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1wildbill
I'm getting started late in the year but hopefully the thread will keep going after the end of 2009. Right now I am reading The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 by Robert Middlekauf. It is a volume in the Oxford History of the United States. I have read two other volumes in the series this year, Battle Cry of Freedom and What Hath God Wrought. They are all very well written and thoroughly researched.
I am about one-half way through this volume and even though I thought I knew something about the topic I have learned a lot. The first half of the book has been about the events that led up to the Declaration of Independence. I was surprised how much the events so far follow the pattern of most political revolutions. It started with the Parliament passing the Stamp Act, this angered a group of Americans who told Parliament "no taxation without representation". Then the British repealed The Stamp Act and passed the Revenue Act and the Suspending Act.
The Boston Tea Party really angered the British and they closed down the port of Boston. The dispute began with a minority on each side pressing the conflict. On the American side the rabble rousers goaded the British and then the British reaction made more Americans angry. Slowly the conflict escalated until finally the Americans wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War started.
I am about one-half way through this volume and even though I thought I knew something about the topic I have learned a lot. The first half of the book has been about the events that led up to the Declaration of Independence. I was surprised how much the events so far follow the pattern of most political revolutions. It started with the Parliament passing the Stamp Act, this angered a group of Americans who told Parliament "no taxation without representation". Then the British repealed The Stamp Act and passed the Revenue Act and the Suspending Act.
The Boston Tea Party really angered the British and they closed down the port of Boston. The dispute began with a minority on each side pressing the conflict. On the American side the rabble rousers goaded the British and then the British reaction made more Americans angry. Slowly the conflict escalated until finally the Americans wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War started.
3wildbill
King Hedley II This is the next to last play, chronologically, in the August Wilson Century Cycle, a chronicle of African-American life in the 20th century. Probably the best known play in the series is The Piano Lesson which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1990. All except one of the plays is set in Pittsburgh, decade by decade, over the course of the 20th century.
This play is set in 1985 in two tenement backyards in Pittsburgh's Hill District, where August Wilson was born. There are six characters; King Hedley II, his mother Ruby, his partner in crime Mister, his wife Tonya, Elmore who is an old flame of Ruby's and a neighbor named Stool Pigeon.
I have in my library all of the plays except Radio Golf, the last play chronologically, (the series is listed by chronological order and production order) and have read several of them. August Wilson was an excellent writer (he died at the age of 61 in 2005). I have enjoyed all of his plays that I have read and in one review I read he was considered on par with Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee Williams.
King Hedley II is 36 years old and had served 7 years in prison for the murder of a man who left him with a vicious scar running down the left side of his face. His wife Tonya is pregnant and they have a running argument throughout the play about whether or not she is going to keep the baby or have an abortion.
King and Mister in addition to their life of crime are selling refrigerators. King's mother Ruby was a band singer in her youth and has become a person caught up in the sorrow of an unfulfilled life. Elmore is an aging hustler brought into the story by his love for Ruby. Stool Pigeon is prone to reciting Biblical verse as he works to bring Aunt Ester's cat back to life.
The play is a tragedy with all of the emotional force of a classic Greek tragedy. In the vernacular of the street the characters tell of their struggles to hold on to hope and humanity. Throughout the action is an undertone of violence that crops up unexpectedly with life changing consequences. This play, like the others in the series that I have read, conveys a way of life, what it means to be African-American and live in 20th century America.
I feel that reading this book has enriched my life and I heartily recommend it.
This play is set in 1985 in two tenement backyards in Pittsburgh's Hill District, where August Wilson was born. There are six characters; King Hedley II, his mother Ruby, his partner in crime Mister, his wife Tonya, Elmore who is an old flame of Ruby's and a neighbor named Stool Pigeon.
I have in my library all of the plays except Radio Golf, the last play chronologically, (the series is listed by chronological order and production order) and have read several of them. August Wilson was an excellent writer (he died at the age of 61 in 2005). I have enjoyed all of his plays that I have read and in one review I read he was considered on par with Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee Williams.
King Hedley II is 36 years old and had served 7 years in prison for the murder of a man who left him with a vicious scar running down the left side of his face. His wife Tonya is pregnant and they have a running argument throughout the play about whether or not she is going to keep the baby or have an abortion.
King and Mister in addition to their life of crime are selling refrigerators. King's mother Ruby was a band singer in her youth and has become a person caught up in the sorrow of an unfulfilled life. Elmore is an aging hustler brought into the story by his love for Ruby. Stool Pigeon is prone to reciting Biblical verse as he works to bring Aunt Ester's cat back to life.
The play is a tragedy with all of the emotional force of a classic Greek tragedy. In the vernacular of the street the characters tell of their struggles to hold on to hope and humanity. Throughout the action is an undertone of violence that crops up unexpectedly with life changing consequences. This play, like the others in the series that I have read, conveys a way of life, what it means to be African-American and live in 20th century America.
I feel that reading this book has enriched my life and I heartily recommend it.
5kidzdoc
King Hedley II is one of the few August Wilson plays I haven't seen yet. I haven't read any of the scripts of his works, though, but I'll start soon, probably with this one. Thanks for the great review, wildbill.
I did see The Piano Lesson years ago on Broadway, and Charles Dutton's performance in the lead role was beyond description.
I did see The Piano Lesson years ago on Broadway, and Charles Dutton's performance in the lead role was beyond description.
6wildbill
The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman.
This book published in 1988 was the last book written by Barbara Tuchman. She is one of my favorite authors. One of the things I liked about her is that she was not an academic but she was a very good history writer.
This book is about the American Revolution and Tuchman's approach is at least mildly unusual. The title refers to a salute given to the American ship Andrew Doria at the port of St. Eaustatius, a Dutch island in the West Indies. This took place on November 6, 1776 and was the first recognition by a foreign country of the United States.
From that moment Tuchman goes back to the 17th century and comes forward with a brief history of the Netherlands. She writes about the Dutch struggle for independence and William of Orange who ruled the Netherlands and was selected to be the King of England as William III after the English Glorious Revolution.
The action of St. Eaustatius and the island's use as a center for smuggling goods into America prompted the English to send a fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney to capture the island for England. This is accomplished in short order and the focus shifts to the American Revolution.
Tuchman begins her story of the American Revolution after the American defeat of the British at the Battle of Saratoga. The American victory convinces the French to sign a treaty of alliance with America and begin sending them supplies and money. The French are seeking revenge on the British for their defeat in the Seven Year's War that made Canada a British possession.
The final third of the book tells of the Battle of Yorktown which ended the Revolution. Tuchman first covers the southern campaign of General Cornwallis in South and North Carolina. The American General Nathaniel Greene doesn't win many battles but he keeps his army intact. Cornwallis is frustrated by the lack of loyalist support and moves to Virginia to establish a base at Yorktown on the Chesapeake Bay.
A French fleet comes to America in 1781 to coordinate with American troops to defeat the British. The French make it clear that this expedition will be the last of its kind and Washington understands that this is his hour for victory. Washington wants to attack New York but the French Admiral De Grasse decides that the attack will be made on the Chesapeake. General Washington agrees and a combined French and American force of 20,000 moves against Cornwallis and his army of army of 8,800 at Yorktown.
