Albert D. Kirwan (1904–1971)

2038 John J. Crittenden: The Struggle for the Union, by Albert D. Kirwan (read 16 Dec 1986) This is an excellent book, published in 1962. Crittenden was born in Fayette County, Ky., on 10 Sep 1786. He served as U.S. Senator from Mar 4, 1835 to Mar 3, 1841. He was U.S. Attorney-General from Mar 4 to Sept 13, 1841. When Henry Clay resigned, he again became U.S. Senator and served from Mar 31, 1842 to June 12, 1848, when he resigned. He was again Attorney-General from Mar 4, 1855, to Mar 3, 1861. He served in the U.S. House Mar 4, 1861, to Mar 3, 1863. He died July 26, 1863 in Frankfort, Ky. His life spans those fascinating years in U.S. history before the Civil War, and while those years are now quite familiar to me from prior reading, I found the book a delight. Crittenden was second fiddle to Clay for years, though this book paints Crittenden as a better man. Crittenden, of course, was very big in trying to avoid the Civil War, and this book is critical of Republicans opposing his efforts--but I think it is fortunate Crittenden failed, since else who knows when we'd have gotten rid of slavery.… (más)

2737 Revolt of the Rednecks: Mississippi Politics 1876-1925, by Albert D. Kirwan (read 26 Apr 1995) This book tell of Mississippi politics from 1875 to 1925 in rather straightforward style, almost as if only someone in Mississippi would be interested. The book makes numerous interesting points, including that there was more corruption when the Redeemers were running Mississippi than there was during Black Reconstruction. The blatant anti-Negro attitudes of most white Mississippi people is so deplorable. Vardaman's rhetoric on the issue is unbelievable today, though I have known of it. This was a good book, altho its age shows.… (más)