Virtual Tour of the James K. Polk Ancestral Home

In the continuing series, we are going to look at the home of the President and First Lady, James and Sarah Polk. If case you don’t know, James K. Polk was the 11^th president of the United States. He served one term as President from 1845-1849, and then passed away, likely from cholera, a few short months later.

The Polks spent a short period of time together at their newly finished home, Polk Place. Sarah lived there after James’ death, through the Civil War, however this house was demolished in 1900. Polk Place is now only a memory, or in pictures.

Polk Place, Circa 1880’s
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The only home that actually belonged to Polk that is still standing is the Ancestral Home, built by James’ father around 1816. This home is built in the Federal style and is located in Columbia, Tennessee. Polk did not live in this home as a child, but did live there following his graduation from college and before he married Sarah – Sarah never lived in this house.

The James K. Polk Ancestral Home
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

This house is now a part of the National Historic Landmarks and is run by the Tennessee Historical Commission. You can visit the home to tour it pretty much throughout the year. They display an array of Polk historic items and occasionally host period demonstrations, such as cooking in their rebuilt kitchens. A 30 minute guided tour is provided of the main house and you can then explore the rest of the property at your own pace which includes the kitchen outbuilding and garden. The garden is a formal boxwood garden, and make sure while you are there that you don’t miss the one piece of Polk Place that is there. Preserved from Polk Place is a cast iron fountain and it has been relocated to the Ancestral Home.

Fountain from Polk Place
Photo Credit: POTUS Historical Sites Blog

The house next door is also included and is known as the Sisters’ House because two of the President’s sisters lived there at various times. This also houses the visitor center, orientation film, and the shop. There is also Presidential Hall which houses special presidency exhibits. You can read more about the Ancestral Home if you are interested. You can find out more about the exhibits and special lectures held here by following their Facebook page.

There is a video tour available courtesy of C-SPAN with the director of the Polk Home, John Holtzapple, as your tour guide. I would assume this is close to the 30-minute guided tour you would get when visiting.

You can find out more about the admission fees and parking and more description of the exhibits at the Polk Home and Museum website. If you happen to be from the area, they host a Polk Academy History Summer Camp for 4^th-6^th graders which allow them to experience life on the frontier – which sounds pretty cool.

Have any of you visited the Polk Ancestral Home before? If I ever visit Tennessee I plan on stopping there.

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Ranking Polk

Ranking the Presidents of the United States can be a very complex endeavor – however the Siena Research Institute does it every few years or so. Their most recent results came out in 2010. They typically survey a large number of historians and politicos and ask them to rate the presidents on 20 different categories on a scale of 1 to 5. They then weigh these categories to come up with the overall result and compare.

I’m sure that many of you don’t know too much about James K. Polk and I believe that is the same for the vast majority of the population. However, I have a feeling that he might actually rank toward the high end in many of the categories. Let’s see!

Background (family, education, experience): 17th
Party Leadership: 9th
Communication Ability (speaking, writing): 13th
Relationship with Congress: 12th
Court Appointments: 21st
Handling of US Economy: 15th
Luck: 7th
Ability to Compromise: 23rd
Willing to Take Risks: 7th
Executive Appointments: 16th
Overall Ability: 17th
Imagination: 14th
Domestic Accomplishments: 11th
Integrity: 24th
Executive Ability: 9th
Foreign Policy Accomplishments: 8th
Leadership Ability: 10th
Intelligence: 20th
Avoid Crucial Mistakes: 9th
Your Present Overall View: 11th

Overall Ranking: 12^th

I am relatively happy with these rankings for President Polk. Would you be surprised to know that pretty much since they started ranking presidents in the mid 1900’s Polk has always been in the top 12? I find this interesting especially because he is one of those who are frequently overlooked. He is often overshadowed because he is sandwiched between the looming Civil War Presidents and the prior big name Presidents. Many people don’t even know very much at all about the Mexican-American War. I like this quote from The Daily Beast, “Polk is easily our least-known consequential president”.

I think he ranks relatively highly in Domestic Accomplishments and Foreign Policy Accomplishments because he accomplished the things he set out to do upon his election. He expanded the United States to the Pacific Ocean through a war with Mexico (and subsequent treaties/deals), reduced the tariff (economics), and re-established the treasury (economics/domestics). His ability to compromise is rather low because, well, he didn’t compromise well. He stood by what he believed and didn’t budge much. I think his ranking for luck is based on his becoming president when he was really running as someone’s vice president at that point (he had aspirations for the presidency, but didn’t expect to get it yet).

Polk is one of my favorite presidents, probably ranked 2^nd or 3^rd for me. Do you know anything about Polk? If so, where would you place him?

