EduQuery Book Reviews: History
Almost History: Close Calls, Plan B's, What if the D-Day invasion was a failure? What if the astronauts in Apollo XI died while trying to reach the moon? What if JFK delivered his speech that fateful November day? Such near misses to what might have been offer an intriguing glimpse into the minds of the famous and powerful. Roger Bruns of the National Archives has collected an entire book’s worth of speeches that were never delivered, letters never mailed, and press releases never released. But, had fate not intervened and the tides of chance moved in another direction, they might have been. They might have become the official remarks made by Presidents, generals, and statesmen. There are other fascinating tidbits in this book as well: Einstein’s letter to FDR suggesting federal funding of nuclear research; the original letter detailing the idea of using the Navajos and their language as undecipherable coders in the Pacific Theater (a son of missionaries who grew up with the tribe suggested the notion); the advertisement Germany placed in newspapers warning of traveling in war zones that appeared the day the Lusitania set sail. One part I particularly enjoyed was the Urban Legends section which detailed some of the mystery behind Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. Also, H. L. Mencken’s false history of the bathtub in America, originally written as a joke in 1917, remains part of certain history textbooks to this day. Almost History is a neat book that is a lot of fun to read. History buffs will enjoy the selections proffered, and Bruns offers excellent commentary throughout. Hyperion, 2000.
"In the Nineteenth Century there were no televisions, airplanes, computers, or spacecraft; nor were there antibiotics, credit cards, microwave ovens, compact discs or mobile phones. There was, however, an Internet …" Thus begins the preface to The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century’s On-line Pioneers. The book has a rather catchy title, and the comparisons to the similarities the early telegraph system has with the modern Internet is indeed uncanny. A more mundane title might have been, The Rise and Fall of the Telegraph, but that would have sold fewer books. Author Tom Standage does a good job of not continuously pointing out the similarities between old and new technologies except in the beginning and at the end of the book, providing a nice framework in which to tell his story. And it is a story well worth reading, particularly for those fascinated by the history of technology and its relation to social movements. From the late 1840s to the advent of the telephone in the early 1880s, the telegraph provided the first modern means of instant communication to a suddenly shrunken world. Standage’s book is easy to read with several interesting anecdotes, including appearances by more than a few eccentric characters. Take for example Dr. Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse, something of a crackpot who, despite a pathetic lack of scientific knowledge, talked his way into becoming the official electrician of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. This organization pioneered the first transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858. Within a month Whitehouse had fried the wire by mandating the use of excessive voltage to transmit messages. Successful and reliable transatlantic cabling thus had to wait until the conclusion of the American Civil War in 1865. Although we enjoyed the easy to read style in which the book is written, a dearth of footnotes providing source citation is a minor annoyance. Sometimes quotes appear to be completely unattributable, and it would have been nice to see where Standage drew them. Regardless, it is an easy and fun read and the book will no doubt open the eyes of the current generation to the fact that "Everything old is new again" holds true today more than ever. Berkley Books, 1999.
The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World Author Larry Zuckerman admits the title to his new book, "The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World," evokes laughter. I can relate, as I had to put up with several chuckles myself when people asked what I was reading. Indeed, one of the interesting things Zuckerman notes in this four century social history is the hard time the venerable vegetable has had in the court of public opinion over the years. Such holdovers from days gone by exist in modern pejorative terms like "couch potato" and "potato head." Nonetheless, valuable insights can be learned from this book, and students of history as well as education can glean useful nuggets for their disciplines. Originally a product of the New World, the potato was slow in gaining acceptance in Europe. Interestingly, one of the reasons for its slow acceptance was the fact that it grew in the ground. Falling under the category of "nightshade," superstitious peasants were loathe to eat it. Conversely, after the Irish began consuming it in mass, and their population exploded, it was opined that potatoes perhaps assisted virility. Wheat, barley, and rye were more established crops, and Zuckerman examines the slow inroads potatoes made in France, England, Ireland, and eventually America. The French were encouraged to supplement their crops with the tuber by Antoine Augustin Parmentier throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Parmentier made acceptance of the potato and the abolishment of various negative myths surrounding it one of his callings in life. In England, food was accorded rank among the classes, as were many other aspects of British life. Since the upper classes ate only wheat bread, the poor insisted on the same, and efforts to supplant the diet of both were many years in progressing. Most intriguing were the government efforts to influence the growth of various crops. In Ireland, potatoes had a slightly easier time when it was discovered they could easily be prepared and eaten, and the scraps could help feed livestock. But the country which accepted potatoes most readily, with few problems concerning superstition and class envy, was America. Somewhere in there is a generalization that can be drawn concerning the "bold experiment" and her colonial parents. Ultimately, of course, potatoes helped cushion the impact of famines in Europe. Later when populaces were more dependant on the tuber and the potato crops failed, wide-scale starvation ensued, often triggering mass migrations to the United States. In the end, Zuckerman makes a strong case for the power the potato has wielded on European and American civilization. Without it, the entire course of our recent history would not be the same. North Point Press, 1999.
