Book Description
Grant wrote his "Personal Memoirs" to secure his family's future. In doing so, the Civil War's greatest general won himself a unique place in American letters. His character, sense of purpose, and simple compassion are evident throughout this deeply moving account, as well as in the letters to his wife, Julia, included here.
Customer Reviews:
U.S. Grant in his own words..........2007-06-26
U.S. Grant is often said to have been a failure at everything in his life except his marriage, war, and his memoirs. The latter, written as he was dying of throat cancer in 1884-1885, provide a straightforward account of his years in uniform during the Civil War.
Grant passes quickly over his Ohio boyhood and time at the United States Military Academy. His service in the Mexican War and his financial misfortunes out of uniform between the wars get only slightly more coverage. His story really begins with his return to uniform in 1861 as a commander of Illinois volunteers. The narrative follows Grant's campaigns in Missouri, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, his elevation to supreme command of the Union Armies, and the final grinding agony of the war in Virgina. The account ends with the cessation of hostilies in 1865.
Grant's memoirs are remarkable reading for a number of reasons. First, they provide insight into the first-rate military mind of a consistantly successful general. Grant's ability to determine the essentials of a situation and remain focused on them are evident. Second, the memoirs are a classic example of clear, simple, English narrative. Third, they display the considerable modesty of a naturally reserved man, a departure from the egotism often found in the personal memoirs of famous men. Grant himself continues to be something of a mystery to historians; these memoirs do not really lift the veil of his sense of privacy.
The Union Army of the Civil War had more than its fair share of politicians in uniform and politically-minded generals. Grant was not immune to spinning history his way; careful-eyed scholars have found more than a few instances where Grant remembered only part of the story or settled a few scores with old opponents. Nevertheless, Grant's memoirs are a valuable resource for understanding the conduct of the Civil War, not least because Grant became such a key figure in the winning of it.
Grant's memoirs are highly recommended to students of the Civil War, and to scholars seeking to understand the art of war in the midst of rebellion.
Review of Memoirs of US Grant.......2006-07-10
General Grant's use of the English language is very interesting and informative. Absolutely a pleasure to read.
A Masterpiece.......2006-02-22
This book is a must-read for any Civil War or American history buff. Grant's writing is consistently clear, elegant, beautiful. He gives an engaging account of his wartime experiences that are accurate to the best of his ability, and he writes with introspection and humility. The personal letters at the end of the volume reveal much about this fascinating man, and are a welcome addition. Please read this one! Another wonderful book in this series is the volume containing Frederick Douglass's autobiographical works.
A History Buff's Wet Dream..........2006-01-17
This is certainly a great book, and in parts, it is a good book. Grant has a very terse, matter-of-fact style, which makes for easy reading. The bulk of the book is devoted to the Civil War, and there are dry patches, and multitudes of "We went to the ridge, and then to the river, and moved our artillery up to the picket" and such-like. But that is what happened, and so you can't fault Grant for his meticulous detailing of troop movements, correspondence with fellow officers, etc. As I said, the great majority of the book is devoted to the Civil War, and there is not a word about Grant's tenure in the White House. Personally, of all topics covered by Grant, I find him to be most fascinating on the subject of the Mexican-American War of 1847. This is not something commonly focused on in history classes, but Grant's account is riveting. Additionally, Grant's remembrances of Lincoln are very interesting, as is his almost awed reverence for the military abilities of Sherman. The book is long, but it doesn't seem long, and if you have a love of history, this is indispensable stuff.
essential.......2005-10-04
A unique chronicle of one who saved the Union. Lucid, entertaining, and expansive. A rare view of one of the most important lives in the 19C. Highly recommended
Amazon.com
Many books have been written about Ronald Reagan, but this collection of his letters must certainly be among the most varied and revealing about every aspect of the man. Organized by themes such as "Old Friends," "Running for Office," "Core Beliefs," "The Critics," and "Foreign Leaders," the book contains over 1,000 letters stretching from 1922 to 1994. Whether discussing economic policy with a political foe, dispensing marital advice, or sharing a joke with a pen pal, Reagan comes across as gracious, caring, and inquisitive. Even when responding to blistering criticism, he remained fair and thoughtful. As one would expect, many of the letters are addressed to world leaders, well-known American politicians, pundits, and journalists, and these are certainly interesting for their historical relevance and insights into Reagan's diplomatic style. Among the more fascinating notes, however, are those sent to private citizens, some of which are quite long and detailed. That Reagan would spend the time, as both governor of California and President, to respond to the concerns and inquiries of constituents reveals that he never forgot how he got to his positions of leadership in the first place. He even went so far on occasions to help make business connections for people he had never met in person. He also sent many letters to children. In one, he encouraged a young student to turn off the TV and grab a book instead: "Reading is a magic carpet and you can never be lonely if you learn to enjoy a good book." Taken as a whole, these revealing, well-written, and entertaining letters trace the story of Reagan's life and times as well as any standard biography. They also offer further proof of why he was dubbed "The Great Communicator." --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
Ronald Reagan may have been the most prolific correspondent of any American president since Theodore Roosevelt, having likely written more than 10,000 letters in his lifetime to a wide array of friends and family, politicians, private citizens, and children. As vivid a communicator in words as he was in person, Reagan reveals his character and thinking in his writings as nowhere else. In his correspondence, Reagan made candid, considerate, and tough statements that he rarely made in public, and often gave advice and encouragement to family and friends. The letters are also a political and historical treasure trove, revealing Reagan's thoughts on American government and policy from early in his career to his time in the White House and his return to civilian life.
