Most Americans have a fairly good understanding of the American Old West. However, few have that same understanding of the history of the West in Canada. J. Edward Chamberlin brings some clarity on the subject in The Banker and the Blackfoot: An Untold Story of Friendship, Trust, and Broken Promises in the Old West. Chamberlin… Continue reading
Prohibition – most people think this American experiment in outlawing alcohol sales and consumption was an abysmal failure. Not only did it encourage otherwise law abiding citizens to break the law, but it also spawned modern organized crime in this country. One of the early crime bosses was George Remus in Cincinnati. Bob Batchelor chronicles… Continue reading
Brooks brings to life the time period. Her descriptions of London are real and vivid and helps the reader to easily visualize the scenes. She also captures the life of a mid-level noble family – the extravagance and pressures of keeping up appearances.
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World War I is known mainly as a war that decimated Europe, especially western due to the length of the trench warfare. However, few Americans realize that their ancestors fought not only in Western Europe, but also above the Arctic Circle in northern Russia. James Carl Nelson addresses this topic in The Polar Bear Expedition…. Continue reading
I consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the Civil War, but periodically I am surprised by an event that I have not read about. This is the case with Timothy Smith’s The Real Horse Soldiers. The book is a great narrative and analysis of the Union raid led by Colonel Benjamin Grierson. Smith describes the strategic… Continue reading
My favorite Civil War author, Eric J. Wittenberg, has recently written a book on the Union mounted force’s delaying action on September 18, 1863 at Chickamauga in Holding the Line on the River of Death. Wittenberg is my favorite author because he details the actions of individual units, but also gives a great overview of… Continue reading
Unlike many books on explaining the exploits of fighting men, Lengel goes beyond the battlefield when looking at the men. He compassionately describes the struggles and trials of the men as they deal with the horrors they experienced in war.
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The Sorrows of Work is a short book that explains why so many of us are miserable at work. The book’s conclusions are a little depressing, but ring true.
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Hardy shines a much-needed light on the deeds of the Branch-Lane Brigade. The officers and men made their mistakes during the war, but in a number of battles their actions saved the Confederates from a crushing defeat.
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