Book Review: America 1844 by John Bicknell

America 1844: Religious Fervor, Westward Expansion, and the Presidential Election That Transformed a Nation by John Bicknell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Every four years the course of American history can be changed along with the political landscape being upended, but sometimes those years are not just about politics. America 1844: Religious Fervor, Westward Expansion, and the Presidential Election that Transformed the Nation by John Bicknell follows the various strands of events that were independent of one another yet influenced each other with long term consequences.

In the United States the year of 1844 was already going to be important due to the upcoming Presidential Election, yet the political maneuvering by the President without a party John Tyler would entirely change the upcoming campaign. Through attempts to put potential rivals on the Supreme Court to kickstarting the issue of the annexation of Texas, Tyler’s actions aided by southern slave-owning politicians upended the Presidential campaign as little-known Tennessean James K. Polk took the Democratic nomination to face off with longstanding Whig stalwart Henry Clay whose self-imposed wounds would help cost him the White House and change American history. Another politically costly mistake for Clay and the Whigs was cozying up to nativists whose mob violence against Catholics particularly in Philadelphia not only sent the Catholic vote to the Democrats but also future Irish Catholic immigrants to New York and Boston. A candidate for President that many today did not know ran was the founder of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith, who to protect his followers ran to bring their constitutional rights to the fore only for an anti-Mormon mob to storm the jail he was housed in and kill him. The resulting succession crisis led to Brigham Young’s ascension to leadership and later his decision to head to the Great Salt Lake. Young’s decision was based on the pamphlets written by John C. Fremont explored the uncharted western portions of the North American continent along with numerous emigres journeying from the East to the West for a better more prosperous future. And yet some Americans believed a better future was not on Earth but in Heaven as they eagerly anticipated the Second Coming based on the teachings of William Miller and his associates, while confused after the passing of Miller’s belief it would occur in the spring of that year the news that Miller had been off by seven months ignited hope throughout the extended Millerite community only for the Great Disappointment of October 22 to bring confusion to their beliefs. By the end of the year the course of America’s future would be set, the expansion westward would cause war with Mexican and later Civil War that would uproot slavery while allowing the two largest indigenous American founded religions to grow and expand in the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist church, the largest successor of the Millerite movement.

Bicknell covers all the above in almost 260 pages, attempting—for the most part successfully—to give cover the year chronologically through separating themes in each chapter. The overall history is generally correct and the addition of journeys of western pioneers gives the book more “life” then the sometimes stall retellings of political maneuverings back in the 19th Century. There are some little nitpick items related to the Millerites’ “spring disappointment”, but nothing that is majorly erroneous.

America 1844 is a concise look at 366 days in the life of the United States that saw its political and religious life changed dramatically with significant influence on the future, not only immediately but long term.

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Book Review: Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Jeff Meldrum

Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Jeff Meldrum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Almasty, Orang Pendek, Yeti, and numerous other names around the world that describe upright walking apes that indigenous cultures including one right in America’s backyard. Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Dr. Jeff Meldrum explores if there is scientific merit to investigating “Bigfoot” by looking at all the available evidence.

Meldrum begins the book by recounting how he actively started exploring the possibility of the upright walking ape in North America from his background as an anatomist and anthropologist. Following this up he goes into the history of looking for unknown animals from the 1700s to the present, including how the Abominable Snowman and Yeti entered the western lexicon. The 1950s beginnings of “Bigfoot” are discussed followed by the hoax claims of various individuals before Meldrum introduces the Native American view of Sasquatch. From this point on “legend” faded to the background as Meldrum begin scientifically looking at the evidence brought forth over the past 60 years including castings of body prinks and footprints, hairs, and the Patterson-Gimlin film from 1967 including analysis from numerous experts in their fields. In his conclusion Meldrum states while the available evidence does not prove the existence of a bipedal North American ape but does warrant the larger scientific community to realize that what is being found cannot be explained as men in costumes with wooden cutout feet or misidentifications of known animals.

The book’s larger than normal dimensions provide for numerous photographs and illustrations that add to the text they share on the page, but also help the scientifically jargoned impaired understand what Meldrum explaining. Yet Meldrum’s analysis of the Patterson-Gimlin film and his knowledge of foot anatomy in discussing purported foot tracks are the sections of the book that stand out the most, the former because it literally still is the best evidence for the existence of Sasquatch while also standing up to measurable scientific scrutiny and the latter because its evidence that Meldrum is professionally expert on that has him putting his reputation on the line.

Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science looks at the question of if a bipedal ape is roaming the North American wilderness. Dr. Meldrum does not claim at any point that there is indeed an actual animal, but the persuasive circumstantial evidence in his view warrants inquiry from the scientific community. If you’ve ever wonder if there is something to “Bigfoot” then I recommend reading this book.

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Book Review: Signing Their Rights Away by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D'Agnese

Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the United States Constitution by Denise Kiernan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

They fought against the idea of a strong central government based in London but decided that a strong central government was needed in the United States. Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the United States Constitution by married writers Denise Kiernan and Joseph D’Agnese gives readers a crash course on each signer’s lives up to and after the Constitutional Convention.

Throughout the Summer of 1787 men from 12—not Rhode Island—of the 13 States met in the same building that independence was declared to create a new government before the new nation burned down due to the failures of the Articles of Confederation. Over the course of the hot Philadelphia months, 55 men would participate in what became known as the Constitutional Convention but of those only 39 would sign the document that was sent to the States for ratification and is today in the National Archives. Kiernan and D’Agnese give brief biographical sketches of the 39 men—separated by state—whose signatures adorn the document filled with their life details as several anecdotes from the man who signed twice and who technically did not but is included, who died in a duel but did not get a Broadway bio play created for them, and who is so mysterious that we do not have any clue what he looked like. A illustrated portrait is included with 38 of the biographies to give faces to the signers especially those lesser known by the average American. While each biography is informative, the authors’ choice of off-handed remarks and other stylistic choices are at time annoying and off-putting which as it went on for almost 300 pages resulted in the rating this book received.

Overall, this is a good overview of all the men who created the system of government that we still use today at least if we can keep it.

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Book Review: Signing Their Lives Away by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D'Agnese

Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence by Denise Kiernan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Who were the men who decided to stick it King George’s eye in July 1776 and vote for independence? Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence by married writers Denise Kiernan and Joseph D’Agnese gives readers a crash course on each signer’s lives up to and after that momentous day.

In June and July 1776, the men in the Second Continental Congress debated if the Colonies should declare independence from Great Britain. Then on the 2nd of July they took the step to do so and, on the 4th, approved the Declaration written by Thomas Jefferson and edited by the Congress. Finally, on August 2nd the 56 Congressmen from all thirteen states signed the Declaration that we see today in the National Archives. After giving this brief timeline of the creation of the Declaration of Independence, Kiernan and D’Agnese give brief biographical sketches of the 56 men—separated by state—whose signatures adorn the document filled with their life details as several anecdotes from who signed the document even though he voted against independence, who died in a duel, and how many of the men represented states they were not born in. All the signers’ biographies have an illustrated portrait to give a face to those not well known by the average American. While each biography is informative, the authors’ choice of off-handed remarks and other stylistic choices are at time annoying and off-putting which as it went on for almost 300 pages resulted in the rating this book received.

Overall, this is a good overview of all the men who essentially signed their own death warrant if events had turned out differently.

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Book Review: John Byington by Brian Strayer

John Byington: First General Conference President, Circuit-Riding Preacher, and Radical Reformer by Brian E. Strayer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arriving at the first General Conference session, John Byington wasn’t planning on becoming the denomination’s first president when he left, he was. John Byington: First General Conference President, Circuit-Riding Preacher, and Radical Reformer by Bryan Strayer shows not only the life of the relatively unknown Adventist pioneer but his family as well.

Strayer begins with a very impressive family history from its origins in Ireland and Yorkshire, but also its history during the Colonial period before arriving to Byington’s father Justus whose patriot zeal and Methodist faith rubbed off on his sons. After spending time at sea after going out on his own, Byington married and went to live in northern New York where he would live until moving to the Battle Creek area. Over 30 years, Byington raised a family, being a circuit-ring Methodist minister, and a noted area reformer for temperance and abolition. Once Byington was presented with the seventh-day Sabbath and studied it before he along with a considerable part of his family joined the fledging denomination. Once among the Adventists, he continued to be a circuit-riding preacher who from time to time shared messaged in Adventist periodicals. His presence leading various churches made the White ask him to come to Michigan were various troubles were hampering the denomination. While packing up from his very profitable farm he built up and starting new at his age could have been a breaking point, Byington saw the call from God and with a significant portion of his own family but extended family settled in Michigan where he continued his circuit-riding preaching when not farming. His surprising election and time as first General Conference president did not change his way of life as at the time, the administration of such a small denomination was not as daunting as it would become. After his tenure ended, Byington just kept on circuit-riding and running his farm until six years before his death when he and his wife moved to Battle Creek due to their age, though that did not stop Byington from doing a small circuit around the growing city up until the year before his death. Throughout the book, Strayer would give background to various elements of Byington’s world like the history of St. Lawrence county in New York where Byington was a Methodist then Adventist circuit-rider, or how Adventists were portrayed in local Battle Creek newspapers, and finally the lives of Byington’s children and descendants to show his long legacy in Adventism.

