James MacManusReseñas

Sleep in Peace Tonight feels more like a rant than a novel, fiction about history rather than historical fiction. The action takes place in early 1941, the darkest days of World War II for Britain, when the Luftwaffe unleashes terror bombing, day after day. This background is the only part that feels real, as you see fighter planes assembled in pieces in makeshift sheds, chosen because they don’t look target-worthy from the air. Or that's the gamble.

The novel purports to be about Harry Hopkins, whom FDR sends to London as his eyes and ears, while Congress debates Lend-Lease (the act that legalized military aid to Britain and effectively ended U.S. neutrality). I’ve always admired Hopkins, a New Deal wizard who ran the WPA, so I was looking forward to seeing him in action. However, it’s an empty story.

Even Churchill, the real protagonist, boozing and raging and summoning Hopkins at all hours, seems more like an unfinished sketch than a real person, while the supporting cast are cardboard cutouts or position papers. They seldom speak for themselves, the author preferring to summarize their thoughts and feelings like a conference agenda.

Indeed, most of Sleep in Peace Tonight feels like a series of meetings that repeat themselves. Even the love affair between Hopkins and his beautiful English chauffeur, Leonora Finch, reveals little about either of them, though it does allow Leonora to state the theme over and over: stop talking about how to win the war and get to the front lines.

Consequently, the novel never shows what these people are like when they’re not strutting on the world stage. Hopkins, for instance, has a fiancée in Washington, and his beloved, second wife died of cancer. He has four children. Does he ever think of them? Not really. They’re mentioned, of course, but they’re like figurines on a mantelpiece, dusted off occasionally.

Meanwhile, the history feels doctored, resectioned to suggest a tension that the narrative fails to deliver. To make characters (and the reader) wait while a legislature makes up its mind is pretty dull stuff, especially if that legislature never appears directly and is three thousand miles from the real action.

Lend-Lease, in fact, got through an isolationist Congress in about two months—not bad, considering—but in these pages, it’s a miracle, because of American selfishness and FDR’s inability to lead. He comes across as a craven, feckless Nero who plays with his stamp collection while London burns, and “whose physical paralysis had become a metaphor for his lack of political will.”

As for the First Lady, she’s so concerned about social programs at home to care what happens to the world—and her number-one program is to see her friend Hopkins married.

Given these portrayals–and that the other American characters are either philanderers, lushes, or both—I wonder whether the real theme of Sleep in Peace Tonight is anger at the war’s humiliation of England, directed against the American rescuers. Treated authentically, that could make excellent fiction. But that’s not this novel.

I thought I would start this review by mentioning that I previously read THE GENERAL'S WOMEN by Susan Wittig Albert, which deals with the same subject as this book, although Mamie Eisenhowever plays a larger role in that book. Nevertheless, in my opinion, one can't get enough books if the subjects interest you. So it was with eagerness I looked forward to reading this book.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

I thought I would start this review by mentioning that I previously read THE GENERAL'S WOMEN by Susan Wittig Albert, which deals with the same subject as this book, although Mamie Eisenhowever plays a larger role in that book. Nevertheless, in my opinion, one can't get enough books if the subjects interest you. So it was with eagerness I looked forward to reading this book.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

Dwight Eisenhower had an affair with his military driver, Kay Summerby, all during World War II, and according to some,, planned to divorcer his wife and marry her after the war was over. This plan was foiled by the military officialdom and Kay was left to basically fend for herself.

This book portrays Ike as an emotionally cold man &{ it’s hard to feel sympathy for him – especially in the cold way he ended things with Kay… As with so many novels of historical fiction, this one makes me want to head to the non-fiction section of the library and find out what really happened.

This was an interesting book that I chose to read in advance of the upcoming Endeavour Virtual Historical Festival in April 2016. Although I didn't get goosebumps or any tingly feelings that I would usually get from a paranormal book, I still enjoyed the story.

For some reason that I can't quite explain, I didn't really take to Rose, the main character; she just seemed a little bit wishy washy to me. Rose was living in London and, following a knife attack, decided to move to the Cotswolds. Her husband didn't go with her so I got the feeling that their marriage was on the rocks, further evidenced by the fact that neither party makes any attempts to save it.

I liked the link to the past and I found myself looking forward to the story of Emily and Will together with Rose's attempts to find out what happened to Will so that he could rest in peace. I also enjoyed the comparison of the afterlife with time travel. Perhaps we are all existing at the same time but on a different dimension to our ancestors. A really interesting thought. Will certainly felt that Rose was encroaching on his patch!

