A WRETCHED AND PRECARIOUS SITUATION : IN SEARCH OF THE LAST ARCTIC FRONTIER
by David Welky
Navy Commander Robert E. Peary was considered to be the world's most famous explorer. His claim to fame was the North Pole. Over a twenty-year span, Peary took four trips to the Arctic but never quite reached his destination (detractors would say that he was nowhere near it). He spent most of that time trying to get benefactors to finance his trips.
In 1906 (which would be his last adventure), Peary tried again and after climbing up a 2,000-foot peak that he named Cape Colgate after one of his financial backers (these monuments to his supporters were all over the place), he saw through his binoculars some snow-clad hills. Oh, boy, undiscovered land! How he wanted to find and explore it, but he no longer had the strength. Peary would name it Crocker Land after a San Francisco banker (George Crocker) who donated $50,000 toward the expedition. Somebody else would have to investigate.
A few years later, one of Peary's acolytes (Donald MacMillan) would do just that. Macmillan revered Peary and had actually been on one of his expeditions. He would be the leader of six amateur adventurers who would also do scientific exploration and bring back unheard of specimens.
There have been so many books written about the history of polar expeditions and every one that I have read have been tremendous. A Wretched and Precarious Situation is just as fantastic as the others. Author David Welky is a fabulous writer. He definitely knows how to keep your interest riveted. Welky is very good with details especially in the characterizations of the men, whether they were the native Inuit who accompanied them or his fellow comrades who were along for the journey. The story is compelling and suspenseful. At over four hundred pages, you never feel as if the book is a slog and you want it to end already. Nothing of the sort. I couldn't put it down. If you want to know what happened, get a copy and hunker down. A truly, phenomenal read.
Very highly recommended.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
HERO OF THE EMPIRE : THE BOER WAR, A DARING ESCAPE AND THE MAKING OF WINSTON CHURCHILL
by Candice Millard
In his mind, Winston Churchill was totally convinced of his importance. (Ego certainly ran in this family.) Churchill believed that he was special. He knew that one day he would become the prime minister of England. In order to achieve his goal, though, Churchill had to do something monumental, which would be on the battlefield. Not that he hadn't tried before. Churchill had already participated in three wars: Cuba, India, and the Sudan, but had not returned home with any medals.
At the age of twenty-four, Churchill went to South Africa in 1899 as a journalist for a newspaper. Since he was an aristocrat, he arrived with his valet and many crates of wine. (Can't be without some kind of comfort.) The British were fighting the Boer rebels, who were not soldiers but farmers and businessmen. They hated uniforms and would certainly not wear one.
The British army was expected to win. Their fighting forces were known and feared all over the world. But they were struggling. The Boers had no intention of losing and their weapons were quite powerful. The British never saw them appear (they were the invisible enemy) until it was too late.
Two weeks after Churchill's arrival, he along with many British soldiers and officers were taken prisoner after their armored train was attacked. When the Boers realized that they had captured the son of Lord Randolph Churchill, they were exultant. Churchill was quickly moved to a POW camp in Pretoria, which was the Boer capital. From that day forward Churchill thought of nothing else but escape.
Candice Millard has written another stupendous goldmine of a book. (This is her third.) Previously, she wrote about James A. Garfield (reviewed in this blog) and Theodore Roosevelt. Millard is a master storyteller and brings a portion of history to life that keeps you riveted. It took her five years to compile all of her research. It's fascinating reading about Churchill's early life, The Boer Wars, and South Africa. Finding an author who has such talent that every book she puts out is just as good as the previous one is wonderful. I'm already looking forward to whoever she chooses to write about next. It will be well worth the wait.
Very highly recommended.
by Candice Millard
In his mind, Winston Churchill was totally convinced of his importance. (Ego certainly ran in this family.) Churchill believed that he was special. He knew that one day he would become the prime minister of England. In order to achieve his goal, though, Churchill had to do something monumental, which would be on the battlefield. Not that he hadn't tried before. Churchill had already participated in three wars: Cuba, India, and the Sudan, but had not returned home with any medals.