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea Gary Kinder has really written two books in one with this modern classic. First is the historically accurate account of the last voyage and sinking of the SS Central America in 1857. The first national disaster covered by the media, and often called the Titanic of the 19th century, the Central America is given plenty of supporting historical background and drama as Kinder expertly weaves details of the California gold rush with biographies of the famous and infamous people who sailed on her final voyage. The second story is the one of entrepreneur and engineer Tommy Thompson, an inventive genius on the scale of Edison who overcomes a variety of never before solved quandaries to recover billions of dollars in gold at impossible depths on the ocean floor. As the historical drama reaches its climax, Tommy and his team in the 20th century battle treasure hunters and scalawags to recover an astronomical size of gold and scientific data from the wrecked ship. This is truly an exceptional book, and will provide hours of pleasurable reading for the historian and adventure lover alike.
It’s been called the first modern war. Mechanized infantry movements, electronic communication, rifled barrels, ironclad battleships, and submarine warfare were all introduced to the world in the American Civil War. But it was also the first war to be covered in detail by modern media. A rich photographic, journalistic, and personally documented legacy has been left behind by the participants and observers. With The Civil War Chronicle, a detailed historical effort has been made to offer these primary sources to the public in a chronological fashion. The benefits of offering data this way, along with
appropriate commentary, is immediately evident to the Civil War buff. But even those with
a passing interest in the drama will find plenty to feast on. Within the book’s pages
lies a wealth of photos, newspaper stories, letters, and diary entries. The famous and the
not so famous alike have gripping, first hand stories which speak across the years to
future generations. Many were aware of the historical significance of their times, and
took great pains to record events for posterity. Other sources, more partisan in nature,
took biased pains in illustrating their case to the detriment of the opposing side. The Chronicle stretches from November, 1860, when Lincoln won his first election despite the fact he did not win the popular vote (something which is ironically resonant today) to May, 1865 when the New York Times declared, "Peace at last." All told, this is a wonderful book, and J. Matthew Gallman will be greatly appreciated for offering this fine new entry in the line of Civil War literary efforts. Crown, 2000.
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Big Chief
Elizabeth: The Adventures and Fate of the "Big Chief Elizabeth" is the perfect title for this book. British transatlantic exploration began under her reign. The principal achievers in the era were steadfastly devoted to her, even after her death. And the eventual success of Jamestown was built upon the foundations laid by figures like Raleigh, Drake, and sundry other lesser-known individuals who served and remained loyal to her even years after her passing. Big Chief Elizabeth relates a swashbuckling tale of derring-do that features historical figures such as Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. Giles Milton is an English author, and he frequently uses the well-placed Briticism to the delight of American readers. Often he will insert actual journal entries from the participants, complete with period spelling, to give a first-hand flavor to the ordeals at hand. Drake makes a splashing appearance. The Spaniards feared him, called him "el Capitan." Milton adroitly describes the sacking of Santo Domingo on Hispaniola. The Spaniards could not conceive of an assault on their western side, precisely the land attack Drake used. When the populace fled to the hillside, Drake promptly started torching buildings, stopping only when the townspeople acceded to his monetary demands. Later, Drake is seen leading the fabulous battle against the Spanish Armada. When King Philip sent 130 ships to Britain’s shores, the largest invasion fleet to ever sail against England, Drake and his men sank half the Armada while suffering zero British losses. Raleigh appears early, making a charming impression upon Her Majesty to the chagrin of other courtiers. His meteoric rise at court offered him the financial freedom to pursue his dream of English colonization in the New World. He assembled the best scientific minds of the age, infected them with his enthusiasm, and provided the soul and driving force behind early colonial efforts. Pocahontas likewise plays a major role in the tale, from her rescue of John Smith to her eventual mixed-race marriage to an Englishman and her subsequent visit to London. Early British colonization attempts were laughable in their amateurish approach. The most heartrending account, however, was the final Roanoke effort which ultimately stranded colonists for some 20 years with no supply ships from England. The reasons included political ones: war with Spain, and a change in government when Elizabeth died. Milton offers the best current explanations for the lost colony by tracing events through diaries and journals from the later expeditions of those who searched for them. Apparently the colony’s people were able to survive on their own for several years until being wiped out by natives upon the tardy arrival of English ships. Milton notes that later generations happened upon native tribes in the area with Anglican features and an oral tradition of ancestry from beyond the seas. Milton takes his readers on a pleasurable cruise down historic waters that is very satisfying for those willing to embark on the journey. Big Chief Elizabeth is a most intriguing and well-written book. FSG, 2000.