Endless Love is a pleasant story of investigations into the past and never forgetting the one you love.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Endeavour Press, in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Black Venus is a mesmerizing fictionalized novel about French poet Charles Baudelaire and his oftentimes turbulent relationship with his mistress and muse Jeanne Duval. James MacManus brilliantly incorporates fact and fiction into an incredibly fascinating story that I found impossible to put down. Please click HERE to read my review in its entirety.

In Sleep In Peace Tonight, James MacManus skillfully weaves fact with fiction and the resulting story is a fascinating novel set during World War II. Beginning in January 1941, the story is rich in historical details as US envoy Harry Hopkins travels to Britain to assess the war torn country's ability to continue fighting the Germans in the early years of World War II. It is an intriguing and insightful view into a little known period of history that provides readers with a better understanding of why the US was so reluctant to enter the war.

Harry Hopkins is not an elected official but he is President Franklin Roosevelt's most trusted advisor. With mounting pressure from Churchill for the US to offer more assistance than the much beleaguered Lend-Lease program, Harry is sent to Britain in an effort to smooth over the strained relations between the two countries. Hopkins' time in Britain is full of meetings with Churchill and his staff but he also witnesses first-hand the devastating effects of the relentless Blitz attacks and heartbreaking destruction in the wake of the bombings.

Interspersed with these factual events is Harry's relationship with Leonora Finch, the driver assigned to him during his stay in Britain. While both the character of Leonora and their subsequent romance are fictional, this part of the storyline serves to highlight the changing roles of women in war and the evolution of British intelligence, the Resistance and their effort to cripple the Nazis in the surrounding countries.

While Sleep in Peace Tonight is always interesting, the novel is a little slow paced and repetitive in the beginning. The story is told from several different perspectives and some of these shifts are a bit confusing at times. The characterization of the key players is superb and each of them are vibrantly depicted. What makes the story truly amazing is watching Harry Hopkins skillfully and diplomatically work with both Churchill and Roosevelt and maintain peace between the US and Britain. Equally captivating is the gradual shift in Hopkins' personal opinion on US involvement in the war.

Sleep in Peace Tonight is a riveting World War II novel that is very unique and infinitely intriguing. James MacManus brings both the story and its characters vividly to life. Anyone who is interested in history would benefit from reading this incredibly well-researched and captivating novel.

In his work of historical fiction, MacManus explores the relationship between General Dwight D Eisenhower and his assigned driver during WWII, Kay Sommersby. Rumor, innuendo and gossip have surrounded their affair for decades. Only after both Dwight and his wife, Mamie, died did much of the truth come out.

I have to say that Ike came off like a real jerk in this book. Kay, of course, was hardly blameless. She knew he was a married man, and a powerful one as well. If she thought she could win this man she was deluding only herself. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see how the relationship unfolded and to get a glimpse of what they may have meant to one another, especially during the stress of wartime.

I also appreciated the details of other wartime relationships between generals and heads of state. President Franklin D Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchhill and many others make appearances in this novel. One glaring error very nearly spoiled it for me (and totally turned my husband off). MacManus goes on about Patton serving in the Pacific and how he abandoned the Philippines for the relative safety of Australia. The general who did that was MacArthur, not Patton. Wonder what else he got wrong?

Oh well, it’s historical FICTION, and it certainly held my attention.

I picked up this book due to its setting during WWII. I enjoyed the inclusion of characters that were actually from history. I usually don’t enjoy that, but the author blended the history with the fiction seamlessly. Many reviewers were quick to point out inaccuracies with the historical facts. I wasn’t bothered by this. I knew going into this that it’s a work of fiction. If I had wanted facts I would’ve chosen a nonfiction book about the topics covered.

When Kay Summersby is assigned as a driver for General Eisenhower, the two quickly develop a report and eventually an affair. Despite his marriage to Mamie, Ike flaunts their relationship. This book felt very nostalgic. It continually skipped back in time to tell the reader something else about the couple. This took away from the story, rather than adding to it. This book felt slow and rambling and just didn't work. Overall, a bust.

Ike and Kay is a historical fiction novel based on the time that they spent together in Europe during WWII. The author did a tremendous amount of research to write this book and it's apparent despite the fact that there are some historical inaccuracies. (I read an arc so am assuming that these will be cleaned up before the publish date). There is still no definitive answer on whether Ike and Kay had a sexual relationship but MacManus writes the book as if they had - which seems to be the prevailing belief of the historians.