Honest, open, and heartfelt, Ronald Reagan's letters reveal a man who felt most comfortable and natural with pen in hand, and a man who reached out to friend and foe alike throughout his life. Reagan: A Life in Letters is as important as it is astonishing and moving.
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"Ronald Reagan may have been the most prolific correspondent of any American president since Thomas Jefferson. The total number of letters written over his lifetime probably exceeds 10,000. Their breadth is equally astonishing -- with friends and family, with politicians, children, and other private citizens, Reagan was as dazzling a communicator in letters as he was in person. Collectively, his letters reveal his character and thinking like no other source. He made candid, considerate, and tough statements that he rarely made in a public speech or open forum. He enjoyed responding to citizens, and comforting or giving advice or encouragement to friends. Now, the most astonishing of his writings, culled in Reagan: A Portrait in Letters, finally and fully reveal the true Ronald Reagan. Many of Reagan's handwritten letters are among the most thoughtful, charming, and moving documents he produced. Long letters to his daughter Patti, applauding her honesty, and son Ron Jr., urging him to be the best student he can be, reveal Reagan as a caring parent. Long-running correspondence with old friends, carried on for many decades, reveals the importance of his hometown and college networks. Heartfelt advice on love and marriage, fond memories of famous friends from Hollywood, and rare letters about his early career allow Reagan to tell his own full biography as never before. Running correspondence with young African-American student Ruddy Hines reveals a little-known presidential pen pal. The editors also reveal that another long-running pen-pal relationship, with fan club leader Lorraine Wagner, was initially ghostwritten by his mother, until Reagan began to write to Wagner himself some years later. Reagan's letters are a political and historical treasure trove. Revealed here for the first time is a running correspondence with Richard Nixon, begun in 1959 and continuing until shortly before Nixon's death. Letters to key supporters reveal that Reagan was thinking of the presidency from the mid-1960s; that missile defense was of interest to him as early as the 1970s; and that few details of his campaigns or policies escaped his notice. Dozens of letters to constituents reveal Reagan to have been most comfortable and natural with pen in hand, a man who reached out to friend and foe alike throughout his life. Reagan: A Life in Letters is as important as it is astonishing and moving. "
Customer Reviews:
Inspiration for the rest of us.......2007-06-08
After all the sneering put downs from the leftist elitists, we can see the truth of a great man, in his own words. Almost singlehanded, he led the revolt of the common man against the elitists who would steal the common man's liberty for crass political gain. The revolution continues.
The book could have been half as long, and therefore twice as effective........2007-06-04
If you are expecting intricate epistles along the lines of Paul the Apostle or C. S. Lewis Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis - Box Set, forget about it. Sixty percent of this book is small (almost jotted) memos. It is nice to see that Reagan kept in contact with people, and that he nudged his relationships along with these small bundles. But as a presidential source book, we could have done with less. The book could have been half as long, and therefore twice as effective.
If you are looking for sources on Reaganism, then I recommend Speaking My Mind: Selected Speeches and Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America. We get interesting policy letters about once every 25 pages or so. The gems are his correspondence with Nixon and Brezhnev. Plus we have a lot of material from the Governator years. These are key, since one does not go from GE spokesman to Leader of the Free World in one bound. We see the Reagan we all know love and . . . developing in the California Crucible.
I think the biggest surprise was the section on pen pals. Instead of Ronaldus Magnus, we see Ronnie, all around good egg. Many of these letters are folksy, dealing with human problems, and occasionally we get Reagan's insight into current events--Lt. Calley, Charles Manson, and Sirhan Sirhan. Several letters are personal response to his critics. His firm but gentle way of rebuking a misinformed foe serves for a universal lesson.
Favorite Letter: page 664.
Andy Smith, a seventh-grader in Irmo, S.C., wrote the President in 1984, "Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room."
Dear Andy:
I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China . . .
Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem; the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother.
However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.
May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.
Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation--congratulations . . .
Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan
Priceless!!!
*
This book should be part of the Essential Reagan Cannon. Along with "Speaking My Mind" and "In His Own Hand," this book should be read with The Reagan Diaries, An American Life, Ronald Reagan: A Life in Politics and In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President. I also recommend Reagan: Man of Principle, for insight on the elusive Governator years.
I love that old man.......2006-12-28
This review is not probably going to be what one would think for someone who loved Ronald Reagan, because this book was written for people who ignorantly thought he was "the most dangerous man in America".
That is the focus of this book in being 'Legacy' which was what his family, friends and administration were dealing with in releasing this book. We knew President Reagan was brilliant, wise, caring, God fearing, moral and a world leader who only comes along in a generation to transform the world, but these letters were meant to convince the narrow minded how wrong they were about him.
For someone who adores this gentle man, I found it startling in reading he names Jane Fonda and her husband a traitor, how Democrats lied to gain power while the nation suffered in mirror image of what just happened to Bush 43 and his insight that Jimmy Carter would be a disaster and was a phoney before he even took office. The reason that was startling is Reagan was right about Star Wars, was right about how to topple the Soviet Union without a nuclear war and was right how the key to eastern Europe's freedom was religion, so Reagan being always proven correct has deeper meaning for all of history in his naming people traitors and phoneys.
His greatest warning in his letters today are the dangers of a national health care system which will ruin American health care and how it is only a power grab by socialists to gain more control over America for their rule. It will be the 2008 election and Hillary Clinton as part of her agenda is to implement that national health care. Reagan's voice rings eternal in warning America of what is right and what is wrong.