Yorktown is a battle where everything works out just as planned for the Allies. The British fleet goes from the West Indies up to New York and when they check on the Chesapeake the French fleet is not there yet. Admiral Rodney, the most capable English naval officer had to go to England for surgery and is not available to direct the English fleet. The French fleet gets into the Chesapeake before the British and defeats the British in the Battle of the Capes on September 5, 1781. Cornwallis is now stuck between the French fleet and the Allied troops with no hope for relief.
The Allied forces now begin the siege of Yorktown. Clinton in New York promises but never sends any reinforcements for Cornwallis.
The allies steadily tighten their siege of Yorktown until Cornwallis has no choice but surrender. At 2:00 P.M. on October 17 the ceremony of surrender takes place. Cornwallis pleads ill health and sends General O'Hara forward to make the surrender for the English. Washington in response to Cornwallis' show of disrespect for the Americans directs O'Hara to surrender to his second in command. The defeat at Yorktown has the same effect on the English as the defeat at Dien Bien Phu had on the French in Vietnam. It convinces the English that they cannot defeat the Americans and there is no point in spending more treasure when the result will be the same. After lengthy negotiations the Treaty of Ghent in 1783 ends the war.
This book is not the usual narrative history of the American Revolution. I enjoyed the narrative on the Battle of Yorktown and the relationship between the American Revolution and the ongoing conflict between the European powers. What I found most interesting were the quotations from the letters of the British generals and political leaders. They were more involved in shifting blame for the lack of success than planning how to defeat the Americans. I did not have much interest in the lengthy detour into Dutch history and failed to see the connection with the American Revolution. While the book contained flashes of excellent writing it lacked focus. All I found was a series of facts in search of an idea that was never clearly stated.
While reading a review of The Glorious Cause:The American Revolution from 1763 to 1789 the reviewer noted that many of the sources cited by the author are secondary sources from books that are only 30 to 50 years older than The Glorious Cause. For some reason I feel this is not the best way to research a book that is supposed to be a significant work of scholarship. It will make me more careful to look at sources next time I buy a book of history.
Encyclopedia of the American Revolution is an excellent reference work for this topic. I have already used it a lot to check facts and provide some background to what is being said in a book on this topic. If you have a serious interest on this topic I highly recommend that book.
This book published in 1988 was the last book written by Barbara Tuchman. She is one of my favorite authors. One of the things I liked about her is that she was not an academic but she was a very good history writer.
This book is about the American Revolution and Tuchman's approach is at least mildly unusual. The title refers to a salute given to the American ship Andrew Doria at the port of St. Eaustatius, a Dutch island in the West Indies. This took place on November 6, 1776 and was the first recognition by a foreign country of the United States.
From that moment Tuchman goes back to the 17th century and comes forward with a brief history of the Netherlands. She writes about the Dutch struggle for independence and William of Orange who ruled the Netherlands and was selected to be the King of England as William III after the English Glorious Revolution.
The action of St. Eaustatius and the island's use as a center for smuggling goods into America prompted the English to send a fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney to capture the island for England. This is accomplished in short order and the focus shifts to the American Revolution.
Tuchman begins her story of the American Revolution after the American defeat of the British at the Battle of Saratoga. The American victory convinces the French to sign a treaty of alliance with America and begin sending them supplies and money. The French are seeking revenge on the British for their defeat in the Seven Year's War that made Canada a British possession.
The final third of the book tells of the Battle of Yorktown which ended the Revolution. Tuchman first covers the southern campaign of General Cornwallis in South and North Carolina. The American General Nathaniel Greene doesn't win many battles but he keeps his army intact. Cornwallis is frustrated by the lack of loyalist support and moves to Virginia to establish a base at Yorktown on the Chesapeake Bay.
A French fleet comes to America in 1781 to coordinate with American troops to defeat the British. The French make it clear that this expedition will be the last of its kind and Washington understands that this is his hour for victory. Washington wants to attack New York but the French Admiral De Grasse decides that the attack will be made on the Chesapeake. General Washington agrees and a combined French and American force of 20,000 moves against Cornwallis and his army of army of 8,800 at Yorktown.
Yorktown is a battle where everything works out just as planned for the Allies. The British fleet goes from the West Indies up to New York and when they check on the Chesapeake the French fleet is not there yet. Admiral Rodney, the most capable English naval officer had to go to England for surgery and is not available to direct the English fleet. The French fleet gets into the Chesapeake before the British and defeats the British in the Battle of the Capes on September 5, 1781. Cornwallis is now stuck between the French fleet and the Allied troops with no hope for relief.
The Allied forces now begin the siege of Yorktown. Clinton in New York promises but never sends any reinforcements for Cornwallis.
The allies steadily tighten their siege of Yorktown until Cornwallis has no choice but surrender. At 2:00 P.M. on October 17 the ceremony of surrender takes place. Cornwallis pleads ill health and sends General O'Hara forward to make the surrender for the English. Washington in response to Cornwallis' show of disrespect for the Americans directs O'Hara to surrender to his second in command. The defeat at Yorktown has the same effect on the English as the defeat at Dien Bien Phu had on the French in Vietnam. It convinces the English that they cannot defeat the Americans and there is no point in spending more treasure when the result will be the same. After lengthy negotiations the Treaty of Ghent in 1783 ends the war.
This book is not the usual narrative history of the American Revolution. I enjoyed the narrative on the Battle of Yorktown and the relationship between the American Revolution and the ongoing conflict between the European powers. What I found most interesting were the quotations from the letters of the British generals and political leaders. They were more involved in shifting blame for the lack of success than planning how to defeat the Americans. I did not have much interest in the lengthy detour into Dutch history and failed to see the connection with the American Revolution. While the book contained flashes of excellent writing it lacked focus. All I found was a series of facts in search of an idea that was never clearly stated.
While reading a review of The Glorious Cause:The American Revolution from 1763 to 1789 the reviewer noted that many of the sources cited by the author are secondary sources from books that are only 30 to 50 years older than The Glorious Cause. For some reason I feel this is not the best way to research a book that is supposed to be a significant work of scholarship. It will make me more careful to look at sources next time I buy a book of history.
Encyclopedia of the American Revolution is an excellent reference work for this topic. I have already used it a lot to check facts and provide some background to what is being said in a book on this topic. If you have a serious interest on this topic I highly recommend that book.
7wildbill
The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 by Robert Middlekauf (touchstone error)
This is the first volume of the Oxford History of the United States. There is much that I liked about this book but I also feel it had some serious shortcomings.
My favorite part of the book was the section dealing with the events leading up to the Revolution. The author does a very good job of setting forth the positions of the British and the Americans. His analysis of the British political situation that led to the Acts which incited the Revolution was excellent. That section also showed clearly how the conflict between the parties escalated as the British sought to impose their authority on the colonies and the Americans reacted. The American reaction would lead to stronger actions by the British which then incited more aggressive actions by the Americans. The Boston Tea Party led to the British closing the port of Boston and shortly thereafter the war began.
