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Lincoln's Gamble: How the Emancipation Proclamation Changed the Course of the Civil War
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
2
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
2
Review Date: 7/29/2015
You think you know the story of the Emancipation Proclamation. The process was much more complicated.
The opening scene of Lincoln, Navy Secretary Wells and Secretary of State Seward traveling in a carriage to the funeral of the infant son of Secretary of War Stanton caused me to instantly be swept up in the moment. Lincoln had recently made the trip himself upon the death of his own son, Willie. It is one of those great moments in history, and Mr. Brewster paints the picture well.
Mr. Brewster does an excellent job of explaining the many complex facets of Mr. Lincoln. We see Lincoln as the president, candidate, lawyer, Commander in Chief, military strategist and politician. As well as Lincoln the master of foreign affairs as well as Lincoln's complex ideas of Christianity. Lincoln was a man the nineteen century. Not our century. You discover the real political brilliance that he had come to develop. The Emancipation Proclamation was a calculated, very risky endeavor.
I thought that the discussion of the ideas of the military theorists of the time was fascinating. It shows that Lincoln modern ideas, while his military staff was mentally stuck in another time.
Reading the book causes you to grapple with the many complex factors leading up to the concept and writing of the document. It is an excellent story, told by a great story teller. It is written in an easy to read style, like Mr. Brewster was sitting across from you on your porch telling you a story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would read other works by this author.
The opening scene of Lincoln, Navy Secretary Wells and Secretary of State Seward traveling in a carriage to the funeral of the infant son of Secretary of War Stanton caused me to instantly be swept up in the moment. Lincoln had recently made the trip himself upon the death of his own son, Willie. It is one of those great moments in history, and Mr. Brewster paints the picture well.
Mr. Brewster does an excellent job of explaining the many complex facets of Mr. Lincoln. We see Lincoln as the president, candidate, lawyer, Commander in Chief, military strategist and politician. As well as Lincoln the master of foreign affairs as well as Lincoln's complex ideas of Christianity. Lincoln was a man the nineteen century. Not our century. You discover the real political brilliance that he had come to develop. The Emancipation Proclamation was a calculated, very risky endeavor.
I thought that the discussion of the ideas of the military theorists of the time was fascinating. It shows that Lincoln modern ideas, while his military staff was mentally stuck in another time.
Reading the book causes you to grapple with the many complex factors leading up to the concept and writing of the document. It is an excellent story, told by a great story teller. It is written in an easy to read style, like Mr. Brewster was sitting across from you on your porch telling you a story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would read other works by this author.
Review Date: 2/11/2019
Basic biography about the life of T.R. Regrettably misnamed, it's not just about his White House years, but his whole life. If you have time to read one book about the life of T.R, I'd pick H. W. Brands or Nathan Miller. Edmund Morris, if you'll need more. There's nothing new here.
Review Date: 7/20/2017
Enjoyable book. A dual biography of Dr. Franklin and his son William, the Colonial Governor of NJ. Shows not just the lovable, witty side of Ben Franklin, but his ruthlessness in business, politics and family matters. I found particularly interesting, the military record of both Franklins. You don't think of Ben as a military man, but both he and William had strong military credentials, and were the colony's knowledgeable experts in military and native American affairs. Through William's story, is told the lack of NJ officials and citizens to support the revolution, making William the last working governor of a colony. With William's military experience, name and popularity, it is interesting to think about what would have happened had William supported the revolution, as did Connecticut's royal governor Johnathan Trumbull.
The book details how the decision for independence came about, how little by little the loyalists and those willing to reconcile were fewer and fewer until there was no other alternative. It was almost impossible to stay on the sideline.
My being a Graduate of William Paterson University, I was disappointed to see the the author fell into the common trap of misspelling its namesake "Paterson" by using "Patterson".
I found the last few chapters the best, as I knew a permanent break-up was building. This is one family destroyed by loyalties, but it was all too common in 1776.
The book details how the decision for independence came about, how little by little the loyalists and those willing to reconcile were fewer and fewer until there was no other alternative. It was almost impossible to stay on the sideline.
My being a Graduate of William Paterson University, I was disappointed to see the the author fell into the common trap of misspelling its namesake "Paterson" by using "Patterson".
I found the last few chapters the best, as I knew a permanent break-up was building. This is one family destroyed by loyalties, but it was all too common in 1776.
Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die: How the Allies Won on D-Day
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
1
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
1
Review Date: 2/11/2019
Be prepared to meet a lot of characters. If you like your military history to be about people, and not overburdened with the movements of battalions, corps and divisions, you'll like this book. There's thousands of individual stories that came out of June 6th, 1944. This captures a lot of them. While we all know about the pair of shoes General Rommel picked up for his wife's birthday, I never new that they didn't fit. That little vignette, says a lot about the kind of luck he would have that day. Rommel knew what everyone wanted to deny. If the Allies weren't pushed back into the sea immediately, the war would be lost. You can put this book on the shelf between Stephen Ambrose and Cornelius Ryan. I enjoyed it.
Review Date: 2/17/2017
recommended for grade level 6-8.
The Yanks Are Coming!: A Military History of the United States in World War I
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
1
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
1
Review Date: 2/11/2019
While this is a book about World War I, too much of the book is taken up with chapters of biographies. If you've already read biographies about Truman, MacArthur, Pershing, Billy Mitchell, Patton, Marshall, and others, you'll find yourself skipping these chapters. These biographical chapters, encompass the subjects entire lives, not just WWI. I skipped about one-third of the book. Part five "Victory' is only ten pages. It seems the book was written just a bunch of essays, compiled together. Patton and MacArthur's WWII exploits seem out of place.
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