Book Description

The name and the face of Oprah Winfrey are instantly recognizable to just about every person in the United States. To millions of people around the world, Oprah is the embodiment of American spirit and entrepreneurial success; hers is a rags-to-riches story come to life. This biography takes readers past all the hype and hyperbole and presents a candid, balanced portrait of the flesh-and-blood woman herself. This well-researched personal profile presents a realistic yet intimate portrait of Oprah that neither canonizes nor demonizes her. The dramatic events in her life, both the struggles and the successes, are detailed with factual accounts that guide readers through the complex, and sometimes controversial, course of Oprah's life from her childhood in Mississippi, to her current position of extraordinary success. This carefully organized book also examines the myriad areas of Oprah's immeasurable impact on the people close to her and the public at large. Each area is well researched and narrated with an equanimity and lucidity that distinguishes this book from a "tell-all" approach. ... Read more

Book Description

Wagner is one of the most controversial of composers, and much that has been written about him--including his autobiography--is misleading. Barry Millington draws on the best previous scholarship and his own original research to set the record straight. The first part of this book is devoted to biography; the second, to a detailed study of the operas. Millington offers a historical review of the critical interpretation of each opera, including a discussion of recent methods of formal analysis. In this revised edition, two chapters, those on Tannhauser and Die Meistersinger, include significant new material. The bibliography has also been updated.

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Reviews (2)

This is a gem, history picture book makes GW come alive!
Put this in your home library! My kids want more and more of this. They love history but get bored without pictures. This author makes the past people and places come alive for them. They remember and understand the detailed and engaging historical tales.

Another clear, very interesting, great looking book.
Although the Amazon page doesn't show the wonderful cover, it shows the young George on a white horse--Washington's white charger became his trademark. Beautifully illustrated, and a direct, unfanciful text. A perfect introduction to the growing up and future of our first President, with no nonsense. The d'Aulaires were stylists and were accurate, visiting the sites. They won many prizes. They deserved every one. A perfect introduction to the life of George Washington. ... Read more

Book Description

Now available for the first time in years, My Turn at Bat is Ted Williams' own story of his spectacular life and baseball career.

An acclaimed best-seller, My Turn at Bat now features new photographs and, for the first time, Ted's reflections on his managing career and the state of baseball as it is played in the 1980s. It's all here in this brilliant, honest and sometimes angry autobiography -- Williams' childhood days in San Diego, his military service, his unforgettable major league baseball debut and ensuing Hall of Fame career that included two Triple Crowns, two Most Valuable Player awards, six batting championships, five Sporting News awards as Major League Player of the Year, 521 lifetime homeruns and a .344 career batting average. And Williams tells his side of the controversies, from his battles with sportswriters and Boston fans to his single World Series performance and his career with the declining Red Sox of the 1950s.

My Turn at Bat belongs in the library of everyone who loves Ted Williams, baseball, or great life stories well-told.

Red Barber proclaimed My Turn at Bat to be: "One of the best baseball books I've ever read." John Leonard of The New York Times said My Turn at Bat was "unbuttoned and wholly engaging...the portrait of an original who is unrepentant about being better than anyone else." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Book By A Great Ballplayer And American Hero
I have always been a huge fan of the game of baseball, the greatest game in sports. To tell you the truth, I didn't know much about Ted Williams. All I knew was that he was some great hitter in his time, nothing more or less. Of course, Ted Williams played in his prime decades before I even entered the world so I felt there was no reason to know who he was. I was more interested and knowledgable about stars like Griffey and Bonds, Maddux and Schilling. However, after the tragic and recent death of The Kid, I became interested, too late of coarse. I read articles written by Sports Illustrated and the like and then I picked up My Turn At Bat. Let me tell you this, Ted Williams is not just a great hitter, he is an American hero. So, to make a long story short, Ted Willaims writes about all his troubles with the press in Boston, his quarrels with fans, his military service, his fishing and hunting passion, and of cousrse everything else that a legend writes about in his autobiography, all from his side of the story. The funny thing about My Turn At Bat is that it doesn't feel like you are reading a book. Instead, it is more like you are in small conversation with The Splendid Splinter on a cool summer night. Ted Williams was the man that Hollywood has tried for years to duplicate. But he is no John Wayne or James Bond. He was America's true hero on and off the field, something that no baseball player today can become. There are a lot of great ballplayers out there today, A-Rod, Chipper, Ichiro, etc., but there are none that can come close to Teddy Ballgame. If you are a fan of the game of baseball, the way it should be played, I strongly recommend this book. In Mr. Williams words, "Put it in capital letters and run it on page one."

