Porter Broyles > Recent Status Updates

Things to talk about in review:
1) How well researched this is with sources explained and described
2) How the post war boom was predicted as Americans climbed out of person debt during the war
3) Wright Aeronautics
4) Carnegie Steele
5) Manhattan Project

Things to talk about in review:
1) How well researched this is with sources explained and described
2) How the post war boom was predicted as Americans climbed out of person debt during the war
3) Wright Aeronautics
4) Carnegie Steele
5) Manhattan Project

Very interesting book about how Truman went from an obscure senator best known as a part of the Pendergast Machine to Vice President of the United States.

Truman had to build a committee with nominal funding and no real support.

Two of the guiding principles that Truman expressed was that they were not going to bury stories or use them to shame others. Facts and honest criticism were key.

The book starts off a little slow. It bombards the reader with a ton of facts that are background, but doesn't formulate the world enough to conceptualize how the events interact.

After about 10% of the book, it improves. Still a lot of details, but once the world of NYC starts to come into focus, it does improve.

Still, the level of detail obfuscates the enjoyability of the story.

fascinating.

US Defense Attorney's went far above what anybody expected them to---to the point that they angered many Americans.

US Prosecutors were not as good---and had conflicting orders. Get the convictions, but not to get rid of the Emperor. The country did not unconditionally surrender, and had obligations under the cease fire.

Different countries had different objectives (esp USSR and Communist China)

I'm reading this book in conjunction with the NF Pulitzer Prize group and I'm really enjoying it.

Unfortunately a lot of the book goes over my head with musical terms and concepts, but the author does a good enough job at explaining how those concepts shaped and formed Armstrongs music that I still understand it.

The more I read of the book, the more I find the title to be inaccurate.

So far the book is an excellent overview of slavery and the Mexican Territory of Tejas, but we have just encountered the first example of two slaves who actively fled to Mexico Joe and Domingo.

That being said, this is the book "Forget the Alamo" wanted to be. A legit survey of subject in Texas, without the inflamatory garbage.

Very easy read w/ lots of info---2 things that often don't go together.

Met our 1st actual slaves. So far the book has been about the politics and balancing act Mexico takes in regards to Tejas and the USA.

Now the first slave is a Louisianna escapee who with the help of a guy escapes to Tejas where she becomes an indentured servant. Her slave owner finds out and want her back---international incident brewing.

The years of 1820-30 were very tumultuous years in Mexico---almost every two years the Gov changed.

C y Tejas banned slavery in 1827, then exempted Tejas

Tejas fought to protect slavery, but in 1828--Vicente Guerrero took control of the country and freed all slaves. His edict failed to gain root.

Mexico treaty with Haiti to invade Cuba prevented 2nd invasion by Spain in 1830

What a great introduction into Mexican politics surrounding slavery and Stephen F Austin.

Other books talk about it in the abstract but this one delves into it.

1- Mexico freed the slaves to show their revolution was greater than US
2- this stifled interest in migrating to Mexico as
3- 90% of immigrants came from slave states
4- Tejas agreed to be a state rather than territory to avoid Mexico City writing it's laws

This is so far an easy to read book---with lots of surprising info.

1. Mexican money was the good standard in the new world
2. 3-5k slaves escaped to Texas
3. Slaves in Mexico were protected as people. You couldn't sell families apart or force marriage/divorce
4. 50000 hours to separate 100l b cotton dropped to 300

Very good book and very interesting approach.

Part of the book delves into each of the major characters---who are they and what motivates them. Why are they there and how does their background affect what their role would be in the future.

The second section really goes into different events that are part of the war crimes being charged---the attack on Pearl Harbor, Batam march, Rape of Nanjing, etc

Very good book and very interesting approach.

Part of the book delves into each of the major characters---who are they and what motivates them. Why are they there and how does their background affect what their role would be in the future.

The second section really goes into different events that are part of the war crimes being charged---the attack on Pearl Harbor, Batam march, Rape of Nanjing, etc

Loving it.