I would have enjoyed the book more if the letters would have have been his living legacy of God given wisdom more and less of the facts in trying to prove to ignorant people he really was a good soul. I already knew that like most Americans and we didn't require convincing.
The book though proves Reagan was the genuine person on camera or off. He and his lovely wife, Nancy, endured more from their children and petty personalities than anyone ever should have to. Americans owe them an eternal thank you and an even more deeper gratitude to God in guiding this American's life who revolutionized America and the world and whose "shining city on a hill" is still moving the entire world.
That is legacy a generation later and I still love that old man.
Fascinating look at one man's view of history.......2006-02-24
Reading this book, its impossible to escape a few conclusions. First, Reagan was a very warm and cordial man. Regardless of your political views, his decency and civility are very much missed in today's Washington. Next, Reagan was obviously someone who has a grasp of his material. Whether you agreed with him or not, reading this book and others that have reproduced his correspondence, speeches etc. that he drafted personally will forever shatter the mythical "amiable dunce" that his opponents were quick to embrace. Finally, I got a much better sense of the Reagan the man than any biography I've read so far. Interestingly, one gets a MUCH better sense of Reagan the man and the President than from his autobiography, which was fairly mediocre in comparison.
Hardcover has 42 reviews--.......2005-07-14
See the hardcover edition for customer reviews. The paperback is the same as the hardcover but has a few corrections of typos and other references. I would hope Amazon would duplicate the customer reviews here, but meanwhile the link in the editorial reviews will work.
Average customer rating:
- George HW Bush in his words
- Unlike his son, at least he can read and write
- Good reading if you are a student of Bush or American Politics in the 20th century after WWII
- The Daughter of a WWII Vet...
- The Lost Art Of Letter Writing
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All The Best, George Bush: My Life and Other Writings
George Bush
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Similar Items:
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A World Transformed
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My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H. W. Bush
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A Charge to Keep
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Barbara Bush: A Memoir
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Reflections: Life After the White House
ASIN: 068483958X
Release Date: 1999-10-05 |
Amazon.com
In lieu of a memoir, All the Best, George Bush collects correspondence and diary entries from the former U.S. president to show, as he says, "what my own heartbeat is, what my values are, what has motivated me in life." The letters begin in 1942--when, fresh out of high school, Bush volunteered for U.S. Navy flight school--and continue to the brink of the 21st century, as the retired chief executive worries about the Melissa virus infecting his office's server and keeping his visiting grandchildren in line. ("I realize," he muses, "Keep the freezer door closed from now on and I mean it lacks the rhetorical depth of This will not stand or Read my lips.") All the Best hits all the highlights of Bush's career, from the Texas oil business to his role as ambassador to China, then CIA director, vice president under Ronald Reagan, and finally president himself. Along the way, he reveals a personality that is at turns compassionate, respectful, silly, doting, and resolute--a man for whom being a father and a grandfather matters as much as, and maybe even more than, being leader of the free world. Fans and detractors alike will find in All the Best an intimate human portrait that offers as sure a self-definition of Bush's personal life as A World Transformed did his presidential career.
Book Description
The most intimate and revealing look at one of America's most private public figures.
Though reticent in public, George Bush has openly shared his private thoughts in his correspondence throughout his life. Fortunately, since the former president does not plan to write his autobiography, this collection of letters, diary entries, and memos, with his accompanying commentary, will fill that void.
Organized chronologically, the volume begins with eighteen-year-old George's letters to his parents during World War II, when, at the time he was commissioned, he was the youngest pilot in the Navy. Readers will gain insights into Bush's career highlights -- the oil business, his two terms in Congress, his ambassadorship to the U.N., his service as an envoy in China, his tenure with the Central Intelligence Agency, and of course, the vice presidency, the presidency, and the postpresidency. They will also observe a devoted husband, father, and American. Ranging from a love letter to Barbara and a letter to his mother about missing his daughter Robin after her death from leukemia to a letter to his children two weeks before Nixon's resignation to one written to them just before the beginning of Desert Storm, the writings are remarkable for their candor, humor, and poignancy.
As the Bushes continue to emerge as a major political family, this portrait of its unassuming patriarch is timely and important. That George Bush is allowing this much of the collection to be published is remarkable in itself. All the Best, George Bush provides a surprisingly intimate and insightful portrayal of the forty-first president of the United States.
As the author writes in his Preface: "So what we have here are letters from the past and present. Letters that are light and hopefully amusing. Letters written when my heart was heavy or full of joy. Serious letters. Nutty letters. Caring letters, and rejoicing letters....It's all about heartbeat."
Download Description
Through reticent in public, George Bush has openly shared himself in his private correspondence throughout his entire life. Organized chronologically, this volume contains Bush's letters, diary entries, and memos--with his commentary--constituting a portrait of the former president that should suffice nicely until such time as he chooses to write his autobiography.
Customer Reviews:
George HW Bush in his words.......2006-03-27
George Bush (41st President, the father) wrote his autobiography while he was Vice President. After he left the Presidency, he decided to not write his memoirs (unlike other presidents) and let historians decide how his presidential years were. This is a big disappointment because it is always fun to read a Presidential Memoir when they come out, and also to learn about the different periods when they are a President. Fortunately, Bush was coaxed into collecting all his letters he had sent out to other people throughout his life and making it this book. I would say that the best part of the book is when you read the letters he sent out to various world leaders like Deng Xiaoping after the Tiannamen Square Massacre, and to Gorbachev after the Lithuania uprising. The period during the first Persian Gulf war is also interesting. You actually get to read the letters that Bush wrote, and this is quite a difference from other presidential memoirs where the author usually says in a line or two what he discussed with other world leaders.