My second favortite baseball book of all time.
If you ever end -up talking baseball for hours with your friends then pick this book up. Because it is like talking about baseball with Ted Williams. You get to hear how an ecenteric kid grows up to be the best hitter ever, but still be an ecentric man. I never read a book by someone who loved his work as much as Williams, even with the disapiontments of his life. The book is realistic in its prespective. Williams is matter of fact (endless cool facts and pitching hitting deuls) about the negatives in his carrer. He shows his obessive side and professional drive all at once. BONUS GREAT PICTURES OF WILLIAMS AND OTHER GREAT PLAYERS! I also suggest my favorite baseball book of all time My Luke and I by Elanor Gerhig (OUT OF PRINT BUT DEFINATLY worth the hunt)

A Hall of Fame book by one of the greatest Hall of Famers
The story is an entertaining look at Williams' career as a ballplayer, fisherman and ex ball player. It talks about his strange career with the Red Sox fans that would boo him in spite of his brilliant hitting. His study of the game, especially batting and dedication to being a near perfect hitter is a pretty good insight into why the booing bothered him so much and led to some bad displays of resentment by him to the fans. The spitting incidents and the time he accidentally threw a bat into the stands and hit a lady spectator on the head are well covered. His resentment toward most sportswriters is a continuation of his reaction to the reception he received in Boston. It's a large contrast to the welcome given to Joe DiMaggio in New York and the rivalry between Williams and DiMaggio is covered too. In later years, Williams mellowed and so did the fans so that their relationship was a good one. One wonders what kind of statistics Williams would have had if he had not missed five years in the military service, being a pilot in World War II and in Korea. One of his statistics that I don't often see mentioned is the fact that he is one of only two players to win the Triple Crown twice.

Besides being a "Hall of Fame" ball player, Ted Williams was also a hall of fame fisherman and there is a lot of fishing talked about in the book.

Ted Williams was definitely one of Baseball's greatest hitters and an individualist, plus being quite a character. This book gives a good insight into these things in his "own words". It should be a must for any baseball fan.

Complex personality
First, a quick qualifier: the four stars is for "My Turn at Bat" as a baseball book. Unlike "The Boys of Summer," for example, it is not also a literary gem, nor, I suspect, was it intended to be.

That said, Williams and his collaborator, the fine writer John Underwood, achieve a peppery tone in the book that one certainly heard in Williams's voice when he spoke out after his baseball life. Williams's language is rich and funny and-especially when he speaks about baseball writers-sometimes bitter.

The book paints a vivid picture of Williams's childhood in San Diego which, he says, included countless hours playing ball in backyards and city parks. Ted is at pains later in the book to point out that his enormous success as a hitter came from this constant practice, not as a result of his keen eyesight, which was the subject of much legend.

The book also brings to life the storied Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, which of course produced a lopsided advantage in favor of the New Yorkers during Williams's career. You feel his frustration when he discusses the final-game loss to the Yankees in 1949 that ended the Red Sox season and the team's subsequent decline over the remainder of his career. That loss came after his poor showing in the 1946 World Series-the only one of his career-and a season-ending playoff loss to the Indians in 1948.

These frustrations and his vicious battles with the press bring out the human side of Ted, important because as a hitter he seemed to most in a world of his own. To his credit, he doesn't dwell unduly on his achievements, but to ignore the magnitude of them is impossible: only one season below .300, 521 career home runs, an incredible on-base percentage, and so on. The humanity is also revealed in his description of his final at-bat (which resulted in a home run). Despite his emotion, he was unable, he says, to acknowledge the crowd (famously commented on in an essay by John Updike) despite its clamoring and the urging of his teammates to take an extra turn in the spotlight. Not my way, the Splendid Splinter says.

A final section of the book is also very interesting for Williams's comments on the secrets of hitting and his recommendations for improving the game. Some of the latter are timely for the game today: he urges hitters and pitchers to work more quickly, and he advocated before its adoption the use of a designated hitter. Personally I don't find that to have been one of baseball's shining ideas, but he certainly was foresighted.

If you're looking for much on Ted's personal life, look elsewhere, but as a fine read for the student of baseball, "My Turn at a Bat" should get a turn with the reader.

He's as mad as hell & he's not going to take it anymore
Rest in peace, Ted Williams, the last great angryman. This is a wonderful read for all baseball fans & for anyone who loves colorful characters. People have alternately called him the world's greatest hitter, world's great fisherman & the world's greatest pilot. Was there anything Ted couldn't do? Unfortunately, he was also great at holding grudges. He recounts in minute detail insults that go back decades. I wish he had let go of the anger...but I guess that's part of what made Ted Ted. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Marshall the Judge as Witness for Washington
This is the only Washington biography written by a contemporary who knew him and served with him in the Army. Certainly the longest Presidential biography I know of written by a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. According to Senator Beveridge's later biography of John Marshall, Marshall wrote it in installments, and sold it through the U.S. Post Offic distribution network, to make enough money to pay off his massive Virginia land purchsse which in turn enabled Marshall's children to live out their lives free of the need to write books or make land deals. And it worked that way. But that's not all this is.

The first entire volume says little about Washington, because Marshall felt he needed to set the stage with a condensed history of the colonies prior to Washington. Few of Washington's later biographers went to such subsequent introductory lengths, but then Marshall's law practice ended up acquainting him with the early pre-history of the deeds and conveyances of Virginia, the further elaboration of which can be interpreted as enveloping the rest of the colonies.

