Book Review - Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America

Title: Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America
Author: Robert B. Reich
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Pending...

Description (Audible): A thought-provoking, principled, clear-eyed chronicle of the culture, politics, and economic choices that have landed us where we are today—with irresponsible economic bullies and corporations with immense wealth and lobbying power on top, demagogues on the rise, and increasing inequality fueling anger and hatred across the country.

Nine months after World War II, Robert Reich was born into a united America with a bright future—that went unrealized for so many as big money took over our democracy. His encounter with school bullies on account of his height—4’11” as an adult—set him on a determined path to spend his life fighting American bullies of every sort. He recounts the death of a friend in the civil rights movement; his political coming of age witnessing the Berkeley free speech movement; working for Bobby Kennedy and Senator Eugene McCarthy; experiencing a country torn apart by the Vietnam War; meeting Hillary Rodham in college, Bill Clinton at Oxford, and Clarence Thomas at Yale Law. He details his friendship with John Kenneth Galbraith during his time teaching at Harvard, and subsequent friendships with Bernie Sanders and Ted Kennedy; his efforts as labor secretary for Clinton and economic advisor to Barack Obama. Ultimately, Reich asks: What did his generation accomplish? Did they make America better, more inclusive, more tolerant? Did they strengthen democracy? Or, did they come up short? In the end, though, Reich hardly abandons us to despair over a doomed democracy. With his characteristic spirit, humor, and inherent decency, he lays out how we can reclaim a sense of community and a democratic capitalism based on the American ideals we still have the power to salvage.

Description (ChatGPT): Robert Reich's Coming Up Short is a compelling and concise exploration of the widening gap between the promises of the American Dream and the harsh economic realities facing millions of Americans. With his signature clarity and moral urgency, Reich examines how systemic inequalities, stagnant wages, and diminishing job security have eroded the financial stability of the middle and working classes.

Drawing on real-life stories and economic data, Reich highlights the frustration and disillusionment of a generation "coming up short" despite working hard and playing by the rules. The book doesn't just diagnose the problem — it calls for a reinvigoration of social trust and public investment, advocating policies that promote equity and restore dignity to American labor.

While brief, the book is sharp, accessible, and deeply human. It’s a timely reminder that economic justice is not just a policy issue but a moral imperative.

Book Review - William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country: A Life

Title: William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country: A Life 

Author: James Lee McDonough
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Pending...

Description (Audible):General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts, and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end by devastating Southern resources in the Carolinas and on his famous March to the Sea. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's warm friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, his strained relationship with his wife, Ellen, and his unassuageable grief over the death of his young son, Willy. The result is a remarkable, comprehensive life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day.

Description (ChatGPT): 

Overview: James Lee McDonough, a seasoned Civil War historian and professor emeritus at Auburn University, delivers a sweeping and richly detailed biography of General William T. Sherman. The book spans Sherman’s early life, military strategies, personal struggles, and his postwar career as general‑in‑chief.Claremont Review of BooksProject MUSEBook Reporter

Strengths: Readable yet Scholarly: McDonough’s prose engages like a novel while remaining deeply grounded in research—even utilizing Sherman’s own correspondence to animated effect.Project MUSEPublishersWeekly.comArmy University PressReddit

Balanced Portrait: The biography balances military insight with an intimate look at Sherman’s anxieties, debts, troubled marriage, and grief over his son’s death.Book ReporterPublishersWeekly.comwarhistoryonline

Military Acumen Highlighted: McDonough brings Sherman's strategies to life—from his logistics mastery and calm leadership under fire to his use of flanking maneuvers.Army University PressKirkus Reviewswarhistoryonline

Compelling Character Study: Sherman emerges as a multifaceted figure: a man deeply conflicted yet decisive, racist yet capable of humane actions toward freed slaves.Book MarkswarhistoryonlineDallas News

Critical Acclaim: Reviews highlight its readability, narrative vigor, and meticulous research. Book Marks labels it “exhaustive, but not exhausting,” while Barnes & Noble praises its thoughtful scholarship.Book MarksBarnes & Noble
Criticisms

Psychological Depth: Some reviewers wish for stronger exploration of Sherman’s inner life and psychology.Book MarksCivil War MonitorDallas News

March to the Sea Coverage: Though expertly handled, the famed campaign is seen as sketched too lightly for such a monumental event.Book MarksRedditKirkus Reviews

Dense at Times: The narrative’s length and thoroughness may be daunting to some; a few critiques note moments where exhaustive detail dampens pacing.Book MarksCivil War MonitorDallas News

Final Thoughts: McDonough’s biography is a definitive, richly textured, and accessible study of Sherman. It sheds new light on a complex historical figure, rooting strategic analysis in a vivid human story. While not perfect—some readers might crave deeper psychological insight—it remains a highly rewarding read for both Civil War buffs and those interested in the complexities of leadership and legacy.

Book Review - Mark Twain

Title: Mark Twain
Author: Ron Chernow
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I loved this book. I was afraid it would be too long but that wasn't the case. Mark Twain has always been a hero of mine. I love his wit and ability to find humor in life, politics or you name it. I was surprised and a little dismayed at how susceptible he was to get-rich schemes and how it caused so much heart ache for him and his family. The amount of detail in this book is amazing and I can hardly imagine how much work it took to bring it all together. I totally recommend this book.  

