Lothar. Wolfram is a cousin to the more newsworthy brothers but still a contributing member of this large family of aristocrats devoted to the service of the German State.
This first full length biography of Von Richthofen vividly portrays his role as a fighter pilot, engineer, aircraft developer, tactician and senior air commander in seven major air campaigns from 1936 to 1944.
Von Richthofen's military career followed a normal course through World War I, in that he served in a mounter regiment prior to transferring to the air service. Ironically, his first combat patrol on the Western Front was his cousin Manfred's last. From April to November, 1918, Wolfram scored eight confirmed aerial victories before the Armistice. It is his subsequent career that does not follow a normal course.
Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Von Richthofen played an important role in the development of the air force, including its aircraft and strategy and tactics. He saw the potential of the jet engine, being developed by German engineers in the 1930's, as well as such famous aircraft as the He111 bomber and the Me109 fighter. His next assignment was to Spain with the Condor Legion where he perfected close air support tactics that became an important part of the German blitzkrieg.
In 1939, Von Richthofen commanded the Special Air Division in the invasion of Poland; in 1940, he provided close air support for the invasion of France and the race to the English Channel. Subsequent service in Russia and Italy followed until his premature death in 1944.
Author Corum utilizes the Field Marshal's diaries and, in conjunction with interviews with former Luftwaffe members has produced an outstanding biography of a little known German officer whose tactics are still in use today. This is an esential book for students of the air forces of World War II.
One recognizes the name Von Richthofen and immediately associates it with Manfred Von Richthofen, the World War I air ace; or, quite possibly, his brother Lothar. Wolfram is a cousin to the more newsworthy brothers but still a contributing member of this large family of aristocrats devoted to the service of the German State.
This first full length biography of Von Richthofen vividly portrays his role as a fighter pilot, engineer, aircraft developer, tactician and senior air commander in seven major air campaigns from 1936 to 1944.
Von Richthofen's military career followed a normal course through World War I, in that he served in a mounter regiment prior to transferring to the air service. Ironically, his first combat patrol on the Western Front was his cousin Manfred's last. From April to November, 1918, Wolfram scored eight confirmed aerial victories before the Armistice. It is his subsequent career that does not follow a normal course.
Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Von Richthofen played an important role in the development of the air force, including its aircraft and strategy and tactics. He saw the potential of the jet engine, being developed by German engineers in the 1930's, as well as such famous aircraft as the He111 bomber and the Me109 fighter. His next assignment was to Spain with the Condor Legion where he perfected close air support tactics that became an important part of the German blitzkrieg.
In 1939, Von Richthofen commanded the Special Air Division in the invasion of Poland; in 1940, he provided close air support for the invasion of France and the race to the English Channel. Subsequent service in Russia and Italy followed until his premature death in 1944.
Author Corum utilizes the Field Marshal's diaries and, in conjunction with interviews with former Luftwaffe members has produced an outstanding biography of a little known German officer whose tactics are still in use today. This is an esential book for students of the air forces of World War II.
Elson, Bryan. Nelson's Yankee Captain: The Life of Boston Loyalist Sir Benjamin Hallowell. Formac. Ill; notes; bibliography; appendix; index. 416p. ISBN: 978- 0-88780-751-0. $29.95 July, 2009. dist by Casemate.
Interest in the British Royal Navy of Admiral Horatio Nelson's time never seems to wane, be it of the fiction or non-fiction variety. Nelson and his famed “Band of Brothers” have been the subject of many books concerning the Trafalgar battle but there are, as yet, just a few biographies of the individual sailors of the “Band”. So it was with eager anticipation that I picked up Nelson's Yankee Captain and the story of Sir Benjamin Hallowell.
This is the first book for Mr. Elson and the lucid and well paced narrative reads more like it should be anything but his first. In parts, this book reads more like a novel than a biography, which is not a bad thing.
Admiral Sir Benjamin Hallowell was born in Boston, Massachusetts into a Loyalist family; his father went from being a well to do British official before the Revolution to almost completely destitute at the end of the war. One obvious choice for a young gentleman in such straits is service in the Navy and it is Hallowell's subsequent career that makes up the bulk of the book. It is a career that takes him from the coast of Virginia in the 1780's to the end of Napoleon in 1816 and beyond to an admiral's rank, wealth and honors. He becomes a competent but unlucky sailor, finally gaining captain's rank and then losing his ship to the weather (he was not on board) and another to the French. Hallowell was also in the habit of arguing with his superiors, something that the government at Whitehall frowned upon, unless one was supported by the proper connections. His competency wins out, however, and along with a little political support, he eventually retires with financial security and belatedly bestowed honors, having out lived most of his contemporaries.
Well researched and engagingly written, Nelson's Yankee Captain should be a part of every seafarers library. Let's hope there will be more from Elson's pen.
Interest in the British Royal Navy of Admiral Horatio Nelson's time never seems to wane, be it of the fiction or non-fiction variety. Nelson and his famed “Band of Brothers” have been the subject of many books concerning the Trafalgar battle but there are, as yet, just a few biographies of the individual sailors of the “Band”. So it was with eager anticipation that I picked up Nelson's Yankee Captain and the story of Sir Benjamin Hallowell.
This is the first book for Mr. Elson and the lucid and well paced narrative reads more like it should be anything but his first. In parts, this book reads more like a novel than a biography, which is not a bad thing.
Admiral Sir Benjamin Hallowell was born in Boston, Massachusetts into a Loyalist family; his father went from being a well to do British official before the Revolution to almost completely destitute at the end of the war. One obvious choice for a young gentleman in such straits is service in the Navy and it is Hallowell's subsequent career that makes up the bulk of the book. It is a career that takes him from the coast of Virginia in the 1780's to the end of Napoleon in 1816 and beyond to an admiral's rank, wealth and honors. He becomes a competent but unlucky sailor, finally gaining captain's rank and then losing his ship to the weather (he was not on board) and another to the French. Hallowell was also in the habit of arguing with his superiors, something that the government at Whitehall frowned upon, unless one was supported by the proper connections. His competency wins out, however, and along with a little political support, he eventually retires with financial security and belatedly bestowed honors, having out lived most of his contemporaries.
Well researched and engagingly written, Nelson's Yankee Captain should be a part of every seafarers library. Let's hope there will be more from Elson's pen.
Nokes, David Samuel Johnson: A Life. Henry Holt. Ill; notes; bib; index. 448p. ISBN: 978-0-805086515 $32.00 October, 2009
One of the greatest literary figures whose name has survived to the present day is Samuel Johnson, noted for a number of things (i.e. his dictionary of the English language, published in 1755) but is best remembered as the subject of James Boswell's biography (also considered the standard by which all biographies are measured). The tercentenary of his birth has generated a number of new biographies, the latest by English literature scholar David Nokes, who, unfortunately, passed away last November.
Nokes' biography takes a fresh look at the very human side of Samuel Johnson and, to a lesser extent, the times in which he lived and worked. He spares no ones feelings in describing Johnson's appearance which was much less than attractive, exacerbated by his affliction to an unknown disease related to Tourette's Syndrome, which causes facial and bodily contortions. Nokes also goes to great lengths in illuminating Johnson's marriage to an older woman, a relationship that ended with the spouses descent into opium and alcohol addiction and ultimate death.
Prevalent throughout the book are the aspects of Johnson's poverty, both before the publication of his dictionary and, perhaps less so, after. Certainly these very human conditions in ones' life (and their illumination in a biography), tend to “humanize” subjects, at the very least bringing them down to nearly a common level with “ordinary” men and women. And Nokes does a commendable job in relating Johnson as a “man”, albeit with an extraordinary intellect, faults and struggles.
This compassionate biography is an excellent starting point for a study of Samuel Johnson and a fine example of literary biography.
One of the greatest literary figures whose name has survived to the present day is Samuel Johnson, noted for a number of things (i.e. his dictionary of the English language, published in 1755) but is best remembered as the subject of James Boswell's biography (also considered the standard by which all biographies are measured). The tercentenary of his birth has generated a number of new biographies, the latest by English literature scholar David Nokes, who, unfortunately, passed away last November.
