Yes, if you don’t mind, and thank you. My most recent books I’ve read are the aforementioned John Adams, Team Of Rivals by Doris Goodwin (which is awesome, btw), American Caeser by William Manchester (about Douglas MacArthur, also quite good) and Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History by Fawn Brodie.
Just so, you know, don’t recommend ones I just read.
The Photograph by Penelope Lively, from the library. I had her confused with Margot Livesey, who wrote the wonderful Margot Moves the Furniture.
It’s about a widower who finds a photo of his late wife. She’s holding hands with her sister’s husband, and a note accompanying the photo convinces the widower that they were having an affair. Even though his wife has been dead for years, he’s determined to find out what happened.
The book started slowly, and I didn’t like the husband at all, but I stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish. I suppose the moral of the story is don’t take people at face value, and that you never really know another person. In this guy’s case, he didn’t try very hard to know his wife when she was alive, but I still got something from the story.
Next up is Bad by John Connolly, then something by Greg Iles, and then Sunnyside by Glenn David Gold. Anyone read that one? I’ve been advised to skip the Russia stuff.
Recently finished Fool by Christopher Moore and Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett, which gets me a little closer to making it all the way through Discworld.
Just started the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.
Elendils Heir, where are those recco’s?
We need a broken promise smiley…
My apologies. I’ve been very busy.
Several of these are Pulitzer winners, and richly deserved them:
Joseph Ellis, Founding Brothers - A great look at the Framers of the Constitution and their relationships - sometimes friendly, sometimes not, always competitive - with each other.
Garry Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg - Disassembles and explains the Gettysburg Address - literate, classy and insightful.
James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom - One of the best one-volume histories of the Civil War out there, IMHO.
Geoffrey Ward et al., The Civil War - Ditto.
David McCullough, Truman - A great bio of a long-unappreciated leader. Having just read Manchester’s book on MacArthur, you’ll appreciate the view from the White House on his firing (including a very funny joke memo, not meant for circulation outside of the West Wing, about MacArthur’s triumphant return to the capital).
James Flexner, Washington: The Indispensable Man - Also a great bio. Read this to see just why Washington was so vital to the cause of American independence, and then how he practically invented the Presidency.
Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton - A magnificent, highly readable profile of the brilliant but deeply flawed man who did more than anyone else to lay the groundwork for generations of American prosperity.
Awesome! Time to dust off the library card…thank you!
August thread?
Wow, I am really slipping! My apologies.
Work has been nuts lately, and since it looks like we might go under, I am feeling the pressure even more…
In any case, here is the new thread for August.
Glad to help. If there are particular people, places or events that interest you, let me know, and I may be able to suggest something. I loves me some history.