As promised, here are some off-season book reviews, because several of you have expressed an interest in the books that I'm reading. I'm aware that many of you are also readers with an interest in history, so feel free to add your own favorites and comments. My own interest is always in U.S. History, which is the subject that I teach. I don't read much fiction, although I do occasionally get steered into something when I run across a reference to it in a biography or historical text. For example, last summer I read Uncle Silas by the Irish writer J. Sheridan La Fanu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Silas and I recommend it to those who enjoy Edgar Allan Poe or Bram Stoker. My reading of poetry is pretty eclectic. I'm currently rereading W.B. Yeats and before that Robert Service... - For those interested in the Lincoln assassination, I highly recommend two books that I found on Amazon. I hate historical fiction and I love eyewitness accounts, which put the reader as close to the actual subject as possible. Since we will never have a time machine, such accounts are as close as we can get. The first one is: John Wilkes Booth: a Sister's Memoir by Asia Booth Clarke Copyright 1996 University Press of Mississippi When I was growing up, I couldn't even find a picture of John Wilkes Booth in my high school library. It was as if he had been erased from all serious study and replaced with descriptions such as "mad actor" or "crazed with jealousy of his brothers" or "failed actor" none of which could possibly be true or explain his actions. He was young, intelligent, athletic, wealthy, famous and so fabulously good-looking that girls and women swooned and squealed at the sight of him wherever he went. How could he give all of that up in one, grand, suicidal performance? His sister, Asia, describes his strange childhood. Much younger than his older brothers, he was raised by his mother on their family farm in Maryland. His only friend and playmate was Asia herself, who applauded and encouraged little Johnny as he memorized and performed entire plays for her. He was surrounded by women who remarked upon his good looks and brilliant mind from the time he was born... I was surprised to read that he was educated in Catholic schools and considered himself to be a Catholic, as did Asia. Several of the Lincoln conspirators, such as Sam Arnold and Michael O'Laughlin were former Catholic school classmates and Mrs. Surratt and her son John were Catholic as well... The picture of the assassin (and his sister) that emerges is not a pretty one. The racism revealed here was expected; but the Booth family feelings of superiority went much further than that. The women of the family refused to even eat with workmen who were hired to help on the farm after the father died... Wilkes Booth himself was regarded as the "kindest, most wonderful person" by virtually everyone who knew him. Even after the murder, it was impossible to find a bad word about him from anyone who had known him...with one caveat: he was always acting. Did anyone besides Asia and his mother actually know him? The other book that I highly recommend is: We Saw Lincoln Shot: One Hundred Eyewitness Accounts by Timothy S. Good Copyright 1995 University Press of Mississippi Some of these accounts are wonderful and were given in police reports that night... and some of these folks are lying; especially the ones who didn't write down what they saw until 50 or more years later... I love the details given by those who were in that theater, for they also reveal a lot about the assassin. A good example is that almost all of the eyewitnesses saw Booth jump over the railing facing the audience. The box doesn't face the audience. This means that Booth was acting, putting on a performance for his fans and he expected their approval as he raised his dagger and spoke dramatically "Sic Semper Tyrannis."
I recently finished Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. It,s the story of James Garfield, his assassination, and the medical science that failed him. He was a very interesting and talented man. Good read. The O'Reilly book on Lincoln is a good read. I liked his account of the closing month of the Civil War.
Got both of those for Xmas Gip. Just finished Lincoln and agree a good read. Looking forward to the Garfield book. Favorite book from the past year was Chrenow's bio on Washington. Just finished Cheney's autobiography and am currently reading Condi's - "No Higher Honor" and have W's in the on deck circle as well. Great perspectives on the inside concerns, considerations and decision-making during 9/11, it's aftermath and Afghanistan/Iraq.
I read Chernow's bio of Washington last year and it was superior IMHO. Probably the best Washington bio ever.
I know a lot of you have read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and it certainly was a great book. I have two more for you by the same writer dealing with the same experiences of his life: 'Tis and Teacher Man by Frank McCourt The recommendation for these two books came from the strangest source: my son Eric. He was once the greatest baseball player in this valley, but I was never too sure that he actually knew how to read. I certainly never saw him with a book in his hands or show any interest in anything other than baseball and comic books. He's 35 now and makes his living as a warehouse mechanic, so it floored me when he came to me with book recommendations and claimed that the writer reminded him of me. After reading these books, especially Teacher Man I had to agree with him and even laugh at myself, which I don't often do. Both of these books entertained me as much as Angela's Ashes. They have a very Irish-American way of looking at the world...
