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This book was published in 2002 shortly before Ambrose died. It is an excellent treatise on many of the forty historical book subjects that he covered in his career. Ambrose is what might be called a ‘popular’ historian. And his passion - judging by the number of books - would be military campaigns. D-Day and Band of Brothers are amongst the best of them. These books also led to his museum creation and fundraising for D-Day and many friendships with veterans of all stripes. If you have seen any of his interviews in various documentaries, the seriousness and passion with which he speaks is quite engaging.
Interestingly enough I’m more drawn to his other works - those that involve the American landscape. His book on Lewis and Clark called ‘Undaunted Courage’ and his book ‘Crazy Horse and Custer’ are amongst my favorites by any author. These books ooze with images of landscapes and wildness - just beautiful and romantic in an American West way.
Ambrose is a bit old school especially regarding his patriotic fervor in defending Eisenhower. As a young author he became Eisenhower’s biographer and got to know him very well. But despite his subjectivity, Ambrose’s heart is in the right place and his sins - if any exist - would be ones of opinion. His books do not avoid unseemly subjects.
I do not agree with Ambrose when he says that Nixon was actually one of America’s better presidents - as measured by political accomplishments. Ambrose probably had a clearer eyed view than myself because he clearly did not like the guy, called him a liar repeatedly. Nixon clearly did not like Ambrose calling him “one of those leftist historians”. I haven’t read Ambrose’s biographical trilogy on Nixon only because I have read another biography on Nixon and that is enough for me. I am sure it would be good.
Ambrose provides some excellent assessments of the presidencies of Jefferson, Grant and TR. He contends that Jefferson was a great intellect but not a great leader. Grant was one of the great presidents and this was not a popular opinion forty years ago. He was one of the only historians who publicly said so way back then. Ambrose noted that TR’s greatest gifts to America were the conservation movement that he started and that TR foresaw with great clarity America’s need to be a global power.
In two short chapters at the end of the book, Ambrose tries to address the racism and misogyny that he witnessed and that were especially prevalent in his times. He spoke of his mother who could have run and won a position in the Wisconsin legislature but his father - a Navy doctor - was against it.
4.5 stars.
Interestingly enough I’m more drawn to his other works - those that involve the American landscape. His book on Lewis and Clark called ‘Undaunted Courage’ and his book ‘Crazy Horse and Custer’ are amongst my favorites by any author. These books ooze with images of landscapes and wildness - just beautiful and romantic in an American West way.
Ambrose is a bit old school especially regarding his patriotic fervor in defending Eisenhower. As a young author he became Eisenhower’s biographer and got to know him very well. But despite his subjectivity, Ambrose’s heart is in the right place and his sins - if any exist - would be ones of opinion. His books do not avoid unseemly subjects.
I do not agree with Ambrose when he says that Nixon was actually one of America’s better presidents - as measured by political accomplishments. Ambrose probably had a clearer eyed view than myself because he clearly did not like the guy, called him a liar repeatedly. Nixon clearly did not like Ambrose calling him “one of those leftist historians”. I haven’t read Ambrose’s biographical trilogy on Nixon only because I have read another biography on Nixon and that is enough for me. I am sure it would be good.
Ambrose provides some excellent assessments of the presidencies of Jefferson, Grant and TR. He contends that Jefferson was a great intellect but not a great leader. Grant was one of the great presidents and this was not a popular opinion forty years ago. He was one of the only historians who publicly said so way back then. Ambrose noted that TR’s greatest gifts to America were the conservation movement that he started and that TR foresaw with great clarity America’s need to be a global power.
In two short chapters at the end of the book, Ambrose tries to address the racism and misogyny that he witnessed and that were especially prevalent in his times. He spoke of his mother who could have run and won a position in the Wisconsin legislature but his father - a Navy doctor - was against it.
4.5 stars.