Also interesting are some of the letters he wrote to his children, including George W Bush. There is a letter from Bush the father to his children, written just before Desert Storm, where he talks about how sad and difficult it is for him to send US soldiers in harms way.
The letters to Bush's mom where he talks about his fiancee Barbara is also interesting, but I was more interested in his presidential years. To me, the book became interesting after he started being appointed to various posts by different Presidents, e.g. Ambassidor to China by Nixon, CIA director by Ford, etc.
However, as written by Kitty Kelly, Bush is a bit of a person who kisses up to people when the time is right. For example, while Bush was Chairman of the Republican Party, until a day before Nixon announces his resignation, Bush is in full support of him. Only then (and probably after he hears that Nixon is going to resign) does he send a letter to Nixon saying maybe it is time for him to resign.
I think in future editions of this book, his letters to George W Bush during his son's presidency should be added, and also letters where he describes his feelings about Bill Clinton should be added too, since Clinton and he have become best pals.
Overall an okay book. Would still prefer a typical Presidential Memoir though.
Unlike his son, at least he can read and write.......2006-03-05
But, still, don't waste your money. If you must read this, get it from the library and buy a book here from a real American like Al Franken.
Good reading if you are a student of Bush or American Politics in the 20th century after WWII.......2006-03-05
This is a collection of letters, memos, and diary entries by President George W. Bush that were written throughout his life. They include official documents, but also notes to his families and friends, as well as notes for his own use. Some of them are of national importance while others are humorous or personal.
You will want to read this book if you are a student of the Presidents, especially if you are interested in the Bush 41 or the Bush family. However, it also offers information for students of other topics. For example, Bush was the Chairman of the RNC during Watergate and the material provided here is very interesting. I think the letter he wrote his children on July 23, 1974 is as fair and balanced an assessment of Nixon and Watergate as you are likely to find. Of course, Bush did not know Nixon was also lying to him and the entire Country at the time he wrote the note. When the smoking gun tape comes out everything changes, and Bush's comments to Haig and others are agonized, but to the point as is his final letter to Nixon the day before the President announced he would resign the presidency.
The book also provides a chronology that will help you remember what Bush was doing at any given time. The chapters are organized around various posts Bush has held or key periods in his life. You will also want to dip into index to find certain people and events for review.
He comes across as an honorable man with a deep sense of tradition with political ambitions, but within certain bounds.
The Daughter of a WWII Vet..........2006-01-27
First let me put my bias right up front. I love the Bush family. George the 1st is a decent, honest man....a man of privilege, but a man of honor. He wasn't my favorite president; and I wasn't sure I would like this book.
This collection of letters is *marvelous*!...and a tribute to the WWII generation and generations before who were letter writers. I have a story in letters from and to my own father from the time he entered the Army in 1943 through his being wounded in France and meeting my mother in a hospital in Kansas just before the war ended in 1945. George H. W. Bush's book made me laugh and cry. It gave me a new admiration for the "man". If you love the WWII generation, read this book. If you don't know much about that generation you HAVE to read this book! You NEED to know about them. They epitimize America at it's best...
The Lost Art Of Letter Writing.......2005-09-04
Former President George H.W. Bush is prolific letter writer, and in All The Best, this public figure allows us a peek into the sometimes very private side of his life in this collection of his personal correspondence. Many of these dispatches date back sixty years, and they paint a picture of the former President that no autobiography quite could.
The Bush revealed by his letters is an idealist in his youth, who joins the military out of a strong desire to serve his nation. He tells of his life as a Navy pilot, writes love letters home to the woman he eventually marries, and tells her in one forceful letter from the front of the justice he hopes finds those who carry out combat atrocities in the name of nationalism.
Bush later becomes a husband and father (to a first son nicknamed "Googie") and relocates from New England to the Texas oil country. In one humorous letter from this period, Bush writes local law enforcement apologizing for speeding and asking that in the face of his repentance his fine be repealed. (It wasn't.) Through hundreds of letters that cover most of the twentieth century, we see that George Bush's life is often exciting, though occasionally visited by tragedy, as with the loss of his pre-school-aged daughter Robin. I personally found the writings that covered the domestic and business sides of Mr. Bush's life more interesting than the ones that dealt with his duties as Congressman, UN Ambassador, Head of the CIA, and Republican Party, Ambassador to China, Vice President, and finally President of the United States. The most touching of Bush's writings were the letters he penned to his grandchildren at the times of their births.
One of the most inviting aspects of this book is that since it has no linear plotline to follow, it may be perused in random fashion without diminishing its purpose. If one wishes information about the era of the (first) Bush Presidency, that is set off from, say, the chapters that cover Bush's life as a private citizen.
The practice of letter writing is either being enhanced by the presence of email, or being undermined by it. However one views the topic, there's little denying that there is an art to authoring a letter, and the forty-first US President is a lifelong master.