At the age of twenty-four, Churchill went to South Africa in 1899 as a journalist for a newspaper. Since he was an aristocrat, he arrived with his valet and many crates of wine. (Can't be without some kind of comfort.) The British were fighting the Boer rebels, who were not soldiers but farmers and businessmen. They hated uniforms and would certainly not wear one.
The British army was expected to win. Their fighting forces were known and feared all over the world. But they were struggling. The Boers had no intention of losing and their weapons were quite powerful. The British never saw them appear (they were the invisible enemy) until it was too late.
Two weeks after Churchill's arrival, he along with many British soldiers and officers were taken prisoner after their armored train was attacked. When the Boers realized that they had captured the son of Lord Randolph Churchill, they were exultant. Churchill was quickly moved to a POW camp in Pretoria, which was the Boer capital. From that day forward Churchill thought of nothing else but escape.
Candice Millard has written another stupendous goldmine of a book. (This is her third.) Previously, she wrote about James A. Garfield (reviewed in this blog) and Theodore Roosevelt. Millard is a master storyteller and brings a portion of history to life that keeps you riveted. It took her five years to compile all of her research. It's fascinating reading about Churchill's early life, The Boer Wars, and South Africa. Finding an author who has such talent that every book she puts out is just as good as the previous one is wonderful. I'm already looking forward to whoever she chooses to write about next. It will be well worth the wait.
Very highly recommended.
Monday, November 21, 2016
CHASING PORTRAITS : A GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER'S QUEST FOR HER LOST ART LEGACY
by Elizabeth Rynecki
His paintings were on the walls of the home where she grew up. As a child she took them for granted because they were always there. The lives of Polish Jews during the 1920s and the 1930s were portrayed. Moshe Rynecki was the artist. He painted all the time. When the Nazis entered Poland in 1939 Moshe had over eight hundred pieces of art including some sculptures.
Moshe kept on painting even during the Nazi invasion, but as conditions deteriorated for the Jews, he had to decide what to do about his artwork. His paintings and sculptures were divided into bundles and he asked friends to hide them. Pretty soon after this was done, Moshe went into the Warsaw Ghetto to live. He did this, willingly. His son, Jerzy, (later anglicized to George when he moved to the United States), who was living outside the ghetto with false papers pleaded with Moshe not to go. He would not listen and said that he wanted to be with his people. Moshe was deported to the Majdanek concentration camp and murdered. His wife, Perla, survived the Holocaust. She looked for the paintings after the war and found 120 of them hidden in a cellar within the Praga district. For over fifty years, the Rynecki family thought that these paintings were all that were left.
In 1992, after Grandpa George died, Elizabeth Rynecki (Moshe's great-granddaughter) began to study Moshe's art. Several years later she built a website of Moshe's works. From this, the Internet, and social media, Elizabeth discovered that many more of Moshe's paintings had survived World War II. Some are held in museums; others are with private collectors. But, not all of the art has been found. Elizabeth hopes that eventually more people will come forward to supply the missing pieces.
Chasing Portraits is a terrific story. Elizabeth Rynecki is a wonderful writer. What she goes through while searching for her great-grandfather's paintings (such trials and tribulations) keeps you on edge. It's fortunate that her grandfather (George) wrote a memoir, which the family did not discover until after he had passed in 1992. That in and of itself is a goldmine. Her other sources include curators, art lawyers, databases, documentaries, auction houses, professors, archives, etc.
It's really too bad that Moshe Rynecki agreed to be led into the Warsaw Ghetto when his own son could have saved him. He could have painted so much more especially if he had come to America with his wife, his son, and his family. His paintings are absolutely amazing! In the middle of the book are twenty-six color prints, plus interspersed throughout are black-and-white drawings. Although Moshe was not famous in Poland, he could have been in America. Needless to say, he would have been very proud of his great-granddaughter who had such dogged determination to seek out his lost paintings and to never give up.
Highly recommended.
by Elizabeth Rynecki
His paintings were on the walls of the home where she grew up. As a child she took them for granted because they were always there. The lives of Polish Jews during the 1920s and the 1930s were portrayed. Moshe Rynecki was the artist. He painted all the time. When the Nazis entered Poland in 1939 Moshe had over eight hundred pieces of art including some sculptures.