The biography of John Byington would simply have been too short if Strayer had not spent time describing the Byington family history before and after John’s life. The addition of the local newspaper coverage of Adventist was an interesting inclusion but added some context that had not been covered in previous biographies and histories of Adventism in Battle Creek that I have read. Strayer’s examination in the claim that Byington was a conductor in the Underground Railroad was well done and while not proving he was, the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming in favor. Over the course of the book, Strayer continually went over Byington’s circuit-riding itinerary that as the book went on it felt a lot like padding. What would have been welcomed was Strayer figuring out why Byington was chosen when James White refused becoming president, it might not have been ironclad historical but postulating a historical argument would have been acceptable.

The life of John Byington was both simple and complicated, but what Bryan Strayer brings to the fore was that he was Christ-center simple preacher that led many to Christ and sustained the faith of many in New York and Michigan. If you’ve ever wondered who the first General Conference president was, this book will definitely inform you.

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Book Review: The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A young mentally broken woman explores a vast underground below a magical university, who’s only friend is about to make one of his visits. The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss follows a week in the life of the mysterious and tragic Auri.

Over the course of around 150 pages, we follow the daily life and adventures of Auri throughout the Underthing as she prepares for a visit from Kvothe. This untraditional story without a clear beginning, middle, or end may not be for everyone whether one is a fan of Rothfuss’ work or not but is essentially a fantasy version stream of consciousness yet actually readable as we follow the broken former student of the University. While there are highlights of Auri venturing out of the Underthing to a local farm, most of the novella follows her doing everyday tasks like making candles which is where some readers will quickly get bored due to the non-traditional nature of the story. However, for those that do complete the book we learn little world building hints connected to alchemy and naming.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things isn’t for everyone, including fans of Patrick Rothfuss’ writing, because it is not a traditional story and it’s stream of consciousness style. Yet not everyone likes traditional stories and for those I recommend this book.

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Book Review: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The future of an empire rests in the hands of a heretical magic user who is tasked with restoring the Emperor or else. The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson is a novella set on the same world as his first novel Elantris, but far away from that magical city in the capital of the Rose Empire.

Shai is a thief and practitioner of magical forgery who has been arrested and sentenced to death. The Emperor's corrupt advisors offer to free her if she agrees to forge a new soul for the Emperor, who has been left brain dead by an assassination attempt. She agrees but plans to escape. She is given 100 days to forge the soul, given only official histories, the Emperor's diary, and Gaotona, the only non-corrupt advisor, a task even she deems impossible. As they research the Emperor's past, Gaotona learns more about forgery, a generally detested practice, and the two develop a grudging respect for each other. During this task, Shai realizes the Emperor had once been idealistic, but a life of leisure resulted in his recent indulgence and resolves to create and tweak the soul as her masterpiece, setting him on a better path. Though many opportunities present themselves, Shai puts off escaping until the work is done, whereupon Gaotona helps her win her freedom against his colleagues' treachery. The Emperor, with the forged soul, resumes his rule.

At approximately 175 pages, this novella is a very quick not only thanks to Sanderson’s writing style but also because Shai is an interesting character that the reader wants to follow. The subplot of Gaotona’s relationship to the Emperor and his view of “art” is a nice addition that adds to the novella without attempting to stuff too much in too little space.

The Emperor’s Soul is a quick reading novella following an interesting character set in the same world as Brandon Sanderson’s first novel but in no way connected to the events of that book.

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Book Review: The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson

The Prose Edda: Tales from Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Norse mythology that has come down to us, is primarily thanks to one Icelandic scholar and politician. The Prose Edda is Snorri Sturluson’s attempt to compile the myths of the Northern world and save the knowledge of how skaldic poetry is composed.