Amazon.com
In the tradition of Garry Wills's modern classic Lincoln at Gettysburg, Ronald C. White Jr. offers a close reading of the speech Abraham Lincoln gave in 1865 at his second inauguration and declares it the man's finest and most important effort. It contains one of Lincoln's best-known lines ("With malice toward none; with charity for all"), which White admires as "a timeless promise of reconciliation." At the same time, White reminds readers that rather than yanking such brilliant rhetorical nuggets from their context, "We need to understand Lincoln's strategy for the complete speech." He provides this in some detail, describing the political environment in which Lincoln found himself, having recently won a presidential election that he nearly lost and also seeing the Confederacy begin to collapse for good. It was not a long speech, containing only 701 words of mostly one syllable each and requiring merely six or seven minutes to deliver, compared to about 35 minutes for the inaugural address he had given four years earlier. White calls these words Lincoln's "last will and testament to America." John Wilkes Booth, who attended the inaugural ceremony, would murder him the next month. Lincoln buffs in particular will appreciate this book, as will fans of Jay Winik's April 1865. --John Miller
Book Description
After four years of unspeakable horror and sacrifice on both sides, the Civil War was about to end. On March 4, 1865, at his Second Inaugural, President Lincoln did not offer the North the victory speech it yearned for, nor did he blame the South solely for the sin of slavery. Calling the whole nation to account, Lincoln offered a moral framework for peace and reconciliation. The speech was greeted with indifference, misunderstanding, and hostility by many in the Union. But it was a great work, the victorious culmination of Lincoln's own lifelong struggle with the issue of slavery, and he well understood it to be his most profound speech. Eventually this "with malice toward none" address would be accepted and revered as one of the greatest in the nation's history.
In 703 words, delivered slowly, Lincoln transformed the meaning of the suffering brought about by the Civil War. He offered reunification, not revenge. Among those present were black soldiers and confederate deserters, ordinary citizens from all over, the black leader Frederick Douglass, the Cabinet, and other notables. John Wilkes Booth is visible in the crowd behind the president as he addresses posterity.
Ronald C. White's compelling description of Lincoln's articulation of the nation's struggle and of the suffering of all -- North, South, soldier, slave -- offers new insight into Lincoln's own hard-won victory over doubt, and his promise of redemption and hope. White demonstrates with authority and passion how these words, delivered only weeks before his assassination, were the culmination of Lincoln's moral and rhetorical genius.
Customer Reviews:
One of my favorites.......2007-03-17
This is a short book about one brilliant speech written and delivered by a great president only about a month before his death. It's focused and poignant. I first encountered it when our book group read it and every member in the group enjoyed it. Anyone can get a lot out of White's careful examination of Lincoln's masterpiece -- which is why I buy it as a gift for young as well as older recipients.
Lincoln, Scripture, God, Greatest Speech, elements of a great book.......2007-01-05
The book draws a lot of conclusions about why Lincoln said what he said in this speech. It contrasts his apparent convictions before the war to the ones he had near the close of it. It suggests that Lincoln summed up his position, for a political purpose, and picked his words very carefully. Reconciliation may have been his only purpose but maybe he felt safe saying what he really believed knowing that it would be seen as reconciliation.
A Presidential speech drawing heavily on scripture and talking about God's purpose is just unique enough on its own.
He said, "One side would make war rather than let the nation survive and the other would accept it rather than let it parish". He seemed to be talking to both sides. As he stood back and tried to define the moment in time he suggested something about both sides that was healing. He said that both side's prayers could not be answered but neither had been fully answered. Offering malice towards none and charity for all again took the focus off of the individuals involved and directed religious principles at what the healing would be all about.
The speech was brilliant and the book convinces you of that. The question of what Lincoln really thought is not totally answered. Based on the message he delivered and the timing you will probably be left convinced that this really was his greatest speech.
Check your facts before writing a review.......2006-08-27
One of the previous reviewers has no idea what he is saying. I worked at Gettysburg, and 56,000 people did not die there in three days. First of all, the number of casualties was not that high, it was more like 52,000. Secondly, the term "casualties" includes killed, mortally wounded, wounded, and captured. So 52,000 did not die at Gettysburg, but about 10,600 died, if you include both killed and mortally wounded. The remaining 40,000+ casualties were either wounded or captured.
Similarly, all the numbers presented in all the other battles are CASUALTIES, which refers to killed, mortally wounded, wounded, and captured. Those numbers do not represent the DEAD.
Vietnam had 58,000 DEAD, not total CASUALTIES.
Great Service.......2006-08-25
The book was ordered, shipped the same day and received 2 days later. Couldn't have been more pleased.
Excellent interpretation of a great speech.......2006-02-18
The words of the second inaugural address are very moving and have great relevance for today. Ronald White examines the cultural, historical, and Biblical context for this speech. He explains how Lincoln underwent a dramatic change in what he perceived to be the causes of the Civil War. Going far beyond the usual states rights versus preservation of the Union discussion, White traces Lincoln's change of thought in clear and well-researched terms. The journey from preservation of the Union to judgment/grace theology is a fascinating one that is not often discussed in history classes today. In addition to the great research primary presented in the book, White's writing style is engaging enough to catch the interest of those who normally wouldn't pick up a history book.
Customer Reviews:
Good History Book.......2001-04-15
This was a very interesting book showing the way a women saw the start of a new country. It also shows the sacrifice that both John and Abigail both had to make to still be together while John was helping the colonies. John tells Abigail all of the political happenings that have been going on not including deaths etc... Abigail is very much into politics and reminds John to "remember the ladies" when writing the Declaration of Independence. This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the war at a different perspective than what just the history books say.