Moshe kept on painting even during the Nazi invasion, but as conditions deteriorated for the Jews, he had to decide what to do about his artwork. His paintings and sculptures were divided into bundles and he asked friends to hide them. Pretty soon after this was done, Moshe went into the Warsaw Ghetto to live. He did this, willingly. His son, Jerzy, (later anglicized to George when he moved to the United States), who was living outside the ghetto with false papers pleaded with Moshe not to go. He would not listen and said that he wanted to be with his people. Moshe was deported to the Majdanek concentration camp and murdered. His wife, Perla, survived the Holocaust. She looked for the paintings after the war and found 120 of them hidden in a cellar within the Praga district. For over fifty years, the Rynecki family thought that these paintings were all that were left.
In 1992, after Grandpa George died, Elizabeth Rynecki (Moshe's great-granddaughter) began to study Moshe's art. Several years later she built a website of Moshe's works. From this, the Internet, and social media, Elizabeth discovered that many more of Moshe's paintings had survived World War II. Some are held in museums; others are with private collectors. But, not all of the art has been found. Elizabeth hopes that eventually more people will come forward to supply the missing pieces.
Chasing Portraits is a terrific story. Elizabeth Rynecki is a wonderful writer. What she goes through while searching for her great-grandfather's paintings (such trials and tribulations) keeps you on edge. It's fortunate that her grandfather (George) wrote a memoir, which the family did not discover until after he had passed in 1992. That in and of itself is a goldmine. Her other sources include curators, art lawyers, databases, documentaries, auction houses, professors, archives, etc.
It's really too bad that Moshe Rynecki agreed to be led into the Warsaw Ghetto when his own son could have saved him. He could have painted so much more especially if he had come to America with his wife, his son, and his family. His paintings are absolutely amazing! In the middle of the book are twenty-six color prints, plus interspersed throughout are black-and-white drawings. Although Moshe was not famous in Poland, he could have been in America. Needless to say, he would have been very proud of his great-granddaughter who had such dogged determination to seek out his lost paintings and to never give up.
Highly recommended.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
MOSCOW NIGHTS : THE VAN CLIBURN STORY-HOW ONE MAN AND HIS PIANO TRANSFORMED THE COLD WAR
by Nigel Cliff
Russia and the United States have always had a love-hate relationship. The only thing they really had in common was that both of these nations were world powers at the same time. Ideologically, though, they were complete opposites. America promoted freedom and Russia believed in autocracy. The Cold War era was especially tense between them.
Into this midst of turbulence (1958) entered a tall, gangly, twenty-three-year-old piano prodigy from Texas named Van Cliburn. He was brought to Russia's attention when he took a trip to Moscow to compete in the First International Tchaikovsky Competition. But, the Soviets had no intention of letting an American win. In their minds, Americans could not possibly understand how to play their music. They had already chosen one of their own, anyway, to win the coveted prize. That all changed when Cliburn began to play. He swept the Soviets off their feet by his stupendous talent, his passion, and his intense love for the music. They thought he was better than their own Russian pianists. The adulation was endless and every time he performed, the crowds just swooned. They couldn't get enough of him. What a love affair! Cliburn's life would never be the same again.
Moscow Nights is a terrific portrait of one incredible musician who brought classical music to millions of people. Author Nigel Cliff is a masterful storyteller and keeps you riveted to the pages. It's fascinating to read about all of the presidents that Cliburn performed for and how much Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev had such a soft spot for him (he thought of Cliburn like a son). The very engrossing prose leads you through Russian history (sometimes this can be deadening, but not at all here) and the Cold War. Through it all, one humble, patriotic, and inspiring man with impeccable manners was able to bridge the gap between two hostile entities by his music.
Very highly recommended.
by Nigel Cliff
Russia and the United States have always had a love-hate relationship. The only thing they really had in common was that both of these nations were world powers at the same time. Ideologically, though, they were complete opposites. America promoted freedom and Russia believed in autocracy. The Cold War era was especially tense between them.
