When the cheering stopped: The last years of Woodrow Wilson by Gene Smith

When the cheering stopped: The last years of Woodrow Wilson by Gene Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 What happens when a President becomes disabled and is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of his position? That was the dilemma in 1919 when Pres. Woodrow Wilson suffered a variety of health maladies including strokes and found himself bedridden and unable to perform his job. His wife and his doctor essentially carried out and managed Presidential duties. Ordinarily the Vice President steps in and carries out the presidential duties – – however Wilson's vice president had no interest in being president. A grumbling Congress and Cabinet offered little resistance.

What struck this reader was how implausible this scenario would have been today. Wilson would never have been able to stay in the White House given his health situation. Mrs. Wilson has been credited with actually being the first woman President as she made a number of policy and personnel decisions. And like Nancy Reagan, she strictly managed the President's schedule and travels.

Woodrow Wilson was obsessed with the creation of the League of Nations. Obsessed to the point where he sacrificed his own health and life. He even considered running for a third term despite his failing health. Interesting history – – very well researched.


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Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O'Reilly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think a more appropriate title for the book is Killing the Rising Sun: Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb On Japan. I think the authors made a good case that the dropping of the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was regrettable but necessary. The Japanese Government through its Emperor showed very little inclination to surrender even when its occupied islands (Okinawa, Iwo Jima) were invaded and recovered by the Allies.

The book also covers the atrocities committed by the Japanese on Chinese civilians and US prisoners of war. Documented are stories of heroism on both sides. The horrors inflicted on the citizens in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are grimly told too.

There are far better history books about the end of the war against Japan but this is very readable and well written.


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Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington and The Education of a President by Ron Suskind

Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President by Ron Suskind
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is another view of the financial crisis and how the newly elected Obama administration handled it. Based on Suskind's findings, they did not handle it very well. Too many egos, too much political infighting and a lack of leadership from the President stymied progress on financial and economic fronts. This book basically covered events from 2008 – 2010 so given the economic recovery Obama and his administration must've gotten their act together. Pres. Obama is shown as a very smart man who grasped quickly the implications and effects of the economic turn down. Unfortunately the team and cabinet he assembled were not able to work together and develop a comprehensive economic plan to address the nation's woes, particularly unemployment.

This book is 482 pages but if you are a political junkie like me, you'll find it an interesting read.


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Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-41

Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-41 by William L. Shirer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read and reread Shirer book three or four times during different periods in my life. While his own personal story as a journalist is very compelling, because of his adventures and experiences in Nazi Germany, even more interesting to me was the reaction of the German people to Hitler. It's hard to believe that a civilized and cultured nation would allow a mediocre man to be the leader of their country and to plunge them into war and self-destruction.

The reader wonders if something like that could happen in the United States. Until this election cycle, I would have said no – – there are more smarter and wiser people than dumb and evil ones in this country. Now I'm not so sure…

I would list this book as one of the most influential ones in my lifetime. It is a long book – – over 600 pages but the story is very compelling and needs to be shared.


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The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity by Nancy Gibbs

The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity by Nancy Gibbs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Presidents Club represents membership in a very exclusive club---all you have to do is be President of the United States. Its origin goes back to the Truman Administration where Harry Truman solicited the help of Herbert Hoover to assist with the feeding of the hungry and homeless after World War II. Gibbs also provides additional examples and stories where a current President reached back and asked for guidance or help from one or more of his predecessors. The book covers the relationships between and among the Presidents. It seems the most helpful ex-President may have been Nixon who consulted with Reagan, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. If you are interested in the American Presidency or American History, you will enjoy this book. Excellent read.


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Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold and The Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick

Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not as familiar with the events during the Revolutionary War and with the start-up of the U.S. democracy as I should be. This very readable book filled in a lot of my knowledge gap. I was fascinated more by the stories around Benedict Arnold than I was about the stories around George Washington. What also struck me was how many important battles were fought in the area I live (Philadelphia, Valley Forge, Trenton etc.) America was very lucky to win its war of independence and its army had to win the war with little support from the Congress in Philadelphia.


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Five Presidents : My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford by Clint Hill

Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford by Clint Hill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was refreshing to read a book by a current or former Secret Service agent not bashing a President or member of the President's family. It's a very respectable book of the five Presidents though Hill was not a fan of Richard Nixon. Hill did present an even handed look at the five men---there were no allegations that would cause a buzz other than the Nixon Administration wanted to establish a Secret Service mole in the Ted Kennedy campaign. Hill even spoke even handedly about Spiro Agnew who he was assigned to protect. Good read for those interested in Presidential history.


