I really enjoyed this book! Little historical snippets of feuds throughout history. My particular favorite sections were Admundsen/Scott and the race to the South Pole, Patton/Montgomery and Hoover/MLK.

It's pretty amazing how blinded people can be by hate, grudges and competition! ( )

I really enjoyed this book! Little historical snippets of feuds throughout history. My particular favorite sections were Admundsen/Scott and the race to the South Pole, Patton/Montgomery and Hoover/MLK.

It's pretty amazing how blinded people can be by hate, grudges and competition! ( )

This is a book that's pretty fun and the language the author uses makes for quick reading, but borders on the gossipy rather than neutral historical reporting. The whole point of the book is to get the dirty details of the feud; a summation of "the good parts."

The choices are good for the limited number of feuds being covered, but with the exception of Martin Luther King's with Hoover, it's a white-centric list. The feuds span centuries, from Protestant Elizabeth I's struggle for the throne and religious authority over the Scottish Catholic Queen Mary, to the aforementioned Hoover-King struggle for political influence. Some feuds seem more influential than others. Was Hoover's feud with King really any more monumental that Hoover's harrassment of other famous people during his day? However, It is a fascinating read on what was going on in the backrooms of the civil rights struggle. The book shines with the tragic story of Amundsen and Scott's race to be the first to reach the South Pole. It's a tale of drama, deceit, and madness, and practically writes itself. Some chapters fall into danger of becoming too gossipy to be reliable. Elizabeth I is reduced to a jealous, looks-obsessed ninny instead of the shrewd political leader she was.

With only ten feuds, the book begs to be expanded and to include other world leaders. The author stuck to those well-known by English-speaking audiences, and on the whole is more entertaining than a reliable historical reference. ( )

Informative, entertaining book on some of the great feuds of history, ranging from Elizabeth I versus Mary, Queen of Scots to Hamilton versus Burr to Patton versus Montgomery. Written in a fast paced, accessible style. ( )