In 1942, Eisenhower, lands in London to decide how to best end the Nazi hold on Europe. All visiting generals needed a driver because all of the street signs had been taken down in London. Kay Summersby, a member of the Motor Transport Corp becomes General Eisenhower's driver and eventually ends up becoming his chief aide, in charge of his calendar and taking notes at meetings. The gossip begins in the US and Europe over what kind of relationship they really had even as they continue to spend more time together. The press begins to refer to Kay as "Ike's shadow". She sees a future for them when its time for him to return to the US after the Allied victory but he has to make big decisions about his future on whether she will be part of it.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I had read articles about Ike and Kay in the past, this book really humanizes them and you can understand why some of the decisions that were made happen. high praise to the author for his extensive research on this subject. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I received a free copy of this e-book (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

This novel took me ages to read, which is telling. The book is written in a (not particularly good) non-fiction style, with dialog thrown in. As a consequence, none of the characters really took shape. By the end, I pretty much despised Kay. The book is rife with historical inaccuracies and embellishments, which were quite annoying to me. The author also couldn't seem to make up his mind about what kind of dog Telek was. He was a Scottie, even though the author repeatedly referred to him as a West Highland Terrier.

Historians argue to this day whether or not Eisenhower actually wanted divorce his wife in order to marry Kay, so I hope readers do not blindly accept the version of events given here.

Well, I'm just glad it's over.

Despite the somewhat melodramatic cover, this book turned out to be a carefully researched and well written story featuring Noel Macrae, a fictional military attache stationed in Britain's German embassy in 1938-1939. He is witness to the poor decisions made by Ambassador Nevile Henderson, a fervent supporter of Prime Minister Chamberlain’s appeasement policies. Macrae, former sniper and hero of World War I is desperate to convince the British government to change its policy in time to keep Hitler from taking the world back to war.

There's a secondary story line where Macrae, who is in a failing marriage, becomes involved with Sarah, a beautiful Jewish woman who is forced to work in a Berlin brothel. Reinhard Heydrich believes one of the best ways to get information from VIPs is to record their sexual encounters with Sarah for blackmail purposes. There are many factual characters intertwined with the fictional ones. One of the most interesting is William Shirer, the brilliant historian who went on to write the iconic Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

I thought the novel did a great job of documenting the missteps of the British government during pre-war years. This was a fascinating time in history and the real life events will leave you wondering “what might have been. If you enjoy reading about this time in history, I definitely recommend giving this book a chance.

Quoting Edward Wilson (Br. historian): "The history is vividly presented & flawlessly accurate. The plot is utterly riveting."

The Nazi atrocities of World War II are, of course, so well documented today that only the deliberately obtuse among us can claim ignorance of them. What so many still fail to understand, however, is how easily it all might have been avoided if only the rest of the world had not been content simply to look the other way when Adolph Hitler first began the military posturing that led to the war. In Midnight in Berlin, James MacManus explores what might have happened if only two people (British Prime Minister Sir Neville Chamberlain and the British ambassador to Berlin, Sir Nevile Henderson) had had the courage and boldness later exhibited by Chamberlain’s successor Winston Churchill.

MacManus based the novel’s main character, Colonel Noel Macrae, on real life Colonel Mason-Macfarlane who was the British military attaché in Berlin during the critical years 1938 and 1939. As the novel opens, Macrae and his wife arrive at a Berlin train station early on a cold Sunday morning so that Macrae can immediately begin his duties there as British military attaché. Unfortunately for Macrae, a man who understands the importance of stopping Hitler before he can begin to march his armies across Europe, Sir Nevile Henderson, his boss, does not share his opinion. Macrae soon learns that the only war Henderson and Prime Minister Chamberlain are willing wage is one of appeasement. They are willing to pay almost any price if it means peace with Germany – and other countries do the bulk of the paying.

The Gestapo takes Macrae more seriously than Henderson takes him, and hopes to neutralize Macrae by secretly filming him inside a Gestapo-run brothel known as the Salon. Fortunately, as it turns out, Macrae falls in love with Sara (a young Jewish woman forced to work at the Salon in order to keep her brother alive) who warns him of the trap before it can be sprung.

And the game is on. Now it is more than just a question of whether Macrae will be able to convince the British government to change its policy in time to keep Hitler from throwing the world into another catastrophic war. He also has to find a way to get Sara away from the Gestapo and out of Germany before Hitler closes the border to Jews trying to escape what they see coming. Noel Macrae, though, has an ace up his sleeve - the same sniper rifle that he used so effectively during World War I - and he is prepared to use it against Hitler if the opportunity presents itself, no matter what Chamberlain and the rest of the British government might think about his decision.

Midnight in Berlin is part thriller and part love story, but above everything else, it is an excellent piece of historical fiction that reminds the reader of how easily the course of history can be changed – for the better or for the worse.

