Alexander McKee’s Followers (10)

Alexander McKee

Born

in Ipswich, Suffolk, The United Kingdom

July 25, 1918

Died

July 22, 1992

Website

http://alexandermckee.com/

Genre

History

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Alexander McKee was no "yes-man", he dared to criticise many military, political, economic, media and academic icons and he always kept an open mind. He was fanatical about making his works as accurate as he possibly could. He was ever alert to plain-wrong, biased, distorted or sloppy reports and hidden agendas; wickedly delighting (the more so as a self-educated man) in criticising and exposing assertions that did not fit the evidence. Among his targets were those who tended to emphasise media-image-managment, the accumulation of personal wealth and career progression over both personal integrity and respect for other people's contributions. He gleefully highlighted all the many lapses of integrity that he found. Equally, many established Alexander McKee was no "yes-man", he dared to criticise many military, political, economic, media and academic icons and he always kept an open mind. He was fanatical about making his works as accurate as he possibly could. He was ever alert to plain-wrong, biased, distorted or sloppy reports and hidden agendas; wickedly delighting (the more so as a self-educated man) in criticising and exposing assertions that did not fit the evidence. Among his targets were those who tended to emphasise media-image-managment, the accumulation of personal wealth and career progression over both personal integrity and respect for other people's contributions. He gleefully highlighted all the many lapses of integrity that he found. Equally, many established experts, often highly educated people and indeed experts regarding the theoretical aspects of their disciplines, but whom he considered scandalously remiss when they complacently failed to complement such theoretical understanding with practical knowledge as a way to test their theories empirically. Consequently, some of them came in for some harsh criticism on occasion. One gets the impression from his work that some of them appeared reluctant to venture outside the academy at all; out into the "real world": let alone to mix with ordinary people. Implicitly, he urged them to converse with the fishermen, the builders, the soldiers, the doctors, the nurses, the shipwrights and the firemen to glean practical understanding from these practical people, who had to be willing and able to carry out the ultimate tests on their theories to provide demonstably working solutions in order to fulfill their typical working roles. Then he urges such experts in the theory to re-test their theories against the empirically derived knowledge gleaned from their excursions among the working classes, and to do so conjunction with their own senses, out in the "real world": rather than limiting themselves and risking their reputations on the results of thought experiments alone. He dug deep into eye-witness testimonies and spent countless hours searching libraries and museums for the documentary evidence surrounding each his-story. One may find this slightly comical that viewed against the background of established caricaturisations, when the elevated "pillars of wisdom", went "building castles in the air" around about the "ivory towers" and he found strong contradictory "real world" evidence he often lambasted them mercilessly, although it does sometimes seem to be overdone. In contrast, he made the point that some of the sloppy documentary historical works such as that of Sir Robert Davis, that temporarily led his own research astray (and much to his annoyance caused him to repeat untruths in public lectures) while causing the propagation of serious errors until he uncovered them, were nevertheless probably a consequence of the pressures of work, owing to the high quality of the rest of the publication. ...more

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Alexander McKee’s books

Average rating: 4.06 · 2,578 ratings · 167 reviews · 53 distinct works • Similar authors

	Wreck of the Medusa: The Tragic Story of the Death Raft 3.86 avg rating — 468 ratings — published 1975 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Caen: Anvil of Victory 4.18 avg rating — 344 ratings — published 1964 — 36 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Friendless Sky: The story of air combat in World War 1 4.18 avg rating — 234 ratings — published 1962 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Mosquito Log: The Most Versatile Aeroplane of World War II 4.27 avg rating — 217 ratings — published 1990 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	H.M.S. Bounty: A True Account of the Notorious Mutiny 4.29 avg rating — 206 ratings — published 1961 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dresden, 1945: The Devil's Tinderbox 3.96 avg rating — 178 ratings — published 1982 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	El Alamein: Ultra and the Three Battles 4.07 avg rating — 87 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	King Henry VIII’s Mary Rose 3.90 avg rating — 79 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Against the Odds: Battles at Sea, 1591-1949 3.99 avg rating — 77 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strike From the Sky: The Battle of Britain Story 4.36 avg rating — 67 ratings — published 1967 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Alexander McKee (?)

“Captain Bligh returned in triumph from the South Seas, the breadfruit successfully transplanted, and another “best-selling” book about his experiences maturing in his mind. He found his reception astonishing. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Chatham, refused to see him; but, pointedly, received one of his subordinate officers. The Admiralty said they were not interested in his book, and would not support publication. And, although the nation was now at war, he was put on half-pay and not given a command.”
― Alexander McKee, H.M.S. Bounty: A True Account of the Notorious Mutiny

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“But Bligh set off in the wrong direction, away from Timor and the help they so badly needed. The dispute concluded with Bligh sneering at Fryer, “Sir, I suppose you will take the boat from me.” “No, sir. I despise your ideas, but it is far from my intention to take the boat from you.” Bligh answered by threatening to cut Fryer in pieces.”
― Alexander McKee, H.M.S. Bounty: A True Account of the Notorious Mutiny

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“Afterwards, Bligh called Fryer over to one side, out of earshot of the others. It was probably the only time he ever abused an officer in private. “Mr. Fryer,” he hissed. “Your behaviour has been most improper. If you ever again interfere with me while I am in the execution of my duty, and should any future tumult arise, I shall certainly put you to death, the first person.” For the first time in his life, Bligh probably meant exactly what he said, without exaggeration or passionate embroidery.”
― Alexander McKee, H.M.S. Bounty: A True Account of the Notorious Mutiny

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Alexander McKee’s Followers (10)

Alexander McKee

Combine EditionsAlexander McKee’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Alexander McKee’s books