Data obtained from the 2010 Siena Research Institute's 5th Presidential Expert Poll. 2010.

“The Overlooked President”, Newsweek’s The Daily Beast, Nov. 12, 2009, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/11/12/the-overlooked-president.html.

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America by Walter Borneman

Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America
by Walter R. Borneman
Unabridged, 13 hr. 13 min.
Recorded Books
Alan Nebelthau (Narrator)
April 8, 2008
★★★★☆

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Source: Borrowed audiobook from my library

“In Polk, Walter R. Borneman gives us the first complete and authoritative biography of a president often overshadowed in image but seldom outdone in accomplishment. James K. Polk occupied the White House for only four years, from 1845 to 1849, but he plotted and attained a formidable agenda: He fought for and won tariff reductions, reestablished an independent Treasury, and, most notably, brought Texas into the Union, bluffed Great Britain out of the lion’s share of Oregon, and wrested California and much of the Southwest from Mexico. On reflection, these successes seem even more impressive, given the contentious political environment of the time.

In this unprecedented, long-overdue warts-and-all look at Polk’s life and career, we have a portrait of an expansionist president and decisive statesman who redefined the country he led, and we are reminded anew of the true meaning of presidential accomplishment and resolve.”

I must confess that Polk was not someone that I remember learning about in school, but he came to my attention rather recently when doing some research on various First Ladies, and in particular, Sarah Polk. There is also a song my fiancé likes to sing about Polk which keeps him in my mind too, but more on that later this week. So as I endeavored to read about all the presidents, and I was organizing who I wanted to read about, I put Polk toward the top of my list.

I can’t even begin to explain how much this book taught me – not only about Polk himself and his method of politics, but the mindset of the time and his contemporaries. At times this felt beneficial and other times completely overwhelming. The author spends ample time on the political atmosphere surrounding all the presidents from John Quincy Adams up through Polk, giving the reader a solid understanding of just what Polk was walking into as President. The author also had a good source of insight into the President as Polk kept a diary of the days in office. Central to understanding many of Polk’s decisions is understanding the politics of Andrew Jackson, Polk’s political mentor. I do somewhat think that the author needed to bulk up the narrative a little bit seeing as Polk dies within 6 months of leaving office; there was less physical time that needed to be told about his life.

Whether I agree with Polk’s political philosophy or not (which isn’t the issue here), I admit that I admire the man for the fact that he campaigned on a platform, succeeded on making those 4 platform issues happen during his presidential term, and then decided not to run again because he did everything he felt his duty called him for. That is something the majority of the other presidents cannot say.

With regard to time spent on the First Lady, I have to give some kudos to the author. From what I know there is only one, very short, biography on Sarah Polk, so he didn’t have much to work with here – but he covered what I consider to be all of the important points and paints her as important to the President.

★★★★☆

I thought that the narrator did a commendable job with this book. The most important thing in my opinion about narrating a non-fiction is to not let it feel boring with all of the facts. Nebelthau keep it interesting and has a great speaking voice.

Author Walter Borneman also has written several other books including: The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King—the Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea, 1812: The War That Forged a Nation, The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America, Alaska: Saga of a Bold Land, and Rival Rails: The Race to Build America's Greatest Transcontinental Railroad. You can visit the author’s website for additional information about the book.

You can also watch a discussion with the author about this book – it was a feature on Book TV in 2008 (it wasn’t embeddable so you will have to go to the Book TV link).

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Practically Historical
• The Skoalarian

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Songs to Remember the Presidents

There are many mnemonic devices that we learn in school or make up to learn various difficult/tedious factoids – especially in history. One of those that plague many people is the list of US Presidents. Many of you, I am sure, have seen the Animaniacs Presidents song – which I am including below in case you have not… Here are the lyrics.

..but I’m willing to bet many of you have not heard these two presidential songs. Both of these are by Jonathan Coulton and I wouldn’t have heard of these songs, except that my fiancé is a fan of Coulton’s, and a lot of his stuff has grown on me – especially a couple of history songs.

First up, this one is called WashyAdJeffy. It is a real mnemonic device to remember the presidents. The idea is that you will learn not only the names of the presidents but also the number of terms for each. The number of syllables used for each name is the number of terms they served. Pretty cool. It only goes up to G. W. Bush as that was who was president at the time the song was written. Here are the lyrics.

The second song, also by Coulton, gives you a little tidbit about each of the presidents as well as naming them in order. This one is appropriately called, The Presidents. Its lyrics have changed slightly since it was first recorded and is performed with a variety of lyrics at live shows to include things that have happened since it was recorded (which was during G.W. Bush’s presidency). Here is one set of lyrics.