Nokes' biography takes a fresh look at the very human side of Samuel Johnson and, to a lesser extent, the times in which he lived and worked. He spares no ones feelings in describing Johnson's appearance which was much less than attractive, exacerbated by his affliction to an unknown disease related to Tourette's Syndrome, which causes facial and bodily contortions. Nokes also goes to great lengths in illuminating Johnson's marriage to an older woman, a relationship that ended with the spouses descent into opium and alcohol addiction and ultimate death.
Prevalent throughout the book are the aspects of Johnson's poverty, both before the publication of his dictionary and, perhaps less so, after. Certainly these very human conditions in ones' life (and their illumination in a biography), tend to “humanize” subjects, at the very least bringing them down to nearly a common level with “ordinary” men and women. And Nokes does a commendable job in relating Johnson as a “man”, albeit with an extraordinary intellect, faults and struggles.
This compassionate biography is an excellent starting point for a study of Samuel Johnson and a fine example of literary biography.
Fisher, Linda A. and Carrie Bowers. Agnes Lake Hickok: Queen of the Circus, Wife of a Legend. University of Oklahoma Press. Ill; notes; maps; appendices; bib; index. 416p. ISBN: 978-0-8061-3983-8. $29.95 March, 2008
What catches the eye in the title of this remarkable book is the name Hickok, as in James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, and yes, Agnes is (or was) the only wife of the famous lawman and gunfighter. But Agnes Lake Hickok was so much more than a famous widow and this book chronicles her amazing life in a colorful, informative narrative.
Emigrating from Germany at the age of six with her father and three brothers to Cincinnati in the early 1830's, Agnes met Bill Lake, a noted circus clown, in 1846; they eloped and were married that same year in New Orleans. Thus began a circus career that lasted over forty years. The authors give us a detailed, colorful look at life in the United States from the mid-1840's on and a special look at circus life during the period, complete with period photographs and circus broadsides. Agnes and Bill soon began their own circus, traveling throughout the northern states during the Civil War and across the country thereafter until Bill was murdered in 1869 by a disgruntled ticket holder. Agnes then became the first woman to own a circus. In 1876 she married James Butler Hickok in Deadwood (where else?). They were married a total of five months before “Wild Bill” was assassinated during a poker game.
After Hickok's death, Agnes traveled with P.T. Barnum and Buffalo Bill Cody and managed her daughter Emma Lake's very successful career as an equestrian. Agnes herself died in 1907 after a long, eventful life, a life until shrouded by myth, misinformation and her own embellishments.
This is a perfect book for circus lovers, fans of Wild Bill Hickok and historians of nineteenth century America.
What catches the eye in the title of this remarkable book is the name Hickok, as in James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, and yes, Agnes is (or was) the only wife of the famous lawman and gunfighter. But Agnes Lake Hickok was so much more than a famous widow and this book chronicles her amazing life in a colorful, informative narrative.
Emigrating from Germany at the age of six with her father and three brothers to Cincinnati in the early 1830's, Agnes met Bill Lake, a noted circus clown, in 1846; they eloped and were married that same year in New Orleans. Thus began a circus career that lasted over forty years. The authors give us a detailed, colorful look at life in the United States from the mid-1840's on and a special look at circus life during the period, complete with period photographs and circus broadsides. Agnes and Bill soon began their own circus, traveling throughout the northern states during the Civil War and across the country thereafter until Bill was murdered in 1869 by a disgruntled ticket holder. Agnes then became the first woman to own a circus. In 1876 she married James Butler Hickok in Deadwood (where else?). They were married a total of five months before “Wild Bill” was assassinated during a poker game.
After Hickok's death, Agnes traveled with P.T. Barnum and Buffalo Bill Cody and managed her daughter Emma Lake's very successful career as an equestrian. Agnes herself died in 1907 after a long, eventful life, a life until shrouded by myth, misinformation and her own embellishments.
This is a perfect book for circus lovers, fans of Wild Bill Hickok and historians of nineteenth century America.
Lehto, Steve. Michigan's Columbus: The Life of Douglass Houghton. Momentum Books. Ill.; notes; bib.; 166p. ISBN: 978-1-879094-85-7. $19.95 2009.
For anyone who has marveled at Michigan's natural wonders, from the Keweenaw to the Pictured Rocks to the sand dunes, this book, Michigan's Columbus is for you. Whether you are an armchair traveler or prefer your geography up close and personal, you will enjoy the story of Douglass Houghton, the man who explored the Great Lakes State as its first State Geologist and found more “stuff” than any other explorer – slat springs, gypsum, iron ore, copper and hundreds of botanical specimens heretofore unknown.
Douglass Houghton was born in Troy, New York in late 1809 and educated in various schools there, becoming quite the academician, acquiring considerable skills in the natural sciences. In 1830, he was hired by a group of men from Detroit who were in the market to hire a lecturer for the city. At five foot, four inches tall, weighing about a hundred pounds, he didn't look like much but already had his degree in geology and would soon have his license to practice medicine. Houghton agreed to come to Detroit on the condition that he could charge admission to his lectures. In November, 1830, the twenty-one year old arrived in Detroit to begin what would be a distinguished career, not only as a natural scientist, but also serving as a mayor of Detroit and a teacher at the University of Michigan. All of this before the age of thirty six, successes cut tragically short by his drowning in Lake Superior in October, 1845.
Although a no-brainer for folks interested in Michigan and her history, this book effectively chronicles an important period in U.S. History and one who could be called a true Renaissance man.
For anyone who has marveled at Michigan's natural wonders, from the Keweenaw to the Pictured Rocks to the sand dunes, this book, Michigan's Columbus is for you. Whether you are an armchair traveler or prefer your geography up close and personal, you will enjoy the story of Douglass Houghton, the man who explored the Great Lakes State as its first State Geologist and found more “stuff” than any other explorer – slat springs, gypsum, iron ore, copper and hundreds of botanical specimens heretofore unknown.
Douglass Houghton was born in Troy, New York in late 1809 and educated in various schools there, becoming quite the academician, acquiring considerable skills in the natural sciences. In 1830, he was hired by a group of men from Detroit who were in the market to hire a lecturer for the city. At five foot, four inches tall, weighing about a hundred pounds, he didn't look like much but already had his degree in geology and would soon have his license to practice medicine. Houghton agreed to come to Detroit on the condition that he could charge admission to his lectures. In November, 1830, the twenty-one year old arrived in Detroit to begin what would be a distinguished career, not only as a natural scientist, but also serving as a mayor of Detroit and a teacher at the University of Michigan. All of this before the age of thirty six, successes cut tragically short by his drowning in Lake Superior in October, 1845.
Although a no-brainer for folks interested in Michigan and her history, this book effectively chronicles an important period in U.S. History and one who could be called a true Renaissance man.
Mason, Jack C. Until Antietam: The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army Southern Illinois U. Press. Ill; maps; bib.; notes; index. 256p. ISBN: 978-0-8093-2947-2. $29.95 October, 2009
Finding a treasure trove of historical materials is the dream of every archivist, librarian and most authors (and it still happens from time to time). Jack Mason uncovered more than one hundred unpublished, letters from Union General Israel Richardson to his family. The previously unknown cache covers his career from his cadet days at West Point, service in Florida, Texas, Mexico, New Mexico and the Civil War up to the day before his fatal wounding at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.
Richardson was one of a number of career army officers who were graduates of the Military Academy at West Point, New York, during the 1830's and 1840's who remained in uniform and learned their craft in active campaigns large and small. This cadre of officers provided the leadership for the North and South during the Civil War. The level of leadership would certainly be cause for concern in some cases but Richardson was of the group that provided excellent leadership of combat troops, in his particular case, the infantry. His untimely death in 1862 leaves his potential role as commander in chief, Army of the Potomac, a matter of speculation.
Richardson, a Vermont native, settled in Michigan after resigning from the army in the 1850's after a decade of active service. Returning from skirmishing with the Apaches throughout the Southwest, he settled down to do some farming near Pontiac, Michigan but the onset of the Civil War demanded his return to the colors. As Colonel of the Second Michigan Infantry, Richardson saw combat in nearly every engagement in the eastern theater of war and his experience and training led him to higher and more important commands, culminating in his promotion to Major General on July 4, 1862. At Antietam, he was organizing a second attack beyond the “Bloody Lane” when he was struck by a shell fragment and carried from the field. His wound was not considered life threatening but infection set in, followed by pneumonia and he succumbed on November 3, 1862.