The section on the war itself was also well done. I gained a good understanding of the role of Washington and how he grew into his position as the war progressed. On the British side the author pointed out how the lack of real direction from London and the squabbling of the military leadership hampered coordinated activity by the British.
I think it was a mistake to try to fit the Constitutional Convention and the ratification into this book. This process is covered in forty pages and while the author did provide some insights his narrative did not do justice to the events.
The book relied on secondary sources to a large degree. This book was published in 1982 and cited many sources from the 1930's forward. This is not what I would expect in a book that attempts to be the authoritative source on the subjects covered. The author is relying on the opinions of other historians where in my opinion his analysis of the primary sources would provide greater credibility to his conclusions. If this book were the author's dissertation I doubt he would not have received his Ph. D. There has been a revised, expanded edition of the book published that may have addressed this situation. I will try to find a copy and see what changes were made.
This year I have read two other volumes from this series, Battle Cry of Freedom and What Hath God Wrought. I thought that both of those books were much better than this volume. I have the next volume in the series Empire of Liberty:A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (touchstone where are you?) I plan to read it next and hope that it will be better than this volume.
I cannot recommend this book. I was disappointed. The book has too many problems and as of now is a bit dated. I would guess that the series has changed editors since this volume was published.
This is the first volume of the Oxford History of the United States. There is much that I liked about this book but I also feel it had some serious shortcomings.
My favorite part of the book was the section dealing with the events leading up to the Revolution. The author does a very good job of setting forth the positions of the British and the Americans. His analysis of the British political situation that led to the Acts which incited the Revolution was excellent. That section also showed clearly how the conflict between the parties escalated as the British sought to impose their authority on the colonies and the Americans reacted. The American reaction would lead to stronger actions by the British which then incited more aggressive actions by the Americans. The Boston Tea Party led to the British closing the port of Boston and shortly thereafter the war began.
The section on the war itself was also well done. I gained a good understanding of the role of Washington and how he grew into his position as the war progressed. On the British side the author pointed out how the lack of real direction from London and the squabbling of the military leadership hampered coordinated activity by the British.
I think it was a mistake to try to fit the Constitutional Convention and the ratification into this book. This process is covered in forty pages and while the author did provide some insights his narrative did not do justice to the events.
The book relied on secondary sources to a large degree. This book was published in 1982 and cited many sources from the 1930's forward. This is not what I would expect in a book that attempts to be the authoritative source on the subjects covered. The author is relying on the opinions of other historians where in my opinion his analysis of the primary sources would provide greater credibility to his conclusions. If this book were the author's dissertation I doubt he would not have received his Ph. D. There has been a revised, expanded edition of the book published that may have addressed this situation. I will try to find a copy and see what changes were made.
This year I have read two other volumes from this series, Battle Cry of Freedom and What Hath God Wrought. I thought that both of those books were much better than this volume. I have the next volume in the series Empire of Liberty:A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (touchstone where are you?) I plan to read it next and hope that it will be better than this volume.
I cannot recommend this book. I was disappointed. The book has too many problems and as of now is a bit dated. I would guess that the series has changed editors since this volume was published.
8wildbill
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
I have always enjoyed the humor of Mark Twain but have only read two of his novels.
I had started this book a few times but never got interested in it and put it down. This time I started by listening to an audio version and finished it by going back and forth between audio and print.
I enjoyed the book very much. It was originally an adventure story for young adults and now it is a classic of American historical fiction showing warts and all what this country was like.
Reading the book helped me to appreciate how important the Mississippi River was in shaping the lives of millions of Americans since that area was settled. The river is a focal point for the action in the book and the lives of the characters in the book are intertwined together around the river. For me one of the most pleasant scenes in the book was Huck and Jim on the raft floating down the river at night looking up at the stars.
The characters in the book are a cross sample of the people who lived beside and traveled on the river in that time period. Miss Watson, Aunt Polly and the Judge are examples of upright solid citizens and on the other end of the spectrum are Huck's Pap and the King and the Duke. Huckleberry Finn was my favorite character. Huck seemed pretty smart, a good friend, mostly honest and always trying to do the right thing if he could. The more I read about him the more complex and likable I found him.
I don't think that Tom Sawyer holds a candle to Huck. Tom is well meaning but he gets real silly at times and everything in his world seems all about him and his crazy ideas.
The author does an excellent job of making the reader a participant in Huck's adventures. The writing is clear and concise and the varied dialects add spice to the story. The main story is about Huck and Jim running away from Huck's Pap and Miss Watson. As this is proceeding there are various sidetracks that keep the story moving well. I was never sure how things would work out until the end but I always had a feeling from the author's tone in telling the story that all of the dangers would be overcome. The last adventure which is a Tom Sawyer special is a real hoot that gets funnier the more I think about it.
Jim was portrayed as a good person but his character, the fact that he was a slave and always referred to as a nigger brought out the ugliness of racism in America. Jim was very childlike in his speech and his thoughts. An important aspect of American racism was that African-Americans didn't have the abilities of whites and needed to be taken care of. I grew up in an era when the word nigger was still used and I had to teach myself not to use it. Even when I hear it used by black people it is a derogatory term with offensive connotations. The worst part is that I cannot say that the author goes out of his way to be offensive or that his portrayal is not accurate. That is the way things were and I sometimes wonder if all the death and destruction of the Civil War wasn't the price that was paid for the shame of it all.
All seriousness aside I thought this was a really good book and one I would consider to have the necessary attributes of a classic. There was adventure, joy, suspense and a happy ending. I look forward to reading some more of Mr. Twain's novels and reading this book again.
I have always enjoyed the humor of Mark Twain but have only read two of his novels.
I had started this book a few times but never got interested in it and put it down. This time I started by listening to an audio version and finished it by going back and forth between audio and print.
I enjoyed the book very much. It was originally an adventure story for young adults and now it is a classic of American historical fiction showing warts and all what this country was like.
Reading the book helped me to appreciate how important the Mississippi River was in shaping the lives of millions of Americans since that area was settled. The river is a focal point for the action in the book and the lives of the characters in the book are intertwined together around the river. For me one of the most pleasant scenes in the book was Huck and Jim on the raft floating down the river at night looking up at the stars.
The characters in the book are a cross sample of the people who lived beside and traveled on the river in that time period. Miss Watson, Aunt Polly and the Judge are examples of upright solid citizens and on the other end of the spectrum are Huck's Pap and the King and the Duke. Huckleberry Finn was my favorite character. Huck seemed pretty smart, a good friend, mostly honest and always trying to do the right thing if he could. The more I read about him the more complex and likable I found him.
I don't think that Tom Sawyer holds a candle to Huck. Tom is well meaning but he gets real silly at times and everything in his world seems all about him and his crazy ideas.
The author does an excellent job of making the reader a participant in Huck's adventures. The writing is clear and concise and the varied dialects add spice to the story. The main story is about Huck and Jim running away from Huck's Pap and Miss Watson. As this is proceeding there are various sidetracks that keep the story moving well. I was never sure how things would work out until the end but I always had a feeling from the author's tone in telling the story that all of the dangers would be overcome. The last adventure which is a Tom Sawyer special is a real hoot that gets funnier the more I think about it.