Hope you got a little chuckle out of these and maybe learned something from them. I will have the WashyAdJeffy song stuck in my head for the rest of the day now.

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: The Hour of Peril by Daniel Stashower

The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War by Daniel Stashower
Unabridged, 13 hr. 45 min.
Macmillan Audio
Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)
January 29, 2013
★★★★☆

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Received from the publisher for review

Daniel Stashower, the two-time Edgar award–winning author of The Beautiful Cigar Girl, uncovers the riveting true story of the “Baltimore Plot,” an audacious conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the Civil War in The Hour of Peril.

In February of 1861, just days before he assumed the presidency, Abraham Lincoln faced a “clear and fully-matured” threat of assassination as he traveled by train from Springfield to Washington for his inauguration. Over a period of thirteen days the legendary detective Allan Pinkerton worked feverishly to detect and thwart the plot, assisted by a captivating young widow named Kate Warne, America’s first female private eye.

As Lincoln’s train rolled inexorably toward “the seat of danger,” Pinkerton struggled to unravel the ever-changing details of the murder plot, even as he contended with the intractability of Lincoln and his advisors, who refused to believe that the danger was real. With time running out Pinkerton took a desperate gamble, staking Lincoln’s life—and the future of the nation—on a “perilous feint” that seemed to offer the only chance that Lincoln would survive to become president.  Shrouded in secrecy—and, later, mired in controversy—the story of the “Baltimore Plot” is one of the great untold tales of the Civil War era, and Stashower has crafted this spellbinding historical narrative with the pace and urgency of a race-against-the-clock thriller.

With the life of Abraham Lincoln being one of the most written about presidential biographies, I was surprised to learn about the “Baltimore Plot” to murder the president before he could be inaugurated. In Lincoln by David Herbert Donald there were a few lines of mention about this plot, but that was it. This book details the whole story, from the lead up, to the plot action, to the resolution.

Besides enlightening the reader to this little known, but very important, aspect of Civil War history we learn about the growth of the railroads and the evolution of the private investigation business. I was fascinated by the story of Allan Pinkerton. I had heard of him with regard to “the Pinkertons” as strike breakers – but interestingly enough, that wasn’t Allan Pinkerton, but relatives after he was deceased. I loved hearing how he came to the United States, built himself up, and created his private detection agency.

This was a fast paced narrative and not boring in the slightest. I appreciated the look at a new angle of Lincoln’s story.

★★★★☆

The narration was well done and engaging. The narration kept the plot moving. Otherwise, the audio production was a standard production.

Author Daniel Stashower also has written several other books including: The Beautiful Cigar Girl, Teller of Tales, The Boy Genius and the Mogul among others. You can visit Stashower’s website for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try listening to this excerpt of the book?

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Rooftop Reviews
• Book Hog

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Caught on Tape: Abraham Lincoln

It seems that Abraham Lincoln is all the rage right now – he is appearing in books, movies, and tv right now and attracting all kinds of name actors. I figured that this would be the best time to take a look at some of the great Lincoln films out there.

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

The fates of two families intertwine in this controversial silent drama, a period saga that recounts the genesis of the U.S. Civil War, the destruction it wrought upon the populace and the ascent of the Ku Klux Klan in the war's aftermath.

This is one of those films that are almost always discussed in any film class – typically because of the dramatization of African Americans as played by white men in blackface. Because of this being the only thing spoken about this film, I had no idea that it was about the Civil War or involved Abraham Lincoln. Well, I have learned something! In D.W. Griffith’s infamous silent film, Joseph Henabery plays Lincoln – however he is a less than starring character. The video clip below doesn’t really show the best of the Lincoln portrayal, however it does show his assassination – which I thought was well acted considering the time period. The actor playing Lincoln looks remarkably striking. The movie appears at number 44 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Films.

Abraham Lincoln (1930)

Brief vignettes about Lincoln's early life include his birth, early jobs, (unsubstantiated) affair with Ann Rutledge, courtship of Mary Todd, and the Lincoln-Douglas debates; his presidency and the Civil War are followed in somewhat more detail, though without actual battle scenes; film concludes with the assassination.

Fifteen years following The Birth of a Nation, D.W. Griffith’s comes out with another film…about Lincoln – descriptively titled…Abraham Lincoln. Unlike, Birth of a Nation, this film is a “talkie”, one of only two made by Griffith. This film gives you a little bit of everything – the early life, Presidency, and assassination. Walter Huston plays Lincoln this time and Kay Hammond plays Mary Todd Lincoln. I have to wonder, how Griffith’s portrays the assassination differently than in the previous film – so as not to be covering the exact same territory. From what I have read, the portrayal of the Young Lincoln is extremely accurate, but less than so during the Civil War aspect. You can watch the entire film below.

