Michelle's Musings: President book

Showing posts with label President book. Show all posts

17 February 2021

Review: Three Days in January

Three Days in January by Bret Baier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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10 January 2021

Review: The Fall of Richard Nixon: A Reporter Remembers Watergate

The Fall of Richard Nixon: A Reporter Remembers Watergate by Tom Brokaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Review: A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety

A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety by Jimmy Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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21 December 2020

Review: A Promised Land

A Promised Land by Barack Obama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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26 October 2020

November Book Pick

I normally pick brand spanking new books for you to read, but I have been wanting to shake up some things so I thought I would start with my book pick.

This month I am going back to the bookshelves and dusting off an old favorite. I actually just re-read this one the other day and it is very good.

My November pick is Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly. Why pick a book from 2012? Well, if you have read any of this series you know that they are all written like a book report, facts, facts and more facts; the text flows like a fiction book, you can read it quickly and still retain that history aspect.

Killing Kennedy will take you back to what made Jack, "Jack" and how he rose from the second son to the "chosen son". You will also see a parellal world about a guy named Lee, who wasn't really a fan of his life, his country or much else. You will also follow a young Jack Rubenstein and his career and how proud he was of his country. As time goes on you will see how the worlds collide in an almost countdown fashion. You will learn things about these three men that you may not have known before. There will be lots of suspence about that fateful week in November 1963 even though we all know how Camelot ended.

If you have read the book I encourage you to try the audio. The audio adds another layer onto the tale and to me adds to the suspense.

If you like this one I encourage you to pick up any of the other books in this series. I do have a ranking system of favorites.

1. Killing Kennedy

2. Killing Lincoln

3. Killing Patton

4. Killing Reagan

5 Killing England

6. Killing the SS

7. Killing the Rising Sun

I am just now getting to Killing Crazy Horse and I have not read Killing Jesus. I wish he would do one called Killing Roosevelt (and I would like one on each man), Killing Garfield, and finally Killing Aaron Burr.

"In short, there's simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Camelot."

04 December 2019

Review: And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis by Stephanie Marie Thornton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will start this by saying that I received this book as an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review, but I promise you that I was going to read this anyway because I read every book that Ms. Thornton writes. Stephanie Marie knows how to take events and people from the past and give them a fresh spin and she can tell a story in a way that sucks you in and won't let go until you finish.

We all kind of know of the story of Jackie and Jack, but this book will take you behind the glamour and glitz of what we saw on TV or read about in the history books. We get to experience life right there in Camelot from Jackie's viewpoint. We get a glimpse of how Jackie may have known of the affairs and how she handled them. There are very sweet moments that take place that let you see that the two of them did love each other, maybe for what the other person could do for them, but there was love of some sort.

Then you will experience November 22, 1963 right from Jackie's POV. I have read many books on this day and this scene is very much point by point of how it has been explained in other books. Jackie's actions are hard to read in both the fiction and non-fiction books, but in this one there is so much emotion that I teared up and I knew what was going to happen(also I was ecstatic to see Clint Hill make an appearance, I am in awe of him and love his books--read his book on the assassination).

I wanted to read this in one sitting because I felt like I really needed to know what was going to happen next. It was very hard to put this down and go to work. I advise you to read it when you have some time carved out because I really don't think you will want to stop until it is over. I cannot recommend this book enough...I would give it 5 plus stars on the emotion alone.

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30 November 2019

Review: Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love Non-fiction books that grab you and keep your attention like a fiction book. This book read just like it was historical fiction, but it was not! Remind yourself that while you are reading the text, this all happened. I won't spoil too much for you, just know that President Garfield was elected to the office of President of the United States and served for only six and a half months. He was shot on July 2, 1881, and did not die until September 19, 1881...that is a long time to die from a bullet wound.

This was the first book penned by Ms. Millard that I have ever read, but it will not be the last.

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12 July 2019

Review: How to Fight Presidents: Defending Yourself Against the Badasses Who Ran This Country

How to Fight Presidents: Defending Yourself Against the Badasses Who Ran This Country by Daniel O'Brien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While this is probably the most irreverent book that I have ever read on the US Presidents, it was without a doubt the most fun and the illustrations only added to my enjoyment. I have always thought that some of these guys could win any kind of fight but it was fun to see others take on how strong and tough some of these guys could be. I can't decide which one is my favorite, could it be John McClane in Ulysses S Grant's body or maybe Ronald Reagan being like a Wolverine or George Washington loving the sound of bullets or even Teddy Roosevelt (who I think is the toughest President EVER) as just perfection?

I think any Presidential fan would enjoy this, but also someone that maybe wants to study the Presidents but not get into a lot of history or boring stories. There is NOTHING boring about this book.

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