Jim was portrayed as a good person but his character, the fact that he was a slave and always referred to as a nigger brought out the ugliness of racism in America. Jim was very childlike in his speech and his thoughts. An important aspect of American racism was that African-Americans didn't have the abilities of whites and needed to be taken care of. I grew up in an era when the word nigger was still used and I had to teach myself not to use it. Even when I hear it used by black people it is a derogatory term with offensive connotations. The worst part is that I cannot say that the author goes out of his way to be offensive or that his portrayal is not accurate. That is the way things were and I sometimes wonder if all the death and destruction of the Civil War wasn't the price that was paid for the shame of it all.
All seriousness aside I thought this was a really good book and one I would consider to have the necessary attributes of a classic. There was adventure, joy, suspense and a happy ending. I look forward to reading some more of Mr. Twain's novels and reading this book again.
9laytonwoman3rd
Excellent observations on one of my favorite American classics, Bill. I think Tom's spectacularly farcical adventure at the end serves to highlight how much Huck has grown, through the course of the story, and how little Tom can ever be expected to change.
10wildbill
Swan Peak
This is the most recent book in the Dave Robicheaux series. Instead of Louisiana the book is set in Montana. Dave with his wife Molly and Clete Purcel are on vacation living there as guests of Albert Hollister. Hollister is a writer and also teaches at a university.
The story begins with the murders of Seymour Bell and Cindy Kershaw two students at the university in the area. The murders are very gruesome and appear to be the work of a sadistic serial killer. Shortly after their murders another couple is murdered in equally gruesome fashion. Dave is asked by the Sheriff Joe Bim Higgins to assist in the investigation of the murders of the students. Clete is helping Dave out but not at the request of the Sheriff.
One of the other plot lines in the story is about Jimmie Dale Greenwood. He had escaped from a prison in Texas after attempting to murder a guard who had raped him and was going to do it again. Greenwood came to Montana looking for his old girlfriend and their son. The guard, Troyce Nix, comes into Missoula County looking for Greenwood and revenge. Along the way Nix had picked up Candace Sweeney and they had developed a very strong relationship which brought real change into the life of Troyce Nix.
The story of Nix and Candace Sweeney and their relationship is one of the high points of the book. At first Nix appears to be a stereotype bad guy but as he and Candace fall in love he shows that the love of a good woman can bring change to a man's life. They provide one of the real surprises in the ending of the book which you will have to read to learn about.
The book is a showcase of the writing talent of James Lee Burke. He is the master of poetic description of the people, objects and action in the story. Clothing, weather, clouds, people's voices are all given unique descriptions that make reading the book a real pleasure. I marvel at his talent.
Clete Purcel plays a large part in the story, larger than in a number of the previous books in the series. He is in the middle of a lot of the action, some violent and some romantic. He has a fling with Jamie Sue Wellstone and becomes more seriously involved with Alicia Rosecrans an FBI agent who is also hunting the serial killer. Some bad things happen to Clete, which I will not detail.
The other major characters are Ridley and Leslie Wellstone. Leslie is a real creep who is married to Jamie Sue who once was a country singer with Joe Dale Greenwood. They are the rich guys that Dave loves to hate and they earn his hatred.
I thought this was one of the best books written by James Lee Burke that I have read. The suspense in the last seventy-five pages wouldn't let me put the book down. I like Clete Purcel more than I did before I read this book. Troyce Nix goes through a metamorphosis that is wonderful and believable. Dave Robicheaux is still trying to solve the world's problems as he struggles with his own. I give it five stars because that's as high as I can go.
This is the most recent book in the Dave Robicheaux series. Instead of Louisiana the book is set in Montana. Dave with his wife Molly and Clete Purcel are on vacation living there as guests of Albert Hollister. Hollister is a writer and also teaches at a university.
The story begins with the murders of Seymour Bell and Cindy Kershaw two students at the university in the area. The murders are very gruesome and appear to be the work of a sadistic serial killer. Shortly after their murders another couple is murdered in equally gruesome fashion. Dave is asked by the Sheriff Joe Bim Higgins to assist in the investigation of the murders of the students. Clete is helping Dave out but not at the request of the Sheriff.
One of the other plot lines in the story is about Jimmie Dale Greenwood. He had escaped from a prison in Texas after attempting to murder a guard who had raped him and was going to do it again. Greenwood came to Montana looking for his old girlfriend and their son. The guard, Troyce Nix, comes into Missoula County looking for Greenwood and revenge. Along the way Nix had picked up Candace Sweeney and they had developed a very strong relationship which brought real change into the life of Troyce Nix.
The story of Nix and Candace Sweeney and their relationship is one of the high points of the book. At first Nix appears to be a stereotype bad guy but as he and Candace fall in love he shows that the love of a good woman can bring change to a man's life. They provide one of the real surprises in the ending of the book which you will have to read to learn about.
The book is a showcase of the writing talent of James Lee Burke. He is the master of poetic description of the people, objects and action in the story. Clothing, weather, clouds, people's voices are all given unique descriptions that make reading the book a real pleasure. I marvel at his talent.
Clete Purcel plays a large part in the story, larger than in a number of the previous books in the series. He is in the middle of a lot of the action, some violent and some romantic. He has a fling with Jamie Sue Wellstone and becomes more seriously involved with Alicia Rosecrans an FBI agent who is also hunting the serial killer. Some bad things happen to Clete, which I will not detail.
The other major characters are Ridley and Leslie Wellstone. Leslie is a real creep who is married to Jamie Sue who once was a country singer with Joe Dale Greenwood. They are the rich guys that Dave loves to hate and they earn his hatred.
I thought this was one of the best books written by James Lee Burke that I have read. The suspense in the last seventy-five pages wouldn't let me put the book down. I like Clete Purcel more than I did before I read this book. Troyce Nix goes through a metamorphosis that is wonderful and believable. Dave Robicheaux is still trying to solve the world's problems as he struggles with his own. I give it five stars because that's as high as I can go.
11wildbill
Two Trains Running by August Wilson.
This play is set in 1969 in a restaurant owned by Memphis in Pittsburgh. The restaurant is small with three booths and a counter with four stools. The characters are; Memphis and his cook Risa, Wolf, the local numbers runner; West, who owns the funeral parlor across the street; Sterling, a young man one week out of prison; Hollaway, a restaurant customer from the neighborhood; and Hambone, a man of few words.
The title refers to the fact that there are always two choices in life, two trains running. There are references to Malcolm X, Black Power and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but civil rights is not a prominent topic in the play.
Like most of Wilson's plays this is a slice of life of African-Americans. Wolf and Memphis are always quarreling about Wolf using the restaurant phone for his numbers business. Memphis' restaurant is going to be bought by the city and West is trying to buy it from him first at a very low price. Risa scarred her legs with a razor because she was tired of getting hit on by men for her looks. Sterling is on the hustle and is attracted to Risa. Hambone still wants the ham he was promised for painting a fence.
