A Very Readable Biography!
342671
I found this a very readable biography, and I appreciated learning more about the role her parents (particularly her father) played in her career moves. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of the inner workings of CNN, NBC, and CBS and their respective anchors. What I concluded from this biography is that Katie's niche is not that of a serious news anchor (possibly her dad's influence to be another Cronkite) but rather something more akin to that of a talk-show host where she can use her particular gifts to the fullest.
1494215
I've been reading a lot of biography lately, from Washington to Einstein, Jobs to Truman, and so far I've had good luck (thanks in large part to these Amazon reviews!) so I figure I'd give a brief review here. American Prometheus is quite a good read; never really dragging, and equally balanced between the importance of Oppie ('the Triumph') and his relationship with S-1 and 'the gadget,' to his later hearing with the Grey Board and (spoilers!) revocation of his security clearance ('the Tragedy'). While perhaps I don't know Oppie as well as I know Harry S Truman, Bird did an exceptional job of portraying the younger Oppie (in my opinion, the most important and difficult part of a biography) in order to fully appreciate his older self. Highly recommended as a biography, a history, and a scientific read.
3379428
This biography of William Seward is very informative, well-researched and a incredibly readable.  There is not much else you can ask for in a historical biography of a 19th century politician.  Seward was an extra ordinary politician who many thought would be president.  Instead, he became one of the greatest and most important politicians and Cabinet officers in our history.  The book is worth reading for the section on the Civil War and Seward's relationship with Lincoln alone.  There is so much more to the story and the author covers it all in rich detail.  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the era, or in reading about a fascinating, complex and important historical figure.
2389862
I enjoyed this charming book.  Phillips writes in an extremely readable style easily comprehended by the average reader who has some basic knowledge of the broad scope of English history.  Its a major achievement to embody a comprehensive history of King Alfred in one volume.  This is a user friendly history book written in a fluid style that is both educational and interesting, and avoids simply focusing on famous kings and queens.
The essence of my praise is simple:  Phillips has written a captivating book about a fascinating man whose life influences our thinking even though his name is hardly remembered.  Phillipss book is about a great man from many centuries ago, but just as importantly, its about ourselves.
552109
Evan Thomas's John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy is good biography. Thomas covers the life of John Paul Jones from his birth in Scotland to his actions in the US and Russian Navies to his death in France. Jones is shown to be a very flawed individual who often let his own ambition and moodiness get the better of him. Yet, Thomas also paints a picture of a deeply dedicated, patriot  whose actions would help change the history of the US Navy.
  This is a very enjoyable book. This is by no means a hagiography of John Paul Jones or an indictment. It simply shows the man as what he was with all of his flaws, mistakes, but his accomplishments shine through. Thomas's work reads like a novel, rather than a boring history tome. It reminded me a bit of David McCullough's 1776 or John Adams (both of which I would highly recommend if you enjoyed this title). This is a great place to begin for someone who is interested in the history of the US Navy.
320972
The biographies are informative both as regards the composer's personal lives and their compositions.  It is also a very readable book.
1458420
A solid biography of Meigs that covers his important work with major projects before and after the Civil War, his service as Quartermaster of the Union army, and his relationship with Lincoln and Stanton.
It is a very readable biography.
I think a downside is that you're left with the feeling that there is room for more context, information and nuance. For example, Roy Morris spends more time in his biography of Sheridan on the death of Meig's son than this biography does. Another example is the delay of pontoon trains to Burnside that contributed to the Fredericksburg fiasco - there isn't an in depth discussion of the major logistic fowl up and the trouble it caused.
In the end, though, a solid, readable bio of an important Civil War figure and an important figure in the story of Washington, DC as a city.
2041968
A very readable biography. The material on his childhood and youth is well selected; the account of the fractured political situation in 1919-21 is especially well covered. The last chapter on how Trotsky was lead to betray his own principles is worth comparing to more recent assessments of his actions. Includes a map of regions held by non-Bolshevik forces in 1919-20, very detailed index. 540 pages.
4470210
A wonderful biography on an exceptional president! Well documented and well written. The author did an exceptional job of keeping the reader interested all the way to the end of our American history during his term.
4751944
Charlie Chaplin has always fascinated me for as long as I can remember, but not enough to sit down and read his tome of an autobiography. I had heard good things about Ackroyd's biography about Chaplin and with it being about 1/3 of the length of Chaplin's autobiography, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Chaplin was truly an amazing individual. Coming from a less than perfect home, he survived and strove to be something better - something great. Ackroyd covers Chaplin's life from his childhood on and quotes many times from the autobiography as well as those that knew Charlie personally. I was surprised to find that some of my favorites like Stan Laurel, were not only close to Chaplin, but came over on the boat with him!