1. European vs Asian views on judgment very interesting
2. politics with communist in Korea and China
3. Yamatsu supreme Court case fascinating and disappointing. One justice called it the worst ruling ever... Even over Scott.
4., Yamatsu has become the basis for much international laws on warfare.
5. Geneva Convention requires pows be tried by same standards of the host country.
6. Us lawyers were nobl

I put this book aside for 2 weeks after failing to get into it.

I picked it back up a few days ago and one of the story lines has caught my attention---Ingrids experience with amnesia. We don't usually think about how amnesia would affect our daily lives. Her seeing herself in the mirror and wondering who she was. Her going home and sharing a bed with a man whom she had no knowledge.

OMG I am absolutely loving this book. I've read biographies on King before, but this one includes information not known previously.

I love the fact that the author delves into the reason why different people and theologians affected his points of view. Tillich, Niebuhr, college profs... very good.

Early life details I've not seen before.

And the 3 P's of sermonizing: Prove, Paint, and Pursuade.

Peter Martin became first slave (1843) in the ROT to be emancipated and granted permission by Tx Congress to permanently reside in Texas---became successful rancher.

He died in 1863 leaving his slave wife and 14 children with the ranch. Forced to sell, Judith got worthless Confederate $ for the cattle/land.

Sued and won--- but only because of the 13/14 amendment.

This book is fascinating and challenging.

The book covers the period of roughly 1790-1800... The period wherein the Haitian Uprising occurred that resulted in the only permanently successful slave revolt.

The period is also that of the French Revolution.

The slave Uprising had major ramifications in the US.

This makes the story convoluted... And I find myself wanting to learn more about the French Revolution.

Just started two things about slavery in the Antilles in the 18century:

1) when a Nat Turner type rebellion started, the 243 slaves marched to the main city to fight, but to position themselves as citizens who saved the Republic from the Brits.

2)Slave property rights were seen as sacrosanct. Worse to steal from ones slave than someone else!

Interesting. When running for President in 1876, Grant wrote a declaration that it was time to recognize the role women had in winning the war. This helped align suffragist to the Republicans.

The trade off that got the 15th amendment passed guaranteeing blacks the right to vote, was a general amnesty to former Confederates, granting them the right to vote.

Meh

This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.

The book isn't so much about Elizabeth Van Lew, but about Unionist activities in Richmond before and during the war.

Van Lew is a major player in those activities, but so far I wouldn't consider this to be a biography about her.

While I am somewhat disappointed that the title and contents don't match, Varon remains one of my favorite authors.

She brings in a lot of info from the period otherwise ignored.

So far this book isn't exciting me too much.

The book is written in a folksy semi-first person style as if the author were narratating the stories.

Many of the stories are the same ones presented to us at the conference. Very high level and introductory---don't even have the same appeal as many of the other fraud stories one encounters in other books.

The more I read of the book the more I'm surprised.

I've always associated Tammany as a typical corrupt political machine. This book has me completely reassessing how I will "political machines" going forward.

Yes, Tammany Hall was caught with corruption with Boss Tweed, but Boss Tweed was one of the few leaders to goto Jail.

Tammany's biggest crime? Standing for the rights of:
1) Immigrant
2) Irish
3) Catholics

Considering how important or at least influencial Tammany Hall was, I'm surprised I hadn't read anything specifically about the group.

This is a really good book.

Saw Kelly Pope at the Houston IIA Annual Conference where I got a "free" copy of the book.

This is a short 233 page book, but it's really shorter than that.

The font is larger than usual for a book, the spacing is bigger, the margins are huge. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a 150 page book and they used ever trick to give it the appearance of depth.

As for content, it's been pretty good so far.

Varon is one of my all time favorite authors, I really like her work, but I didn't think the story of a spy sounded that great. Sounded like a dissertation turned into a story. I was so wrong:

Chapter 1 - talks a lot about the role of women in politics in the South before the vote.

Chapter 2 - talk about the secession movement in Virginia and the efforts pro/anti Union.

I have a love hate relationship with this book.

I love it because it has so much information in it.

I hate it because it has so much information in it, it makes reading it slow.

I've made 39 highlights so far.