The Blue and the Gray (1982)

Based on the works of Pulitzer Prize winner Bruce Catton, this miniseries depicts -- with great attention to historical accuracy -- life in the United States just prior to and during the Civil War as seen by an artist correspondent. With a legendary ensemble cast (including Gregory Peck, Lloyd Bridges and Colleen Dewhurst), riveting battle sequences and intense drama, the war between the Blue and the Gray rips a nation -- and families -- apart.

Gregory Peck plays Abraham Lincoln in this series – and I’m not personally sure this was the best casting decision – he doesn’t really look like Lincoln to me and I think he has been better in other things. I have read reviews that range from it being a cheesy “soap/war drama” to being a well portrayed tv epic – so I don’t know what to believe on this one. It is a three part miniseries. The clip below is the deliverance of the Gettysburg Address.

Bedazzled (2000)

Nerdy computer programmer Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser) learns the devil is in the details when he makes a pact with Beelzebub (a sexy Elizabeth Hurley), who grants Elliot seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Trouble is, old scratch throws a curve ball into all of Elliot's "happily ever afters." A funny remake of the 1967 original starring Dudley Moore.

Ok, so forgive me on this one – but I had to throw this in here because it sounds hilarious! Brendan Fraser as Elliot has seven wishes which he uses to try and get the girl, however each of these turn him into a different person to fulfill his wish. One of these wishes, to be the President of the United States so he can change the world for her, turns him into Abraham Lincoln on the night of the assassination. Unfortunately, I cannot find the clip! Anywhere! I find Fraser to be funny in these sorts of role and am going to have to re-watch this film again. I had to include some lighter fare here. Despite not having the specific clip, here is the movie trailer.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (2012)

Honest Abe: he was the 16th president, the Great Emancipator ... and a righteous slayer of the undead spurred to action by his mother's vampiric murder. History and legend are both turned upside-down as Lincoln tracks the creatures of the night.

This is one turn of Lincoln that I didn’t think that I was going to like – due mostly to the ridiculous nature of him being a vampire hunter – however, this film really worked for me. This film takes the history of Lincoln’s rise from a no-body to president while embellishing it with his secret quest to eradicate vampires due to their murder of his mother as a child. What’s a little history without a little blood? I thought that Benjamin Walker made a convincing Lincoln – although he really looks nothing like him either. It received mixed reviews, but I found it escapist fun. I hadn’t read the book by Seth Grahame-Smith so I had nothing to compare it to, but I have read several reviews from those who have (including my boyfriend) who thought it didn’t live up to the book. I thought I had already reviewed this movie, but apparently I didn’t…so review to come!

Lincoln (2012)

Director Steven Spielberg takes on the towering legacy of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his stewardship of the Union during the Civil War years. The biographical saga also reveals the conflicts within Lincoln's cabinet regarding the war and abolition.

And now for the most recent…the film that has won many awards this season, especially for portrayal of Lincoln by Daniel Day-Lewis. This film was based on the non-fiction book, Team of Rivals by Daisy Kearns Goodwin and focuses on the 4 months revolving around the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. The cast is chock-full of other notable actors and actresses, among them: Sally Field (Mary Todd Lincoln), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Robert Todd Lincoln), and Tommy Lee Jones (Thaddeus Stevens). I haven’t seen this film, but I want to!

Have you seen any of these films? What have you thought about the portrayals? Any you would recommend? Who was your favorite Lincoln?

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

Lincoln by David Herbert Donald
Unabridged, 30 hr. 27 min.
Simon & Schuster Audio
Dick Estell (Narrator)
November 7, 2012
★★★½☆☆

Genre: Non-Fiction, Presidential Biography

Source: Received from publisher for review

“David Herbert Donald's Lincoln is a stunningly original portrait of Lincoln's life and presidency. Donald brilliantly depicts Lincoln's gradual ascent from humble beginnings in rural Kentucky to the ever- expanding political circles in Illinois, and finally to the presidency of a country divided by civil war. Donald goes beyond biography, illuminating the gradual development of Lincoln's character, chronicling his tremendous capacity for evolution and growth, thus illustrating what made it possible for a man so inexperienced and so unprepared for the presidency to become a great moral leader. In the most troubled of times, here was a man who led the country out of slavery and preserved a shattered Union -- in short, one of the greatest presidents this country has ever seen.”

I have to admit that I wasn’t planning to read about Lincoln until much later in my challenge mostly because there are SO many books about him available. You have books that cover his entire life as well as those that are focused on a smaller segment of his life. I know some things about him (as most people do) – so where to start? As luck would have it, Simon and Schuster contacted me with the offer to review Lincoln by David Herbert Donald on audiobook, so I jumped at the chance and the decision was made.

