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Another Larson Gem

Revisado: 05-22-24

Erik Larson strikes again! This timely book about American national discord tells a great story, teaches valuable history with contemporary relevance, and brings its cast of colorful and interesting characters to as near life as possible via the written word. Once again the reader/listener understands that people - real people - make history. I wouldn't mind a sequel or two, maybe Gettysburg and the Lincoln assassination. Will Patton's reading is superb (except for pronouncing "vulnerable" as "vunerable" and the seemingly obligatory mispronunciation of Chief Justice Taney's last name that afflicts almost all audiobook narrators). Enjoyed it and recommend it.

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Splendid biography of interesting life & times

Revisado: 08-01-23

This is an excellent biography of an interesting statesman & his times. There is very much to admire about James Garfield, from his humble origins to his Civil War exploits to his congressional career & brief but significant presidency. But he was human with flaws & C.W. Goodyear addresses these fairly. He also does justice to Garfield’s political peers, especially James Blaine, Roscoe Conkling, Chester Arthur & Rutherford Hayes. The issues of Reconstruction & the Gilded Age are well-presented too. The narration is well done although there are a LOT of oral edits where what sounds like another voice reads passages. These do not significantly affect the continuity of the presentation, however. The writing & pacing are excellent & I look forward to more from the author. Highly recommend.

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Beautiful, Brilliant, Evocative, Funny & Powerful

Revisado: 02-24-23

Of my nearly 200 Audible titles this is one of the very best. Saw the movie version years ago, but the novel exceeds it. Beautiful, brilliant, evocative, funny & powerful. It is perfectly read Nicholas Guy Smith. Loved every second of it and its influence will be with me a long while. Highly recommend.

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This Book is a Masterpiece

Revisado: 08-16-22

My only, admittedly minor, criticism of Picasso's War is the title. While Picasso is a central figure in the book, and his name has market appeal, the "war" over modern art in America was fought by others and Picasso's experiences during the wars in the first half of the Twentieth Century are not the book's primary focus. Beyond that quibble, however, the book is a masterpiece. The first half focuses on New York attorney and visionary modern art collector John Quinn, a very interesting, but by no means flawless, character. The second half concentrates on Alfred Barr, the first director of the newly-founded Museum of Modern Art. An extraordinary cast of characters interacts with these men, including groundbreaking artists, hidebound traditionalist collectors and audiences, European art dealers, many remarkable women, and politicians from Teddy Roosevelt to Nelson Rockefeller. The project of bringing a comprehensive Picasso show to a United States slow to take to modern art is the "war" that receives the most attention, and the frustration felt by the proponents sometimes seeps through to the reader/listener. As reviewers have noted, the connection between modern art and democratic freedom is well made and remains timely. Rich in narrative and detail and loaded with learning, Picasso's War would make a good movie, miniseries, or Ken Burns-style documentary. Nicely narrated, too. Enjoyed it immensely & highly recommend.

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Excellent Portrait of JFK & His Times

Revisado: 12-14-20

This is an extremely well done biography & masterfully narrated. Have read & studied John F. Kennedy a lot, but still learned a LOT from this book. It is a vivid & lifelike portrait of JFK, but also of his family & the remarkable times in which he lived. I cannot imagine a better portrait of the man as he really was. Smart. Funny. Sloppy. Suave. Sometimes insensitive & manipulative. But beloved, bold & inspiring. The Kennedy family history is fascinating & crisply told. His father Joseph P. Kennedy receives a thorough & balanced treatment. The father's philandering established a pattern for his sons & JFK was prolific & reckless in this regard even as he matured & established himself as a public figure of substance. The recounting of JFK's travels in pre-WWII Europe is outstanding, as is the story of how it influenced him & how he differed from his father & his older brother with regard to isolationism vs. interventionism. The same is true for the chapters on PT-109 & Kennedy's myriad health problems. Logevall also does first-rate work on the Kennedy family's close connections to red-baiting demagogue Joseph McCarthy. All the other significant figures in JFK's young life received their due, including, of course, Jacqueline, Rose, Bobby, sister Kathleen, friends like Lem Billings & aides like Ted Sorenson. Just a really great book that never lags or bogs down. The narration by Mark Deakins is virtually flawless & beautifully fits the text. Highly recommend.

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A Beautiful Book

Revisado: 11-08-20

What a beautiful book! Great characters and vivid descriptions of them, Nebraska scenery and seasons, and the period in American history. Considerable complexity in its apparent simplicity & subtlety in its plain, direct style. Easy to understand its enduring popularity and power. Well performed.

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Loved the Book & the Narration!

Revisado: 10-29-20

Erik Larson provides an original & compelling account of Churchill's first year as prime minister. The Splendid and the Vile is a great blend of history, biography, and story-telling. It does a great job of chronological reporting of what was happening in the war from May 1940 through May 1941, and draws heavily on the personal accounts of a range of people in the orbits of Churchill and Hitler to provide human and political context. Familiar events and people are cast in new and interesting light. Narration is often a matter of taste, and I have been turned off by other readers doing Churchill impersonations, but found John Lee's performance excellent. Enjoyed the book thoroughly and learned from it.

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Compelling Memoir

Revisado: 09-16-20

Beautifully written and read by the author. A bittersweet masterpiece of periods, places, personalities, and power, all brilliantly woven together as a family “memoir and reckoning.” A fascinating story of grandfather who was Stalin's bodyguard; an horrific story of the Lithuanian Holocaust; a compelling story of life in Cold War Soviet Union; and a very personal story of life in New York for a young, gay Jewish emigre. A different kind of book. Educational and evocative. Distinctive yet universal. Moving. Practically perfect in conception & execution.

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Enjoyed & Learned a Lot

Revisado: 09-08-20

This book is one part personal narrative, one part history of the dinosaurs, and one part profiles of paleontologists. It works. I enjoyed it and learned a lot. At times I wished for a more straightforward exposition of dinosaur history, but generally appreciated the style. Brusatte's descriptions of paleontologists are often as or more vivid than his descriptions of the dinosaurs. The narration is very good, especially given some of the difficult pronunciations of dinosaur names. The periods of time involved are mind-boggling, but by the end of the book I had a pretty decent knowledge and understanding of them. Truly amazing to ponder just how long dinosaurs dominated the earth. All in all, a very good audiobook.

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Powerful but Painful History

Revisado: 08-31-20

A riveting, dismaying & infuriating account of how the George W. Bush administration took America into the Iraq War. There was no George Ball, who forcefully advised LBJ against Vietnam escalation. Tragic failure all around. Bush & Cheney foremost, but the whole bunch, including Colin Powell. Well-paced, well-presented & well-read. It is shorter, more reportorial & less stylistically literary than The Best & The Brightest, but one has much the same reaction upon reading it. A powerful, but painful history. Here's hoping that this time America learns its lessons.

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