John M. Taylor (5) (1930–)

I am surprised. One would think that a biography about William H. Seward, a lifelong leader in state and national politics in one of the most controversial periods of our time, would have some depth and life to it. This has neither.
Though it is a little over 300 pages, the author John Taylor has just skimmed the surface of his subject. There are countless examples throughout the title where the author spends enough time on a topic to allow the read to know what happened and what WHS’s role was.
This is a book with larger type and spacing, so there is some really glaring issues with the research. It is the quantity of the research, not the quality. Most of his sources are primary source materials right from the subjects own hand in many cases. Each section and /or major event in his life could be fleshed out a little more which would have given it much for life and some depth. What is here is not bad, it is just that there is so much missing from a man that casts such a huge political shadow that one cannot help but dwell on it.
The more I read this book the more I though it to be hagiographic. For every negative that Seward had done or said was followed by some sort of justifier or excuse by the author. That style, for me, took away from who the real Seward was and propped up an ivory statue in its place. Here was a man who outside of politics he was affable and outgoing, and when ‘at work’ was as multiplicitous as a politician could be. It is understandable why he stayed in Lincoln’s shadow.
The book as a whole is very readable and does include all of the important events in the life of the former Statesman. I would not recommend this unless you go into it knowing that the author treated WHS with kid gloves. For as active as Seward was as a state and national politician and being the beau ideal of the Thurlow Weed machine and a lightning rod of controversy where ever he went, one would think it would be hard to keep the book under 500 pages and not the 300 page cliff notes of the man’s life. I am quite surprised indeed.… (más)

“Semmes: Rebel Raider” by John M. Taylor is another episode in the mini-military profile series from Potomac Books. Once again Potomac Books through the pen of Mr. Taylor has published an extraordinarily informative yet condensed biography. I knew next to nothing about Raphael Semmes and his cavalier piratical heroics on the high seas during the Civil War. But now, my appetite has been whetted enough to attempt further forays in this overlooked nautical powerhouse in addition to other histories from the likes of Mr. Taylor.… (más)