This is also a history of the U.S. Army, and how it fought and starved in successive cycles which are described in minute detail exceeding most other accounts. Some of this covers organized military campaigns preceding the declaration of independence, the scope of which I had not heretofore realized by undergoing annual waves of pilgrim-study in "My Early Education."

Leading and embodying this story of land and armies, and ideas, Marshall gives us Washington, illuminated most clearly by excerpts from Washington's own letters. Marshall also gives us Marshall, distilling out of military examples and instances of weak government preceding 1789, potent arguments for increased federal power to do the things our federal government has since done quite well: raise armies, raise taxes, subdue the Indians, kick out the European powers, build a strong navy, and take no back talk from smallish tyrants resentful of centralized governmental power directly and simultaneously exercised on each citizen, and on each state.

When Hamilton wrote that we need "energy in the Executive" he had to have been thinking of Washington, and Marshall catalogs this energy with meticulous documentation of each British officer leading campaigns against us, each subordinate officer on our side under Washinton's command, and how the constant maneuver of armies up and down the length of our seaboard was accomplished--usually without many shoes and without much dry powder.

So Marshall knowing Washington probably insulated him from too much disconnected iconography, and his writing is free of modern fixations on negative or unseemly personal or pychographic tidbits of trivia. Modern readers are left to cling to factual reporting of how Washington handled this British Lord or that recalcitrant congress.

There's a lot here in all five volumes, and the flow of the over-written parts isn't that bad once you get used to it. When one man had such a central role in all of the key events of our country's founding, and rode out the formation into its institutional phase, thereafter to die in bed at home, Marshall may not have been able to write it any other way than to go over all of the events, to catch the essence of the man.

Neat discovery: LaFayette was only 24 years old while commanding the French at the battle of Yorktown. Marshall quotes from the letters of Cornwallis (or maybe it was Sir Henry Clinton) who refers to LaFayette as "the boy." This is the same boy who later presented Washington with the key to the Bastille, which today hangs on the wall of the stairway of Mount Vernon going up to the second floor. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ernest Newman's study of the major Wagner operas (from Der fliegende Holländer onwards) was originally published in 1949 and rapidly achieved the status of a classic opera text, which it retains to this day. There are plenty of other, differing treatments of the stories of the operas, but none as detailed or as dramatically aware as Newman's magisterial volume. Of course, the reprint does not contain information about the composer and his works that would later come to light, nor does it traffic in current modes of thought about the operas (in some cases, thankfully). What Newman does is begin with a history of the myth or the tales on which each opera is based, widening that out to a discussion of Wagner's interest in the story, his involvement with its genesis, and an account of how the work in question was created and first produced. Since in some cases this gestation took years, Newman's clear explication does much to lift the mists surrounding even the simplest of Wagner's operas. He then discusses each opera in detail. The plethora of musical examples and Newman's understanding of Wagner's use of the leitmotif ensure that his readings are responsive both to the histrionic and musical aspects of the stories.

Reading the details of the often complex backgrounds of the operas, as well as what goes on in the opera itself (the discussion of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg alone runs to more than 110 pages of text), should immeasurably enrich the listener's opera-going experience, even in this age of the surtitle. And an appreciation of the range and cogency of Wagner's musical and dramatic genius, which this book offers, will serve to balance the unflattering portrait of Wagner the human being that dominates today's thinking about the Master. --Patrick J. Smith ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A classic
I won't repeat the praise that other reviewers have expressed for this volume. This book is a classic by a Wagner scholar who really knows what he is talking about. It is an indispensable reference for any Wagner enthusiast.

The best reference I have on the subject.
Scholars and critics say that Herr Wagner's talent was in synthesis. The negative critics, e.g., specialists in a field from which they feel Wagner has stolen, tend to discredit Wagner for that. The grail was not, alas, the cup used at the last supper, prior to the opera "Parsifal" anyway. What's more the Grail theme was plagiarized from Mendelssohn. The plot of the Ring was not, alas, the same plot as the German novel "The Nibelungenlied." Wagnerians like myself, rather, see that synthesis as a symptom of Wagner's genius. He was able to take a series of sources, stories, novels, epics, songs, and cement them into a supreme art form, Gesamptkunstwerk, better than the sum of all the parts.

Newman comments intellegently on all aspects of the operas. He includes musical themes--surely a necessity in the work of that expert user of the leitmotif!--and even the psychological dimensions of the music. (Before I saw "Tristan und Isolde," I attended a presentation of a musicologist who nearly broke into tears as to the depth of the music in that opera. His comments reminded me of those of Newman regarding the same piece, which reminds me of Jung, one, whom you might say, was a product of some of the same Germanic trends of the late 19th century. But, enough on that...)

I read each review before I see the opera to which it applies. I read them again periodically. They are magnificent, allow for reasonable criticism. But they also give the devil his due.