Customer Reviews:
Notes from the Vigorous Life!.......2005-03-06
Most living today do not know the art of letter writing. Our lives are all phone calls and emails. We live in the instant and do not know the pleasures and benefits of taking time to form thoughts and writing in complete and coherent sentences let alone taking the time to construct paragraphs or a complete and persuasive argument. Another problem is that our communications today are perishable. There are fewer personal documents left for study and almost no drafts to give us insight into the process of composition. Sure, presidential libraries contain mountains of paper, but so much of it is from staff, is impersonal bureaucrat speak, and lacks the wit, sparkle, and insight of a practiced and skilled writer such as Theodore Roosevelt.
TR published forty books, wrote more than 100,000 letters, and his collected speeches fill twenty volumes. All this in a too short sixty year life (Oct 1858 - Jan 1919). I find this productivity staggering, especially when one considers how actively he lived his life. He traveled, he climbed the Matterhorn, he ranched, went to war, fulfilled many public offices including Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor of New York, Vice-President, and President of the United States.
We all owe a note of thanks to Louis Auchincloss for editing this volume and providing us with 367 of his letters, every one of them one kind of gem or another. We get observations of TR the Naturalist, the diplomat, the Rough Rider, Governor, President, Ex-President, and the private man. Actually, we get more sides of him than those, but those are the biggest and most notable gems. Four of his greatest and most noted speeches are also included. They all deserve to be read today and should be read by all students of American History.
In my view, the greatest of them is his 1910 speech at the Sorbonne on "Citizenship in a Republic". "The Strenuous Life" is also a wonderful speech to read and contemplate. Both are calls to a responsible and fully lived life of duties and responsibilities to earn the rewards of freedom and wealth. He has no use for the empty life living off the sweat and blood of others. Magnificent sentiments that should inspire us today and will actually have the beneficial effect of making all, and I mean all, of our present leaders seem small in comparison let alone the indictment it makes on each one of us. If you do not want to hear a clear call to action, avoid these speeches. But you will avoid them to your own loss.
This book deserves to be read and read more than once. It is that wonderful kind of book you can dip into for a short read over and over again. Each time you will come away feeling energized and inspired to do more and to do better.
Hugely recommended. Thanks to the Library of America for producing this magnificent and beautifully done volume.
Handy collection of TR's letters.......2004-10-20
Theodore Roosevelt was among the most literary men ever to occupy the White House. The author of over 40 books, he was also a prolific letter-writer and in the pre-"West Wing" age prepared his own speeches as well. Numerous collections of his writings have been published, with this volume being the latest of them. Edited by the author and Roosevelt biographer Louis Auchinloss, it offers a selection of some of the most illustrative writings from throughout Roosevelt's life and career.
The result is somewhat disappointing. Though advertised as "Letters and Speeches," the volume is mostly comprised of the former rather than the latter; there are only four speeches tacked on at the end, almost as an afterthought. Nor do the letters published here offer anything new - all of them, in fact, are from the superb eight-volume collection edited by Elting Morison in the early 1950s, only with the excellent footnotes that provided the context relegated to the back of the book.
These criticisms aside, the Library of America has produced a book of merit. Auchinloss has selected letters which offer a helpful peek into Roosevelt's life, providing almost an autobiographical presentation of Roosevelt's ideas and opinions. For readers interested in particular subjects, Auchinloss provides in the table of contents a brief subject line under each letter, which adds to the book's utility. The result is a nice, durable volume offering a useful sampling of some of Roosevelt's most important letters. While diehard fans of TR will probably prefer Morison's hard-to-find collection, for readers seeking a handy edition of his correspondence this is the book to own.
Book Description
The Letters of John and Abigail Adams provides an insightful record of American life before, during, and after the Revolution; the letters also reveal the intellectually and emotionally fulfilling relationship between John and Abigail that lasted fifty-four years and withstood historical upheavals, long periods apart, and personal tragedies. Covering key moments in American history-the Continental Congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and John Adams's diplomatic missions to Europe-the letters reveal the concerns of a couple living during a period of explosive change, from smallpox and British warships to raising children, paying taxes, the state of women, and the emerging concepts of American democracy.
Customer Reviews:
The loving letters of our second president and his wife abigail: brilliance in Braintree!.......2006-08-25
John Adams was the first Vice-President and second chief
executive of the United States of America. He was also a brilliant lawyer, legislator, writer and diplomat for the fledging American nation in France and the Netherlands during
the Revolutionary War.
In this excellent collection of personal letters John and
Abigail share their thoughts on a wide variety of topics chiefly the struggle for our nation's independence. The letters in this
copious collection cover the years from 1774 to 1783 (the years
of the American Revolution).
These are two extremely intelligent persons! John's letters
let the reader look through the keyhole in Philadelphia as the
Declaration of Independence is approved; throughout the war
Adams was away from his Braintree farm for long stretches of
time. His life was in danger and he was worried about Abigail and
their young children. A few of the letters in this collection
were written by his parents to the young John Quincy Adams who
served as the sixth President of the United States.
Abigail lived long before the womens liberation movement but
she was the intellectual equal of her husband. Abigail kept the
farm going staying abreast of political affairs and raising a
great American family.
The patriotism and self-sacrifice of the Adams family is an
inspiration to all Americans. This is a wonderful collection
for anyone wishing to know these two American patriots on a more
intimate basis. Excellent resource for history classes and anyone wishing to know more about our history.
Customer Reviews:
A major contribution to Lincoln studies.......2007-08-05
With Herndon's Informants Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis have made a tremendous contribution to Lincoln scholarship. Much of what we know of Lincoln's pre-presidential years, especially, was compiled through interviews and correspondence by Lincoln's last law partner William H. Herndon. Although many of these items were published decades ago in Emanuel Hertz's anthology The Hidden Lincoln, that collection's limitations have long frustrated Lincoln students. The only alternative was the expensive and awkward-to-use microfilm verison of Herndon's papers available from the Library of Congress.