I really appreciate the approach that Donald took when writing this book. In the introduction he lays out the following: “In tracing the life of Abraham Lincoln, I have asked at every stage of his career what he knew when he had to take critical actions, how he evaluated the evidence before him, and why he reached his decisions. It is, then, a biography written from Lincoln’s point of view, using the information and ideas that were available to him. It seeks to explain rather than judge” (preface). He really seeks to keep the focus on Lincoln himself and not get tied up in all of the turmoil that was going on around him – which is something that other books tend to do. You won’t really find tangents on the specific battle of the Civil War here, unless it was something important to what Lincoln did or where he went.

The bulk of the book (and it certainly is a chunkster, with a page count of 720 pages and over 30 hours of audio) focuses on the time prior to the presidency – particularly his time as a lawyer in Illinois. While I appreciated understanding where Lincoln came from and how he grew in popularity to even become president sometimes I thought this section was a little too in-depth. The author went on to talk about the specifics of almost every case that Lincoln tried. I didn’t need these details. I think it would have been more effective to choose a few of the cases that were most important to some aspect on Lincoln’s development and focus on those. It got to a point where it was an endless list.

I appreciated learning about the relationship between Abraham and Mary – it made her a real person. Typically we see Mary following Lincoln’s death as a grieving widow, but Donald makes her a complex creature. It was also eye-opening to learn that most of the other politicians of the time period thought that Lincoln was doing a terrible job as president and that he almost wasn’t re-nominated for a second term. He is typically viewed as the greatest of our presidents by the modern American public. It makes me wonder how more recent presidents will be viewed once we are further removed from their term of office. If this book does one thing, it really gets you into Lincoln’s head which is a great feat since he kept his own mind most of the time.

I would recommend this book for someone looking for a complete life of Lincoln. However, be aware that the book ends almost immediately following the assassination, so do not expect an analysis of that issue.

★★★★☆

The audio narration was overall very well done. I thought that the narrator kept my attention throughout the book. My only complaint would be with regard to the production. There would be times where I was listening and the voice would seemingly change. I think, if this was done intentionally, it was to denote the reading of a footnote so as to help the listener differentiate from the text. Whatever the case, I found it to be a little jarring. I would have preferred if they were reading a footnote to say something like “footnote: blah, blah, blah”.

David Herbert Donald also has written several books about Lincoln and his times, including: We Are Lincoln’s Men: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends and Lincoln At Home: Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln’s Family Life. You can listen to an excerpt of the audiobook here.

Below is a segment from Book TV with David Herbert Donald discussing his book, Lincoln. This interview was a few months before his death in 2009.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Life is Short Read Fast
• Occam’s Razor

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

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A Little Bit of Trivia about Presidential Portraits

• Did you know…that all the official Presidential portraits are painted in oils?
• Did you know…that (in modern times) until the president leaves office the official portrait is a photograph?
• Did you know…that the sitting president often displays the official portraits of presidents they admired throughout the White House?
• Did you know…that the official portrait of Kennedy was painted after his death and does not reflect his character but rather the mood surrounding his assassination?
• Did you know…that famous painter, John Singer Sargent, known for his painting of Madame X, was the official portrait painter of Theodore Roosevelt?
• Did you know…that the first presidential portrait, of George Washington, was painted by Gilbert Stuart?
• Did you know…that the first ladies also have official portraits painted (although not all of the early ones)?

Here are a few of my favorites:

John F. Kennedy by Aaron Shikler

Abraham Lincoln by George P.A. Healy

Theodore Roosevelt by John Singer Sargent

Harry Truman by Martha Greta Kempton

Jacqueline Kennedy by Aaron Shikler

Helen Taft by Bror Kronstrand

Dolley Madison by Gilbert Stuart

Lucy Hayes (couldn’t find the artist)

Here you can check out the entire official presidential portrait gallery and the entire official first lady portrait gallery. If you visit the National Portrait Gallery you can check them out in person.

 

Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: Killing Kennedy by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Killing Kennedy by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard
Unabridged, 8 hr. 25 min.
Macmillan Audio
Bill O’Reilly (Narrator)
October 2, 2012
★★★½☆☆

Genre: History, Non-Fiction, President

Source: Received audiobook from publisher as part of Audiobook Jukebox Solid Gold Reviewers Program

“More than a million readers have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the page-turning work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

The events leading up to the most notorious crime of the twentieth century are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. Killing Kennedy chronicles both the heroism and deceit of Camelot, bringing history to life in ways that will profoundly move the reader.  This may well be the most talked about book of the year.”