Description (Audible): In this richly nuanced portrait of Mark Twain, acclaimed biographer Ron Chernow brings his considerable powers to bear on a man who shamelessly sought fame and fortune, and crafted his persona with meticulous care. After establishing himself as a journalist, satirist, and lecturer, he eventually settled in Hartford with his wife and three daughters, where he went on to write The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He threw himself into the hurly-burly of American culture, and emerged as the nation’s most notable political pundit. At the same time, his madcap business ventures eventually bankrupted him; to economize, Twain and his family spent nine eventful years in exile in Europe. He suffered the death of his wife and two daughters, and the last stage of his life was marked by heartache, political crusades, and eccentric behavior that sometimes obscured darker forces at play.

Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than one hundred years after his death, Twain’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted. In this brilliant work of scholarship, a moving tribute to the writer’s talent and humanity, Chernow reveals the magnificent and often maddening life of one of the most original characters in American history.

Description (ChatGPT): Pending...

Book Review - Boone: A Biography

Title - Boone: A Biography
Author: Robert Morgan
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Daniel Boone was a legend in his own time. I have many fond memories of the old Daniel Boone TV series. I realize the show was not completely accurate. So, it was satisfying to read a historically accurate account of what Daniel Boone was really like. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.     

Description (ChatGPT): "Boone: A Biography" is a compelling and richly detailed account of one of America's most iconic frontiersmen, Daniel Boone. Morgan brings to life the adventurous spirit and rugged determination of Boone, navigating his remarkable journey through the wilderness of the 18th century. The biography is meticulously researched, combining historical fact with evocative storytelling that immerses the reader in the trials and triumphs of Boone’s life. Morgan's narrative skillfully captures both Boone's legendary status as a pioneer and the complexities of his character, including his interactions with Native Americans and settlers. Overall, it is a fascinating exploration of American frontier life, making it a must-read for history buffs and those interested in the stories that shaped the nation.

Book Review - David Crockett: The Lion of the West

Title - David Crockett: The Lion of the West
Author:Michael Wallis
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I have fond memories of the old Davy Crockett TV miniseries in the 1950's. As a youngster, I never thought much about how accurate the show was but after reading this book, I now realize the show took a few liberties 😁. The book gives a much more realistic portrayal of David Crockett as a frontiersman, hunter, politician and somewhat flawed family man who was a legend in his own time. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Description (Audible): His name was David Crockett. He never signed his name any other way, but popular culture transformed his memory into "Davy Crockett", and Hollywood gave him a raccoon hat he hardly ever wore. Best-selling historian Michael Wallis casts a fresh look at the frontiersman, storyteller, and politician behind these legendary stories. Born into a humble Tennessee family in 1786, Crockett never "killed him a b'ar" when he was only three. But he did cut a huge swath across early-19th-century America - as a bear hunter, a frontier explorer, a soldier serving under Andrew Jackson, an unlikely congressman, and, finally, a martyr in his now-controversial death at the Alamo.

Wallis's David Crockett is more than a riveting story. It is a revelatory, authoritative biography that separates fact from fiction, providing us with an extraordinary evocation of a true American hero and the rough-and-tumble times in which he lived.

Book Review - Crazy Horse and Custer

Title - Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors
Author:Stephen E. Ambrose

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I love books about Native Americans and this book is one of the better ones I've read. The displacement of Native Americans by white American settlers through manifest destiny was tragic. The majority of the book covers the lives of George Custer and Crazy Horse. The eventual description of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was disappointingly short but overall, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Description (Audible): On the sparkling morning of June 25, 1876, 611 men of the US 7th Cavalry rode toward the banks of the Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory, where 3,000 Indians stood waiting for battle. The lives of two great warriors would soon be forever linked throughout history: Crazy Horse, leader of the Oglala Sioux, and General George Armstrong Custer. Both were men of aggression and supreme courage. Both became leaders in their societies at very early ages; both were stripped of power, in disgrace, and worked to earn back the respect of their people. And to both of them, the unspoiled grandeur of the Great Plains of North America was an irresistible challenge. Their parallel lives would pave the way, in a manner unknown to either, for an inevitable clash between two nations fighting for possession of the open prairie.

Description (ChatGPT): Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors by Stephen Ambrose offers a fascinating (and sometimes bewildering) dance between two men who couldn’t have been more different, yet shared a singular destiny: the American frontier. Ambrose weaves their stories with a historian’s precision, but also a novelist’s flair, showing how the lives of these two warriors—one a fierce Native American leader, the other a brash, doomed cavalry officer—ran in parallel like two trains speeding toward the same tragic collision. It’s a deep dive into history’s contradictions, where heroism and hubris meet in the dust of battle. If you’ve ever wondered how a man can be both a martyr and a fool, this book will clear that up—while reminding you that history isn’t always as simple as "good guys vs. bad guys." Prepare to be enlightened, and perhaps a little mystified, but never bored.