It was during hist stay in hospital that President Abraham Lincoln paid him a visit; was it because of Richardson's ties to the Radical Republicans, or was it to ultimately offer him command of the army? Lincoln relieved General George McClellan from his command but only after Richardson's death. Known affectionately as “Fighting Dick” Richardson was a tough disciplinarian who took care of his troops; he was one of the most experienced small unit commanders in the army and was the complete opposite of McClellan in character and demeanor.
Mason has done an excellent job in bringing Richardson back to life through the discovery of these letters. Richardson was truly a forgotten hero until now, this his first biography.
Finding a treasure trove of historical materials is the dream of every archivist, librarian and most authors (and it still happens from time to time). Jack Mason uncovered more than one hundred unpublished, letters from Union General Israel Richardson to his family. The previously unknown cache covers his career from his cadet days at West Point, service in Florida, Texas, Mexico, New Mexico and the Civil War up to the day before his fatal wounding at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.
Richardson was one of a number of career army officers who were graduates of the Military Academy at West Point, New York, during the 1830's and 1840's who remained in uniform and learned their craft in active campaigns large and small. This cadre of officers provided the leadership for the North and South during the Civil War. The level of leadership would certainly be cause for concern in some cases but Richardson was of the group that provided excellent leadership of combat troops, in his particular case, the infantry. His untimely death in 1862 leaves his potential role as commander in chief, Army of the Potomac, a matter of speculation.
Richardson, a Vermont native, settled in Michigan after resigning from the army in the 1850's after a decade of active service. Returning from skirmishing with the Apaches throughout the Southwest, he settled down to do some farming near Pontiac, Michigan but the onset of the Civil War demanded his return to the colors. As Colonel of the Second Michigan Infantry, Richardson saw combat in nearly every engagement in the eastern theater of war and his experience and training led him to higher and more important commands, culminating in his promotion to Major General on July 4, 1862. At Antietam, he was organizing a second attack beyond the “Bloody Lane” when he was struck by a shell fragment and carried from the field. His wound was not considered life threatening but infection set in, followed by pneumonia and he succumbed on November 3, 1862.
It was during hist stay in hospital that President Abraham Lincoln paid him a visit; was it because of Richardson's ties to the Radical Republicans, or was it to ultimately offer him command of the army? Lincoln relieved General George McClellan from his command but only after Richardson's death. Known affectionately as “Fighting Dick” Richardson was a tough disciplinarian who took care of his troops; he was one of the most experienced small unit commanders in the army and was the complete opposite of McClellan in character and demeanor.
Mason has done an excellent job in bringing Richardson back to life through the discovery of these letters. Richardson was truly a forgotten hero until now, this his first biography.
Harris, Sharon M. Dr. Mary Walker: An American Radical, 1832-1919. Rutgers. Ill; notes; index. 310p. ISBN: 978-0-8135-4611-7. $49.95 December, 2009
Long overdue is a modern scholarly biography of Dr. Mary Walker, who is the only woman to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for her service as an Army contract surgeon during the Civil War. She was the only female contract surgeon in the Army and had to fight hard to assert herself, her qualifications as a doctor and keep her “title.” She was also a Union spy and a prisoner of war, as well as a reformer, feminist, abolitionist and prohibitionist. After the war, she wrote and lectured supporting such issues as health care, temperance, woman's rights and dress reform. Known as the “suffragist in pants”, Dr. Mary Walker was much more than that.
Dr. Sharon Harris' superbly researched and well written biography recounts Walker's life and achievements in a style that relates to the modern generation. Born into an abolitionist family in the town of Oswego, New York, Mary was a radical thinker from the start. Feeling that women's clothing was too restrictive for farm work, she wore men's attire. Later on, she taught school to earn the money to go to medical school, where she earned her MD in 1855 as the only female in her graduating class. A short marriage ended in divorce and at the beginning of the Civil War, Mary volunteered her services as a civilian and was only allowed to practice as a nurse, as the army had no female surgeons. She served at First Bull Run and at the Patent Hospital in Washington, D.C. And still was not recognized as a surgeon. Working unpaid at Fredericksburg, Virginia and in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she was finally awarded a commission as a “Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon (civilian)”, becoming the first female US Army Surgeon. In 1864, after being appointed assistant surgeon of the 52nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, she was captured by the Confederates and imprisoned at Richmond, Virginia, in Libby Prison. Exchanged after six months, Walker served during the Battle of Atlanta and later supervised a female prison in Louisville, Kentucky and finished her war time service as the head of an orphanage in Tennessee.
After the war, Walker was recommended for the Medal of Honor and in November, 1865, President Andrew Johnson awarded her the coveted medal – which she always wore and refused to return in the 1917 Congressional revocation of several earlier awards. President Carter restored her medal posthumously in 1977.
Dr. Mary Walker's postwar career is even more fascinating, with the discussion of her involvement in several reform movements, especially women's right to vote, which she did not live to see pass as law.
This is a must read.
Long overdue is a modern scholarly biography of Dr. Mary Walker, who is the only woman to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for her service as an Army contract surgeon during the Civil War. She was the only female contract surgeon in the Army and had to fight hard to assert herself, her qualifications as a doctor and keep her “title.” She was also a Union spy and a prisoner of war, as well as a reformer, feminist, abolitionist and prohibitionist. After the war, she wrote and lectured supporting such issues as health care, temperance, woman's rights and dress reform. Known as the “suffragist in pants”, Dr. Mary Walker was much more than that.
Dr. Sharon Harris' superbly researched and well written biography recounts Walker's life and achievements in a style that relates to the modern generation. Born into an abolitionist family in the town of Oswego, New York, Mary was a radical thinker from the start. Feeling that women's clothing was too restrictive for farm work, she wore men's attire. Later on, she taught school to earn the money to go to medical school, where she earned her MD in 1855 as the only female in her graduating class. A short marriage ended in divorce and at the beginning of the Civil War, Mary volunteered her services as a civilian and was only allowed to practice as a nurse, as the army had no female surgeons. She served at First Bull Run and at the Patent Hospital in Washington, D.C. And still was not recognized as a surgeon. Working unpaid at Fredericksburg, Virginia and in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she was finally awarded a commission as a “Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon (civilian)”, becoming the first female US Army Surgeon. In 1864, after being appointed assistant surgeon of the 52nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, she was captured by the Confederates and imprisoned at Richmond, Virginia, in Libby Prison. Exchanged after six months, Walker served during the Battle of Atlanta and later supervised a female prison in Louisville, Kentucky and finished her war time service as the head of an orphanage in Tennessee.
After the war, Walker was recommended for the Medal of Honor and in November, 1865, President Andrew Johnson awarded her the coveted medal – which she always wore and refused to return in the 1917 Congressional revocation of several earlier awards. President Carter restored her medal posthumously in 1977.
Dr. Mary Walker's postwar career is even more fascinating, with the discussion of her involvement in several reform movements, especially women's right to vote, which she did not live to see pass as law.
This is a must read.
World War II
Milton, Giles. Wolfram: The Boy Who Went To War. Thomas Dunne Books. Ill. 352p. ISBN: 978-1-4447-1627-6. $25.00 October, 2011.
Of the many stories involving the Second World War, very few of them concern themselves with the civilian side of things, especially from small town Germany. This book not only relates the war service of Wolfram Aichele but also the story of his family and the townspeople of Entengin, a small village near the larger town of Pforzheim, both near the Black Forest.
Giles Morton, the son-in-law of Wolfram, has reconstructed the life of a small town in Germany during Adolf Hitler’s rise to power through the Second World War to the homecoming of the area’s soldiers. Wolfram’s service (he was drafted at age seventeen), took him from the Crimea on the Eastern Front to pre-invasion duty in Normandy. Not long after D-Day, he was captured and spent two years as a prisoner of war in the United States, returning to Germany in 1946. Meanwhile, in late February, 1945, the British fire-bombed Pforzheim, (it being a known watch-manufacturing center). It was largely destroyed, with subsequent loss of life.
Various issues involved with living in Germany at this time are also described; for example, the problems in being even slightly critical of Hitler; the passive collaboration regarding the extermination camps; and, trying to live when it all collapsed.
Told in a straight-up style, this book belongs on every history book shelf.
Of the many stories involving the Second World War, very few of them concern themselves with the civilian side of things, especially from small town Germany. This book not only relates the war service of Wolfram Aichele but also the story of his family and the townspeople of Entengin, a small village near the larger town of Pforzheim, both near the Black Forest.