Memphis tells his story of changing his life when he bought the restaurant and quit carrying his .44. Aunt Ester is an unseen character who is over three hundred years old and whose advice for success in life is to throw twenty dollars in the river. Memphis took her advice and West didn't.
Memphis is a strong character and I enjoyed watching the romance grow between Risa and Sterling. I did not feel the emotional power that is present in Wilson's better plays. Looking back at my review of King Hedley II this play didn't give me as much to write about. Still if this is the worst play August Wilson ever wrote he did real well.
This play is set in 1969 in a restaurant owned by Memphis in Pittsburgh. The restaurant is small with three booths and a counter with four stools. The characters are; Memphis and his cook Risa, Wolf, the local numbers runner; West, who owns the funeral parlor across the street; Sterling, a young man one week out of prison; Hollaway, a restaurant customer from the neighborhood; and Hambone, a man of few words.
The title refers to the fact that there are always two choices in life, two trains running. There are references to Malcolm X, Black Power and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but civil rights is not a prominent topic in the play.
Like most of Wilson's plays this is a slice of life of African-Americans. Wolf and Memphis are always quarreling about Wolf using the restaurant phone for his numbers business. Memphis' restaurant is going to be bought by the city and West is trying to buy it from him first at a very low price. Risa scarred her legs with a razor because she was tired of getting hit on by men for her looks. Sterling is on the hustle and is attracted to Risa. Hambone still wants the ham he was promised for painting a fence.
Memphis tells his story of changing his life when he bought the restaurant and quit carrying his .44. Aunt Ester is an unseen character who is over three hundred years old and whose advice for success in life is to throw twenty dollars in the river. Memphis took her advice and West didn't.
Memphis is a strong character and I enjoyed watching the romance grow between Risa and Sterling. I did not feel the emotional power that is present in Wilson's better plays. Looking back at my review of King Hedley II this play didn't give me as much to write about. Still if this is the worst play August Wilson ever wrote he did real well.
12wildbill
Maze of Death by Philip K. Dick. Philip K. Dick is a very good writer and I am glad that the Library of America put together a three volume collection of his works. His specialty is taking reality and turning it inside out and when I finish one of his books I have to decompress and orient myself to my present reality. For example there are sixteen chapters in this book. The table of contents has one sentence descriptions of action for each chapter. The descriptions have absolutely nothing to do with anything that happens in the chapter or anywhere else in the book.
The story is set in the future and begins with 14 people being transferred from where they live and work to a new colony, Delmak-O. The only thing the people have in common physically is that each on of them has a tattoo on their arm or foot that says Perseus 9. They also believe in a religion whose holy book is titled How I Rose From the Dead in My Spare Time and So Can You by A.J. Spectowsky.
After they arrive at Delmak-O they are supposed to receive instructions from a satellite for their mission but something goes wrong and the instructions are erased in transmission. Then they begin getting killed one by one. At first they are killed by outside forces and then they are killed by another person in the group. They start exploring the planet and see a huge building that is at first a mirage and then a real building which each one of them sees a little bit differently.
Two of them see figures out of their religion, The-Walker-On-Earth and the Form Destroyer. Two police type figures come out of the building in a small air ship and try to pick up two of the colonists and carry them to the big building. Then things start to get strange.
It is not just a good science fiction book it is a good book. The characters are well done and range from abnormal to weird. There are some extra-terrestrial beings and machines on Delmak-O. The religion, which has some similarities to known religions, is a prominent part of the story. At the end ....... you don't want to know. But somehow these are real people that draw you into their story full of suspense, terror and many questions. I feel like I could read it again and not be sure of what was going to happen. The book is a very quick read and quite an experience.
The story is set in the future and begins with 14 people being transferred from where they live and work to a new colony, Delmak-O. The only thing the people have in common physically is that each on of them has a tattoo on their arm or foot that says Perseus 9. They also believe in a religion whose holy book is titled How I Rose From the Dead in My Spare Time and So Can You by A.J. Spectowsky.
After they arrive at Delmak-O they are supposed to receive instructions from a satellite for their mission but something goes wrong and the instructions are erased in transmission. Then they begin getting killed one by one. At first they are killed by outside forces and then they are killed by another person in the group. They start exploring the planet and see a huge building that is at first a mirage and then a real building which each one of them sees a little bit differently.
Two of them see figures out of their religion, The-Walker-On-Earth and the Form Destroyer. Two police type figures come out of the building in a small air ship and try to pick up two of the colonists and carry them to the big building. Then things start to get strange.
It is not just a good science fiction book it is a good book. The characters are well done and range from abnormal to weird. There are some extra-terrestrial beings and machines on Delmak-O. The religion, which has some similarities to known religions, is a prominent part of the story. At the end ....... you don't want to know. But somehow these are real people that draw you into their story full of suspense, terror and many questions. I feel like I could read it again and not be sure of what was going to happen. The book is a very quick read and quite an experience.
13wildbill
I moved my thread here from the 50 book challenge but I am still keeping track just because. I am now at 46 which means that 50 will be easy. I am now reading Empire of Liberty; A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 which is the newest volume in the Oxford History of the United States. That is the fourth volume in the series I have read this year. Except for The Glorious Cause they have all been excellent narrative history. I am also reading Arthur Mervyn This is a novel that was written in 1799 by one of the first American novelists. It is set in Philadelphia in 1793 during a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. The book reads like something Edgar Allen Poe could have written. It is described as a Gothic Novel and I would think that Stephen King might have read it. I am listening to an audio recording of Alexander Hamilton. This is a long detailed biography that goes well with the other American history I have been reading.
Last but not least, I am reading The Origins of the War of 1914. I am reading volume one out of three volumes. This is supposed to be the authoritative work on the subject. It begins with the Conference of Berlin in 1878. I am shooting to have all three volumes finished by next March.
Last but not least, I am reading The Origins of the War of 1914. I am reading volume one out of three volumes. This is supposed to be the authoritative work on the subject. It begins with the Conference of Berlin in 1878. I am shooting to have all three volumes finished by next March.
14kidzdoc
Nice review of Two Trains Running; I haven't seen this play yet, or read the script.
15wildbill
The American Civil War: A Military History(touchstone error) by John Keegan.
One word, Disappointed!!
This book did not get very good reviews and I should have paid attention to them and passed on it. John Keegan did not live up to his reputation as an excellent military historian with his work here. I felt that with the materials available to me in my modest library and the local university library I could have written as good a book on the topic as this one.
There were too many mistakes in the book. The mistakes were in the details such as the age of Winfield Scott when the war started, he was 75 not 85. I did not keep a list but errors like this appeared throughout the book. If you have any knowledge of the topic these mistakes are very irritating and damaging to the credibility of the author. The battle narratives were cursory and left out many facts I had read elsewhere that I felt should have been included. The one thing I did like was the author's frequent use of Grant's memoirs as one of his sources. I have always felt this was an excellent book that contained a wealth of unbiased information.
The analysis was very thin. Keegan concludes that the South could not have won the war because of its lack of resources. This is not a new idea. He also concludes that socialism never developed in the United States because of the experiences of the men who fought the war. I don't see this as a significant issue and I would disagree with the author. The author analogizes the effect of the Civil War and WWI on the participants and attributes some characteristics of the Gilded Age to the violence experienced by the soldiers of the Civil War.