I cannot recommend the book more strongly for anyone interested in Wagner, especially if you plan to hear or see the operas. Then leave the volume next to your bed. It's well worth re-reading, learning all dimensions of the music of perhaps the best composer who ever lived.

Is that extreme? Perhaps. Was Wagner's genius extreme? Off the scale.

Read and enjoy it.

A superb book:astonishing learning, sensible interpretations
Ernest Newman's book remains the best introduction to Wagner's operas. He is astonishingly good on Wagner's sources, and on the draft processes Wagner went through as he transformed source material into his final forms. Other books deal with different aspects of individual operas in more depth, but this is still one of the books to start with. Everybody interested in Wagner should - well, the first thing to do might be to listen to excerpts from "Die Walku:re", "Tristan" or "Parsifal", say, and be awed by the music - but once you've heard the music, if you're still interested, you should get this book.

Laon

This is the place to start, the one you can count on
Nobody ever wrote more insighfully, brilliantly and accessibly about the titanic contribution of Richard Wagner to western culture than did E. Newman. This is a classic that should be read by all and anyone interested in what all the fuss is about. It's an old book but it's not dated. Take his translations seriously. Even though there are a lot of anachronisms (thou sayest...etc), they were anachronisms that RW intended when he wrote the poem. May I also recommend the Solti Recording of the Ring; the Furtwangler studio recording of Tristan; the Jochum Meistersinger and (gasp) the Levine Parsifal (the Knappertsbusch is sublime in so many special ways you may have to buy both. May I also recommend the Ring Interactive CD Rom. It is a blast. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great beginner biography
The entire "A picture book of..." biography series byDavid Adler is outstanding. Perfect for lower elementary studentsdoing their first real report. Makes a great read-aloud for non-readers as they are easily completed in one sitting. The cute cartoon-like pictures are kid friendly. But most importantly, they are loaded with information including a timeline of important events. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

George Washington's views on power
On the copyright page, a small disclaimer appears alerting the reader that this book consists of one lecture and portions of Washtington's letters and is NOT intended to be "fresh contributions to the scholarship of the American Revolution." I will not argue this but will praise Edmund Morgan on clearly and straightforwardly explaining an his theory that George Washington's understanding of power was far beyond any of his contemporaries' or of any other American historical figure. As examples, shows the reader examples from Washingtons' life and letters with regards to national power, military power, foreign relations and the comperative power of nations and the power that comes with honor or respect.

This is a slim work, consisting of less than ninety pages, but these pages have done a great deal to flesh out my understanding of Washington the person. Morgan has convinced me that Washington is a genius with regards to the understanding of power and the remoteness and aloofness that historians often find puzzeling is less an arrogant flaw than a deliberate calculated example of his understanding of power. While this, as I have previously said, is not a "fresh contribution," it is a contribution which sums up a difficult subject in an extremely well-written and engaging way. I highly recommend it.

A brief look at Washington
This is not one of Edmund Morgan's more important books, but it is worth looking at if you like Morgan's writings (as I do passionately), or if you are a George Washington buff. This is a very slim volume, consisting of one very interesting lecture on Washington as a military and political leader (arguing that Washington understood the nature of power better than anybody else in his day in the colonies or the states), and a selection of Washington's letters that provide corroboration for Morgan's arguments and insight into the pertinent topics. Where needed, Morgan provides a brief introduction to each letter. I enjoyed it, but it isn't going to make anybody outside of the two groups I mentioned above very happy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic
I thought this book was absolutely fantastic. I mean it was like KICK ASS!

A collection of magazine articles...
This was okay, but I got it as a gift and would not purchase it myself. It is basically a collection of magazine articles and gets pretty redundant. It isn't authorized or endorsed by Oprah or her company, and looks to be a shallow collection of reiterations of the same things. If you love Oprah, you already know everything in this book :-). ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In this volume, Forrest McDonald admits that George Washington was no executive genius, and notes that a number of his advisers and cabinet members were considerably more important in formulating programs and policies than he was. Nevertheless, he maintains that, but for Washington, the office of president might not exist today. McDonald asserts that Washington's reputation as a man of integrity, dignity, candor, and republican virtue was well-deserved, and that he contributed best by serving as a symbol.

The book covers the central concerns of Washington's administration: a complex tangle of war debts; the organization of the Bank of the United States; geographical and social factionalism; the emergence of strong national partisan politics; adjustments in federal-state relations; the effort to remain neutral in the face of European tumult; the opening of the Mississippi River; and the removal of the threat of Indians and British in the Northwest Territory. McDonald also describes the rivalry between Washington's two most important department heads, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Our First Administration
"The Presidency of George Washington" is exactly what its title implies. It is the story of the Washington Administration. It is not a biography of George Washington, nor is it even a book which revolves totally around George Washington. It is the story of the people, issues and events which made up the administration of George Washington.