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Review: Finale: A Novel of the Reagan Years by Thomas Mallon

Finale: A Novel of the Reagan Years by Thomas Mallon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As a general preference, I prefer reading non-fiction (history, biographies etc.) Actual events, motivations and personalities tend to be more fascinating and illuminating than what might be imagined or created. Finale certainly had an interesting cast of characters: Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Don Regan, Pamela Harriman, Margaret Thatcher in my own personal favorite, the witty and cynical Christopher Hitchens. I found Hitchens characterization to be the most interesting and fun of all.

The book is certainly gossipy – – some, maybe most of it has some merit or truth. I don't think that the book shows Reagan in a favorable light, after all, most of the events described happen in the latter part of his second term. There is some question as to the mental and intellectual capabilities of Reagan given his age. The book is not flattering to Nancy Reagan either – – though I do give her credit for her loyalty and love for her husband.

There are stories within stories, some interesting, some not. I started off the book with great enthusiasm and interest but that waned as I got farther within the book. I may check out the author's book on Watergate. This is the type of book that you might get on loan from a library to read.


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My Top 8 Books of 2014

 Hi readers:

With the exception of maybe two books, you won't find the books on my list on any other major publisher or book review list.  All the books are nonfiction.  Some of these books were published prior to 2014. I have not listed the books in any particular order of preference.

I confess that as I get older ( I am now 62),  I find it harder and harder to be wowed  by a particular book. I don't have the same patience  with sitting down and focusing on a book for an hour or more that I did 10 years or more ago. Largely I blame that on the Internet and the lure of a quick  intellectual or entertaining fix when it comes to reading.

Here is my top 8 nonfiction books for 2014. Enjoy!

The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
This book covers the relationship, sometimes acrimonious, but between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. I find Roosevelt to be an interesting character on his own. I was not aware of the Taft legacy or details around his presidency. This is a long book but it's very interesting from the beginning to the end. Taft and  Roosevelt were political giants in the beginning of the 20th century. Even though Taft and Roosevelt had their political differences, the debate was largely civil and in the end, each man respected the other, genuinely.

The Hoops Whisperer: On the Court and Inside the Heads of Basketball's Best Players by Idan Ravin
 If you like basketball, you'll really like this book. Some very interesting observations about many of the players today including Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and others. The observations are not just based on what happens on the court but how the respective athletes handle things off the court particularly in terms of training and how they approach the game.

Living in More than One World:  How Peter Drucker's Wisdom Can Inspire and Transform Your Life by Bruce Rosenstein and Frances Hesselbein
This was an interesting portrait of Peter Drucker, "the father of modern management." I enjoy reading stories of "Renaissance men." Drucker was a man of diverse interests, including business, literature, music and art.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents,  Two  Parties, and the  Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by Todd Purdum
This is an excellent book about the people, personalities and politics around the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Though Presidents Kennedy and Johnson have received most of the credit for the passage of this bill from historians, there was incredible effort from senators Hubert Humphrey and Everett Dirksen to get this bill through Congress. This book should be part of every black history class in high school and college.

Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman
I am not a Lakers fan but I really enjoyed this book about the team that played in the 1980s. Some fascinating stories and portraits of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Lakers coach Pat Riley, owner Jerry Buss and others. This book was very interesting because it not only captured what happened on the court but some of the interesting activities off the court, particularly when it came to women and parties.

What Should We Be Worried About? Real Scenarios that Keeps Scientists Up at Night by John Brockman
 I enjoy thinking out-of-the-box. This book provides a variety of experts in different fields and their observations about what we really should be worried about. Many are very surprising as they cover scenarios  in science, politics, culture and  technology. You will be informed. You will be entertained.  You will be surprised at some of the hidden threats that we may be facing.

The Billionaire's Apprentice: The  Rise of the Indian American  Elite and the  Fall of the Galleon  Hedge  Fund by Anita Raghavan
 This story about a major business scandal and insider trading reads like a novel.  Business people with the best of intentions caught up in greed and scandal.

The Good Spy: The  Life and  Death of Robert Ames by  Kai Bird

 This book has generally received excellent reviews and is well-deserved.  It's an interesting biography,  an exciting spy yarn and very compelling history.  Ames was a CIA a operative with assignments all over the world but in particular the Middle East.  How Ames performs his responsibilities and his interactions with major political and intelligence figures makes for compelling reading. The lessons from this book in regards to Middle Eastern politics and how we deal with the various interest groups is very applicable today.

Best Book to Understand the History and Horror of World War II

Max Hastings has written an excellent book on the Second World War, Inferno, The World at War 1939-1945.  He recounts the war years not just from the prospectives of the leaders of the warring countries and soldiers who fought it but also from the civilians and innocents caught in the middle. It's a long book (651 pages) but a compelling (if not depressing ) read.