Into this midst of turbulence (1958) entered a tall, gangly, twenty-three-year-old piano prodigy from Texas named Van Cliburn. He was brought to Russia's attention when he took a trip to Moscow to compete in the First International Tchaikovsky Competition. But, the Soviets had no intention of letting an American win. In their minds, Americans could not possibly understand how to play their music. They had already chosen one of their own, anyway, to win the coveted prize. That all changed when Cliburn began to play. He swept the Soviets off their feet by his stupendous talent, his passion, and his intense love for the music. They thought he was better than their own Russian pianists. The adulation was endless and every time he performed, the crowds just swooned. They couldn't get enough of him. What a love affair! Cliburn's life would never be the same again.
Moscow Nights is a terrific portrait of one incredible musician who brought classical music to millions of people. Author Nigel Cliff is a masterful storyteller and keeps you riveted to the pages. It's fascinating to read about all of the presidents that Cliburn performed for and how much Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev had such a soft spot for him (he thought of Cliburn like a son). The very engrossing prose leads you through Russian history (sometimes this can be deadening, but not at all here) and the Cold War. Through it all, one humble, patriotic, and inspiring man with impeccable manners was able to bridge the gap between two hostile entities by his music.
Very highly recommended.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
THE FRENCH CHEF IN AMERICA : JULIA CHILD'S SECOND ACT
by Alex Prud'homme
Julia Child was bigger than life, literally. At six feet, two inches tall she towered over everyone. This did not stop her from being embraced by so many adoring fans. By the 1960s, she had become America's first lady of French food (the "French Chef"). That was the name she gave to WGBH when she was filming cooking shows for them thinking that she would change it later. It was ironic that an American woman was considered to be such an authority on French food. Julia also did not consider herself to be a chef, but just a cook. For that alone, she wanted to showcase how ordinary people could recreate spectacular cuisine in their kitchens and not be afraid of doing so. In front of the cameras, Julia was a natural and her robust personality endeared her to millions. Today she would be considered the first celebrity chef before that was even popular. By the late 1970s, that is exactly what did happen to her when she distanced herself from the "French Chef" title and reinvented herself as "Julia Child." It was time for her to become more Americanized as the culinary world was changing fast.
There have been several books on Julia Child, including her own memoir, and I have read them all. The French Chef in America is absolutely delightful to read and Alex Prud'homme, her grandnephew, is a terrific writer. (He collaborated with Julia on the previous book My Life in France.) This volume is chock full of fascinating information, trivia, and fun facts. Julia's persona definitely jumps out of these pages. If you're a foodie and just love reading about cooks, get a hold of this spectacular biography. Julia Child was one of a kind and Prud'homme has crafted a rich portrait.
Very highly recommended.
by Alex Prud'homme
Julia Child was bigger than life, literally. At six feet, two inches tall she towered over everyone. This did not stop her from being embraced by so many adoring fans. By the 1960s, she had become America's first lady of French food (the "French Chef"). That was the name she gave to WGBH when she was filming cooking shows for them thinking that she would change it later. It was ironic that an American woman was considered to be such an authority on French food. Julia also did not consider herself to be a chef, but just a cook. For that alone, she wanted to showcase how ordinary people could recreate spectacular cuisine in their kitchens and not be afraid of doing so. In front of the cameras, Julia was a natural and her robust personality endeared her to millions. Today she would be considered the first celebrity chef before that was even popular. By the late 1970s, that is exactly what did happen to her when she distanced herself from the "French Chef" title and reinvented herself as "Julia Child." It was time for her to become more Americanized as the culinary world was changing fast.
There have been several books on Julia Child, including her own memoir, and I have read them all. The French Chef in America is absolutely delightful to read and Alex Prud'homme, her grandnephew, is a terrific writer. (He collaborated with Julia on the previous book My Life in France.) This volume is chock full of fascinating information, trivia, and fun facts. Julia's persona definitely jumps out of these pages. If you're a foodie and just love reading about cooks, get a hold of this spectacular biography. Julia Child was one of a kind and Prud'homme has crafted a rich portrait.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
FAMOUS NATHAN : A FAMILY SAGA OF CONEY ISLAND, THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT HOT DOG
by Lloyd Handwerker and Gil Reavill
One hundred years ago (1916) Nathan's Famous was born. Every day, thousands of people thronged the tiny counter space for a frankfurter in a toasted bun that cost five cents at Surf Avenue on Coney Island. At first, during the summer, it was just the tourists who came by. But then the rest of the year, the place stayed open and was monopolized by people who worked in the area. In no time, Nathan's Famous expanded and took over the entire block. It became one of the most popular restaurants in the world. One man brought an innate sense to create a business from the ground up and become quite a success story.
