It’s been nearly 50 years since the last helicopters of Americans, and Vietnamese evacuees, left Vietnam and closed that chapter. Well, not exactly. Stories of that time and place continued to be told, and here is quite a riveting tale of compassion and heroism. Beginning of the end timeline: January 1968: The Tet Offensive. March … More Getting Out of Saigon by Ralph White (book review)
These two books about World War II have a lot in common. Both are centered on espionage and intelligence gathering, a new wrinkle in defense against foreign threats. At the beginning of the War, the U.S. has only recently developed an organization, as John Lisle outlines in his book. Certainly, spying and figuring out your … More The Dirty Tricks Department / The Nazi Conspiracy: the Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill (book reviews)
Not for the faint at heart, this 2022 remake of the Erich Maria Remarque book, shows the futility and destruction of World War I. The film scored many awards around the world; a magnificent production, but terribly difficult to watch. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, All Quiet on the Western Front received awards for Best … More All Quiet on the Western Front (film review)
The anxiously awaited book by Pulitzer Prize winning, White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, who covered the subject of this book for years writing for various New York publications. She interviewed more than 200 sources, and the subject himself several times. He called her his psychiatrist; later, he referred to her as a third-rate journalist. If … More Confidence Man (2022), by Maggie Haberman (book review)
The U.S. and the Holocaust is a three-part, six-hour series focused on the Holocaust from the American involvement leading up to, during, and immediately following World War II. This Ken Burns series stirred a lot of discussion, certainly on the Holocaust, but more importantly, on the United States’ failures in responding to the Final Solution. … More The Holocaust: Ken Burns and Assorted Thoughts
I never had the opportunity to eat at an automat, but they were a fascinating part of our American urban culture. The closest I ever got was the cafeteria, which is a rarity in America now. After the pandemic, try to even find a buffet. Lisa Hurwitz is the originator and director of The Automat … More The Automat (film review)
Retired Secret Service Agent Clint Hill has a unique place in history. He provided protection for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford, was also in charge of protection for Vice President Spiro Agnew. He was with President Kennedy in Dallas, and can be seen … More Clint Hill: My Travels With Mrs. Kennedy
“The battle of the generations was for the soul of America. Rock and roll was soft power. This was the underlying theme of Rolling Stone: a charter to examine all aspects of America, to get “the latest spin on the shit we’re in,” in Jackson Browne’s phrase, so this book is in part a report … More Jann S. Wenner: Like a Rolling Stone (book review)
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most celebrated and revered persons, certainly ranked in the shortlist of greatest American presidents. Abe, since he and I are on a first name basis, is also one of the most written about men in history. During the past few years, I have to confess, Abe has been on … More Young Abe Lincoln: Lessons
A lot of people saw The Deer Hunter, it won several Academy Awards including a Best Picture Oscar and was the talk of 1978, for a variety of reasons. Heaven’s Gate would only win Razzie and Stinker Awards, and is often credited with sinking a movie studio. This blog is a tale of a director … More Michael Cimino, The Deer Hunter and Heaven’s Gate
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