Doris Kearns Goodwin

While the sad and magical Lincoln is endlessly fascinating -- often very droll -- the same cannot be said, with the possible exception of Seward, for the rest of the rivals. The book is much better before the 1860 election, during which it maintains a firm focus. The rest seems like a different book, wandering from topic to topic, mostly it seems in search of good anecdotes and with little will to cover matters thoroughly, especially with respect to the war, most of which is silently omitted. The book ends with Lincoln's assassination, providing periscope endings for the rest of the rivals. I would have handled this part differently, discussing Seward later and in more detail, as befits his status and contributions.… (altro)

Having watched [[Doris Kearns Goodwin]] in Ken Burns' baseball documentary, I looked forward to this one - baseball, history, and Doris is the perfect combination. This is an extremely personal memoir, but one that doesn't lose sight of the titular subject - baseball. Let's be clear, I hate the Dodgers, but who can hate 'dese bums from Brooklyn. And, along the way, I get some highlights of my New York, now San Francisco, Giants. She lays out her family history, the country's history, and baseball history alongside each other in a seamless way. You can't go wrong with Goodwin's perspectives on history in any arena.

5 bones!!!!!
Highly Recommended.… (altro)