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Washington by Ron Chernow

Title: Washington: A Life

Author: Ron Chernow

Publisher: Penguin Press 2010

Genre: Biography

Pages: 905

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; U.S. Presidents; Chunkster; 52 Books - W36

Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one volume biography of George Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his adventurous early years, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow shatters forever the stereotype of George Washington as a stolid, unemotional figure and brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods.

This was a chunk of a book and I loved every page of it.   Chernow gives us a story, not a collection of random facts about Washington.  The narrative flowed from one event to another interspersed with quotes from contemporaries and even Washington himself.  I was lost in this portrait of an enigmatic figure in American history.  A majority of the book was spent on the Revolutionary War and subsequent Presidency, but we do get a nice look into early Washington.  I may have known what he did during the French and Indian War, but it was nice to read what he had to say about that time.  Chernow's tome is not for everyone, but those willing to invest in a good chunk of time should definitely pick it up.  Great biography!

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, biography, nonfiction adventure, Ron Chernow, U-S- History, U-S- Presidents
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 09.08.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Death in Yellowstone by Lee Whittlesey

Title: Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park (2nd Edition)

Author: Lee Whittlesey

Publisher: Roberts Rinehart 2014

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages:412

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; 52 Books -- W26

The chilling tome that launched an entire genre of books about the often gruesome but always tragic ways people have died in our national parks, this updated edition of the classic includes calamities in Yellowstone from the past sixteen years, including the infamous grizzly bear attacks in the summer of 2011 as well as a fatal hot springs accident in 2000. In these accounts, written with sensitivity as cautionary tales about what to do and what not to do in one of our wildest national parks, Whittlesey recounts deaths ranging from tragedy to folly—from being caught in a freak avalanche to the goring of a photographer who just got a little too close to a bison. Armchair travelers and park visitors alike will be fascinated by this important book detailing the dangers awaiting in our first national park.

I grabbed this book from the new releases shelf at the library.  I'll admit that the title made me pick it up.  And I'm glad I did.  While the book really is about recording all deaths in Yellowstone (and immediate surrounding area), I found another aspect of the book more intriguing.  Occasionally the author has a story about early life in the park, sometimes before it even was a park.  Those glimpses into history were much more interesting to me than the death stories.  Overall, a very interesting random read for the week.

tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, nonfiction adventure, U-S- History
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 06.22.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Title: The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America

Author: Erik Larson

Publisher: Vintage Books 2003

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 447

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Rory Gilmore; Library Books; Monthly Key Word - Color

Erik Larson—author of #1 bestseller IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS—intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction.

I loved this book.  Initially I thought it was just about the serial killer H.H. Holmes, but in reality this book tells the story of the creation and destruction of The White City.  I was fascinated by the process of planning and building the World's Fair.  I did not realize the amount of famous to me people that either had a hand in building the fair or were attendees.  All throughout we get interludes about the murder spree of H.H. Holmes (only to be discovered after the fair).  Larson's writing is clear and concise but with a nice storytelling manner.  We get the inclusion of primary sources fitted seamlessly into the narrative.  Even switching between the two main story lines is done well.  Definitely a well written historical narrative.

tags: 5 stars, Erik Larson, library, monthly key word, nonfiction adventure, Rory Gilmore Challenge, U-S- History
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 06.07.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

What Ifs? of American History edited by Robert Cowley

Title: What Ifs? of American History

Editor: Robert Cowley

Publisher: Berkely Books 2003

Genre: Nonfiction - US History

Pages: 298

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Mount TBR; Well-Rounded Reader -- History

Did Eisenhower avoid a showdown with Stalin by not taking Berlin before the Soviets? What might have happened if JFK hadn't been assassinated? This new volume in the widely praised series presents fascinating "what if..." scenarios by such prominent historians as: Robert Dallek, Caleb Carr, Antony Beevor, John Lukacs, Jay Winick, Thomas Fleming, Tom Wicker, Theodore Rabb, Victor David Hansen, Cecelia Holland, Andrew Roberts, Ted Morgan, George Feifer, Robert L. O'Connell, Lawrence Malkin, and John F. Stacks.

Included are two essential bonus essays reprinted from the original New York Times bestseller What If?-David McCullough imagines Washington's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Long Island, and James McPherson envisions Lee's successful invasion of the North in 1862.

This isn't the easiest book to read.  Or I should say that it isn't the most accessible book.  The authors of the various essays presuppose a level of basic history knowledge and then dive into counterfactual history.  But for a history nerd like me, I loved every single page.  I love wondering "what if?" when it comes to history.  One small decision change could have changed the course of history.  This collection explores those What Ifs.  There are a few more common ideas: What if JFK lived?  What if Eisenhower pushed on to Berlin?  While those were enjoyable reads, my favorite was actually an essay exploring the idea that John Tyler never became president after the death of William Henry Harrison.  Tyler is a forgettable president, but his policies regarding Mexico and Texas set the stage for the growth of the country and even changing the run-up to the Civil War.  Fascinating stuff!  I only recommend these books to the serious history nerd.  To those people, pick up this collection for some history fun.

tags: 5 stars, mount tbr, nonfiction adventure, U-S- History, Well Rounded Reader
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 03.24.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Title: Unbroken

Author: Laura Hillenbrand

Publisher: Random House 2010

Genre: Nonfiction -- War Memoir

Pages: 473

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Women Authors; Library Loan; 52 Books 52 Weeks -- W19

How I Got It: Library Loan

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood.  Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared.  It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard.  So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini.  In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails.  As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile.  But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