The book starts out with an introduction into the United States of 1789. The regions and interests, as well as the political alignments, which supported and opposed the adoption of the Constitution are explained in some detail. The economy, trade, finance and the neighboring powers of Spain and England all laid the background for America's experiment with its new Constitution.

The first task facing Washington was the establishment of the National Government. While reading this book we come to understand just how little guidance he had from the Constitution. Many of the practices which we take for granted derive, not from the Constitution, but from precedents established by Washington and his successors. The title of address for the President and the role of the heads of the executive departments, which were to become the cabinet, were among the first issues to be addressed. The role of the Senate in granting "advice and consent" on foreign policy matters had to be defined. An early trial occurred when President Washington appeared in the Senate to present his proposals and ask for advise and consent. After this awkward exercise, the practice was established that the executive would formulate policies and negotiate treaties, which would then presented for advice and consent.

The power of removal of executive officers also had to be refined. It was presumed by some that any officer who required Senate confirmation for appointment, also required Senate consent for removal. It was the Washington Administration which established the principle that executive officers could be removed by the President without Congressional approval. This was an issue which was to be resurrected during the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

Beyond organizational problems, the towering challenge facing the administration was that of finance. The debts of the Continental Congress and the states raised a myriad of issues. Should debts be paid? Should the debts be paid at par? Should payment be made to the bearer, who had often bought the bonds at a discount, or should some or all of the payment be made to the original lender? Should the national government assume the debts of the states? All of these issues had important consequences to the credit worthiness of the government. The assumption of state war debts had unequal impacts, depending on whether the individual state had serviced its debt or let it accumulate. Ultimately the Hamiltonian proposal to assume the war debt of the states and to pay the holders of the bonds was adopted, with the concession of the location of the national capitol in the South to win necessary support.

An issue which would remain controversial until the Administration of Andrew Jackson was the establishment of the Bank of the United States. One of the main reasons for the establishment of the bank was the dearth of banks in the country capable of handling federal deposits.

The domestic issues confronted by the administration introduced the spirit of party into the Administration. The differing views and personalties of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson brought contention into the administration. It was their personalties, particularly that of Hamilton, which came to be the heart of the Administration, even more than that of Washington himself.

The second term was to be dominated by foreign entanglements and a domestic insurrection. The advancement of the French Revolution and its wars with the powers of Europe brought European problems to America. The continuance or renunciation of America's treaty, made with Royalist France, was a hotly debated issue, as was the ratification of a later treaty with Britain. Acceptance of the Jay Treaty with Britain was, ultimately, decided in a reaction to alleged official corruption. In America's first encounter with Islamic Terrorism, raids against American shipping in the Mediterranean by Barbery Pirates, resulted in, again after heated debate, the establishment of the U.S. Navy.

1794 saw resistance to federal taxation on whiskey erupt into the Whiskey Rebellion. The assertion of Federal authority lead to the raising of the militia for the suppression of the rebellion. The declaration of the Rebellion and its suppression may have had more to do with Hamilton's desire to crush his political opponents and brand them as traitors than it did with any actual insurrection.

Washington's ultimate gift to the nation was his retirement and transfer of power to an elected successor at the conclusion of his second term.

This book is recommended to anyone desiring an understanding of the personalities who made up our first national administration, the challenges which confronted them, their responses to those challenges and their legacies to our country.

Excellent history of the most critical US presidency
The general consensus is that the two greatest US presidents were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I firmly believe that and in my opinion, Washington was the greatest. Before he became president he did something very rare in the history of the human race. After the victory in the war of independence, his stature was such that he could have been "elected" king. However, his honor was such that he had to be persuaded to run for president and then re-persuaded to run for a second term. He then thoroughly rejected any thought of a third term.
The nation that he led was still very fragile and every action by Washington or congress that was not explicit in the constitution would establish a precedent. Furthermore, the world was still a dangerous place, with the French revolution and subsequent European war creating a dangerous environment for the new nation. His actions in building the new government and keeping it out of foreign entanglements fully justify the admiration that he receives.
This book kept my attention from the first page as the early years of the new government are described. For this is a book about the Washington administration rather than Washington the man. So many legends in the annals of history were there and setting the tone for over 200 years of continuous government. You also learn of the emergence of political parties, as Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson and Adams among others vie for power and influence. Alexander Hamilton is the most interesting of these giants, as he successfully creates the financial institutions that made the country fiscally sound.
The more I read about Washington and that period of history, the more I am impressed by him. I have no idea what would have happened if he had been different, but it is a sure bet that it would have been worse. It is unfortunate that we teach our children nonsensical myths like the one about the cherry tree. The truth is so much more inspiring, and he truly deserves the accolade of "the father of his country."

Excellent and Concise Bio of Washington's Presidency
Forrest McDonald is an excellent writer. He produced a wonderful full length bio of Alexander Hamilton that I recommend to anyone interested learning about our government's start and the role played by the man second only to Washington in ensuring that these United States succeeded in laying a firm foundation for self government.