Nathan Handwerker came to America in 1912 from Galicia, Poland. He was one of thirteen children. Both poverty and hunger were the norm. His father, Jacob, was a shoemaker but didn't make enough money to support his family. When Nathan was eleven, he got a job at a bakery and worked there for two years. In the next five years, he helped his mother, Rose, sell produce. It was from this small venture that Nathan learned about supply and demand and how by selling cheap food could eventually reap a fortune. He listened and paid attention. Nathan took the values that he learned from his mother and later applied them to his hot dog stand.
When Nathan arrived at Ellis Island, he was completely illiterate. He could not speak English (only Yiddish) nor was he able to read or write. That didn't stop him. The very next day he was off looking for a job and found one as a shoemaker. It didn't last. He didn't want to be employed in a sweatshop. So, with the help of his brother Israel, Nathan landed a job as a dishwasher at a luncheonette. He knew that he was going to end up in the restaurant business and here was his ticket. Pretty soon he moved up to a busboy, then a server, to working the frankfurter counter learning English along the way. He saved his money and he began to formalize his dream to have his own place (Nathan would call it "the store").
Famous Nathan is a wonderful rags-to-riches story. Written by Nathan's grandson, Lloyd Handwerker, you get a much more personal portrait. Nathan cared about the quality of his food and how important it was to hire the right worker. (He used to say that just by looking at the back of a prospective employee, he could tell right away if that person would be good.) Many of them were quite dedicated and stayed for decades (some for over fifty years). Nathan was intensely loyal to his workers and paid them quite well. There's so many fascinating tidbits to read about in this book: what Coney Island was like at that period of time; the kind of beef that was used in the frankfurters; how money was collected and stored; dealing with inebriated customers; how the store was allowed to remain open during World War II when others had to observe curfew rules; what happened when Nathan's sons got into the business.
This is definitely a great read, especially if you like the food history of New York. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a small black-and-white photo with either quotes by Nathan or other people and sometimes the location of where the photo was taken.
I loved every bit of the book.
Highly recommended.
by Lloyd Handwerker and Gil Reavill
One hundred years ago (1916) Nathan's Famous was born. Every day, thousands of people thronged the tiny counter space for a frankfurter in a toasted bun that cost five cents at Surf Avenue on Coney Island. At first, during the summer, it was just the tourists who came by. But then the rest of the year, the place stayed open and was monopolized by people who worked in the area. In no time, Nathan's Famous expanded and took over the entire block. It became one of the most popular restaurants in the world. One man brought an innate sense to create a business from the ground up and become quite a success story.
Nathan Handwerker came to America in 1912 from Galicia, Poland. He was one of thirteen children. Both poverty and hunger were the norm. His father, Jacob, was a shoemaker but didn't make enough money to support his family. When Nathan was eleven, he got a job at a bakery and worked there for two years. In the next five years, he helped his mother, Rose, sell produce. It was from this small venture that Nathan learned about supply and demand and how by selling cheap food could eventually reap a fortune. He listened and paid attention. Nathan took the values that he learned from his mother and later applied them to his hot dog stand.
When Nathan arrived at Ellis Island, he was completely illiterate. He could not speak English (only Yiddish) nor was he able to read or write. That didn't stop him. The very next day he was off looking for a job and found one as a shoemaker. It didn't last. He didn't want to be employed in a sweatshop. So, with the help of his brother Israel, Nathan landed a job as a dishwasher at a luncheonette. He knew that he was going to end up in the restaurant business and here was his ticket. Pretty soon he moved up to a busboy, then a server, to working the frankfurter counter learning English along the way. He saved his money and he began to formalize his dream to have his own place (Nathan would call it "the store").