As soon as I heard the O’Reilly & Dugard were going to be releasing another non-fiction work about another famously assassinated president (which I am now 3 for 4 in reading about) I was super excited to read it. I enjoyed Killing Lincoln tremendously and had high hopes for the treatment about Kennedy – especially since it is a relatively recent event that I did not know all that much about. I may have set my expectations too high coming in because the book let me down a little bit.

One of the things that I appreciated was that right from the start of the book, sort of an author’s note, O’Reilly set out to respond to some of the criticisms about Killing Lincoln and how he made sure to address those concerns in Killing Kennedy. In another connection to his earlier work, parallels are frequently drawn between Kennedy and Lincoln – some of which I was surprised by and were quite eerie.

The bulk of the book features the early life and presidency of John F. Kennedy – sort of getting the reader up to speed leading up to the assassination. These vignettes were interesting and inspiring – especially reading about PT-109, which I knew about but did not know Kennedy was involved in. These sections really helped to build my appreciation of Kennedy and contributed to my emotional reaction to the assassination (which I was not alive to live through, so I’m sure my reaction was somewhat different from that of one who lived through it). At the same time, we get parallels (especially during the Kennedy administration years) of what Lee Harvey Oswald was doing. This was a strength that O’Reilly built on from the previous book which was also one of my favorite elements.

The portion of the book featuring the actual immediate lead up, assassination, and fallout made up only about one-third of the book – which was a little disappointing since the book is titled Killing Kennedy – I expected more of the book to represent this segment. For someone who really does not know too much about this period of history there were some new things that I learned and it was a great introduction to the period (however I am unable to account for its accuracy) – however I feel that for someone experienced with the time period it was likely common knowledge that was presented here – despite the claim of new revelations. I’m not going to get into conspiracy theories or which view the authors took or whether they are right or not (we just don’t know until probably 50 years from now when some records are unsealed – pretty much all Kennedy books promote one theory or another). One other little thing that bugged me was that there are dates presented at the beginning of each chapter – which suggest to the reader that the events being described happen on that day or that we will go forward from that date – but I found them to be distracting. We often would get a little something that happened on that date and then jump around in time. I think it would have been more effective to provide a date range for the chapters.

Overall this was still the compelling reading that moves you right along and keeps you interested, however I wanted more.

★★★★½☆

My sentiments were very similar to those of Killing Lincoln: The book is narrated by the author, Bill O’Reilly, who I thought was an excellent choice for narrator. His tone of voice lent to the feel of the thriller as well as to a news commentary of the days. It sort of felt like you were hearing an account of what happened. He had great pacing and enunciation which really contributed to the overall feel.

Author Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard also have written Killing Lincoln and have a new book in the works – topic yet to be disclosed. You can visit O’Reilly’s website for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book or this audio sample?

My reviews of other books by this author:

• Killing Lincoln

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Tales of a Book Addict
• Mark’s Super Blog

 

Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy L. O'Brien & Giveaway

The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy L. O’Brien

ARC, E-book, 370 pages

Ballantine Books

September 18, 2012

★★★★☆

Genre: Historical fiction, thriller

Source: Received from Netgalley as part of HFVBT tour

“A nation shattered by its president's murder.

Two diaries that reveal the true scope of an American conspiracy.

A detective determined to bring the truth to light, no matter what it costs him.

From award-winning journalist Timothy L. O'Brien comes a gripping historical thriller that poses a provocative question: What if the plot to assassinate President Lincoln was wider and more sinister than we ever imagined?”

As many of you know I enjoy reading books about the United States Presidents and First Ladies, so when I saw the pitch for this one I was in. While Lincoln has been assassinated prior to the start of this book, we do get to interact with his wife, the widow Lincoln. We see her as a weeping widow, but I also felt that the author played into her “madness” a little excessively. We hear a lot about the late President through people who knew him well, such as Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, and others who frequented the White House so that he became a well-rounded character, despite being deceased.

The catalyst throughout the novel is these two diaries (I won’t reveal whose). Everyone wants to get their hands on these diaries (that supposedly no one knows about) for different ends. One group wants to expose a conspiracy, one wants to hide a conspiracy, and others was personal gains. This is a very fast paced read where from the very beginning we don’t stop to breathe throughout. While there is character development, it is done on the run, so to speak. I found myself easily getting to know Fiona and Temple McFadden and truly feeling their anxiety, horror, excitement, fear. This is very much the story of the adventure – reminiscent of the film National Treasure the way one clue leads to the next – however everything fit into its historical context.