Giles Morton, the son-in-law of Wolfram, has reconstructed the life of a small town in Germany during Adolf Hitler’s rise to power through the Second World War to the homecoming of the area’s soldiers. Wolfram’s service (he was drafted at age seventeen), took him from the Crimea on the Eastern Front to pre-invasion duty in Normandy. Not long after D-Day, he was captured and spent two years as a prisoner of war in the United States, returning to Germany in 1946. Meanwhile, in late February, 1945, the British fire-bombed Pforzheim, (it being a known watch-manufacturing center). It was largely destroyed, with subsequent loss of life.
Various issues involved with living in Germany at this time are also described; for example, the problems in being even slightly critical of Hitler; the passive collaboration regarding the extermination camps; and, trying to live when it all collapsed.
Told in a straight-up style, this book belongs on every history book shelf.
Connelly, Donald B. John M. Schofield and the Politics of Generalship. University of North Carolina Press. Illustrated; maps; notes; bibliography; index. 488p. ISBN: 0-8078-3007-0. $49.95 April, 2006.
This is the first full-length biography of Lieutenant General John M. Schofield, who was one of the more competent commanders in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and whose war service is largely overshadowed by General William T. Sherman and company.
An 1853 graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, Schofield served at Charleston, South Carolina as an artillerist before being assigned back to the Academy as an instructor. By the summer of 1860, Schofield was ready to resign his commission in the promotion-slow army and had actually accepted a teaching position at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri prior to doing this; he was talked into applying for a military leave of absence instead (by none other than Jefferson Davis), took up his teaching duties and met many influential Missourians as a professor of physics by the start of the Civil War. He became a brigadier general of volunteers in November, 1861. Schofield therefore was that rare (for the time), combination of professional soldier and political appointee.
It was in the West, therefore, that Schofield learned to play the delicate political game that high command during the Civil War entailed. He became a careful planner rather than an intuitive leader; he gained President Lincoln's support and evolved into a loyal and principled subordinate. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the Union war effort was his repulse of Confederate General John B. Hood's army at the battle of Franklin. He felt that defeating the enemies' armies on the battlefield to be the primary object of battle.
Following the war, Schofield remained in the army, occupying every senior position, including secretary of war and commanding general of the army. It is his postwar career that is his legacy. He was a leading advocate of army reform and professionalism.
Donald Connelly, a retired army officer himself, aptly shows how the military and civilian theaters of action should be considered as parts of the same whole and the interactions of both need to be studied and understood.
This is the first full-length biography of Lieutenant General John M. Schofield, who was one of the more competent commanders in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and whose war service is largely overshadowed by General William T. Sherman and company.
An 1853 graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, Schofield served at Charleston, South Carolina as an artillerist before being assigned back to the Academy as an instructor. By the summer of 1860, Schofield was ready to resign his commission in the promotion-slow army and had actually accepted a teaching position at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri prior to doing this; he was talked into applying for a military leave of absence instead (by none other than Jefferson Davis), took up his teaching duties and met many influential Missourians as a professor of physics by the start of the Civil War. He became a brigadier general of volunteers in November, 1861. Schofield therefore was that rare (for the time), combination of professional soldier and political appointee.
It was in the West, therefore, that Schofield learned to play the delicate political game that high command during the Civil War entailed. He became a careful planner rather than an intuitive leader; he gained President Lincoln's support and evolved into a loyal and principled subordinate. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the Union war effort was his repulse of Confederate General John B. Hood's army at the battle of Franklin. He felt that defeating the enemies' armies on the battlefield to be the primary object of battle.
Following the war, Schofield remained in the army, occupying every senior position, including secretary of war and commanding general of the army. It is his postwar career that is his legacy. He was a leading advocate of army reform and professionalism.
Donald Connelly, a retired army officer himself, aptly shows how the military and civilian theaters of action should be considered as parts of the same whole and the interactions of both need to be studied and understood.
Hockey
Shea, Kevin and John Jason Wilson. Lord Stanley: The Man Behind the Cup. Fenn Publishing. Ill.; notes; bib.; index. 460p. ISBN: 978-1-55168-281-8. $27.95 2006.
As yet another hockey season has begun, it would seem appropriate to review this book, a biography of the man who initially donated the most recognizable trophy in sports – the Stanley Cup. Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston and sixth Governor-General of Canada from 1888 to 1893 was born into typical Victorian privilege that also saw as its duty, service to the State. Thus, this Lord Stanley was the son of a British Prime Minister (who served in that capacity no less than three times) and the younger brother to over-achiever Edward. He did a stint in the military then shifted over to the civil service where he rose to his ultimate position of Governor-General of Canada. As such, he aided Sir John A. MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister, in his attempt to forge Canada into one nation in the Commonwealth.
Lord Stanley embraced sports as one way to imbue the nation with masculinity and team work. After seeing a hockey game at the Montreal Winter Carnival in 1899, he was hooked. In 1892, he announced that he would donate a trophy for the amateur hockey championship of Canada. The following year, Montreal became the first to receive the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, as it was then called.
Although this is an academic read, it should have a place on every serious hockey bookshelf.
As yet another hockey season has begun, it would seem appropriate to review this book, a biography of the man who initially donated the most recognizable trophy in sports – the Stanley Cup. Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston and sixth Governor-General of Canada from 1888 to 1893 was born into typical Victorian privilege that also saw as its duty, service to the State. Thus, this Lord Stanley was the son of a British Prime Minister (who served in that capacity no less than three times) and the younger brother to over-achiever Edward. He did a stint in the military then shifted over to the civil service where he rose to his ultimate position of Governor-General of Canada. As such, he aided Sir John A. MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister, in his attempt to forge Canada into one nation in the Commonwealth.
Lord Stanley embraced sports as one way to imbue the nation with masculinity and team work. After seeing a hockey game at the Montreal Winter Carnival in 1899, he was hooked. In 1892, he announced that he would donate a trophy for the amateur hockey championship of Canada. The following year, Montreal became the first to receive the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, as it was then called.
Although this is an academic read, it should have a place on every serious hockey bookshelf.
Standiford, Les. The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits. Crown. Notes; bibliography; 241p. ISBN: 978-0-307-40578-4. $19.95. 2008.
Most everyone has either heard, read or seen an adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but few people know the story behind the story. Standiford, in The Man Who Invented Christmas, relates the tale of how Dickens, a well known author by 1843, found himself at a low point in his career. His first five books, among them Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, were hugely successful; his last three, Barnaby Rudge, American Notes and Martin Chuzzlewit were in the tank, literary bombs. The father of five, he was supporting an extended family and felt he was sliding toward financial oblivion. After all, his father had been jailed more than once for debt and Dickens himself was forced to work as a child, to help out a family that was never really solvent by any means.
In October, 1843, Dickens gave a speech at a charitable event in Manchester, England and afterwards, while walking the streets that night, began taking critical stock of himself and his career. As he later told his close friend and future biographer, John Foster, he was taking his public for granted and he needed to stop preaching and return to plain storytelling. His nightly walks continued and a new story formed. If he could turn it quickly into a book, his financial problems would be solved.
Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks, the 30,000-word manuscript the shortest book he'd written to date. As his published expressed little interest in the book (Dickens was growing increasingly dissatisfied with Chapman and Hall), he decided to have the book published “on his own account”. All of the risk would be his – the costs would be deducted from sales. He would oversee design, hire hi own illustrator and be involved in advertising the product. It was the biggest financial gamble of his life.
Although Dickens did not invent Christmas, his book did much to transform the way in which the holiday was celebrated. Today, we would not think of Christmas without the gift-giving, feasting and A Christmas Carol. In Dickens time, Christmas was a minor holiday, ranking far below Easter and pretty much on a par with Memorial Day. His book presented not a story of the Nativity, but one of charity and kindness to others. Although the financial rewards were slow in coming, the book sold three printings in 1843 and put Dickens' career back on track.
Standiford's book is well written and, based solely on secondary sources, doesn't add anything new for the Dickens' scholar. But it is a wonderful addition to Christmas literature.