These insights are not sufficient to justify the time, trouble of reading the book not to mention the cost. I simply cannot recommend this book. If you want to read a one volume history of the era try Battle Cry of Freedom. It is well written and much more informative.
One word, Disappointed!!
This book did not get very good reviews and I should have paid attention to them and passed on it. John Keegan did not live up to his reputation as an excellent military historian with his work here. I felt that with the materials available to me in my modest library and the local university library I could have written as good a book on the topic as this one.
There were too many mistakes in the book. The mistakes were in the details such as the age of Winfield Scott when the war started, he was 75 not 85. I did not keep a list but errors like this appeared throughout the book. If you have any knowledge of the topic these mistakes are very irritating and damaging to the credibility of the author. The battle narratives were cursory and left out many facts I had read elsewhere that I felt should have been included. The one thing I did like was the author's frequent use of Grant's memoirs as one of his sources. I have always felt this was an excellent book that contained a wealth of unbiased information.
The analysis was very thin. Keegan concludes that the South could not have won the war because of its lack of resources. This is not a new idea. He also concludes that socialism never developed in the United States because of the experiences of the men who fought the war. I don't see this as a significant issue and I would disagree with the author. The author analogizes the effect of the Civil War and WWI on the participants and attributes some characteristics of the Gilded Age to the violence experienced by the soldiers of the Civil War.
These insights are not sufficient to justify the time, trouble of reading the book not to mention the cost. I simply cannot recommend this book. If you want to read a one volume history of the era try Battle Cry of Freedom. It is well written and much more informative.
16wildbill
My other reading is moving along. The Empire of Liberty is a very good book and the author, Gordon S. Wood, shows a good command of the materials on that era of American history. The more I read about Thomas Jefferson the less I like him. He was hypocritical, disingenuous and a vicious infighter as a politician.
The biography of Alexander Hamilton is very good and adds to the material in The Empire of Liberty. Arthur Mervyn is slow going but I am sure I will have it finished by the end of the year. I have started Drink to Yesterday a mystery set in WWI Germany. I have also cut down my reading list to what I am actually reading.
The biography of Alexander Hamilton is very good and adds to the material in The Empire of Liberty. Arthur Mervyn is slow going but I am sure I will have it finished by the end of the year. I have started Drink to Yesterday a mystery set in WWI Germany. I have also cut down my reading list to what I am actually reading.
17wildbill
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom This play by August Wilson is set in the 1920's in a Chicago recording studio. It is the only play in Wilson's Century Cycle that is not set in Pittsburgh. While it is the third play in the chronological order of the series it was the first one performed.
This is one of my favorite August Wilson plays. Ma Rainey was one of the first blues singers and I have been a fan of the blues for a long time. As Wilson's Century Cycle progresses through the twentieth century his portrayal of the life of African-Americans follows the historical changes in the relationships between black and white people in America. This play portrays the stark and violent racism that was the American way of life in the 20's.
The play opens with the members of Ma Rainey's band rehearsing while they wait for Ma to show up for a recording session. The band members are Cutler on trombone, Slow Drag on bass, Toledo on piano and Levee on trumpet. Levee is brash and bragging about writing songs and playing new uptempo music, more like jazz than real blues. Toledo is the philosopher of the group. Cutler is an old timer who doesn't like Levee and they argue constantly. Slow Drag is another old timer who got his nickname in a dance contest.
Sturdyvant owns the studio and his only interest is making money. Irvin is Ma Rainey's manager who mediates between Sturdyvant and the black characters trying to get folks calmed down and the set recorded.
Levee is the emotional center of the play. At the beginning he walks into the band room with some fancy new shoes that Slow Drag and Toledo make sure they step on. Levee is writing new songs and he is going to start his own band with the encouragement of Sturdyvant. During the play his anger wells up in a dialog about his mother being raped by 8 or 9 white men when he was eight years old. He tried to stop them and shows the scar on his chest where they cut him so bad they thought he was going to bleed to death. His father sold one of the men his land and moved off. Then his father snuck back around and killed four of them before they hung and burned him.
Ma Rainey comes in late with her girl friend and her nephew. Ma is the one who sells the records and she lets everyone know it. She won't start her set until she gets a Coca-Cola and she won't sing her song with the new music that Levee wrote, she is the star and runs the show. Levee and her get into it and she fires him after the set is done.
After the recording is done Ma walks off with her $200.00 while everybody else gets $25.00. Sturdyvant tells Levee that he can't use his songs. He said he had his boys play them and they don't sound like they will sell. Levee says "I play my music" but Sturdyvant shoves a couple dollars in his pocket and leaves. Then Toledo steps on Levee's shoes and all the weight in the world falls on Levee.....
Racism is present in every aspect of the play. The four grown men in the band are always referred to by white people as boys. Ma Rainey comes in with a cop in tow who wants to throw her and her nephew in jail. Cutler tells the story of Reverend Gates who was traveling and missed the train when it left the station. He was surrounded by white men who taunted him, pulled off the cross around his neck and tore up his Bible. Hate, self-hate and violence, the white man's gift to black America.
This is one of my favorite August Wilson plays. Ma Rainey was one of the first blues singers and I have been a fan of the blues for a long time. As Wilson's Century Cycle progresses through the twentieth century his portrayal of the life of African-Americans follows the historical changes in the relationships between black and white people in America. This play portrays the stark and violent racism that was the American way of life in the 20's.
The play opens with the members of Ma Rainey's band rehearsing while they wait for Ma to show up for a recording session. The band members are Cutler on trombone, Slow Drag on bass, Toledo on piano and Levee on trumpet. Levee is brash and bragging about writing songs and playing new uptempo music, more like jazz than real blues. Toledo is the philosopher of the group. Cutler is an old timer who doesn't like Levee and they argue constantly. Slow Drag is another old timer who got his nickname in a dance contest.
Sturdyvant owns the studio and his only interest is making money. Irvin is Ma Rainey's manager who mediates between Sturdyvant and the black characters trying to get folks calmed down and the set recorded.
Levee is the emotional center of the play. At the beginning he walks into the band room with some fancy new shoes that Slow Drag and Toledo make sure they step on. Levee is writing new songs and he is going to start his own band with the encouragement of Sturdyvant. During the play his anger wells up in a dialog about his mother being raped by 8 or 9 white men when he was eight years old. He tried to stop them and shows the scar on his chest where they cut him so bad they thought he was going to bleed to death. His father sold one of the men his land and moved off. Then his father snuck back around and killed four of them before they hung and burned him.
Ma Rainey comes in late with her girl friend and her nephew. Ma is the one who sells the records and she lets everyone know it. She won't start her set until she gets a Coca-Cola and she won't sing her song with the new music that Levee wrote, she is the star and runs the show. Levee and her get into it and she fires him after the set is done.
After the recording is done Ma walks off with her $200.00 while everybody else gets $25.00. Sturdyvant tells Levee that he can't use his songs. He said he had his boys play them and they don't sound like they will sell. Levee says "I play my music" but Sturdyvant shoves a couple dollars in his pocket and leaves. Then Toledo steps on Levee's shoes and all the weight in the world falls on Levee.....