This month's book club selection was a heavy one.  I've never been partial to war memoirs, but this one was very engaging.  After the initially slow start, I was hooked into Louie's life.  I knew there would be a relatively happy ending, but getting there tore my heart out.  Hillenbrand definitely did her research.  We get a beautifully crafted story piecing together a horrendous war experience.  I'm sure we'll have an interesting discussion in a few weeks for this book.  I am only hoping that our next selection isn't quite so serious.

tags: 4 stars, Lauren Hillenbrand, memoir, U-S- History, World War II
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 05.11.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Quote Wednesday -- Paine

"The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the services of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." -- Thomas Paine Common Sense

A surprisingly appropriate quote for the current political state from one of my favorite Founding Fathers.

tags: U-S- History
categories: Quote Wednesday
Wednesday 05.08.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson

Title: Thomas Paine

Author: Craig Nelson

Publisher: Penguin Books 2007

Genre: Biography

Pages: 432

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Genre -- Biography; New Author; TBR Pile; Dusty Bookshelf; 52 Books -- W5

How I Got It: I own it!

Despite his being a founder of both the United States and the French Republic, the creator of the phrase "United States of America," and the author of Common Sense, Thomas Paine is the least well known of America's founding fathers. This edifying biography by Craig Nelson traces Paine's path from his years as a London mechanic, through his emergence as the voice of revolutionary fervor on two continents, to his final days in the throes of dementia. By acquainting us as never before with this complex and combative genius, Nelson rescues a giant from obscurity-and gives us a fascinating work of history.

An extensive bio of one of the lost Founding Fathers.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nelson's account of the life and times of Thomas Paine.  However, I do have a few minor issues.  First of all, this biography is extensive.  I fear that only the most ardent historian can make it to the end of the book.  Second, Nelson delves into the background of the Enlightenment to explain Paine's place in history.  I love the Enlightenment, but spending over 50 pages on events and people before Paine's time is a bit much even for me.  Plus most of that information can be found in the Wikipedia page for the Enlightenment.  Third, at times Nelson rambles.  I found myself spiraling down in topic and discussion.  Even with these few issues, I enjoyed the biography.  It was a fascinating read.

tags: 4 stars, biography, Craig Nelson, U-S- History
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 01.29.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Almost America by Steve Tally

Title: Almost America

Author: Steve Tally

Publisher: William Morrow 2000

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy Nonfiction -- History; New Authors; Mount TBR; Dusty Reads -- January, Nonfiction

How I Got It: I own it!

American history is full of difficult choices that could have gone the other way. Now Steve Tally sends you back to the most important moments in our nation's history -- and takes the other fork in the road.

I a huge U.S. History geek.  So any book about history, I'll read.  It's a blessing and a curse.  I've had this one lying around for a few years and never seemed to actually read it.  This is definitely my type of U.S. History book.  It presuposes a certain level of historical knowledge and then builds upon it.  I like the play on counterfactual history.  It appeals to my sense of whimsy and fantasy.  Plus is makes history more of a fun story.  What if?  I love it.

tags: 4 stars, nonfiction, Steve Tally, U-S- History
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 01.15.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Penguin 2006

Genre: U.S. History Nonfiction

Pages: 463

Rating:  5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Dewey -- 970s; My Years -- 2006

How I Got It: I own it!

Nathaniel Philbrick became an internationally renowned author with his National Book Award-winning In the Heart of the Sea, hailed as "spellbinding" by Time magazine. In Mayflower, Philbrick casts his spell once again, giving us a fresh and extraordinarily vivid account of our most sacred national myth: the voyage of the Mayflower and the settlement of Plymouth Colony. From the Mayflower's arduous Atlantic crossing to the eruption of King Philip's War between colonists and natives decades later, Philbrick reveals in this electrifying history of the Pilgrims a fifty-five-year epic, at once tragic and heroic, that still resonates with us today.

It felt so good to get back to reading history books.  And this one is beautifully written!  Philbrick creates an engaging narrative that hits all sides of the history of the Pilgrim settlement.  My favorite side of the story was all the politics.  We get Pilgrims and Strangers, we get Pilgrims and various native groups, we get native groups and other native groups, we get Pilgrims and Puritans.  All sides with their own agendas, needs, and wants.  Although it took me a while to read this one, but it was worth it.  Philbrick's narrative is so dense that it took me a couple of times to rereading paragraphs to digest all the information.  But I didn't mind because it was well-constructed.  A definite read for a comprehensive history of the Pilgrims and their history and impact on American history.

tags: 5 stars, Nathaniel Philbrick, nonfiction, U-S- History
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 06.17.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

A Zombie's History of the United States by Dr. Worm Miller

Title: A Zombie's History of the United States

Author: Dr. Worm Miller

Publisher: Ulysses Press 2011

Genre: Zombie; U.S. History

Pages: 228

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Zombies

U.S. History and zombies in one volume?  Yes, please...

A very enjoyable "true" account of U.S. history from the zombie angle.  Who knew that zombies almost thwarted Washington's crossing of the Delaware?  Or that war in the Pacific was helped by the Berzerker's Corps (zombie unit)?  Or that Meriweather Lewis was in fact a zombie hybrid through most of the journey across the Louisiana Purchase?  I didn't.  And I call myself a history teacher.

In all seriousness, this is a great, fun parody of history.  I loved the tongue-in-cheek tone throughout most of the entries.  At times, I did find myself skimming the nonzombie history sections (I do know my fair share of u.s. history).  But that's okay, it was still immensely enjoying!

tags: 5 stars, Dr- Worm Miller, U-S- History, zombies
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 03.02.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 
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