Most everyone has either heard, read or seen an adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but few people know the story behind the story. Standiford, in The Man Who Invented Christmas, relates the tale of how Dickens, a well known author by 1843, found himself at a low point in his career. His first five books, among them Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, were hugely successful; his last three, Barnaby Rudge, American Notes and Martin Chuzzlewit were in the tank, literary bombs. The father of five, he was supporting an extended family and felt he was sliding toward financial oblivion. After all, his father had been jailed more than once for debt and Dickens himself was forced to work as a child, to help out a family that was never really solvent by any means.
In October, 1843, Dickens gave a speech at a charitable event in Manchester, England and afterwards, while walking the streets that night, began taking critical stock of himself and his career. As he later told his close friend and future biographer, John Foster, he was taking his public for granted and he needed to stop preaching and return to plain storytelling. His nightly walks continued and a new story formed. If he could turn it quickly into a book, his financial problems would be solved.
Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks, the 30,000-word manuscript the shortest book he'd written to date. As his published expressed little interest in the book (Dickens was growing increasingly dissatisfied with Chapman and Hall), he decided to have the book published “on his own account”. All of the risk would be his – the costs would be deducted from sales. He would oversee design, hire hi own illustrator and be involved in advertising the product. It was the biggest financial gamble of his life.
Although Dickens did not invent Christmas, his book did much to transform the way in which the holiday was celebrated. Today, we would not think of Christmas without the gift-giving, feasting and A Christmas Carol. In Dickens time, Christmas was a minor holiday, ranking far below Easter and pretty much on a par with Memorial Day. His book presented not a story of the Nativity, but one of charity and kindness to others. Although the financial rewards were slow in coming, the book sold three printings in 1843 and put Dickens' career back on track.
Standiford's book is well written and, based solely on secondary sources, doesn't add anything new for the Dickens' scholar. But it is a wonderful addition to Christmas literature.
Skaggs, David Curtis. Oliver Hazard Perry: Honor, Courage, and Patriotism in the Early U.S. Navy. Naval Institute Press. Notes; bib.; index. 325p. ISBN: 978-1-59114-0792-1. $34.95 2006.
The first modern biography of the “Hero of Lake Erie” is ably written by Great Lakes historian Skaggs. It is a deeply researched and balanced story of leadership in battle, heroism and contentious egos during our Early National Period.
Perry, a Scotsman descended from Scotland's national hero, William Wallace, was born in Rhode Island in 1785 to naval Captain Christopher and his wife Sarah Wallace Alexander. Oliver was the older brother to Matthew Calbraith Perry, another career naval officer destined to open Japan to Western trade. So a naval career was pretty much a foregone conclusion and the older sibling was appointed a midshipman in April, 1799. assigned to his father's frigate, he saw his first action off the coast of Haiti, which was in a state of rebellion. The first Barbary War found him serving on the USS Adams and later, in command of the USS Nautilus, he was present at the capture of Derna.
At thew start of the War of 1812, Perry requested and was given command of the United States naval forces on Lake Erie. He supervised the construction of a small fleet at Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pennsylvania, and on September 10, 1813, defeated the attacking British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie, gaining everlasting fame in naval history. His battle report to General William Henry Harrison was brief and to the point: “We have met the enemy and they are ours...” The victory opened up Canada to invasion, while at the same time protected the entire Ohio Valley from British occupation.
The controversy began before the smoke had cleared Detroit. Perry's second in command, Jesse Duncan Elliott, was a conniving, self-serving manipulator who immediately claimed more of the victorious action than he deserved. The feud continued well into the next decade and didn't cease with Perry's premature death in 1819 from yellow fever while on station in Venezuela.
Filled with antagonism, courage and controversy, this book is the standard to be consulted by scholar and general reader alike.
The first modern biography of the “Hero of Lake Erie” is ably written by Great Lakes historian Skaggs. It is a deeply researched and balanced story of leadership in battle, heroism and contentious egos during our Early National Period.
Perry, a Scotsman descended from Scotland's national hero, William Wallace, was born in Rhode Island in 1785 to naval Captain Christopher and his wife Sarah Wallace Alexander. Oliver was the older brother to Matthew Calbraith Perry, another career naval officer destined to open Japan to Western trade. So a naval career was pretty much a foregone conclusion and the older sibling was appointed a midshipman in April, 1799. assigned to his father's frigate, he saw his first action off the coast of Haiti, which was in a state of rebellion. The first Barbary War found him serving on the USS Adams and later, in command of the USS Nautilus, he was present at the capture of Derna.
At thew start of the War of 1812, Perry requested and was given command of the United States naval forces on Lake Erie. He supervised the construction of a small fleet at Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pennsylvania, and on September 10, 1813, defeated the attacking British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie, gaining everlasting fame in naval history. His battle report to General William Henry Harrison was brief and to the point: “We have met the enemy and they are ours...” The victory opened up Canada to invasion, while at the same time protected the entire Ohio Valley from British occupation.
The controversy began before the smoke had cleared Detroit. Perry's second in command, Jesse Duncan Elliott, was a conniving, self-serving manipulator who immediately claimed more of the victorious action than he deserved. The feud continued well into the next decade and didn't cease with Perry's premature death in 1819 from yellow fever while on station in Venezuela.
Filled with antagonism, courage and controversy, this book is the standard to be consulted by scholar and general reader alike.
Mustafa, Sam A. The Long Ride of Major Von Schill: A Journey Through German History and Memory. Rowman & Littlefield. Ill; notes; bib; index. 352p. ISBN: 978-0-742556973. $53.95 September, 2008
The Kingdom of Prussia's crushing defeats at the battles of Jena and Auerstaedt by Napoleon meant continued occupation by French troops and subjugation to French laws. In the spring of 1809, a Prussian major, Ferdinand Von Schill, raised approximately 2,500 soldiers and invaded the Napoleonic satellite Kingdom of Westphalia with the intention of liberating Germans form foreign occupation. The revolt was an utter failure and Schill was killed in action. Various German nationalist groups immediately seized upon news of this event and began to mythologize Von Schill as a hero who gave his life not only to Prussia but also to the cause of German unity. Over the course of the next two hundred years, the Von Schill legend would be used and misused by generations of Germans to forward whatever cause was relevant at the time.
In observing the bicentennial of Von Schill's rebellion, Sam A. Mustafa has written an impressive piece of historical biography and an analysis of the historiography that followed. Through extensive research in more than half a dozen German archives, he brings Von Schill to life for a wider audience with a lively narrative mixed with acute analysis.
The first half of the book is devoted to an objective biography of Von Schill, which was no easy task as many of the actual facts were entangled with the myths and legends that followed the major's death in action. The rest of the book is dedicated to a discussion of Von Schill's larger than life persona and his impact on German history through the centuries.
This is a commendable piece of historical scholarship that is well worth reading.
The Kingdom of Prussia's crushing defeats at the battles of Jena and Auerstaedt by Napoleon meant continued occupation by French troops and subjugation to French laws. In the spring of 1809, a Prussian major, Ferdinand Von Schill, raised approximately 2,500 soldiers and invaded the Napoleonic satellite Kingdom of Westphalia with the intention of liberating Germans form foreign occupation. The revolt was an utter failure and Schill was killed in action. Various German nationalist groups immediately seized upon news of this event and began to mythologize Von Schill as a hero who gave his life not only to Prussia but also to the cause of German unity. Over the course of the next two hundred years, the Von Schill legend would be used and misused by generations of Germans to forward whatever cause was relevant at the time.
In observing the bicentennial of Von Schill's rebellion, Sam A. Mustafa has written an impressive piece of historical biography and an analysis of the historiography that followed. Through extensive research in more than half a dozen German archives, he brings Von Schill to life for a wider audience with a lively narrative mixed with acute analysis.
The first half of the book is devoted to an objective biography of Von Schill, which was no easy task as many of the actual facts were entangled with the myths and legends that followed the major's death in action. The rest of the book is dedicated to a discussion of Von Schill's larger than life persona and his impact on German history through the centuries.
This is a commendable piece of historical scholarship that is well worth reading.
O'Toole, Andrew. Paul Brown: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Football's Most Innovative Coach. Clerisy Press. Ill; notes; bib.; 442p. ISBN: 978-1-57860-357-2. tp. $16.95 August, 2009
In one of two recently published biographies (the other by George Cantor), author O'Toole presents as complete a life story of a sports celebrity whose personal life was very private. Paul Brown, innovative and pioneering head football coach at the high school, college and professional levels was a complicated man. Interviews with Brown's widow and children, various coaches who learned under Brown and former players help to bring out all facets of this football genius.