This book is one of McDonald's two contributions to the Univ. of KA's "Presidency Series." It is splendid.

McDonald concisely explores the challenges presenting themselves and issues demanding attention from our new and untested government. In just under two hundred pages, the author does an excellent job of boiling down the topics to their essentials and describing how the nascent government struggled to define its role, the meaning of it's constitutional structure, the balance of factions and America's relation to warring European giants.

His book accomplishes this with brevity, clear and concise writing and in an interesting manner. Along the way are fascinating tidbits. For example, neither Washington nor the Senate knew what "advise and consent" meant regarding treaties. About to send negotiators to several indian tribes, Washington walked down to the Senate to seek their advice on instructions for his agents. As the Senate sat dumbfounded, and then finally began to debate the seven points Washington sought advice on, it became clear how impractical legislative micro management of treaty making would be. Washington turned on his heels and left in disgust when it became obvious the Senate could not give him clear and definative advice. Thereafter, it was mutually agreed that the Senate's role would revolve mainly around "consent" and come when the President presented negotiatied treaties to that body for consideration and not before the treaty making in the form of advice. And thus has it been, evermore.

This is a very good book that will inform those interested in learning how our government got up and running and how important Washington and the players around him were in charting the course for our young government. ... Read more

Book Description

When legendary Red Sox hitter Ted Williams died on July 5, 2002, newspapers reviewed the stats, compared him to other legends of the game, and declared him the greatest hitter who ever lived. Richard Ben Cramer, Pulitzer Prize winner and acclaimed biographer of Joe DiMaggio, decodes this oversized icon who dominated the game and finds not just a great player, but also a great man.

In 1986, Richard Ben Cramer spent months on a profile of Ted Williams, and the result was the Esquire article that has been acclaimed ever since as one of the finest pieces of sports reporting ever written. Given special acknowledgment in The Best American Sportswriting of the Century and adapted for a coffee-table book called Ted Williams: The Seasons of the Kid, the original piece is now available in this special edition, with new material about Williams's later years. While his decades after Fenway Park were out of the spotlight -- the way Ted preferred it -- they were arguably his richest, as he loved and inspired his family, his fans, the players, and the game itself. This is a remembrance for the ages. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Truly a work of art!
This book is deceptively short, yet like Ted Williams swinging at a baseball in his prime --- it packs one hell of wallop! Amazingly, the reader gets a very well-rounded picture of Williams the man, Williams the out-sized legend, Williams the S.O.B. and of course in his most famous guise as baseball's "greatest hitter who ever lived." The last man ever to hit .400 for a season with 521 career home runs to his credit (including one on his last ever time at bat), he was also the only man ever elected to both the baseball and fly-fishing halls of fame. His life was extremely rich and full and reads like it was five lifetimes rolled into one. A fighter pilot during WWII, many argue he may have even forfeited some of his best years in baseball to serve his country.... Considering his well-established contributions to the science of hitting, that's a scary thought! Anyway, if you're looking for a short and breezy read on one of baseball's all-time-greats look no further than this book by Richard Ben Cramer.

The Essence Of A Baseball Great
Some new material is sandwiched around it, but the core of this small book is one of the finest pieces of sports journalism ever, Richard Ben Cramer's justly famous profile of Ted Williams which appeared in Esquire in 1986. This extended essay was also published in a fine photo collection about Williams, Seasons of the Kid. Williams' passing has brought it back into print, and with good reason. For all the millions of words expended during and after Williams' lifetime trying to explain him, I doubt that none came closer to the heart of the man than Cramer.

Cramer is also author of a much-praised and much criticized biography of Williams' contemporary and rival, Joe DiMaggio. Although his book about the Yankee Clipper was subtitled "The Hero's Life," Cramer found very little heroic in DiMaggio beyond the baseball field. Not so in the case of Williams. Revealed here is a true American original, loud, brash, profane, stubbornly independent, courageous in two tours of service to his country, the man who set out to earn the title of Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived, and who, in the eyes of many fans, made good on that lofty objective.

It's interesting to note that Williams inspired not one, but two absolute classics of sportswriting. (The other being John Updike's famous account of Ted's final game, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu.") Other books may give you more details about Williams' exploits, both on and off the field. But none will come as close to capturing the essence of the man.--William C. Hall

Wonderful!!!
I read this book in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. It's a slim volume, but gives you the "meat" of who the real Ted Williams was. If you're a Williams fan you gotta have this one!

Great Book by a Great Sports Writer
Finally, a book about the great Ted Williams that does not focus on his shortcomings. Too much has been written about Williams' sometimes surly behavior and it's about time that someone,like the the giften Richard ben Cramer, got past all that to give a illuminating portrait of Ted the athlete and the an. Great book for all baseball and sports fans. Highly recommended

A small book that says a lot.
This is a good, quick look into what the great baseball player was really like. It gives some explanations about his tempestuous nature and shows that he had some quite different ideas in his later years. His show of temper seems to have come from his intensely competitive nature and his striving to be perfect. He had a hard time handling any kind of failure.