The book is essentially divided into two parts, the first is strictly concerned with mythology and the second is a mix of mythology and learning the rules of skaldic poetry. While Snorri follows the examples of Virgil and Geoffrey of Monmouth of connecting the Norse gods to originally being refugees of Troy that uncivilized tribes were awed by and made into gods, his prose retelling of the Norse myths seen in The Poetic Edda is not only exceptionally good but was most well-known versions for centuries. In fact, Snorri includes more myths than what appears in The Prose Edda including more that relate to Loki and Sif and others. The second half which features Snorri telling the rules of skaldic poetry by using mythic and saga verses is an easy, quick read that those not really interested will not find daunting in finishing the book but adds to the overall knowledge of skaldic tradition if one reads The Poetic Edda after Snorri’s book.

Unlike The Poetic Edda in which readers are not really sure how much Christianization has leaked into the versions written in, the reader knows from the beginning that Snorri is threading the edge of being a Christian and attempting to preserve his cultures pagan heritage. Brodeur’s translation not only reads well with occasional footnotes when giving meanings to words, but the spellings that the 21st Century reader knows of the various god’s names are the same.

The Prose Edda is the primary source of the vast majority of what we know today of Norse mythology and that alone recommends this book to those interested in mythology of any type.

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Book Review: The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965 by William Manchester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After a lifetime striving to obtain the greatest political office one can achieve, you are faced with one of the greatest military threats your nation as ever had to deal with. The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965 is the final volume William Manchester’s biographical trilogy that was finished by Paul Reid that covers the five years that define Churchill to the world.

While title of the book indicates that it will cover the last quarter-century of Churchill’s life—and it does—almost 90% covers his tenure in 10 Downing Street from his ascension to Prime Minister through V-E Day almost 5 years to the day. Reid using Manchester’s established research and interviews as well as adding his own follows the path Winston Churchill had to tread both militarily as Britain’s war leader to defend the Home Islands from invasion as well as the outlying possessions that sustained the Home Islands in food and material while getting whatever assistance he can from the United States over the course a year until the German invasion of the Soviet Union followed later by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Now with powerful allies, though now with another war on the other side of the world, Churchill’s problems were not solved but only multiplied as different strategic and post-war visions from the Soviet Union and the United States as well as their contributions to the overall war effort soon eclipsed that of the British not only in the war but in the eventual peace. The last tenth of the book dealt most with Churchill’s time as leader of the opposition to Attlee’s Labour government that came to power after the July 1945 election while also being considered the greatest statesmen in the world at the same. But once he achieved his goal of obtaining 10 Downing through the ballot box, but ill-health and that change in American and Soviet leaderships sent the rapidly freezing Cold War out of his hands diplomatically while his long-time loyal supporters looked ease him out but not in a way that would cause massive public dissatisfaction of backstabbing him. The last ten years of his life after his resignation are covered in about as many pages with a sadness of the inevitable but how he remained himself until the end.

While the first two volumes of this biographical trilogy gave showcased Churchill’s path towards his “date with destiny”, this was the volume anyone interested in Churchill was interested in. Looking from an American point-of-view at Churchill’s leadership role along with his various decisions and reactions that saw the war from British point-of-view gave a greater scope to the vast conflict, especially in the overall European theater. The personal and political relationships between Churchill to both Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin on one level to various British and American military commanders on another while also being a political leader on the home front showed the numerous plates that he had to spin, many times without success when it came to various strategic plans especially in Italy and the Balkans the latter of which would shape the early Cold War. Reid and Manchester, from an American point-of-view, took on the myth of Churchill’s opposition to D-Day that Eisenhower and other propagated especially when facts bore out that Churchill’s insistence that Montgomery review the initial plans that resulted in the Overlord plan that took place on June 6 in which Churchill wholeheartedly supported. The surprising fact that the “warmonger” Churchill attempted throughout his second premiership to organize a summit early in the hardening Cold War with the threat of atomic then nuclear war—one with only losers and no winners—beginning to loom large was a surprise and often overlooked.

Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965 portrays the Churchill of 1940 when Britain stood alone in which he is remember by history then follows the rest of his war years in detail, especially how the greatest empire in history at the beginning of the war would be the distant third major war power at the end of it. The research of both William Manchester and Paul Reid brings into focus for the reader the short-term and long-term military decisions Churchill dealt with as well as numerous political realities he had to either fight or acquiesce to throughout the war years and later upon his post-war premiership.

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