Paul Brown's influence on the game of football is without a doubt the reason the game evolved the way it did. He invented many things that we take for granted in the game today. Such things as the playbook, classroom instruction, face masks, game film libraries and sending plays in to play via players as messengers, to name a few, were all the brain children of Paul Brown.
In 1932, at the ripe old age of 23, Brown built a high school powerhouse team in Massillon, Ohio; in nine years his record stood at 80-8-2, with six consecutive state titles. Next came a brief stint at Ohio State University from 1941 to 1943, winning the 1942 national championship before duty called and Brown coached two years at the Great Lakes Naval Station. In 1946 Brown began his remarkable seventeen-year career with the Cleveland franchise of the All-American Football Conference. There is some contention about the team's nickname, Browns, and from whom it was borrowed; either from boxing legend Joe Louis, known as the “Brown Bomber” or from the head coach himself. In either case, the Browns won all four championships in the AAFC before its merger with the National Football League and continued their winning ways by capturing three titles in the NFL.
O'Toole presents Paul Brown warts and all. The “father of the modern offense” was also stingy, did not like players' agents or players who stood up for themselves and failed to make the Cincinnati Bengals a solid organization as principle owner, general manager and head coach.
Anyone interested in why the game of football is played the way it is played today should read this book.
In one of two recently published biographies (the other by George Cantor), author O'Toole presents as complete a life story of a sports celebrity whose personal life was very private. Paul Brown, innovative and pioneering head football coach at the high school, college and professional levels was a complicated man. Interviews with Brown's widow and children, various coaches who learned under Brown and former players help to bring out all facets of this football genius.
Paul Brown's influence on the game of football is without a doubt the reason the game evolved the way it did. He invented many things that we take for granted in the game today. Such things as the playbook, classroom instruction, face masks, game film libraries and sending plays in to play via players as messengers, to name a few, were all the brain children of Paul Brown.
In 1932, at the ripe old age of 23, Brown built a high school powerhouse team in Massillon, Ohio; in nine years his record stood at 80-8-2, with six consecutive state titles. Next came a brief stint at Ohio State University from 1941 to 1943, winning the 1942 national championship before duty called and Brown coached two years at the Great Lakes Naval Station. In 1946 Brown began his remarkable seventeen-year career with the Cleveland franchise of the All-American Football Conference. There is some contention about the team's nickname, Browns, and from whom it was borrowed; either from boxing legend Joe Louis, known as the “Brown Bomber” or from the head coach himself. In either case, the Browns won all four championships in the AAFC before its merger with the National Football League and continued their winning ways by capturing three titles in the NFL.
O'Toole presents Paul Brown warts and all. The “father of the modern offense” was also stingy, did not like players' agents or players who stood up for themselves and failed to make the Cincinnati Bengals a solid organization as principle owner, general manager and head coach.
Anyone interested in why the game of football is played the way it is played today should read this book.
Chambers, Paul Jumbo: This Being the True Story of the Greatest Elephant in the World. Steerforth. Ill; notes; bib.; index. 224p. ISBN: 978-1-58642-150-2 tp $14.95 February, 2009
This is a superb story from the Victorian era, centered around a celebrity superstar – an African elephant named Jumbo. Captured in 1862, after his mother was killed by elephant hunters, he survived the trip to Europe and was purchased for the Paris zoo, where he really wasn't much appreciated by the crowds. When the zoo began selling off some of its extra animals, the London Zoo, whose director had his eye of Jumbo for a while, purchased a rather unhealthy Jumbo in 1865. It was here that the animal flourished, under the control of devoted zoo keeper Matthew Scott, who was to spend the next twenty years at the elephant's side. Jumbo became the largest animal in the zoo and was known as “the Children's Pet”.
In 1882, Abraham Bartlett, superintendent of the London Zoo, anxious to get rid of the troublesome Scott and, worried about safely keeping such a large animal under control, sold the pair of them to Phineas T. Barnum. Barnum, ever the raconteur and showman, brought them to North America for his “Greatest Show On Earth.” As big a sensation on this continent as in England, Jumbo enjoyed only three years with Barnum; he died tragically in 1885, after being struck by a freight train while on tour with the circus in Canada.
This story, ably told by Chambers, runs the gamut of emotions; it is both heart warming and heart breaking. It is also a story of greed, avarice and cruelty to animals. Based on newly discovered archival materials, including Scott's own diaries, it is a compelling read.
This is a superb story from the Victorian era, centered around a celebrity superstar – an African elephant named Jumbo. Captured in 1862, after his mother was killed by elephant hunters, he survived the trip to Europe and was purchased for the Paris zoo, where he really wasn't much appreciated by the crowds. When the zoo began selling off some of its extra animals, the London Zoo, whose director had his eye of Jumbo for a while, purchased a rather unhealthy Jumbo in 1865. It was here that the animal flourished, under the control of devoted zoo keeper Matthew Scott, who was to spend the next twenty years at the elephant's side. Jumbo became the largest animal in the zoo and was known as “the Children's Pet”.
In 1882, Abraham Bartlett, superintendent of the London Zoo, anxious to get rid of the troublesome Scott and, worried about safely keeping such a large animal under control, sold the pair of them to Phineas T. Barnum. Barnum, ever the raconteur and showman, brought them to North America for his “Greatest Show On Earth.” As big a sensation on this continent as in England, Jumbo enjoyed only three years with Barnum; he died tragically in 1885, after being struck by a freight train while on tour with the circus in Canada.
This story, ably told by Chambers, runs the gamut of emotions; it is both heart warming and heart breaking. It is also a story of greed, avarice and cruelty to animals. Based on newly discovered archival materials, including Scott's own diaries, it is a compelling read.
Shenk, Robert, Editor. Playships of the World: The Naval Diaries of Admiral Dan Gallery, 1920-1924. University of South Carolina Press. Ill; notes; bib.;maps; index. 308p. ISBN: 978-1-57003-722-1. $34.95 June, 2008
Playships of the World is an apt description of life aboard any United States Naval vessel during the interim period between the two World Wars. Officer or enlisted man, it was a time for fun and frolic in foreign ports during the 1920's and 1930's. One could literally “join the Navy and see the world” as ports of call encompassed the globe. It was aa era when the Navy's mission was to be highly visible.
Enter Dan Gallery, newly graduated from the Naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland and heading to Antwerp, Belgium to participate in the 1920m Olympic Games as a wrestler. At the beginning of his naval career, he would chronicle his shipboard tours on five different vessels: battleships, cruisers and a destroyer during the early 1920's as they cruised to exotic ports in South America, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Gallery at this time was young and single, with a lot of free time to enjoy the bars, nightclubs and a variety of sports competitions seen and participated in from Cairo to Constantinople. Also recorded are Gallery's struggles to maintain his moral and religious principles in regards to the opposite sex and intoxicating beverages. The entries are outgoing, sometimes witty and always observant describing people, places and events with a young man's eye. Gallery would go to become a naval legend with his capture of U-505 (a German submarine) in 1944.
Editor Shenk has done an adequate job of supplementing the diary entries with some of Gallery's correspondence and enough background information to place the reader in familiar surroundings.
Playships of the World is an apt description of life aboard any United States Naval vessel during the interim period between the two World Wars. Officer or enlisted man, it was a time for fun and frolic in foreign ports during the 1920's and 1930's. One could literally “join the Navy and see the world” as ports of call encompassed the globe. It was aa era when the Navy's mission was to be highly visible.
Enter Dan Gallery, newly graduated from the Naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland and heading to Antwerp, Belgium to participate in the 1920m Olympic Games as a wrestler. At the beginning of his naval career, he would chronicle his shipboard tours on five different vessels: battleships, cruisers and a destroyer during the early 1920's as they cruised to exotic ports in South America, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Gallery at this time was young and single, with a lot of free time to enjoy the bars, nightclubs and a variety of sports competitions seen and participated in from Cairo to Constantinople. Also recorded are Gallery's struggles to maintain his moral and religious principles in regards to the opposite sex and intoxicating beverages. The entries are outgoing, sometimes witty and always observant describing people, places and events with a young man's eye. Gallery would go to become a naval legend with his capture of U-505 (a German submarine) in 1944.
Editor Shenk has done an adequate job of supplementing the diary entries with some of Gallery's correspondence and enough background information to place the reader in familiar surroundings.
