Posted by
Big Mo on Friday, July 07, 2006 12:56:35 PM
Who I am
Some people might recognize my handle from places like Wizbang, World Magazine, Ankle Biting Pundits and, up until the "Monday Massacre," Polipundit. I live in St. Louis, Mo. I’m a professional writer/editor, a former journalist and I love to read books. Not much that I learned at the University of Missouri-Columbia truly prepared me for the real world, but I did pick up a habit of absorbing thick history books: I can go through them like others go through romance novels.
About five years ago, I read selections of James Stokesbury’s A
Short History of World War 1 primarily because I wanted a quick overview of the great naval battle of Jutland. Deciding that the whole book was a worthwhile cursory examination of the war, and not wanting to forget what I read, I took copious notes while I finished the book. I’ve done that ever since. (OK, so that's
one skill from college that I've carried on.)
Why book reviews
In June, Pat Hynes of
Ankle Biting Pundits put out a call for reviewers of his new book, In Defense of the Religious Right. A liberal placed a “review” of the book on Amazon that was nothing more than a diatribe against Christianity, and had nothing to do with Hynes' book. In response, Hynes offered free copies to five people willing to do tough but fair reviews of his book for Amazon.
I volunteered, he sent me a copy, but I want to do more. I’ve decided to share my book reviews with the world, not that anybody’s asked. Usually, I’ve been keeping them in a journal that I’ve been saving for my sons and their children (God willing), but Hugh Hewitt’s move to Townhall has encouraged me to start this blog on book reviews.
I hope to put up one new review a week. Some of the titles will be recent books, and some will be older. Just because a book is older, though, does not mean its worth is passed. If you like what you read, and you believe that I am tough but fair, feel free to send me your book for review.
Book types
I’m most interested in books concerning:
- American presidents, especially Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleveland, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush (please, no Bush-bashing books. If you have an anti-Bush book, it must be reasonable and not from the fever-swamps. I have yet to see one.)
- Evangelical Christianity
- Current events and politics from a center/right-of-center perspective
- General American history of the “big picture” sort
- Occasional fiction
I usually draw lessons from the past and apply them to the present age, where applicable. For example, Ulysses Grant and Grover Cleveland are two of my favorite presidents – and they could be forceful and positive standard bearers for the modern conservative movement. Stay tuned to find out why!
Planned upcoming reviews
Patrick Hynes,
In Defense of the Religious Right: Why Conservative Christians Are the Lifeblood of the Republican Party and Why that Terrifies the Democrats (2006) (note: a smaller version of this review will be appearing on Amazon before it appears here, per my obligation to Pat Hynes).
Peter Schweizer,
Reagan’s War: The Epic Story of His Forty-Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism (2002)
Hank Hanegraaff and Paul Maier,
The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? (2004)
Fred Anderson, T
he Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766 (2000)
Philip Yancey,
The Jesus I Never Knew (1995)
Triple review:
Jean Edward Smith,
Grant (2001);
Josiah Bunting III,
Ulysses S. Grant (The American President Series) (2004); and
Frank J. Scaturro,
President Grant Reconsidered (1998)
Henry F. Graff,
Grover Cleveland (The American Presidents Series) (2002)
John MacArthur,
Hard to Believe: The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus (2003)
Bill Sammon,
How George W. Bush Is Defeating Terrorists, Outwitting Democrats, and Confounding the Mainstream Media (2006) (note: this is the only one on this list I haven’t read yet)
Schedule
The first review will appear by the end of July. I have a mission trip to N’awlins and Biloxi to take care of first (plus finish Hynes’ book.)