Famous Nathan is a wonderful rags-to-riches story. Written by Nathan's grandson, Lloyd Handwerker, you get a much more personal portrait. Nathan cared about the quality of his food and how important it was to hire the right worker. (He used to say that just by looking at the back of a prospective employee, he could tell right away if that person would be good.) Many of them were quite dedicated and stayed for decades (some for over fifty years). Nathan was intensely loyal to his workers and paid them quite well. There's so many fascinating tidbits to read about in this book: what Coney Island was like at that period of time; the kind of beef that was used in the frankfurters; how money was collected and stored; dealing with inebriated customers; how the store was allowed to remain open during World War II when others had to observe curfew rules; what happened when Nathan's sons got into the business.
This is definitely a great read, especially if you like the food history of New York. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a small black-and-white photo with either quotes by Nathan or other people and sometimes the location of where the photo was taken.
I loved every bit of the book.
Highly recommended.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
TRIALS OF THE EARTH : THE TRUE STORY OF A PIONEER WOMAN
by Mary Mann Hamilton
When Mary Mann was seventeen her father moved his family from Missouri into the "wild country of Arkansas." Within ten days he died of pneumonia, so the two oldest brothers, out of six children, got a job at the sawmill. As their house was the only one livable, they took in boarders. Mary did all of the cooking. It was here that she met Frank Hamilton, an Englishman twelve years older than her who had secrets about his past which he did not share with her. He definitely had an eye for her even though she didn't feel the same about him. But, at the age of eighteen she married him and they took off for the Mississippi Delta. Frank ran logging camps and Mary helped him by cooking for upwards of one hundred men. She would go to bed at 1:00 a.m. and get up at 4:00 a.m. and start preparing breakfast. (She baked 115 loaves of bread every day and thirty pies for dinner.) Besides the preparation of the food, Mary sewed clothes, skinned deer, fought off bears and snakes, gave birth to children, (four of whom died), survived floods, and helped and supported Frank in as many ways as she could. Through hard work, endurance, and persistence, Mary somehow stayed positive and soldiered on.
Near the end of her life, a friend of hers encouraged Mary to write down an account of her life (this was in 1933). It was submitted to the publisher Little, Brown for a writers' competition, but didn't win. Eighty-three years later with the help of Mary's descendants and the publishing company finally realizing that they had made a mistake, Trials of the Earth has been brought to fruition.
Mary Hamilton is a wonderful storyteller and yet it's all true. She definitely keeps you riveted to the page. Mary's writing is so raw, honest, expressive, and emotional that you feel as if you are right there with her experiencing everything she went through. Life back then was really tough with none of the luxuries that are afforded today. One really had to keep their wits about them. So, the next time you feel as if you are having a really bad day, just read this book and it will put things in perspective.
Very highly recommended.
by Mary Mann Hamilton
When Mary Mann was seventeen her father moved his family from Missouri into the "wild country of Arkansas." Within ten days he died of pneumonia, so the two oldest brothers, out of six children, got a job at the sawmill. As their house was the only one livable, they took in boarders. Mary did all of the cooking. It was here that she met Frank Hamilton, an Englishman twelve years older than her who had secrets about his past which he did not share with her. He definitely had an eye for her even though she didn't feel the same about him. But, at the age of eighteen she married him and they took off for the Mississippi Delta. Frank ran logging camps and Mary helped him by cooking for upwards of one hundred men. She would go to bed at 1:00 a.m. and get up at 4:00 a.m. and start preparing breakfast. (She baked 115 loaves of bread every day and thirty pies for dinner.) Besides the preparation of the food, Mary sewed clothes, skinned deer, fought off bears and snakes, gave birth to children, (four of whom died), survived floods, and helped and supported Frank in as many ways as she could. Through hard work, endurance, and persistence, Mary somehow stayed positive and soldiered on.
Near the end of her life, a friend of hers encouraged Mary to write down an account of her life (this was in 1933). It was submitted to the publisher Little, Brown for a writers' competition, but didn't win. Eighty-three years later with the help of Mary's descendants and the publishing company finally realizing that they had made a mistake, Trials of the Earth has been brought to fruition.
Mary Hamilton is a wonderful storyteller and yet it's all true. She definitely keeps you riveted to the page. Mary's writing is so raw, honest, expressive, and emotional that you feel as if you are right there with her experiencing everything she went through. Life back then was really tough with none of the luxuries that are afforded today. One really had to keep their wits about them. So, the next time you feel as if you are having a really bad day, just read this book and it will put things in perspective.
Very highly recommended.
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