Rottenburg, Dan Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, The West's Most Elusive Legend. Westholme Publishing ill; notes; bib.; index. 536p. ISBN: 978-1-59416-070-7. $29.95 October, 2008
The very name “Jack Slade” conjures up Wild West scenes of stagecoach robberies, cattle rustlings and gunfights at high noon (or, maybe, too much Saturday afternoon TV). Jack Slade did exist and extracting the real person from the “stuff” of history and Wild West mythology is the task Mr. Rottenburg has set for himself.
Slade's story really begins in 1859 and the stagecoach line running between the State of Missouri and the Pacific Coast, the only link between Washington, D.C. and California. It was a line infested with graft, hostile Indians and outlaws and the roughest division of the Central Overland stagecoach line. That year they hired a twenty-eight year old Mexican War veteran and former wagon train captain to clean it up. Slade did so to such an extent that he was known on the Great Plains as “the law west of Kearny.”
Slade organized groups of men into efficient teams guarding and maintaining the integrity of the route through all kinds of environment. As wagon master and mail superintendent, he maintained contact with the Pacific Coast and ensured the flow of California gold and silver into the coffers of the Union government during the Civil War to help finance the cause. He also helped launch the Pony Express.
It was after the war and the ensuing peace that was the undoing of Jack Slade. With no more battles to fight, he found solace in the bottle and was killed by vigilantes in 1864. he was all of thirty-three years of age.
Rottenburg's research is relentless, yet Slade remains just a little out of reach due, primarily, to the fact that Slade left no letters or other writings. Still an excellent discussion of the man and his times, allowing the reader to make up their own mind.
The very name “Jack Slade” conjures up Wild West scenes of stagecoach robberies, cattle rustlings and gunfights at high noon (or, maybe, too much Saturday afternoon TV). Jack Slade did exist and extracting the real person from the “stuff” of history and Wild West mythology is the task Mr. Rottenburg has set for himself.
Slade's story really begins in 1859 and the stagecoach line running between the State of Missouri and the Pacific Coast, the only link between Washington, D.C. and California. It was a line infested with graft, hostile Indians and outlaws and the roughest division of the Central Overland stagecoach line. That year they hired a twenty-eight year old Mexican War veteran and former wagon train captain to clean it up. Slade did so to such an extent that he was known on the Great Plains as “the law west of Kearny.”
Slade organized groups of men into efficient teams guarding and maintaining the integrity of the route through all kinds of environment. As wagon master and mail superintendent, he maintained contact with the Pacific Coast and ensured the flow of California gold and silver into the coffers of the Union government during the Civil War to help finance the cause. He also helped launch the Pony Express.
It was after the war and the ensuing peace that was the undoing of Jack Slade. With no more battles to fight, he found solace in the bottle and was killed by vigilantes in 1864. he was all of thirty-three years of age.
Rottenburg's research is relentless, yet Slade remains just a little out of reach due, primarily, to the fact that Slade left no letters or other writings. Still an excellent discussion of the man and his times, allowing the reader to make up their own mind.
Lippman, Thomas W. Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy, USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East. Selwa Press. Ill; bib; notes; maps; index. 352p. ISBN: 978-0-9701157-2-0 $25.95 September, 2008
For those interested in learning more about the origins of the Unites States' involvement in the Middle East, Arabian Knight is an excellent starting point, not only to illuminate that involvement but also to celebrate the life of a real unknown American hero, Colonel William Eddy, USMC.
Born in Lebanon in 1896 to missionary parents, Bill Eddy graduated from Princeton in 1917 and immediately joined the Marine Corps. Shipping overseas with the Sixth Marine Regiment, he saw action at Belleau Wood and the St. Mihiel campaign. With an affinity for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, Eddy would receive the Navy Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts for his services.
After recovering from his wounds, Eddy received his doctorate from Princeton and was appointed to the chair of the English Department at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. His family's difficulties adapting to the Middle East necessitated their return to the US in 1927; the following year, this soldier/scholar accepted a teaching position at Dartmouth College. In 1936, he became the president of Hobart College in upstate New York. This assignment, fraught with political correctness, was not to last as the approaching threat of another world war persuaded Eddy to return to the Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Eddy became the Naval Attache in Cairo, Egypt in 1941 and redeployed in the same role to Morocco after the US entry into the world war. He would work with both Naval Intelligence and the OSS for the duration of the war. His work in North Africa was the key to the success of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, led by General George S. Patton.
In 1943, Eddy was sent to Saudi Arabia as a State Department employee and this marks the beginning of the relationship between the two countries. His fluency in several Arabic dialects (learned during his childhood in Lebanon), was certainly instrumental in his success in the Middle East along with his pro-Arab leanings. At the close of World War II, Eddy and his family returned to Washington, D.C. Where he began to create and develop the Central Intelligence agency and continuing to develop US-Middle Eastern relations. In his CIA assessment of the region, Eddy warned about religious fundamentalism that could grow with US participation in the partition of Palestine.
Until his death in 1962, Colonel Eddy focused solely on the Middle East, serving in various capacities; he is buried in Sidon, Lebanon, the city of his birth, in an Arab Christian cemetery.
Author Lippman examines Eddy's various roles as soldier, scholar, spy and diplomat in a readable narrative that keeps the pages turning.
For those interested in learning more about the origins of the Unites States' involvement in the Middle East, Arabian Knight is an excellent starting point, not only to illuminate that involvement but also to celebrate the life of a real unknown American hero, Colonel William Eddy, USMC.
Born in Lebanon in 1896 to missionary parents, Bill Eddy graduated from Princeton in 1917 and immediately joined the Marine Corps. Shipping overseas with the Sixth Marine Regiment, he saw action at Belleau Wood and the St. Mihiel campaign. With an affinity for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, Eddy would receive the Navy Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts for his services.
After recovering from his wounds, Eddy received his doctorate from Princeton and was appointed to the chair of the English Department at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. His family's difficulties adapting to the Middle East necessitated their return to the US in 1927; the following year, this soldier/scholar accepted a teaching position at Dartmouth College. In 1936, he became the president of Hobart College in upstate New York. This assignment, fraught with political correctness, was not to last as the approaching threat of another world war persuaded Eddy to return to the Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Eddy became the Naval Attache in Cairo, Egypt in 1941 and redeployed in the same role to Morocco after the US entry into the world war. He would work with both Naval Intelligence and the OSS for the duration of the war. His work in North Africa was the key to the success of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, led by General George S. Patton.
In 1943, Eddy was sent to Saudi Arabia as a State Department employee and this marks the beginning of the relationship between the two countries. His fluency in several Arabic dialects (learned during his childhood in Lebanon), was certainly instrumental in his success in the Middle East along with his pro-Arab leanings. At the close of World War II, Eddy and his family returned to Washington, D.C. Where he began to create and develop the Central Intelligence agency and continuing to develop US-Middle Eastern relations. In his CIA assessment of the region, Eddy warned about religious fundamentalism that could grow with US participation in the partition of Palestine.
Until his death in 1962, Colonel Eddy focused solely on the Middle East, serving in various capacities; he is buried in Sidon, Lebanon, the city of his birth, in an Arab Christian cemetery.
Author Lippman examines Eddy's various roles as soldier, scholar, spy and diplomat in a readable narrative that keeps the pages turning.
Franks, Norman and Andy Saunders. Mannock: The Life and Death of Major Edward Mannock, VC, DSO, MC, RAF. Grub Street. Illustrated; bibliography; appendix; index. 192p. ISBN: 978-190650212-6. $45.00 September, 2008. dist. by Casemate.
Although slim at 192 pages, this biography of Major Edward “Mick” Mannock packs much information on the ace, his squadron mates, the myths surrounding his aerial career and, for the first time, where his remains most likely lie.
Even the birthplace of Great Britain's “ace of aces” has been a subject of dispute; the authors put forth the claim for Ireland as the place of birth and the confusion the result of a nomadic military family. Other myths and misconceptions are also dealt with with meticulous research and access to more contemporary information from both sides of the conflict than previously available. For example, Mannock's eyesight; known as the “ace with one eye”, being blind in one eye. In fact, he had slight vision problems in that eye but he was not blind in it. Aerial victories; Mannock is credited with 73 aircraft shot down; he never claimed anywhere near 70, much less 73 and the authors here credit him with 61. Taffy Jones, who flew with Mannock and was an early biographer, credited him with one more than Billy Bishop claimed (72) whom Jones hated. In fact, Bishop's true score is probably around 27, according to the latest research. But that issue is another matter entirely.