Racism is present in every aspect of the play. The four grown men in the band are always referred to by white people as boys. Ma Rainey comes in with a cop in tow who wants to throw her and her nephew in jail. Cutler tells the story of Reverend Gates who was traveling and missed the train when it left the station. He was surrounded by white men who taunted him, pulled off the cross around his neck and tore up his Bible. Hate, self-hate and violence, the white man's gift to black America.
18kidzdoc
That was a powerful review of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, wildbill. I haven't seen this play yet, but I'll at least add this book to my wish list.
19wildbill
The Last Days of Innocence: America at War, 1917-1918
This book is a well written narrative of American involvement in WWI. The authors set forth in detail the transformation of the United States from a nation living in self-imposed isolation to a world power and the change of America to a centralized state which demanded increasing conformity from its citizens.
These developments followed the changes in the European countries as the demands of WWI introduced the concept of "total war".
The book first portrays the American entry into the war. Since the beginning of the war the U.S. was providing massive assistance to the Allied countries. The German practice of unrestricted submarine warfare led to the dissolution of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Germany. The German attempts to bring Mexico into the war against the U.S. made public by the publication of the Zimmerman Telegram heightened the hostility between the two countries. All of these factors led to Wilson's war message to the Congress. After the U. S. entered the war the government orchestrated a propaganda campaign in support of the war including harassment and oppression of groups opposed to the war.
The American preparation to enter the war brought massive economic and social changes to the country. The economy switched over from providing consumer goods to war production. Labor shortages in the North caused the immigration of tens of thousands of African-Americans from the South. This led to social unrest and riots bringing death and destruction to Northern cities.
As predicted by many opponents of U.S. involvement in the war the role of the federal government grew as five million men were drafted and $33 billion dollars were spent to change an army of 150,000 men to a modern military power.
There was a continuing conflict between the Allies and the U.S. about the use of the American military power. The Allies wanted the U.S. to supply a source of replacements for their military while the U.S. was determined to create an independent army. The U.S. needed to make an independent military contribution in order to have substantial influence on the peace terms.
The final section of the book deals with the course of the war in 1918 and American military involvement. Beginning in March, 1918 the Germans began a series of offensives that came close to bringing them victory. The French army was used up and at the end of 1917 their soldiers began to mutiny and desert in large numbers. The British were drafting everyone from the age of 17 to 50 to maintain their military manpower. In the summer of 1918 mounting casualties blunted the force of the German army and the first American troops began to make their presence felt.
The Germans saw they could not win the war and in November of 1918 proposed an armistice based on the Fourteen Points. The eventual result was the harsh terms imposed by the Allies at the Paris Peace conference.
One year after the war the American army was down to 140,000 men. The U.S. rejected the Versailles Treaty withdrew into isolationism.
Given the amount of information that was covered the book read very well. It was primarily descriptive narrative with little real analysis. It is a good addition to the majority of the histories of the war written from a European viewpoint. I recommend the book with a rating of four out of five.
This book is a well written narrative of American involvement in WWI. The authors set forth in detail the transformation of the United States from a nation living in self-imposed isolation to a world power and the change of America to a centralized state which demanded increasing conformity from its citizens.
These developments followed the changes in the European countries as the demands of WWI introduced the concept of "total war".
The book first portrays the American entry into the war. Since the beginning of the war the U.S. was providing massive assistance to the Allied countries. The German practice of unrestricted submarine warfare led to the dissolution of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Germany. The German attempts to bring Mexico into the war against the U.S. made public by the publication of the Zimmerman Telegram heightened the hostility between the two countries. All of these factors led to Wilson's war message to the Congress. After the U. S. entered the war the government orchestrated a propaganda campaign in support of the war including harassment and oppression of groups opposed to the war.
The American preparation to enter the war brought massive economic and social changes to the country. The economy switched over from providing consumer goods to war production. Labor shortages in the North caused the immigration of tens of thousands of African-Americans from the South. This led to social unrest and riots bringing death and destruction to Northern cities.
As predicted by many opponents of U.S. involvement in the war the role of the federal government grew as five million men were drafted and $33 billion dollars were spent to change an army of 150,000 men to a modern military power.
There was a continuing conflict between the Allies and the U.S. about the use of the American military power. The Allies wanted the U.S. to supply a source of replacements for their military while the U.S. was determined to create an independent army. The U.S. needed to make an independent military contribution in order to have substantial influence on the peace terms.
The final section of the book deals with the course of the war in 1918 and American military involvement. Beginning in March, 1918 the Germans began a series of offensives that came close to bringing them victory. The French army was used up and at the end of 1917 their soldiers began to mutiny and desert in large numbers. The British were drafting everyone from the age of 17 to 50 to maintain their military manpower. In the summer of 1918 mounting casualties blunted the force of the German army and the first American troops began to make their presence felt.
The Germans saw they could not win the war and in November of 1918 proposed an armistice based on the Fourteen Points. The eventual result was the harsh terms imposed by the Allies at the Paris Peace conference.
One year after the war the American army was down to 140,000 men. The U.S. rejected the Versailles Treaty withdrew into isolationism.
Given the amount of information that was covered the book read very well. It was primarily descriptive narrative with little real analysis. It is a good addition to the majority of the histories of the war written from a European viewpoint. I recommend the book with a rating of four out of five.
20wildbill
I'm chugging along reading Empire of Liberty. It is an excellent book but when you get to page 500 after weeks of reading and still have 250 pages to go it is a bit daunting. I only have 100 pages to go in Arthur Mervyn. Since it was written in 1797 the language is quite a bit different. I plan to set some time aside on the weekend, if I don't have to go into the office, and finish it. Read On!
21wildbill
Empire of Liberty:A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815
This is the fourth volume in the Oxford History of the United States that I have read this year. The book is well written and the author shows good command of all of the sources available. At least one-third of the cited sources are from letters emphasizing how important letters were as a form of communication in that era. Even though I am not counting since I left the 50 book challenge, this is my 50th book of the year.
This period of American history does not receive as much attention as the Revolution or the Civil War. However, the author highlights developments that were critical in the forming of the American Republic. It is important to remember that during this time, except in France for a few years, America was the only republican government in the group of countries that formed the European world. At the beginning of this period America was still very much England without a king or aristocracy. The elite was very similar to the English gentry and they ruled the country as if it was their right and duty to do so. The 55 men that wrote the constitution were all wealthy men who possessed the leisure to tend to the affairs of government, except for one delegate from Georgia.
The Federalist administrations of Washington and Adams continued this trend. One of the first items of business in the Washington administration was the selecting of titles for the different officers of the government. John Adams proposed to call the President "His Most Benign Highness". Washington adopted a weekly practice called a levee (an English term for the King's receptions). He would invite a number of people over to the White House and one by one he would go over and speak with them. John Adams referred to Washington as "the best actor of the presidency we have ever had". The author weaves a living tapestry of the period with a myriad of these types of details.