(Review Copy provided by Publisher)

I was pleasantly surprised with this book as I progressed with it, after feeling somewhat unsure about it at the beginning.

It's not really so much a paranormal romance story as the title, blurb and cover suggest, as a book about a woman going through a mid-life crisis, with some paranormal goings-on and research into a past love affair as part of that. Which is good, as it saves me comparing it (unfavourably) with Barbara Erskine's River of Destiny, which it would otherwise resemble quite a bit.

At first I found the narrative to be a bit flat and clumsy. It's told in the third person and is very much telling not showing, but I did get used to this after a while. It's also prone to go off on tangents explaining past events and scientific concepts that explain what the protagonist is thinking - it does get close to 'info-dumping' territory, but manages to stay interesting and mostly relevant.

The story itself isn't the strongest and doesn't contain a lot of action (or at least is not described in a way that makes you feel like much is happening), but this is fine, as it reflects how the protagonist is feeling. What I really liked about this book was how human it was - definitely more reflection than action.

The copy editing was terrible unfortunately, perhaps I am picky as I used to be a copy editor, but there were a lot of typos, some of the text did get clumsy from time to time, and I picked up on at least two inconsistencies within the story - both pretty minor but jarring for me.

Overall I enjoyed reading this, and will look for more from the same author.

Note: I received this book free (no strings attached) from the publisher, Endeavour Press, as part of their online Historical Festival.

Hated it. Clumsy writing of a stupid story.

The poet starving in his garret, laboring in obscurity, fingertips frozen and ink as well as he tries to wield his pen, unappreciated in his own lifetime, rich in ideas and images but a pauper in truth. Isn't this this the most common conception of artists of all stripes? Charles Baudelaire, was not quite this man, at least not all the time. A star of French poetry, influence on and inspiration to generations of poets who came after him, Baudelaire's life was both initially privileged and ultimately no less tragic than the cliché described above. Whoever the man was, he wrote powerful, visceral poetry inspired by his mistress and muse, Haitian cabaret singer Jeanne Duval. James MacManus explores the intricacies of their decades long relationship in his new novel, Black Venus, a fictionalization of the life of the poet and his muse.

When the novel opens in 1842, Baudelaire is a 21 year old dandy, an extravagant dresser, profligate with his mother and stepfather's money, given to the excesses of the good life, swanning about bohemian Paris as only a young man of privilege can. He and his friends think of themselves as social progressives from their cozy and safe society backgrounds, supporting the masses intellectually but unlikely to actually commit to action. One night Baudelaire stumbles into a working class cabaret he's never frequented before and he sees Jeanne Duval. She's a voluptuous and bewitching woman, the illegitimate daughter of a French plantation manager and a Haitian slave, and something about her that night captivates Baudelaire. They embark on an open, tempestuous, and contentious affair, an affair that will endure for some twenty years and be the basis for the slim volume of poetry, Les fleurs du mal, for which Baudelaire will become justly famous and infamous.

MacManus never shies away from portraying Baudelaire as a spoiled mama's boy whose doting mother, while disapproving of his liaison with his "Black Venus," continues to hold the purse strings tightly and keep him from complete destitution. He comes across as a fractious child, often in a temper, selfish, and jealous. He is an alcoholic, an opium addict, and is unable to practice moderation in any aspect of his life, not in his personal life, not in his writing, and not in his public persona. Although not in love with Duval, he is so obsessed with and consumed by her whole being that he comes to need her presence in order to write. And what a set of poems he wrote with her as his muse. Poetry so dark and raw and scandalous, so contrary to the prevailing romanticism, that he landed at the center of an obscenity trial, even in a city as casually and tacitly licentious as Paris.

And what of Duval? MacManus is kinder to her than most historians. She is still the source of Baudelaire's opium habit and she is clearly self-serving and opportunistic. But she too must feel a magnetic pull to Baudelaire to weather so many lean and trying years with him. Not even close to monogamous, Duval also dismisses his poetry, doubting his talent and yet she defends him magnificently at the obscenity trial. Together she and Baudelaire flout society's rules and expectations for a discreet liaison, never taking the time to conceal their desires and appetites for sex, drugs, alcohol, and the good life. Their obsession, attraction and dependence on each other is unhealthy and it destroys them each in the end.