Now, however, Wilson and Davis have made this treasure trove of firsthand information available in an affordable and convenient format. Moreover, they have carefully tried to reproduce texts exactly, retaining oddities of spelling and punctuation, a feature entertaining to ordinary readers and valuable to scholars. The book's presentation of documents in chronological order is welcome. Scholars will probably be the main consumers using this product.
This volume is a major contribution to Lincoln studies.
The Real Lincoln!!.......2006-10-27
Forget authors, historians with agendas. Read what the people who actually knew Abraham Lincoln said about him.
Before Lincoln's body was cold, William Herndon, Lincoln's law partner for 17 years and friend for longer, began interviewing Lincoln's friends, family members, enemies, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. His goal was to collect as much information as possible about his friend, so he could write a completely truthful biography. "Warts and all" Herndon said. Unfortunately, Herndon soon realized he could not use some of the information he collected because it was very personal and Lincoln's image would be tarnished. Fortunately, some of this information he could not use you will find in this book. While 98% of this book contains very interesting information about all aspects of Lincoln's life. It is the remaining 2%, the unsavory stuff, that is so fascinating! For instance, I was surprised to read about the number of Lincoln's friends who told stories about Lincoln's involvement with prostitutes (before his marriage). Some friends even speculate about Lincoln maybe having one or two illegitimate children. This book contains information I never learned in school about Lincoln!
A Masterpiece in Scholarship.......2002-02-26
In the preface to his "Life of Lincoln", William Herndon expounded that when writing the history of Lincoln's early life "the whole truth concerning him should be known" and there should be "nothing colored or suppressed." Having set the standard Herndon failed to follow it, for there were something's even Herndon must have felt should not be put into print. Scholars wishing to explore Lincoln's early life beyond the insights offered by Herndon's biography had to turn to examining the letters and notes collected for over a twenty year period by himself and his collaborator Jesse Weik. This often proved to be a daunting task. As the editor's in their introduction noted even though available on Micro roll film specific documents are "very hard to locate" and even if located are "very hard to read." To further complicate matters the index to the Herndon collection prepared by the Library of Congress is "neither accurate nor complete." What Editors Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis have done in their "Herndon's Informants" is to transcribe all of the known Herndon, Weik letters and notes into a readable and properly indexed Documentary Edition. What they have also done is create a masterpiece of scholarship that will be used by students of Lincoln for decades to come. "Herndon's Informants" offers the student the complete Herndon collection, unabridged and un-editorialized. To anyone who has a strong interest in learning more about Lincoln's early life this is just about all that is available and it simply must become a part of your personal library.
Book Description
An intellectual dialogue of the highest plane achieved in America, the correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson spanned half a century and embraced government, philosophy, religion, quotidiana, and family griefs and joys. First meeting as delegates to the Continental Congress in 1775, they initiated correspondence in 1777, negotiated jointly as ministers in Europe in the 1780s, and served the early Republic—each, ultimately, in its highest office. At Jefferson's defeat of Adams for the presidency in 1800, they became estranged, and the correspondence lapses from 1801 to 1812, then is renewed until the death of both in 1826, fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence.
Lester J. Cappon's edition, first published in 1959 in two volumes, provides the complete correspondence between these two men and includes the correspondence between Abigail Adams and Jefferson. Many of these letters have been published in no other modern edition, nor does any other edition devote itself exclusively to the exchange between Jefferson and the Adamses. Introduction, headnotes, and footnotes inform the reader without interrupting the speakers. This reissue of The Adams-Jefferson Letters in a one-volume unabridged edition brings to a broader audience one of the monuments of American scholarship and, to quote C. Vann Woodward, 'a major treasure of national literature.'
Customer Reviews:
Meet John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.......2007-09-22
Out second and third presidents began their political career as friends, fell out, and then fortunately became friends again. In this wonderful collection of personal letters we see not only the men but the times until their deaths July 4, 1826. One of our most beloved presidents and most mis-understood are brought into reality by this collection. They were after all both remarkable men and human beings.
Throw Away the Text Books.......2006-11-10
Throw Away the texbooks. As others have said this is our Real History and Heritage. There is more to be found here on Ethics and Intergrity than in any of the pogressively vaporous decriptions of these men and their times. Imagine the chief architects of the Great Experiment in Representstve Democracy. Adversaries at the Constitutional Congress; ememies over the the transition from Adam's Presidency to Jefferson's. And then THESE! Conciliation and repect and eventually true affection - The founding fathers in thier own words - asessing what they had wrought - the good, the bad, the ugly - all passsed through that wondeful 18-19th Century Prose. Throw away the text books. Integrity was the founding principle of Taoism; Ethics the founding princple of Socratic/Platonic discouse. Adams and Jefferson knew this. Many Americans are waking up astounded by the lack of these two foundational elements in our modern system of governance. There is more to be learn of governance,literature and critical thinking on any page than there is in an entire high-school(and most college) curricula. Jefferson and Adams are stirring, stirring - and this can only be a Good Thing.
Just what I was hoping for.......2006-11-03
This collection of historic dialogue is just what I was looking for. The simply and powerfully reprints the letters between Adams, the older more conservative thought leader for a nation, and Jefferson, the quiet country Gentleman who gave voice to that nation. This chronilogical collection of letters bring to life the common bond that brought together and then sustained these two giants; the love of well formed thoughts and learning. The addition of the Abigal to Jefferson letters adds a deeply spiritual and personal tough. A great tool for understanding the thoughts and arguments behind the norming and forming of the United States.