I imagine some of you have either a Kindle or Nook or the applications on an IPad or phone. I have Kindle, Nook and IBooks on mine with Kindle the one I have used the most. I have picked up The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin which was free, I just bought Washingtons Crossing by David Hackett Fischer, The Fight for a Free Sea: A Chronicle of the War of 1812 The Chronicles of America Series Volume 17 by Ralph Delahye Paine, Bram Stokers Dracula, the first John Carter book by Edgar Rice Burroughs, some Sherlock Holmes and some pulp Science Fiction from years ago Some was free and some cost as much as $1.99 Now just don't ask me how much I have read yet, I do have the John Carter book going in addition to a hard back book I am reading. So JO'Co, do you have a Kindle or something similar. I bet gipper does as he gave me advice when I bought my I Pad. And any of you are the history books I have worthwile?
Ok, in searching Kindle books for American History I came across two I would like some input as to their value. America's Forgotten History, Parts 1 & 2: by David Ledbetter and Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen Thanks
Aha! Great minds think alike! I too recently purchased Bram Stoker's Dracula. It should be next up on my reading list. I don't have a Kindle or any kind of book reader, so I'm still drowning in books everywhere. My office, bedroom and classroom are filled with them. When I run out of room, I donate them to the library...
JO'Co, you should perhaps consider a Kindle or Kindle app. The books are unbelievably cheap sometimes, especially the older ones. I got the Bram Stoker book free as well as the Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Rice Burroughs among others also free. Newer books are not so cheap but the older ones are. I'm reading two books right now, the Edgar Rice Burroughs and an current author I lke, James Rollins, in hardback. I know what you mean about books piling up. I have been known to buy them and then never read, but they pile up. I love the Kindle app though.
I'm reading Steve Jobs biography...not a very likeable guy that's for sure. He's petty, vindictive, unpredictable, etc. Before Apple made it he frequently didn't bathe for weeks thinking his vegetarian diet kept him from smelling and he would show up for meetings barefoot or wearing flip flops.
As far as I can tell he's like BASF, he didn't make the product he made the product better. The engineering brains behind the Apple II was Wozniak, Jobs was the one who insisted on the packaging being different from the computers of the time. It's pretty much like that all they way...I'm up to where the Macintosh is launched...he mostly berated brilliant engineers, designers, etc to get them to make it better and he definitely had ideas about things...like the graphical user interface and would not let people talk him out of it. But he was a complete horses ass.
In starting to use my Kindle app I have been amazed at all the free old books that are available or in some cases bundled for a very cheap cost. Then I stumbled across the site linked below. I don't know how many of you listen to audio books, but I started doing it many years ago and usually have several in my car from the local library. However I am starting to run a little thin as to what is available. If traveling Cracker Barrel is a great way to rent them. However the site below has tons of books from the public domain, 8,000 or so, and growing. I've downloaded a number of them. I don't have a really good way to listen in my car except on CD, so I am cutting a few to try out after using up the books I have checked out now. They are not as professional as the current as all are done by volunteers, but they might have a place in my library who knows. Books Are Free Audio
Bill I wish he would get a kindle... I have no more room for book cases. and trying to find places to put books. We need a bigger house w. more bedrooms for his books. non of which we can get rid of because he uses them for his classes. I bet I have over 100 books just on the Civil War. But the books are part of the man I Love... Whats a girl to do... :wink:
Bill there has to be an after market thingy for your truck that will allow you to plug in your ipod to the sound system and listen that way.
Terry, there are radios available now with connections. So far I just haven't wanted to spend the money for them. Cutting CD's is really cheap so that's probably what we will do. Besides the car has over 140.000 miles on it. Running good, but kind of like it's owners it's kind of old. Diane, I understand about the books, my dad and me were the same way. I have over the years really cut down. But this Kindle thing is really neat. If he were to get an IPad then you not only have the IPad that is easy to carry around and you can get a free Kindle App. My wife has the Kindle and I have the Kindle app. I have also downloaded about 15 of those Audio books I linked to my computer and will probably cut CD's to listen to in the car. I also may look into the option Terry mentioned and see if there is anything other than a new radio.
I was thinking of something like this Bill. Broadcast your ipod over FM Car Radio or this Listen to your ipod through your cassette player
wish he would get an IPAD I would love to just play w. one. I am working on it. also working on the new house too.. but for the new house we need extra grarage space to set up his model trains. as well as a"book room Wall to Wall book shelves. " he also has books from his grandmother. maybe we shoudl jsut work on getting the IPad together gang up on him or something. :wink:
Terry, I do have a device like that. You can run into some problems though going through a big city where you can't find an FM station that is free. However for the most part it should work and I'll have to get mine out and see how it goes. Thanks. Diane, I am sold on the Kindle, my library is growing faster then I am reading but I am also reading some stuff I might not otherwise. Bill