Farallon: Shipwreck and Survival on the Alaska Shore In the early days of 1910, the SS Farallon ran up on a reef in the middle of a blizzard off a remote part of the Alaskan coast. Stranded in a cold, hostile environment many miles from civilization, and in the days before wireless became common on ships, the passengers and crew faced an uncertain future in the grip of a ruthless winter. Short on food, fuel, and shelter, the men improvised as best they could and settled in for the long wait to be rescued. Half a dozen hardy volunteers set out in one of the ship’s lifeboats seeking help, and faced a separate ordeal crossing hundreds of miles on land and water. Amazingly, in the end, not a single life was lost from the mishap. Drawing on eyewitness accounts, historical records, and other primary sources, Steve K. Lloyd has written a fascinating tale that is detailed and gripping. He offers a human drama of man versus nature that keeps readers holding their breath and turning the pages. He thoroughly examines the public inquiry following the mishap, and delves into the unsolved mysteries surrounding the responsibilities involved. An amateur photographer was onboard, and his photographs survived the adventure. Many years later, his widow gave the collection to the University of Washington, and Lloyd includes many of them throughout the book, offering a firsthand pictorial view of the stricken ship, the crew, and their survival efforts. Lloyd’s eye for detail slakes the readers’ thirst for information. His extensive footnotes are well documented and precise. In his epilogue, the lives of the major players are outlined in the years following the mishap. The ships involved in the story are discussed there as well, a welcome addition since their personalities were as real as the people who sailed them. Ultimately, Lloyd was able to visit the remote site of the wreck and gaze upon the remains of the Farallon itself. Pieces of the ship are still on the rocks of the uninhabited coastline, undisturbed nearly a century later. The book offers fascinating insight on early navigation, the Alaskan wilderness, and the frightful realities of shipwrecks and isolated survival efforts. Adventure novel readers will enjoy the pace of the book while nautical history buffs will enjoy the fine attention to detail. Washington State University Press, 2000.
Who Killed Kirov? The Kremlin's Greatest Mystery Sergei Kirov’s assassination in 1934 has often been compared to President Kennedy’s assassination some 30 years later. Indeed both shared similarities such as inexplicable bullets and the murder of an eyewitness shortly afterwards. But whereas Kennedy’s death led to the rise of LBJ and his "Great Society" initiatives, Kirov’s death led directly to Stalin’s great purges preceding World War II, with the Soviet slaughter of approximately a million individuals. For many years, information surrounding Kirov has been shrouded in official secrecy. Now, however, much more information has been made available by the Russian government, and historian/researcher Amy Knight has delved into primary documentation that has been heretofore unavailable. Knight is no stranger to Russian historical research, and her experience pays off with an intriguing and fascinating story. Tracing Kirov’s impoverished roots in the north, to his revolutionary political activities as a college student, through his meteoric rise in Bolshevik politics, and finally examining the mysterious circumstances surrounding his murder, Knight gives us a primer in early Soviet history and introduces us to the major historical characters who were intertwined in Kirov’s life. Inevitably, Stalin is implicated as being complicit in Kirov’s death, and perhaps arranging it for political purposes. That Kirov’s murder was used as an excuse to launch his purges is without doubt. Knight has done an exceptional job of research and has gone the extra mile to produce a readable and interesting book. Hill and Wang, 1999.
We Interrupt This Broadcast: The 47 Events That Stopped Our Lives Joe Garner has assembled an excellent historical resource with this book and accompanying 2 CD set featuring the actual broadcasts of historical events. Beginning with the first major disaster covered by broadcast journalism, the explosion of the Hindenburg, to the death of Princess Diana, and other events in between (assassination of JFK, Desert Storm, etc), this book and CD set can be used in the classroom as well as provide hours of enjoyment for young and old alike.
It has been said people go to watch car races in order to see the wrecks. Following that line of reasoning, the History Channel introduced a documentary series entitled Military Blunders. The companion book of the same name authored by Michael Coffey offers the same anecdotes, and the same paradigm, of the televised series. Military Blunders examines wartime efforts that failed, beginning with the assassination of Duke Ferdinand and ending with the invasion of Kuwait. The decidedly twentieth century focus of the book lends itself to the fact that wartime motion picture records came into existence following the turn of the century, and television documentaries are generally more appreciative of motion picture records than written ones. Thus, the marketing force of presenting military history from a "blundering" point of view is a strong one. Mistakes in wartime are common. Those interested in playing games of "what if" will find this tome fascinating. What if the Archduke Ferdinand’s driver had not taken a wrong turn down a Sarajevo street? Also, some mistakes lend an eerie quality of mystery. Case in point: The last flight of the Lady Be Good, an American B-24 that disappeared in the Libyan desert during WWII. Its wreckage and the remains of her crew were discovered years later by a British oil exploration outfit. Offered in short, easy to digest anecdotal chunks, the book proffers an easy to read litany of historical anecdotes. A handful of photographs in the center of the book help give visual backup to the tales inside. Fans of the History Channel and military history buffs everywhere should enjoy this well written and interesting book. Hyperion, 1999.
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