Ideas, Opinions, Genealogy, and Book Reviews
A exceptional biography of someone I had thought I never heard of. I had read of an event in which he was a unwilling participant in. I had read something of the U.S. Senator who was badly beaten on the floor of the Senate but I did not remember his name, if I ever knew it.
Continue reading “The Great Abolitionist”
Benedict Arnold was a hero and General in the American Revolution before he became a traitor late in the war. Why did he do this? Most of us may know little but his treason. This book fills in all those details of what came before the treason and discusses possible reasons why he became a traitor. The full title is God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man.
Continue reading “God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack Kelly”
I’ve read several books on the US Constitution. This was a great addition and I think one of the best. I learned quite a bit, especially the histories of the amendments as we try to progress toward a more perfect union.
Continue reading “The People’s Constitution”
A history that is important today as we try to understand the United States constitution. The full title is The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840 by Akhil Reed Amar.
Continue reading “America’s constitutional conversation begins”
The full title is The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy by Jay Cost.
American freedom from Great Britain was won by many. There were many visions of what this country should be. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were key figures in deciding how the ideals of the revolutionaries could be preserved in a lasting government.
Continue reading “The Price of Greatness by Jay Cost”
The full title is The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy by Jay Cost.
I accidently posted 2 reviews of this book and so posted the last one combined the some thoughts from the earlier version. See my final review of The Price of Greatness.
Those of us with an interest in Irish history often read about many an Irish Revolutionary. The English held onto Ireland for 8 centuries. The Brits treated the Irish so poorly there were many attempts to throw off the English yoke. Finally in 1916 some of those Irish Revolutionaries had partial success.
By the way, the label does depend on your perspective. To those who believed Ireland should rule itself and the Irish should have rights, these men were Irish Revolutionaries. If you were English or believed England should rule the Irish, these men were rebels or traitors. Continue reading “Irish Revolutionary and American Hero”
This is the time of year that some like to complain about the War on Christmas. Well, it is nothing new. For a bit of surprising history see When Boston banned Christmas on the FindMyPast website.