This well researched and very readable biography is worth reading, but I did have some issues with the way Chaplin was presented. It did seem like Ackroyd wanted to pull this great down some. He seemed to focus quite a bit on the negatives instead of the more positive aspects of Chaplin's life. I know this is what made Charlie unique and memorable, but it also seemed like it was a bit personal. Then again, maybe I'm reading way too much into it.

Overall, this was a great book for me to start with and has really piqued my interest enough to want to read Chaplin's autobiography. I would recommend this for any Chaplin fan or anyone that just wants to read an interesting biography.
3946317
Many of us probably recognize Ogden Nash as the creator of humorous poetry, but he was a man of far greater accomplishments than might be generally known. In this biography, Doug Parker gives a very complete and fascinating overview of Nash and the diversity of his works, which included movie scripts and--much to my surprise--song lyrics. Parker relates his story in manageable sequences, interspersing just enough famous lines from Nash to lure the reader into wanting to read more of the man's work.  One would think that Parker knew Nash personally because of the skillful manner in which he discreetly discusses the poet's health problems, his devotion to his family, his dislike of confrontation, and the entire span of his creative life.

It took an impressive amount of research to create this interesting account of Nash's life, and Parker made much use of Nash's personal letters.  He does not overwhelm the reader with excessive detail, rather, he leaves the reader feeling like one who has enjoyed a great meal but has not overeaten, and who knows he can come back for seconds by reading more of Nash's work.  This is an enjoyable and informative book that gives the reader a real appreciation for the talents of Ogden Nash.
535340
Imagine that as breaking news!

I knew next to nothing about the man on the ten-dollar bill before I read this incredible biography (excellent work Chernow!), but now I see why he is pictured so prominently.  From the sketchy details of his Caribbean birth to his death at the hand of then-Vice-President Aaron Burr, this account of Hamilton's life makes it seem as if nearly every moment was controversial.  His relationships with Washington and Jefferson are explored in detail.  His intricate financial system that first united the infant states, the constitutionality of his system, and the associated political backlash are explained well.  There is much more - this is a very thorough recounting of Hamilton's life and times, and as an American I feel very indebted to him for adhering to his plans and principles.

Also, Chernow's modifications to the spelling and punctuation of quoted material make the 18th century prose much more digestible.
2380770
This is such a readable and at the same time diligently researched account of a period in Teddy Roosevelt's life in which he built his own knowledge of the world around him and networked that with the support and shared interests of close friends and family, laying the foundations for his future contributions to conservation and leadership. A biography that will engage the interest of a young adult reader--and is a very enjoyable read for adults as well.
3323063
If you are going to read a biography this year, make it this one!!
Gerard Helferich's biography is brilliantly written and entirely readable. It is about a man few of us know enough about, but certainly should. His far-reaching contributions to science and his humanity make it relevant.
After reading Prescott's history of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, I was lead to this biography and the joy of learning about a man who explored and understood the land and peoples of South America better than most do today.
His five year exploration of South American preceded the Lewis and Clark explorations and this book would rival any written about that historic journey.
This publication is exceptional.
305570
A reasonable length, very readable biography of one of the most talented and influential violists in history.  If you play the viola, or share a house with someone who does, this book will fill you in on the life of someone who could be considered a matriarch of the field (along with Rebecca Clarke).
157006
I am glad that someone has finally written a biography of Joy that examines all sides of her life.  I am writing this review because I thought that the author seemed to focus on the negative and leave out positive things that have been said about Joy by others, such as her son.  I almost seemed that the author is trying to present an overly negative image of Joy, although there is much to be negative about.  In my opinion, there were some positive things that could have balanced out some of the negative.  (I did not purchase this book.  I checked it out from the library.)  Having said that, I found this book extremely interesting, if somewhat overly detailed at points.  What an interesting person she was!
1086405
This book is very readable and provides great insight into the life and thought of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.  The editor does an excellent job with introductions and footnotes.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.