History

Background

Published in February of 2020, “The Splendid and the Vile” is written by Erik Larson that focuses on Winston Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. The book draws on diaries, letters, and other primary sources to provide a detailed account of Churchill’s leadership during the Blitz, the Nazi bombing campaign against Britain. Larson weaves together the political, military, and personal aspects of Churchill’s life, showing how he rallied the British people in their darkest hour and helped to change the course of the war. The book also explores the relationships and personalities of the people around Churchill, including his family, advisors, and close associates.

My Thoughts

I’ve read through a few histories on Winston Churchill but I really liked this one. As the subject matter time frame was so narrow, the author was able to get to a good deal of detail I hadn’t been exposed to before. I love a good story of pure grit and determination and there isn’t a much better subject than Churchill.

Recommendation

Great read if you like detail.

Background

A Promised Land is a book detailing the life of our 44th President Barack Obama from his run for the Presidency to about 2017. Published in November of 2021, former President Obama said he had been working on it for the last four years and there is still more to come.

My Thoughts

As always, it is good to hear the story straight from participants without the usual cheers and jeers interrupting the narrative. Having recently read John Boehner’s book dealing with that time frame, it gave a good balance to the narrative given. It’s amazing how much more polarized we have become in such a story time.

Recommendation

It was long but worth it to hear from the man himself.

Background

The Rise and Fall of Osama Bin Laden was published in August of 2021 and takes you through the life of the world’s top terrorist till his death in 2011.

My Thoughts

There were so many things I didn’t know about Bin Laden and his life. I didn’t know how well connected he was or how much money he had or much about his family and so on. I was glad I took the time to learn more. It did make me wish he was taken down much earlier on.

Recommendation

A good read if you are interested.

Background

This book is usually referenced as the Diary of Anne Frank. Originally, this book came to life from her father publishing the pages she used as a diary in 1947. Since then there has been a number of editions and translations. The first copy was edited by her father which is interesting given the light Anne painted her mother in and how her father was depicted.

My Thoughts

Of course, this was a depressing book because we already knew the ending. However, it paints a vivid picture of people just trying to get by while being hunted by the Nazi regime. This is more poignant as it comes from the perspective a young girl.

Recommendation

An important read but not a pleasant one.

Background

Published in 2007, Write It When I’m Gone is a book of essays and information from a member of the media that followed him through the vice presidency, through the Presidency and beyond.

My Thoughts

President Ford was outside of my time. All I really knew was the satire and a little bit of the history of that time. This book really changed my perspective in seeing a little bit of the man behind the falls and so on.

A few choice takeaways was how much he didn’t like Ronald Reagan and how approachable he was. I didn’t know about his work outside of the Presidency or how he really set the stage for the modern post-presidential business model.

Recommendation

Another solid read. I enjoyed it.

Background

Published in January of 2011, My Father at 100 is a biography of President Ronald Reagan from the perspective of his youngest child.

My Thoughts

A very interesting read. I have to admit, I didn’t know who the original “Gipper” was or that everyone called President Reagan “Dutch”. Ronald Reagan was the President I remember most from my childhood but there was a lot I missed. In some ways, this book was perfect for me as it gave me a picture of the man from the point of view I had at the time. That of a child…

Recommendation

A good read and worth the time.

Background

Published in June of 2021, The Man I Knew is the biography of George Herbert Walker Bush, our 41st President of the United States. This comes from the perspective of his Chief of Staff (Jean Becker) throughout the years as President and up to his death.

My Thoughts

I didn’t really think a lot of President HW Bush or Bush 41. As I was less interested in Politics at the time and more in SNL, most of my knowledge of the man was through Dana Carvey.

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/george-h-w-bush-supports-dana-carvey-cold-open/2872690

Still, I really enjoyed the book and am impressed with what he was able to accomplish. This book didn’t have much before his presidency, which makes sense given the author, but I was completely blind to the great things he did after his term in office. This book highlighted several things I didn’t know or just wasn’t paying any attention to. (E.g. His friendship with Bill Clinton, his service to China, his humanitarian projects.)

Recommendation

Great read.

Background

Published in April of 2021, Madam Speaker is the biography of the first female Speaker of the House in America, Nancy Pelosi. The story begins with her grandparents, parents, and finally through the events of her life.

My Thoughts

I am not a Nancy Pelosi fan. I find her politics to be far too partisan and left leaning for my tastes. However, I was surprised to hear a number of facts about her. For example, I didn’t know she grew up on the East Coast and that her father was the mayor of Annapolis Maryland. The book made a point that most folks believe she was a product of her district (San Francisco) and I have to admit I was one of them.

I can respect she is the first female speaker of the house and that she is a hard worker. However, not much else was endearing to me. (I did enjoy reading through the section when “the Squad” showed up and caused all kinds of issues.) She strikes me as a busybody social elite who thinks she knows how the rest of us are supposed to live. Unfortunately, she has the power to make that happen.

Recommendation

It wasn’t a bad read and had some surprises. However, I suspect it won’t change anyone’s mind about who she is. Read if you are interested.

Background

Published in 2006, The Audacity of Hope was then Senator Obama’s start for his bid to the Presidency. The book lays out his political opinions and reads somewhat like a speech. To say it was popular would be an understatement. It was a best seller for 30 weeks, endorsed by Opra, and even won a Grammy for the best spoken word book.

My Thoughts

Remembering the groundswell at the time, I recall thinking, “who is this guy?” He pretty much came from nowhere and people loved him. It turned out that wasn’t a flash in the pan response.

I was struck by how similar some of his statements were to President Trump and how others would be deeply unpopular today. (Emphasis on families, and so on.) He seemed forthright and honest in his communication. However, it was very interesting to compare what he wanted to do in this book and with what actually happened in his presidency.

Recommendation

Worth your time if you are interested in history.