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1812: A Novel by David Nevin

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Good but with problems If you do not already know something about the War of 1812, I cannot recommend this book for your reading pleasure. Why not? The author, David Nevin, goes into the story without much of an explanation of who the characters are and just assumes you know who they are. I would have recommended a small two to three page introduction that laid out the issues of the day and something about the personalities of the day as well. Dolley Madison (1768-1849) Instead, we spend page after page getting these introductions as a part of the story. Along the way, Nevin introduces us to the innermost thoughts of such people as James Madison, Andrew Jackson, Winfield Scott and Dolley Madison. Nevin seems fascinated in exploring each of these characters as sexual beings. We get to read about James Madison's lusting for Dolley (he refers to her breasts so often that I blush when I see Madison in my history book). However, the book is saved by his descrip

Campaigns of the Civil War: A Photographic History by Walter Geer

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A very solid but one-dimensional look at the Civil War Union General Lewis "Lew" Wallace (1827-1905) Originally published in 1926 Photographic History edition published in 2009 by Konecky and Konecky . Walter Geer's title for this book, Campaigns of the Civil War: a Photographic History , certainly describes it - this is a no-frills look at the battle action of the Civil War with little analysis of the political situation that led to the war or influenced the way it was prosecuted.  There is no chapter about the daily life of the typical soldier. There is nothing about home front difficulties or even much about the navies of either side. So, if you are looking for an in-depth history of the war, this is not your book. But, if you are a serious student of the war, especially the land campaigns, this is a very solid history. The text is strong, but almost all of the original maps are too busy. They are clearly the style of map that was popular when the book wa

The Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution by Brion McClanahan

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Great as a resource but... Published in 2012 by Regnery History 197 pages of text, 63 pages of appendices, end notes and an index. I am torn when it comes to this book, which is the reason for the three star review. I will start with the positives: -McClanahan gives a thorough, research-based look at the original arguments that went into the creation of the Constitution and is aiming right at the current debates about the proper roles of federal, state and local governments. This is a timely work and points out the obvious truth that our national government is busy doing things in 2012 that it was never designed to do and it has been doing those things for a long time despite the stated fears of many of the Founding Fathers that the government would eventually become bloated and intrusive . -He points out both sides of the arguments and provides generous quotes that explain how the discussions progressed and eventually resolved themselves. This is a very strong point, in my

London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) (audiobook) by James Patterson

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Published by Hatchette Audio in 2004 Read by Peter J. Fernandez and Denis O'Hare Duration: 8 hours, 19 minutes The real problem with James Patterson's works right now is that he has become a corporate thing - James Patterson, Inc. James Patterson, Inc. produces a large amount of books, movies and even TV shows, but like nationwide fast food chains that produce large amounts of food in a short amount of time, Patterson's prodigious output suffers from a serious lack of quality. The last 3 Patterson books I've reviewed have all had gaping holes in the plot. Does he even have his work edited any longer, or do they just print them up as soon as the rough draft comes in? London Bridges features Alex Cross, Patterson's most enduring character and the star of much better books like Kiss the Girls . In this one, Alex is confronted by two of his arch-villain foes at the same time - the Weasel and the Wolf. Unfortunately, Alex is cheapened by being in

Lonely Planet Not For Parents: The Travel Book by Michael DuBois, Katri Hilden and Jane Price

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Have a little fun, learn a little something Published by Lonely Planet in 2011. 208 pages. The cover of this book perfectly describes it: "Cool stuff to know about every country in the world." Inside, every country, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe has one page in this book. Every page includes some basic facts, including the flag, the population, the language spoken, the currency and its area in square miles and kilometers. But, that is not the strength of this book. The best feature of this book is the rest of each page - the random facts that make each country unique. For example, on the United Arab Emirates page we learn that they have the world's tallest building (about twice as tall as the Empire State Building), see a design created out of man-made islands and learn that they make snow on an indoor ski slope in a shopping mall there. Everything is laid out with beautiful color pictures, always has information about people and animals in the country and i

The Thin Man & The Maltese Falcon (audiobook) by Dashiell Hammett

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Two Classics in One Package Published in 2011 by AudioGO. Narrated by William Dufris Duration: approximately 13 hours. I am reluctant to admit this but although I was very aware of these classic detective tales, I had never read either of these two books nor seen any of their many movie adaptations (however, I have seen many clips from the Bogart version of The Maltese Falcon over the years). So, when I found the unabridged audio versions of both of them I just had to get them - if for no other reason than to just end my ignorance. The Thin Man was originally written in 1934 (although it is set in the late 1920s) and is Dashiell Hammett's fifth and last novel. It features a wealthy husband and wife crime-fighting duo. They are in New York City to renew some friendships, paint the town red and have an all around good time. Nick Charles is a former private detective who has quit the business to help his wife manage her extensive business holdings.  A mystery involving a