One of the things that I loved was that you get a lot of history in this adventure story. We get insights into the Civil War and people who were on different sides. The tone he sets for the city of Washington felt real and palpable. We learn a little about the use of photography during the Civil War. I especially liked the inclusion of real historical characters with the fictional – among others we are introduced to: Dorothea Dix, Edwin Stanton, Matthew Brady, the Lincoln family, Sojourner Truth, and Mary and John Surratt. These characters were seamlessly interwoven into the narrative fabric.

There were two things that I did have an issue with. The first was that there was a little bit of revisionist history or alternative history. While it ultimately resolved itself to protect the real historical outcome, the way the outcome was achieved was different. It will be something quite obvious to anyone that reads to book, even if you only have limited historical knowledge of the period. I can’t say what it is or I will give away a huge plot thread. This was jarring for me while reading because everything else thus far had felt very true to the historical narrative. I also felt that the ending wrapped up a little too quickly. As the pages were dwindling I was trying to figure out how all of the threads would be wrapped up in time. It felt slightly rushed.

However, it appears that the author is going to be writing a series of historical thrillers set within the years following Lincoln’s death. I hope that Fiona and Temple McFadden continue to be our protagonists as they were quite enjoyable. I hope that you read this book for the fun of the adventure and story. If you are looking for something deep and profound, this isn’t your book, but for adventure within a believable historical setting, this is it.

This is author O’Brien’s first novel, but he has also written the non-fiction Trump Nation and Bad Bet. The Lincoln Conspiracy is the first book in a series of historical thrillers set in the years following the Lincoln assassination. You can visit the author’s website or blog for additional information about the book.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:
• Booking Mama
• Royal Reviews

You can follow along with the rest of the HF Virtual Book Tour for additional reviews, author guest posts, interviews, and giveaways. Also on Twitter with the following hashtag: #LincolnConspiracyTour

I have a giveaway of 1 copy of The Lincoln Conspiracy to offer for a reader in the USA. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below for entry. Last day to enter is November 17th. Good luck.

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Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: Jefferson’s War by Joseph Wheelan

Jefferson’s War: America’s First War on Terror 1801-1805 by Joseph Wheelan
Unabridged, 12 hr. 10 min.
Blackstone Audio Inc.
Patrick Cullen (Narrator)
June 17, 2005
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Non-fiction

Source: Downloaded audiobook from my local library

“Author Joseph Wheelan has marvelously captured the story of America’s war against the Barbary pirates, our first war against terror and the nations that support it. The Barbary pirates, a Muslim enemy from Tripoli, attacked European and American merchant shipping with impunity. Jefferson ordered the U.S. Navy to Tripoli in 1801 to repel "force with force." The Barbary War was also a proving ground for such young officers as William Bainbridge, Stephen Decatur, Isaac Hull, and David Porter, key players in the impending War of 1812 against Great Britain.”

The title of this book caught my attention – did anyone else know that the United States had a war on terror prior to the current one? I sure didn’t. I also knew a scant amount about the Barbary pirates, and what I did know was certainly much more current than the early 1800’s. While I was initially concerned that the title might just be drawing on current events, this book was quite interesting and informative.

This is a war that I was never taught about in school, and I think I can safely assume that many others haven’t either. The United States and many other ocean-faring countries of Europe faced the real threat that the Barbary pirates would attack their ships, take their cargoes, and potentially kill members of their crew or take slaves/prisoners. The United States was the first country to really flex its military muscle when it had enough of paying bribes to these pirate nations. Many of the great military naval heroes of the War of 1812 earned their stripes during these Barbary wars.

This book also read very much like a novel. It felt like an adventure story – you have exotic locales, daring acts of heroism, and anticipation. It was also something where I didn’t know what the outcomes would be – something I don’t usually get too often. The main focus was not so much on Jefferson, but we do learn about his feelings toward the pirates and his policy actions. I certainly think that this is an event that more people should know about and this book provides great information on the subject while still being an enjoyable read.

★★★★☆

The narration of this book was very well done. The narrator was able to incite excitement and anticipation in the listener and led to an enjoyable listening experience.

Author Joseph Wheelan has written several other non-fiction books such as: Mr. Adams's Last Crusade: The Extraordinary Post-presidential Life of John Quincy Adams, Jefferson's Vendetta: The Pursuit of Aaron Burr and the Judiciary, Libby Prison Breakout: The Daring Escape from the Notorious Civil War Prison, Invading Mexico: America's Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848, and Terrible Swift Sword: The Life of General Philip H. Sheridan. You can visit Wheelan’s website for additional information about the book.

Jefferson's War: America's First War on Terror 1801-1805 (9780786714049): Joseph Wheelan: Books ISBN: 0786714042 ISBN-13: 9780786714049

 

Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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Ranking Washington

Ranking the President’s of the United States can be a very complex endeavor – however the Siena Research Institute does it every few years or so. Their most recent results came out in 2010. They typically survey a large number of historians and politicos and ask them to rate the presidents on 20 different categories on a scale of 1 to 5. They then weigh these categories to come up with the overall result and compare.