There are hundreds of stories about the depravities of war, including cannibalism, rape, executions and senseless violence. You'll read about the best of men under horrible circumstances and the worst possible behavior that can be exhibited by soldiers of all countries.

Hastings writes fairly. He cites the brilliance and stupidity of Generals and political leaders whether they were part of the Axis or the Allies.

This book is gritty and very honest. I've read a number of other World War II histories (including some earlier Hastings books). This is the best.

Best Book of 2011 (So Far)

Do you like intrigue?

Do you like romance?

Do you enjoy scandal?

Do you enjoy history?

Do you enjoy heroism in the face of evil?

Then you would enjoy the widely praised In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. This book is based on actual events but it is written like a novel.

The American Family belongs to William E. Dodd who was appointed as Ambassador to Germany in 1933 just as Adolph Hitler is rising to power. Dodd struggles not only with the new Nazi regime but with his own State Department. The family gets to see and experience the terror of the Gestapo and Storm Troopers as Hitler consolidates his power.

The book also focuses on Dodd's precocious daughter, Martha who meets and beds a number of diplomats and players in Berlin. The reader gets to see Germany through her eyes.

I was also fascinated by the reaction of the German people during this pre-World War II period. This book answered my question as to how a person like Hitler could take power.

This book deserves every kudo it has received.

This book is 365 pages of history and is well written. An excellent choice for a student of history or a reader looking for an interesting story.

Review of The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours Later

It's been a while since I have read a book about the tragic events of November 22, 1963. I was about 10 when this happened and I remember sitting from Friday November 22 through Monday November 25 watching the three network's coverage of the aftermath and Kennedy funeral on my black and white TV.

Steven Gillon's well researched book is good history and a flattering portrait of how Lyndon Johnson handled the first 24 hours of his Presidency. Johnson balanced the needs of reassuring the people of a country in shock while being sensitive to the grief of the Kennedy family and their closest supporters.

This book is an excellent read for any history buff and those not old enough to remember the shocking events of that fateful day.

Too Big to Fail By Andrew Ross Sorkin

I've read about 8-10 books on the events around our "economic 9/11." Sorkin's book is the most readable and the best in terms of depth and breadth of coverage.

If you are a student of one or more of the following disciplines, history, business, management, politics, leadership, banking and economics, you will enjoy this book and learn a lot from it. The fate of our economy was not in the hands of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi. Instead you will read the real decision makers and leaders in our economic crisis were Hank Paulsen, Tim Geithner, Jamie Dimon and Ben Bernacke.

This book is truly a behind the scenes look at crisis management. You will read of some CEOs and government people who stepped up at the plate and some who were not up to the challenges and bailed out.

The book is over 500 pages but moves quickly. It reads like a political novel with a fascinating group of characters and personalities.

Best Books of 2009

Sorry but I read The Lost Symbol and The Associate but they did not make my cut. These were the books I read (usually cover to cover) and enjoyed in 2009.

1. The Unforgiving Minute” A Soldier’s Education by Craig M. Mullaney
This may have been the most interesting book that I read all year. In a sense it was very comforting to realize that we have young men of extraordinary leadership and courage in the wings.

2. A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played by Marshall Jon Fisher
Even if you don't enjoy tennis, this was a fascinating human story that took place in Davis Cup competition prior to World War II.

3. Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America-and Found Unexpected Peace by William Lobdell
A candid story of the struggle for belief that many readers will identify and sympathize..

4. A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers by Lawrence G. McDonald
An insider's experiences and views as Lehman Brothers struggles and eventually fails.

5. The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy by Bill Simmons
I loved this history of the NBA. Great stories and insights. A big book but a great read. I loved the accompanying footnotes.

6. What Would Google Do by Jeff Jarvis
It's hard to remember a world without Google. Great insights into their mindset for innovation and opportunities. Should be read by every business school student.

7. Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
Interesting perspectives on careers, education and the value of work.

8. Last Man Standing: The Ascent of Jamie Dimon and JP Morgan Chase by Duff McDonald
Very interesting portrait of the banker who was in the middle of all the financial turmoil in 2008-2009. Rumored to be the person to replace Tim Geithner.

9. Resolution by Robert B. Parker
Loved the characters, loved the story. I finished the book in one day.

10. The Battle for America 2008 by Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson
Reminds me of Teddy White's books covering the Presidential elections in the 1960s.

Honorable Mention (in author alpha order)

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust by Chris Brogan & Julien Smith

Losing Mum and Pop A Memoir by Christopher Buckley

Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child

House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street William D. Cohan

When the Game Was Ours by Magic Johnson, Larry Bird with Jackie MacMullan

Brimstone by Robert B. Parker