The squalor and decadence of a bohemian Paris on the cusp of a second revolution is beautifully evoked here. The political turmoil and turbulence of the times inform Baudelaire's vision of the world and spill into his poetry, the very poetry that the state declares too immoral and pornographic to be published. Paris itself is in the midst of an upheaval, with the face of the whole city changing to resemble the place of wide boulevards and elegant stone buildings that we know today, its own emerging beauty hiding the fears of unrest and violence that inspired the physical changes. Just as he captures the city, MacManus also imparts the feel of Parisian society, superficially judgmental while allowing the depths to roil, never more well drawn as during the trial itself when none of Baudelaire's early supporters, fellow members of the arts and literature community, famous and artistic men in their own right, will risk offering him support. The story of Baudelaire and Duval is one of betrayal and jealousy, inspiration and condemnation. And while neither of these two characters are the sort of people you'd ever want to spend much time knowing, watching their unraveling relationship and slow descent into mutual misery and destitution is interesting indeed. Historical fiction readers intrigued by Paris or fascinated by a literary life and its inspiration will find this to be a worthwhile read, slowly building in tone until the ravaged and expected end.½

Black Venus is a novel about Charles Baudelaire and his mistress, Jeanne Duval. Charles Baudelaire was not a man of affluence, however, he yearned to be so. He desired the luxuries of life and strived for it, even at the risk of his own reputation. He spent money lavishly, gambling and womanizing, even indulging in drink and drugs. His mother and stepfather often came to his rescue when his debts got out of control and imposed a strict allowance, severely restricting him.
And then in an obscure cabaret, he met the woman who would become his obsession, an alluring Creole woman from Haiti named Jeanne Duval. He dubbed her his Black Venus. She captivated him in every way and he wanted to possess her at all costs. She inspired his poetry - graphically sexual, explicit, and descriptive. She used Charles as a means to raise her own status in life. Jeanne even made clothing purchases at elite shops and charged them to Charles’ mother. Jeanne took everything she could from the relationship that was tumultuous and lasted for decades.
The novel truly takes the reader in the 19th century France, the fear of the revolution, the artists, the cafes. The poems Duval inspired were published, but due to their sexuality, were banned by the government, bankrupting his publisher and rendering Charles a very poor man indeed. Edward Manet befriends Charles and soon Manet paints Jeanne. Unlike Charles, however, his work brought Manet fame and wealth, and increased Duval’s fame.
Black Venus is a poignant novel, heart-breaking and forlorn, almost a tragedy. It is a tale of betrayal, jealousy, obsession, and forbidden love. A magnetic story to say the least!

BLACK VENUS is a fictional account of the volatile relationship between French poet Charles Baudelaire and his muse, Jeanne Duval. Duval was his greatest joy, yet also the cause of much pain and grief in life. She was the daughter of a French plantation owner and Hatian slave, who made her way to Paris in the mid-1800s. Baudelaire first became infatuated with her while she was working as a cabaret singer, soon becoming his inspiration for his most famous and controversial work, Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil).

This was a well-researched book, and I enjoyed how it presented a vivid account of life in Paris during that time. I loved stepping back into the world of bohemian artists and writers of the time, and seeing the social and political unrest that influenced their work. I thought that Baudelaire's obsenity trial and its outcome was particularly interesting, and also the fate of his publisher who believed in him.

In life, Baudelaire and Duval were troubled souls, and that came through in the book. However, the characters in the book fell a bit flat for me, and I never felt the strong, passionate connection that was supposedly between them. Something was missing. Since I'm a character-driven reader, I had a difficult time getting into the story because of that. Still, I liked journeying back to the streets of turbulent 19th century Paris - Paris itself was my favorite character in this book - with its beauty, cruelty, and vivacity. 3-stars.

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookTrib for participating in the author's blog tour.

There were lots of aspects of this book that might have made me dislike it. The dense science sections that punctuated the plot. The discovery that just when you thought you were finished with the backstory, along came a bit more. The nagging sensation that what happened was....well.....a bit unfeasible.

Despite all that, this book gets five stars from me, because it kept me reading long into the night, and very few books have done that. However unfeasible it might have been, the central plot was compelling and leaving this unfinished was never an option. The setting of Cape Cod was great, and really made me want to go there! The author had a real feeling for his characters and his depiction of a family in the wake a of a bereavement was skilful and moving. Okay so it’s only January, but it’s my read of the year so far.

A biography of a young English man, initially a journalist and later a school principal in pre-war and wartime China. Hogg is perhaps the most innocent character in a milleau of warlords, gangsters, socialist, fascists, and highly politicised journalists and aid workers. That innocence, good nature and faith in God doesn't grate at all on the reader. There is a sense that he is not at all out of place in a world where people are living and dying for ideas. The author does an excellent job of telling Hogg's story, illustrated by a passing cavalcade of fascinating western and Chinese personalities. This is an extraordinary well done portrait of China under the threat of Japanese invasion and civil war, and on the verge of the foundation of the Communist State.