Mannock came to the Royal Air Force at a relatively late age – nearly 30 years old. That he had such a remarkable career before his inevitable death in combat attests to his innate skills as well as his maturity. His influence on new pilots and his leadership abilities went far and above the norm and led to smarter more aggressive pilots, not to mention saving or at least prolonging the lives of new pilots.
Franks and Saunders have put together a readable book with insights into character and motive based on contemporary sources. Supplemented by over seventy photographs, this avaition biography belongs on every bookshelf.
Although slim at 192 pages, this biography of Major Edward “Mick” Mannock packs much information on the ace, his squadron mates, the myths surrounding his aerial career and, for the first time, where his remains most likely lie.
Even the birthplace of Great Britain's “ace of aces” has been a subject of dispute; the authors put forth the claim for Ireland as the place of birth and the confusion the result of a nomadic military family. Other myths and misconceptions are also dealt with with meticulous research and access to more contemporary information from both sides of the conflict than previously available. For example, Mannock's eyesight; known as the “ace with one eye”, being blind in one eye. In fact, he had slight vision problems in that eye but he was not blind in it. Aerial victories; Mannock is credited with 73 aircraft shot down; he never claimed anywhere near 70, much less 73 and the authors here credit him with 61. Taffy Jones, who flew with Mannock and was an early biographer, credited him with one more than Billy Bishop claimed (72) whom Jones hated. In fact, Bishop's true score is probably around 27, according to the latest research. But that issue is another matter entirely.
Mannock came to the Royal Air Force at a relatively late age – nearly 30 years old. That he had such a remarkable career before his inevitable death in combat attests to his innate skills as well as his maturity. His influence on new pilots and his leadership abilities went far and above the norm and led to smarter more aggressive pilots, not to mention saving or at least prolonging the lives of new pilots.
Franks and Saunders have put together a readable book with insights into character and motive based on contemporary sources. Supplemented by over seventy photographs, this avaition biography belongs on every bookshelf.
Maffeo, Steven E. Seize, Burn or Sink: The Thoughts and Words of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Scarecrow Press. Ill; bibliography; index; 630p. ISBN: 978-0-8108-5781-0. $95.00 2007
There are numerous books on the English Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson who died during what became his greatest victory at Trafalgar in 1805, in the midst of England's war with Napoleonic France. There are also books of his published letters, with one set running to six or seven volumes. But until recently, there hasn't been a book of quotations from, undoubtedly, the most famous fighting sailor in English history.
Seize, Burn or Sink gathers together more than three thousand quotations from one of the most prolific letter writers the armed services has ever seen (or heard from). It is a test of Captain Maffeo's skills as a historian and his patience as a librarian to put together a tome of over six hundred printed pages.
The arrangement of the book is chronological by subject or topic and there is a detailed index for those in need of a ready reference source. Also extremely helpful is a chronology of Nelson's life and brief biographies of the principle correspondents covered in the book. With the Admiral's correspondence scattered about in many repositories, this book's value also lies in its gathering together of more of Nelson's thoughts and words than several books combined. Small sections containing some complete passages (by Nelson) and “Others on Nelson” round out the book.
This book has a very hefty price tag, which probably will put it out of reach of most age of sail enthusiasts. It should be a part of quite a few libraries with collections in this subject area.
There are numerous books on the English Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson who died during what became his greatest victory at Trafalgar in 1805, in the midst of England's war with Napoleonic France. There are also books of his published letters, with one set running to six or seven volumes. But until recently, there hasn't been a book of quotations from, undoubtedly, the most famous fighting sailor in English history.
Seize, Burn or Sink gathers together more than three thousand quotations from one of the most prolific letter writers the armed services has ever seen (or heard from). It is a test of Captain Maffeo's skills as a historian and his patience as a librarian to put together a tome of over six hundred printed pages.
The arrangement of the book is chronological by subject or topic and there is a detailed index for those in need of a ready reference source. Also extremely helpful is a chronology of Nelson's life and brief biographies of the principle correspondents covered in the book. With the Admiral's correspondence scattered about in many repositories, this book's value also lies in its gathering together of more of Nelson's thoughts and words than several books combined. Small sections containing some complete passages (by Nelson) and “Others on Nelson” round out the book.
This book has a very hefty price tag, which probably will put it out of reach of most age of sail enthusiasts. It should be a part of quite a few libraries with collections in this subject area.
Immelmann, Frantz. Immelmann: “The Eagle of Lille.” Casemate. Illustrations; appendix. 256p. ISBN: 978-1-932033-98-4. $29.95 2009.
Originally published in England in the 1930's and again in the 1990's, this edition by Casemate has been entirely reworked (new type, layout and format) and is a very handsome book.
The author, Frantz Immelmann, a combat aviator himself, has assembled a good number of his brothers' letters and, coupled with his own insightful narrative, has produced a creditable biography, already a classic of aviation literature.
The earliest letter present is dated 1911, when Max Immelmann was serving as an ensign in a Railway Regiment. Here we learn of his penchant for mathematics, mechanics and technology, interests that would suit him well during combat operations. Upon the outbreak of war in August, 1914, Max was recalled to active service, transferred to the air service and in pilot training in November of that same year. Assigned to a reconnaissance squadron in northern France, in June, 1915, his aircraft was shot up quite a bit by a French pilot but he managed to land back at his home field. For preserving his aircraft, Immelmann received the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Later that same year (and probably due to his shoot down), he became a pursuit pilot. In less than a year, Immelmann was credited with seventeen aerial victories, his final two tallies occurring on June 18, 1916, the day of his death.
There is some controversy surrounding his last combat patrol. Claims that he was shot down, brought down by friendly antiaircraft fire or by mechanical failure were brought forward from that day; the author here presents the reason as the failure of the interrupter gear (which allows the machine gun to fire through the propeller) malfunctioned and Max shot off his own propeller. This had happened before, as the ace was testing various aircraft, so is probably the answer.
Max Immelmann was the first German aviator to be awarded the Prussian “Pour le Merite” and as such the decoration came to be known as the “Blue Max”, the color of the arms of the cross. He is also the innovator of the aerial maneuver that bears his name: the Immelmann turn, a half-loop and roll. All of 25 years old when he died, Immelmann made a lasting impact on aviation history; with this edition of what could be called his memoirs by Casemate, he will have an impact on another generation of followers of aviation history.
Originally published in England in the 1930's and again in the 1990's, this edition by Casemate has been entirely reworked (new type, layout and format) and is a very handsome book.
The author, Frantz Immelmann, a combat aviator himself, has assembled a good number of his brothers' letters and, coupled with his own insightful narrative, has produced a creditable biography, already a classic of aviation literature.
The earliest letter present is dated 1911, when Max Immelmann was serving as an ensign in a Railway Regiment. Here we learn of his penchant for mathematics, mechanics and technology, interests that would suit him well during combat operations. Upon the outbreak of war in August, 1914, Max was recalled to active service, transferred to the air service and in pilot training in November of that same year. Assigned to a reconnaissance squadron in northern France, in June, 1915, his aircraft was shot up quite a bit by a French pilot but he managed to land back at his home field. For preserving his aircraft, Immelmann received the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Later that same year (and probably due to his shoot down), he became a pursuit pilot. In less than a year, Immelmann was credited with seventeen aerial victories, his final two tallies occurring on June 18, 1916, the day of his death.
There is some controversy surrounding his last combat patrol. Claims that he was shot down, brought down by friendly antiaircraft fire or by mechanical failure were brought forward from that day; the author here presents the reason as the failure of the interrupter gear (which allows the machine gun to fire through the propeller) malfunctioned and Max shot off his own propeller. This had happened before, as the ace was testing various aircraft, so is probably the answer.
Max Immelmann was the first German aviator to be awarded the Prussian “Pour le Merite” and as such the decoration came to be known as the “Blue Max”, the color of the arms of the cross. He is also the innovator of the aerial maneuver that bears his name: the Immelmann turn, a half-loop and roll. All of 25 years old when he died, Immelmann made a lasting impact on aviation history; with this edition of what could be called his memoirs by Casemate, he will have an impact on another generation of followers of aviation history.