The book is a reprint of the author's 1986 article for Esquire magazine, with additions for the years after 1986. The article is acclaimed as one of the finest pieces of sports reporting ever written.

Anyone who likes baseball should like this book. ... Read more

Book Description

At the end of the twentieth century, as moral standards decline (especially among public figures), our nation is in need of men and women of character.

In Character Counts, renowned thinker and cultural critic Os Guinness has gathered together short biographical and reflective chapters about four remarkable world figures who not only withstood the extreme adversities of their offices and situations but flourished and grew under pressure. How did they do it?

When did George Washington acquire the courage and tolerance to become the president of a fledgling new democracy?
What enabled William Wilberforce to forge the way for the abolition of slavery and reformation of morals in England?

How did Abraham Lincoln change from an awkward, undereducated country boy into the eloquent and determined leader of a war-torn America?

What inner strength sustained Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn during long years of imprisonment and exile in the Gulag Archipelago?

Concerned citizens and all who are eager to raise the level of character in this generation and the next will draw inspiration from these brief, readable biographies. The four insightful chapters reveal that adversity, apart from its power to overwhelm, has the potential to spotlight true moral character and produce life-changing leaders. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

As this book shows, Lincoln was a great man (get over it!).
I'm dismayed to see the severely outdated political agenda of the Allens of North Carolina overshadow their opinions and reviews of Dr. Guinness' excellent book. I really doubt that the Oxford-educated Dr. Guinness should be "ashamed" of himself for his "lack of scholarship" in any area he chooses to write. Nor do I believe he is simply parroting the "Yankee propaganda," (referred to in another Allen "review") which is an entirely laughable concept.

As for the book:
A person's actions stem from their beliefs, which form their character. We have all seen examples -- at the corporate, political, and personal levels -- of those in leadership exhibiting less-than-ideal character, which corrupted their actions. This wonderful book provides a pleasant contrast to some of our contemporary leaders by examining the lives, actions, and beliefs of some truly amazing people; especially and including Abraham Lincoln, a wartime president who took extraordinary strides and went through unbelievable hardships to preserve our country.

I'm currently reading my 4th book by Dr. Guinness, and have come to admire the author as a very strong Christian thinker and writer. As others have noted, he writes in the tradition of C.S. Lewis, and it is not hard to imagine him speaking to you personally as he guides you through his observations and reasoning.

I also recommend "Fit Bodies, Fat Minds" and "Prophetic Untimeliness," as well as "The Call."

The Dust of Lincoln
In a time when our nation (United States) no longer produces true statesmen with character such as Washington, Mason, Henry, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, I'm saddened that Abraham Lincoln is seen by the editor as a man of character. It would seem, if one is to be a thinking evangelical, that the horrors that Lincoln permitted in the South would un-nerve the most honest of scholars. Here, Os Guines has done a serious disservice to the orthodox Christian community. Abraham Lincoln rejected the Virginia Peace (which included former president John Tyler) accord and Sen. Critendem's compromise for peace. Surely had Lincoln accepted these plans for peace, thousands of lives could have been saved. But most of all, the total war theory Lincoln allowed is the most offensive and repugnate to any thinking Christian. Women and children were implemented in Lincoln's so called war to save the Union. He jailed opponents of his position, threatened the Supreme Court justice Roger Taney with arrest for writing against his war plan. Lincoln usurped the Constitution of the United States by declaring War against seceded states in violation of Article I sec. 8 (this is solely congress's domain). A nation birthed in secession hardly has the right to chastise those who operated from the same principle i.e. the right to govern themselves and self-determination. Os, you should be ashamed of yourself for lack of scholarship in this arena. Particularly over such a sensitive subject as the American War Between the States (Civil War). A man (Lincoln) who waged an offensive war against those who defended their rights and family against an unjust invasion has no place in a book where character matters. Maybe Robert E. Lee or Joshua Chamberlain could have saved you the embarassment. And no, Lincoln's war was not over slavery. Men do not take bullets so 10 % can own slaves. Character counts, so does scholarship.

Very Fine Little Study
Did the reviewer who found this "dull" read the same book as I did??? This is a very well-crafted, nicely written, penetrating look at some important topics. I greatly enjoyed it.

Required reading?
My school, George Fox University, recommends ("hint": requires) that all students read this book upon enrollment. This book might have been a valuable contribution to the public's outlook on character in public figures, but is incredibly dry and dull in presentation. These historical figures were real people who deserve a bit...well...a life. This book was written for a great purpose, but will never achieve a lasting impact on many people due to the poor judgment of the author in his choice of style of presentation.

by a discouraged Freshman

good biographies
This is a good starting point for the people studied. I found Wilberforce the most interesting, but that was because he was the least known to me.

The force of character in shaping events is an interesting point of reference for a biography.

