lawrence c.

War is hell get over it

Revisado: 11-09-23

If looking upon war, any war, as a terrible thrilling glorious adventure of the most horrific and magnificent kind, if this is your cup of tea, then Max Hastings is for you. He tells you such things as you are wrong about World War I. All that seemingly senseless brutality on a scale never before seen had a worthy end in mind. The allies saved the world for democracy. Saved us from that nincompoop Kaiser who wanted to institute the same type of draconian measures the allies eventually made such a mess of at the conclusion of the war. To Hastings, when the allies eventually did pretty much the same thing the Kaiser had been planning, except in reverse, this serves as justification for the allies actions. Come again? You spent 80% of the chapter telling us what a buffoon the Kaiser was and then justify the allies selfish and idiotic actions by claiming see, we only did to him what he would have done to us. Hastings also justifies the decision making processes of the allied commanders by asking, rhetorically, what were they supposed to do? Just stand around and let the Germans walk all over them. It was kill or be killed man. Hastings backs this idiocy up by pulling out a few (maybe one or two) reminiscences of WW I soldiers who claim it wasn't so bad as the poets claimed. We did our duty what, same as soldiers do in every war. War is hell, every war is hell, and we made it through ours without whining and belly-aching about it. Not everyone who fought the war was a shivering shaking shell-shocked coward. At least this type of perceived cowardice Hastings could tolerate. What he couldn't excuse were those who tried to shirk their duty and tried to make a run for it; if only because it must have seemed sheer madness to remain in the trenches a moment longer. Hastings, while it is not clear whether he condones the orders to shoot these deserters, claims he may have done no different had he been the one in charge. Neglecting to shoot the deserter sends a bad message to the rest of the troops. That type of bad behavior needs to be nipped in the bud before it infects others.Two things about this. One, why would one man's desertion infect all the men, if, as Hastings suggested, the cause was just and the fighting men in the ranks completely committed to it? Two, Hastings, if not exactly condoning the action of the general, does understand why this man gave the order to fire. This is war dammit! What Hastings fails to do, however, and fails miserably, is to place himself in the shoes, not of the general, but the deserter. He has no problem imagining himself commanding the troops but to imagine himself a deserter? Perish the thought. Why did this man desert? Hastings has no answer. Nor does he very much care. To Hastings, as was the case with the majority of the characters he paints, this man was no more than a caricature. A type. A type we have seen many times before. Mostly in the movies.

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Nailed it!

Revisado: 05-09-23

I have never read a book so prescient (even if a bit dry). Everything Mills said in 1956 has come true, exactly as he predicted it would. As he saw it unfolding before his eyes. This is the amazing part. But, it is not why I am writing this review. What was even more amazing, is how clueless Alan Wolfe, who penned the afterword in 1999, turned out to be. His analysis was atrocious. As bad as it gets and grating to listen to.

According to Wolfe, when Mills stuck to the data, he was fine. But, the moment he veered off into social criticism, when he voiced his own opinions regarding the direction he saw the country heading in, the direction the military, the politicians, and most especially the power elites (read: inherited wealth) were heading in, Mills just completely lost his way. Wolfe pointed out how much of what Mills predicted hadn't come true. For instance, Mills predicted that the military budget would balloon beyond all proportions, that we would be stuck in endless wars, that political diatribe would devolve into little more than theatrical performance, that Republicans and Democrats would meld into a single indistinguishable party, that the power elites would let the government (and taxpayer) foot the bill for every financial gamble they took, that the power elites did not value their country, democracy, or anything that stood in the way of their making lots and lots of money, that an apathetic American citizenry would become so inured to these excesses that they would allow themselves to be distracted by fluff. What Wolfe should be asking in 2023, is there anything Mills missed? The answer would be, no, as there was a lot more I could have added, all of it spot on, I just ran out of space. C. Wright Mills was a visionary in the truest sense of that word. Wolfe, a well educated, probably well meaning professor, credentialed enough to write the afterword, not so much.

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Better Than Reviews Led Me To Believe

Revisado: 08-01-17

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

It was written with elegance, from the heart. I trusted that the author was seeking truth no matter where it led him.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I'd have to call it a tie between the author and J. Edgar Hoover.

Which scene was your favorite?

The epilogue.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The acknowledgements. No, I'm serious.

Any additional comments?

I picked this up because I wanted to get insight into Hoover for my own research into the JFK Assassination. In fact, there is very little here about JFK and what there is I believe is vague and pretty much off the mark. Normally, this would be the kiss of death and immediately make the book suspect in my eyes but not this time. The author's integrity and honesty, not to mention his many fresh insights (okay not about Kennedy), and most especially his ability to interject his personal thoughts and feelings (not too much and always at appropriate times), lifted the book above what I had expected and made listening to this well worth the time.

P.S. The narration was wonderful!

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Scary

Revisado: 04-23-17

Where does The Creature from Jekyll Island rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Right up there.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Creature from Jekyll Island?

When I realized early on that old maxim was true that just because people tell you that you are paranoid doesn't mean you're wrong.

Have you listened to any of Mark Bramhall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't know.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me howl (but not with laughter).

Any additional comments?

This book should be required reading in school.

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Better Than Expected

Revisado: 04-23-17

Would you consider the audio edition of The Founding Father to be better than the print version?

Yes, because unlike most of the other reviewers of this audiobook, I felt the author's voice greatly enhanced rather than detracted from the overall experience.

What did you like best about this story?

The first hand accounts.

Which character – as performed by Richard Whalen – was your favorite?

Joseph Kennedy. I feel the author mimicked Kennedy's style of delivery and tone better than a professional reader ever could have.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

As stated above, and the main reason I wanted to comment, unlike so many others, I found not only the book fascinating and extremely inciteful but the author's reading of his own work a wonderful, unexpected plus.

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Full Of It

Revisado: 11-09-16

What disappointed you about Me & Lee?

I listened as the author described how Lee drove her around on their many dates -- when I know very well Lee Harvey Oswald did not know how to drive. It was at this moment that I knew the book was full of...you know. Bad fiction masquerading as fact. Horrible.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Another book on JFK assassination.

What three words best describe Kathleen Godwin’s voice?

Adequate as anyone

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

None.

Any additional comments?

If anyone had done even a modicum of research, they would know this book is nothing but fiction

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