Not just for historians.......2006-02-01
I have a hard time reading straightforward history. Usually, I would rather read fictionalized or storified versions of history. This is my first effort at reading original sources like letters of historical figures. So it was with real trepidation that I started reading.
It has been so worth it! The words and ideas of these two great men (and one great woman) are really interesting. The ideas that they discussed and fought over resonate into today's political discussions. What makes it all so much more interesting is the falling out that they had and the eventual reconcilliation.
Still, if you are like me, there are times when you may want to skim just a little. There is only so much reading about the commerce of the New England Whale Oil that I can take. Ride through it though...the good sections are very good and sometimes mixed into the dull sections.
The Adams-Jefferson Letters.......2002-10-25
The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams edited by Lester J. Cappon is a remarkable book containing letter correspondence of the time when the United States was being formed and for fifty more years.
It is very interesting to read their letters to find out what really was on their minds concerning issues of the day. Americana at its best is what you come away with after reading these letters. The letters are in chronological order and are placed in order of response to the letter sent. Thomas Jefferson was a very prolific letter writer and the subjects the he discussed with John Adams vary greatly, but that is what made these letters very interesting. Also, the depth and the detail of the letters is remarkable.
Abigail Adams for a woman of her time was well versed and her letters to both Jefferson and her husband showed character, wit, and resolve. She was well aware of what was going on around her and you could tell by her letters that she loved her husband while he was away in the duty of his country.
This collection of letters is a real treasure, if you read or study the American Revolution, you have to own this book. This makes an excellent reference volume to fall back on when you get to the footnotes and want a more detailed reference, you can with these letters readily at hand.
I would recommend this volume for your home library.
Book Description
Impoverished young Americans had no greater champion during the Depression than Eleanor Roosevelt. As First Lady, Mrs. Roosevelt used her newspaper columns and radio broadcasts to crusade for expanded federal aid to poor children and teens. She was the most visible spokesperson for the National Youth Administration, the New Deal's central agency for aiding the needy young, and she was adamant in insisting that federal aid to young people be administered without discrimination so that it reached blacks as well as whites, girls as well as boys.
This activism made Mrs. Roosevelt a beloved figure among poor teens and children, who between 1933 and 1941 wrote her thousands of letters describing their problems and requesting her help. Dear Mrs. Roosevelt presents nearly 200 of these extraordinary documents to open a window into the lives of the Depression's youngest victims. In their own words, the letter writers confide what it was like to be needy and young during the worst economic crisis in American history.
Revealing both the strengths and the limitations of New Deal liberalism, this book depicts an administration concerned and caring enough to elicit such moving appeals for help yet unable to respond in the very personal ways the letter writers hoped.
Customer Reviews:
An interesting book of letters to Mrs. Roosevelt.......2006-05-04
Robert Cohen has taken letters from children (and young adults) who wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt asking for help during the Great Depression. Mrs. Roosevelt had become a beacon of hope for millions of Americans who had lost everything in the Depression and the letters are, at times, difficult to read due to the needs of the people writing directly to her hoping she would sent them money, clothes or other items to help their families.
Cohen takes each group of letters and introduces them with a short chapter explaining in more detail the issues addressed in the letters.
The fact that so many people wrote to Mrs. Roosevelt (more than 300,000 letters) and the fact that her staff was overwhelmed and unable to do much more than send form letters in return or refer some of the people to social agencies speaks volumes of the fact that the New Deal just could not possibly help everyone.
A wonderful way to learn about our grandparent's generation........2003-08-13
This book contains absolutely touching letters written by the youth of America during a time when the country was struggling feed, clothe, and employ a large part of the population. Robert Cohen must have spent millions of hours researching the letters that were kept by Mrs. Roosevelt's staff.
Chapters focus on the following subjects: Ill-Clothed, Ill-Housed, Ill-Fed; Education; Social Life; and Minorities. Mr. Cohen draws conclusions based on the letters he researched, then includes letters written to Mrs. Roosevelt from the children. The letters are, for the most part, heartbreaking - I wouldn't recommend reading more than 4 a day, otherwise you might be overwhelmed.
This book gave me a greater understanding of what my grandparents lived through. I also that some things in life never change - our desire for art and culture, education, and societal acceptance.
A must-read for anyone with an interest in history, or for someone who is interested in hearing firsthand accounts of what life was like for a large part of the American population in the late 1920's and early 1930's.
Books:
- Uncommon Carriers
- Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited
- Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Rom
- Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public
- Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do
- Working With Contracts: What Law School Doesn't Teach You (PLI Press's Corporate and Securities Law Library) (Pli Press's Corporate and Securities Law Library)
- 101 Uses for a Bridesmaid Dress
- A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems
- The Everything Dog Training and Tricks Book
- Impossible Images: Contemporary Art After the Holocaust
- Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- That Sweet Enemy: The French and the British from the Sun King to the Present
- The Merchant of Venice
- The Autobiography of a Super Tramp
- Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Corporate Creativity
- Mission Critical: The 7 Strategic Traps That Derail Even the Smartest Companies
- The Armadillo from Amarillo
Memoirs (Penguin Classics)
Lincoln: Speeches and Writings: Volume 2: 1859-1865 (Library of America)
Abraham Lincoln : Speeches and Writings 1832-1858 (Library of America)
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (The American Civil War)
The Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee (Civil War Library)