I can't help but notice that stubbornness was a common trait. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

George Washington Young Leader
This book is interesting from a child's perspective. However the vocabulary and many of the concepts were a little too advanced for my twelve year old students to grasp. I was disappointed that the focus of the book was only on the youthful George Washinton. Since nothing much is known about his childhood, the author took a great deal of liberty in fleshing out the story. ... Read more

Book Description

This revised, updated edition of an acclaimed biography is a concise but complete portrait of Washington as gentleman planter, colonial rebel, American general, and U.S. president. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointing bio of America's first great leader
I found this bio to be quite disappointing.It is relatively brief, and many important events in Washington's life and career are only given a few sentences or paragraphs.Most of the author's observations regarding Washington's character are not presented until the end, and then they are disjointed and seem to be mere afterthoughts.The author also tends to group many subjects into a single paragraph, perhaps to hide the lack of detail.Compared to other historical bios (like McCullough's John Adams or Blumenson's Patton) this book is poorly written, difficult to read, and lacking in detail and information.I do not recommend this book at all.

A compelling look at both the legend and the man
Fleshed out with an additional twenty years of meticulous, exhaustive research and newly revised by Robert E. Jones (Professor of History, Fordham University), George Washington: Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Leader is an informative biography of America's first President. Focusing especially on Washington's trials during the Revolution and his service as President, George Washington: Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Leader is a compelling look at both the legend and the man, his foibles as well as his virtues, and his legacy and contribution to both American and world history. George Washington: Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Leader is very highly recommended for academic and community library American History and Biographical Studies collections. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dramatic and engaging
What my (now 6 yo) daughter likes is a good story. She can learn anything if there is some dramatic action involved. This story of George Washington Carver's life is just the right length for a young student (kinder to 4th grade). It starts with the drama of the baby GWC being kidnapped and returned. The illustrations are bold and capture the flavor of the text. It's everything you want in a child's book, educational, morally inspiring, and yet a truly good to read story. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Shocker!
Burke tells an exciting story in a book that is hard to put down. I was unaware of Teddy's sexual and otherwise illegal exploits, so if you were like me, this book will prove to be very informative. Burke reveals much about the character of the man for whom he worked and worshipped.

interesting
When this book was published it was hot stuff. A decade later it seems rather tame. Why did Burke write it? He seems to have no rancor against Kennedy and admits that everything Teddy did, he tried to outdo so the question is never really answered. The portraits of Joan Kennedy and Rose Kennedy are gentle, almost tender ones. The best part of the book is when Burke gets out of Kennedy's bedroom and starts talking about the political goings on behind the scenes. The chapters on the failed 1980 campaign and Kennedy's relations with the Carters are fascinating.

A highly personal look into the life of Ted Kennedy.
Richard Burke provides highly personal look into the life of Ted Kennedy during the years he spent as a staffer for him. He describes what it was like to work for Ted Kennedy in their professional and personal relationship. He also talks about the personal side of Kennedy's 1980 primary race against then President Jimmy Carter.

Kennedy was a hero to Burke and although he sees Kennedy for what he really is and at times, at his worse, he still doesn't try discredit the man or put him down for what he's done. Burke sometimes tells about how he tried to save Kennedy from himself in his overindulging in drugs, sex, and drinking.

Sometimes you might wonder if its all true though, but Burke admits that during his years with Kennedy, he was no angel either making it more plausible. Its not really a dirty little kiss and tell book. Its more of a personal look at Ted Kennedy by someone that was close to him and knew him well.

In the end, as Burke says, Kennedy for all his flaws cannot do a lot of harm as the respected Senator that he is now, so long as he doesn't become President, but his chance has already passed.

Richard Burke's Idol,who turned out to be a Shattered One
I read this book in 1992.I couldn't put it down.Richard Burke gives us an inside look into Ted Kennedy's life for ten years while he was working for the Senator.Ted was Richards Idol,but soon discovered what a shattered Idol he was.After reading this book,you realize Ted Kennedy is a nice guy,but not very bright,and Richard praise's Rose Kennedy as a wonderfull,caring person.If your interested in the Kennedy's like I am,you will enjoy reading "The Senator."

Not as "in depth" as it should be...
Of the many books I've read on the Kennedy family, this is one of my least favorites. It only spans a ten year time period, and mainly covers Ted Kennedy's extra-marital affairs. Of course, this isn't the only thing that's covered, but it's the main subject of the book. Joan Kennedy's alcholism is mentioned, but it doesn't even touch the tip of the iceberg, and the same goes for Ted and Joan's marriage. It's an interesting read, but only if you don't already know alot about Ted Kennedy. If you do, you won't learn too much. Also, I think that the author is biased since he was employed by Ted for a period of 10 years. I've just finished reading "Jackie Ethel Joan" by Randy Taraborrelli. Although this book isn't primarily about Ted Kennedy, you do learn a lot more about his marriage to Joan, their problems, his presidential campaign and how he used Joan during that particular era. This information (very fascinating, and will make you see Ted Kennedy in an entirely different light) isn't included in Richard Burke's book. ... Read more