Appearance
The raven;: A biography of Sam Houston,
Today's historical books use poetic licence, meaning it is not the facts, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I've been meaning to get around to this book for a long time, but it took the movie, 'The Great Raid' to cause me to put this as priority.I previously reviewed GHOST SOLDIERS on which the movie was made, and done well. It was so realistic that I had to cry (and I don't cry easily) because of the ferocity and lact of humanity the enemy showed. It was the same in WWI only our soldiers were not equipped to fight anyone that animalistic. I see now why Tennessean Alvin York went berserk and killed so many of the approaching enemy in this war, as he was cornered and was fighting for his life.It's not always war where you have to defend you right to live in freedom. I had to use my elbows to get out of a difficult situation which I found myself in this past month. As in WWII, the enemy set out to engage and reduce the other side. This war engulfed Europe in 1914 and we came to their aid; now, in 2005, more than ninety years later, Europe has surpassed U.S.A. as the superpower of the world calling themselves the United State of Europe. Copycats! We should not jump the gun so quickly when the ally you fight for strives to surpass you in everyway. We thought we were helping England against Germany. Well, at least the Confederates who 'lost' the American Civil War took the cause of Britain and France, while the American Yankees took the side of Germany. It was another Civil War only on foreign ground this time. My favorite historian wrote that Lincoln didn't ask for or accept a surrender from the Rebels as that would be acknowledging that the Confederacy had been a sovereing nation and not "just a feverish mob," as Sam Houston is credited as saying. I have trouble believing a Tennessee governor would stoop to such stupidity.The machine gun, poison gas, trench warfare and the airplane were used first in this war to beat all wars. "As President Teddy Roosevelt rallied the diverse ethnic groups of the nothern state (where he originated from) -- Italians, Mormons, Jews, and Irish -- Confederate President Woodrow Wilson struggled to hold together a nation still beset by ignorance, prejudice, and class divisions." The United States still has all of the listed attributes, especially two professors from other states who tore down one of the Southern Civil War heros with a book full of lies and no truth. That shows ignorance and prejudice is alive and well as the Northerners are still considering Tennessee a hillbilly state and everyone in it "white trash."As in WWII, the aim was "don't surrender," and "never give up whatever the situation." The Americans were bound to give no information to the enemy when captured except name, rank, and serial number. when captured except name, rank, and serial number. There is a government employee here named Whitt who is proud he went through "Ranger" school and, now sixty, is still using the war tactics he learned there to bully anyone who has a difference of opinion. Sometimes, in severe times of conflict, the soldiers and their leaders had to crawl like a snake to survive. Planes had a pivotal role in rescuing the POWs in the Phillippines and their flying low over the camp was the signal for the troops to move into position for the night maneuvers. It's true that war is hell; and nothing is really accomplished. When you defeat one dictator or generalisimo, there is another to take his place to start another war.Houston went on to the Alamo after fighting at San Joquinto to meet his fate. He was shot in the ankle by his men there and had a festering groin wound from his early days in Tennessee which caused the dissolution of his marriage. He went to live with the Cherokee Indians leaving the Governor's chair empty. If he called the Confederacy a feverish mob, he is not one to talk as his life was just one fever after another.
Bar-20 Days
Rather than feel as though I was reading a novel, this felt more like I was reading three or four short stories -- episodes in the life of a young Hopalong Cassidy. This is NOT the Hoppy of TV serialized form -- and that's all right, too, as long as it wasn't your expectation that it would be (but I thought I'd find someone like Mr. Boyd in there somewhere).
Bar-20 Days
I enjoyed reading this book very much and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading westerns as much as l do.I've always enjoyed reading westerns and this author is one of my favorites.
Bar-20 Days
If you've never met red-haired, fast shooting, hard drinking, two fisted, quick-tempered Hopalong Cassidy, then you ain't been reading Clarence Mulford, the man who created Hoppy. In Mulford's books the cowboys are a somewhat romanticized version of the real thing. There is always a realistic Old West picture of people and places. After all, Mulford was born in 1883; he lived during those times. His style is often the Victorian indirect humor and description, without the dryness. But sometimes it is just plain danged good writing. Lots of interesting characters, and they're not cardboard. If you like history and the Old West, tag along the trail with Hoppy and the other boys from the Bar-20 Ranch. I bet you'll enjoy the ride.
Bar-20 Days
Not your William Boyd Hopalong. This was a neat book for a kid that grew up from the 40's thru today. (Yep! Still growing) A red-haired rip-snorter with a real limp; that's the original Hopalong. Never knew it. Read up on it. Bought the book and couldn't put it down.
Bar-20 Days
This book is a compalation of stories ( in order for the most part) about hoppy and the whole gang. Action packed with battles of fist, gun, and wits. Hard to put down. It also tells the reason and sudden turn around of tex ewalts' hate for hoppy and the bar-20 to the great friendship seen in the other books.enjoy!