As you can imagine, as the first, and iconic, president of the United States, George Washington tends to fall near the top every time a survey is given – for 2010 he is overall ranked #4 (just behind Lincoln!), but let’s take a look at where he fell in each category:

Background (family, education, experience): 7th
Party Leadership: 18th
Communication Ability (speaking, writing): 12th
Relationship with Congress: 3rd
Court Appointments: 3rd
Handling of US Economy: 4th
Luck: 1st
Ability to Compromise: 3rd
Willing to Take Risks: 4th
Executive Appointments: 1st
Overall Ability: 4th
Imagination: 9th
Domestic Accomplishments: 4th
Integrity: 2nd
Executive Ability: 2nd
Foreign Policy Accomplishments: 3rd
Leadership Ability: 1st
Intelligence: 12th
Avoid Crucial Mistakes: 1st
Your Present Overall View: 3rd

Overall Ranking: 4th

I think that this evaluation of Washington is pretty spot on. Being the first president you are sort of a shoe in for the luck, executive appointments, leadership, and avoiding crucial mistakes categories. The only ranking that I was a little bit surprised with was communication ability. Granted, I know that many of his speeches were written for him (whose aren’t these days?) but he is always described as being a commanding speaker. I would have thought it would have been a little higher. I also might have thought background might have been a little lower. He didn’t go to college and didn’t come from the elite class of landed gentry like many believe that he did. He was more of a learn as you go from your mistakes sort of guy. To make a comparison to Lincoln, it’s not surprising to me that in the categories where he was first or second, Lincoln typically had the other position – they both seem to go hand in hand in those categories.

What do you think of these rankings – agree/disagree? Most people have a decent working knowledge of Lincoln and Washington – who would you rank higher?


Data obtained from the 2010 Siena Research Institute's 5th Presidential Expert Poll. 2010.





Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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Book Review: His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis

His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis
Unabridged, 14 hr. 13 min.
Recorded Books
Nelson Runger (Narrator)
November 3, 2004
★★★★☆

Genre: Non Fiction, Biography

Source: Borrowed from my local library

“To this landmark biography of our first president, Joseph J. Ellis brings the exacting scholarship, shrewd analysis, and lyric prose that have made him one of the premier historians of the Revolutionary era. Training his lens on a figure who sometimes seems as remote as his effigy on Mount Rushmore, Ellis assesses George Washington as a military and political leader and a man whose “statue-like solidity” concealed volcanic energies and emotions. 

Here is the impetuous young officer whose miraculous survival in combat half-convinced him that he could not be killed. Here is the free-spending landowner whose debts to English merchants instilled him with a prickly resentment of imperial power. We see the general who lost more battles than he won and the reluctant president who tried to float above the partisan feuding of his cabinet.”

Although there are a plethora of biographies out there on George Washington, this is the first one that I have read. I selected this particular titled primarily because I enjoyed the previous book I had read by this author, First Family: Abigail and John Adams. Ellis did justice to this great personage just as I expected that he would.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was that Ellis was able to turn the myth into a man. When you think about or read about George Washington there are all of these lofty ideals and mythology that surrounds him. He is the man that made all of the right decisions and brought this country forward when it was struggling to survive. While still keeping high praise on Washington, Ellis brings to us a man who did not always know what the right answer was, lost more battles that he won, and ultimately did not want to be President of the United States. He made the first President much more approachable and someone who you could connect to in some ways – it can be hard when you can’t necessarily place yourself into his shoes.

The primary focus of this book is Washington’s military days. It was appreciated to learn about his time in the French and Indian War and the time before he became President, because you quite frankly can forget that those periods exist with all of the emphasis put on his American Revolution tenure and Presidency. His presidency was featured but not in nearly as much detail as his war days and it didn’t feel as if the author placed as much importance on it as these earlier periods in his life.

The one thing that I would have liked a little more of was his home life. I think about 2 sentences were spent on Martha and it was only really in passing. I’m sure that there was much more to their relationship. It could also be that not as much is known of their relationship as say John and Abigail Adams because Martha destroyed all of their letters to each other upon George’s death.

★★★★☆

I found the narration to be very well done. I enjoyed the narrator’s usage of different voices for the different personages that were quoted. I find it easier to discern who is talking and separate it from the narrative.

Author Joseph J Ellis also has written Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation, American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, and First Family: Abigail and John Adams among others.

My other reviews of books by this author:

• First Family: Abigail and John Adams

Other reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Man of La Book
• No Inklings

Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

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