The strong point of the book is the analysis of the trends that developed as the country became a different place in 1815. One of the most significant trends was the rise of the "middling men". Middling men worked for a living and did not have the education of the original founders. They rose into positions of leadership as part of the rise of Jeffersonian republicanism. They began to coalesce with the formation of Democratic-Republican societies during the first days of the French Revolution. Many wore the French cockades to identify themselves.
In the early republic there was a fear that the country would adopt monarchical ways. Jeffersonian ideas and the rise of the middling men brought about the rise of republicanism. This trend continued throughout this period until the influence of the Federalists disappeared.
With the rise of the middling men the country became a nation of traders. Many farmers began to engage in small scale manufactures. These goods were produced for home consumption. As the country grew the home market expanded until it would support this type of industry. The lawyers and doctors were no longer members of the gentry but men with technical skills practicing a trade.
Jeffersonian ideas, which came into practice with his election as President in 1800, were the ideology of Republicanism. His words appear throughout the book and helped me understand his genius and its effect on the country.
The Federalists worked for a strong central government and a strong army and navy. Jefferson feared the takeover of the country by the military and opposed a standing army in peacetime. He preferred to use embargoes instead of building a navy to oppose the restrictions on American trade imposed by the British and French. He almost ruined the American overseas trade and damaged the economy of the northeast to the point they considered secession.
While Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves and ran a big plantation his ideal for America was the yeoman farmer. With the Louisiana purchase Jefferson felt he had gained for the country land adequate for thousands of generations.
Madison's administration was dominated by the War of 1812. The author skimps on the military aspect of the war but does an excellent job on the changes it brought to the country. The peace that ended the war did not address the impressment of seamen and confiscation of trading ships that were the main cause of the war. The popular belief was that with the victory in the Battle of New Orleans America won the war, even though the treaty was already signed. Americans felt like the winners and this contributed to the changes that took place after the war.
America in 1815 was a much different country. The War of 1812 is referred to as the Second American revolution. One detail cited by the author is very significant. In 1816 the Congress passed a tariff on imported foreign books. Jefferson and many of the colleges protested. The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee responded that Americans did not need foreign books and American books were much better suited to the needs of Americans.
Americans saw their country as a different, special place. America was no longer a struggling ex-colony. At this time the home market had expanded and local manufactures met local needs. The gentry disappeared from political leadership and the middling men were in charge.
Another change in the country was the change in the attitudes toward slavery. In 1789 Americans North and South saw slavery as an immoral institution that would eventually fade away. By 1815 " Northerners came to realize that slavery was not going to disappear naturally, and Southerners came to realize that the North really cared about ending slavery." The author makes excellent use of quotes from Jefferson and Madison to set forth the dilemma that the institution of slavery posed in a country based upon freedom of the individual. Neither man with all their wisdom could see a peaceful resolution to this problem.
This is an excellent book. All the way through the bibliographic essay and the index. It was quite an investment in time but I learned a great deal. What I learned goes beyond the years 1789-1815 to present day America.
This is the fourth volume in the Oxford History of the United States that I have read this year. The book is well written and the author shows good command of all of the sources available. At least one-third of the cited sources are from letters emphasizing how important letters were as a form of communication in that era. Even though I am not counting since I left the 50 book challenge, this is my 50th book of the year.
This period of American history does not receive as much attention as the Revolution or the Civil War. However, the author highlights developments that were critical in the forming of the American Republic. It is important to remember that during this time, except in France for a few years, America was the only republican government in the group of countries that formed the European world. At the beginning of this period America was still very much England without a king or aristocracy. The elite was very similar to the English gentry and they ruled the country as if it was their right and duty to do so. The 55 men that wrote the constitution were all wealthy men who possessed the leisure to tend to the affairs of government, except for one delegate from Georgia.
The Federalist administrations of Washington and Adams continued this trend. One of the first items of business in the Washington administration was the selecting of titles for the different officers of the government. John Adams proposed to call the President "His Most Benign Highness". Washington adopted a weekly practice called a levee (an English term for the King's receptions). He would invite a number of people over to the White House and one by one he would go over and speak with them. John Adams referred to Washington as "the best actor of the presidency we have ever had". The author weaves a living tapestry of the period with a myriad of these types of details.
The strong point of the book is the analysis of the trends that developed as the country became a different place in 1815. One of the most significant trends was the rise of the "middling men". Middling men worked for a living and did not have the education of the original founders. They rose into positions of leadership as part of the rise of Jeffersonian republicanism. They began to coalesce with the formation of Democratic-Republican societies during the first days of the French Revolution. Many wore the French cockades to identify themselves.
In the early republic there was a fear that the country would adopt monarchical ways. Jeffersonian ideas and the rise of the middling men brought about the rise of republicanism. This trend continued throughout this period until the influence of the Federalists disappeared.
With the rise of the middling men the country became a nation of traders. Many farmers began to engage in small scale manufactures. These goods were produced for home consumption. As the country grew the home market expanded until it would support this type of industry. The lawyers and doctors were no longer members of the gentry but men with technical skills practicing a trade.
Jeffersonian ideas, which came into practice with his election as President in 1800, were the ideology of Republicanism. His words appear throughout the book and helped me understand his genius and its effect on the country.
The Federalists worked for a strong central government and a strong army and navy. Jefferson feared the takeover of the country by the military and opposed a standing army in peacetime. He preferred to use embargoes instead of building a navy to oppose the restrictions on American trade imposed by the British and French. He almost ruined the American overseas trade and damaged the economy of the northeast to the point they considered secession.
While Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves and ran a big plantation his ideal for America was the yeoman farmer. With the Louisiana purchase Jefferson felt he had gained for the country land adequate for thousands of generations.
Madison's administration was dominated by the War of 1812. The author skimps on the military aspect of the war but does an excellent job on the changes it brought to the country. The peace that ended the war did not address the impressment of seamen and confiscation of trading ships that were the main cause of the war. The popular belief was that with the victory in the Battle of New Orleans America won the war, even though the treaty was already signed. Americans felt like the winners and this contributed to the changes that took place after the war.
America in 1815 was a much different country. The War of 1812 is referred to as the Second American revolution. One detail cited by the author is very significant. In 1816 the Congress passed a tariff on imported foreign books. Jefferson and many of the colleges protested. The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee responded that Americans did not need foreign books and American books were much better suited to the needs of Americans.
Americans saw their country as a different, special place. America was no longer a struggling ex-colony. At this time the home market had expanded and local manufactures met local needs. The gentry disappeared from political leadership and the middling men were in charge.
Another change in the country was the change in the attitudes toward slavery. In 1789 Americans North and South saw slavery as an immoral institution that would eventually fade away. By 1815 " Northerners came to realize that slavery was not going to disappear naturally, and Southerners came to realize that the North really cared about ending slavery." The author makes excellent use of quotes from Jefferson and Madison to set forth the dilemma that the institution of slavery posed in a country based upon freedom of the individual. Neither man with all their wisdom could see a peaceful resolution to this problem.
This is an excellent book. All the way through the bibliographic essay and the index. It was quite an investment in time but I learned a great deal. What I learned goes beyond the years 1789-1815 to present day America.
