Excellent Exploration of a Little Known Life
582601
Anthony Beevor's "Mystery of Olga Chekhova" is a fascinating book. Beevor has taken a little known episode in Soviet (and German) history and managed to create a book that reads more like a novel.  As I read "Olga" I was constantly reminded of the noir-like novels of Alan Furst, whose tales of Soviet espionage and counter-espionage center on tales of similar acts of espionage taken on by Russian and other East European migrs in the 1930's and 1940's.

"Olga" is about the life of one "Olga Chekhova and her family.  A niece, by marriage, of the great Anton Chekhov, Olga left the Soviet Union under mysterious circumstances to pursue an acting career in Berlin. Olga's family, mostly actors and musicians stayed behind. Olga went on to become a famous film star in Germany and was highly regarded by Hitler, Goering, Goebels, and the rest of the Nazi leadership.  She married a Luftwaffe pilot (later killed in action) and performed for the troops during the war.  In the meantime, her family continued to thrive in the USSR. This alone was a remarkable and mysterious achievement when one considers the fact that the families of so-called enemies of the state generally suffered far worse. The question addressed by Beevor is simple: Was Olga a Soviet spy and, if so, what did she do and how did she do it?

Beevor traces Olga's life and her relationship with the Chekov family.  His descriptions of Russian and Soviet Theater, particularly his overview of the family's relationship with Stanislavski and the Bohemian and lurid life-style common to the period are particularly interesting.  Given the nature of the book and novel-like story line I think it would be inappropriate to reveal much in the way of details.  Unlike Beevor's other works, such as Stalingrad, the events and final outcome of the story are not well known and it would be unfair to spoil the story. Needless to say, the story of Olga Chekhova is fascinating.

Last, this book is something of a departure for Beevor.  Previously, he has focused on grand events, Stalingrad, the Fall of Berlin, and the Spanish Civil War.  Here he covers less familiar and far more intimate ground.  Despite the fact that Beevor cannot answer all the questions he raises in "Olga" he carries off this micro-history with aplomb.  His writing style is not overly academic and the book is accessible to any reader. Further, Beevor sets out sufficient general background information such that the reader does not need to have a background in Russian or German history in order to make the book enjoyable.

Beevor has done an excellent job and I think "Olga" is well worth reading.
1255831
This is a remarkable life  story on several levels: Beyond the inherent interest of a rags-to-riches
story, it also shows several other fascinating life  transformations like 'street-urchin-to-mute-actor-to Algonquin-Round-Table-Member'
and 'vaudevillian-to-post WW1-good-will-ambassador'.  Vividly described friendships with well known writers, artists, musicians, etc. of the early 20th century make this a very enjoyable reading experience.
1014987
I collected this book from a Newmarket Press sales rep at the ALA convention in Philadelphia, and she billed it as "the first adult biography on Condoleeza Rice."  I was of course intrigued since all the other Newmarket books in the display catered to younger audiences.  After reading this book on the train home, I have this observation: This is a book which easily bridges the gap between public school easy reader books and grit-you-teeth boring "adult" biographies.
While not totally child's play (there are great insights into Dr. Rice's personality and upbringing), author Felix's style is so accessible, I felt talked down to a number of times in the book.  I look forward to more a more mature biography of this truly fascinating woman.
478923
This meticulously researched biography of the wife of a great late-nineteenth -- early-twentieth century American historian and Pulitizer-prize winning author is a fascinating chronicle of the tragedy of a creative intelligent woman in less-enlightened times.  Although "Clover Adams" reads like a novel, it is clear that this author has crafted a compelling case for the hidden truth of this amazing woman's life out of painstaking research through letters, diaries, photographs and family records.

Clover Adams was the wife of Henry Adams (grandson and great-grandson of American presidents.)  She married relatively late in life for her time (age 28) and lived a life of privilege with her husband during the Gilded Age (the late nineteenth century).  For their honeymoon, they traveled abroad for a year, sailing down the Nile and seeing all of Europe.  Clover was extremely intelligent and admired by many of the famous intellectuals and politicians of her day.  She seemed to have found an outlet for her creative nature by taking meticulously composed photographs beginning when she was in her late thirties.  So it was incomprehensible to others that she committed suicide a few months after her forty-second birthday.

Author Natalie Dykstra makes a well-reasoned argument that Clover Adams' abrupt suicide is not easily explained (as it has been previously) by her grief over her father's death.  Instead of relying on pat explanations, Dykstra takes us on a journey through Clover's psyche by examining her complex nature, and creates Clover's world for us so that we can see the many aspects to her life and personality which turned her path to ultimate despair.

The only previous knowledge I had of Clover Adams was visiting her gravesite in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington D.C. to see the wonderful Augustus Saint-Gaudens statue known to most as "Grief" which her husband had commissioned after her death and which marks both of their graves.  The gravesite, designed by Stanford White, is haunting.  Now that I know the story behind it, I find it even moreso.

This biography is a treasure for readers who enjoy history, women's studies, and understanding the real person behind historical figures. The author has done such an outstanding job in immersing her reader in the world of this fascinating woman that you will feel as though you have actually time-traveled.
4021668
I recommend this book to readers of Shakespeare who want to know more details about the people who surrounded him: family, friends, actors, writers, neighbors, patrons. The book is compiled in an interesting format.  Multiple contributors have chosen a particular person, or related group of people, and presented what research tells us about their relationship to Shakespeare.  In some cases, such as with his wife, Anne, there is little in the way of biographical details that have survived.  In contrast, his son-in-law, Dr. Hall, has left an historical record of his medical practice.

Reading chapter after chapter, a picture begins to emerge that transcends each short biography of his wide-ranging acquaintances.  It's the sense of a man who has traveled a long distance in his life, not just from Stratford to London, but from being the son of a tradesman to performing before royalty.  It's the sense of a complex man who looked deeply into the human condition and described it in a way that no one had before.  Certainly no one who has woven these insights into the most exquisite poetry.

I've read many books on Shakespeare, and "The Shakespeare Circle" helped close a circle for me, illuminating the many and varied characters who  probably had little inkling the world would celebrate his 400th anniversary with such respect and awe for the legacy he gave us.
3882585
Having read much about her and visited her conventual home in Lisieux, I did not expect this book to be more than another take on the life and spirituality of this most beloved of modern saints.  Yet, this book reveals much new biographical detail and sheds new light on the theological writings of this remarkable young woman.  Dr. Nevin has also somehow retrieved photographs associated with St. Therese and her family that were not, it seems, available to the general public, including a previously unpublished photograph of the saint's mother.  Here, the saint and her family emerge as people with practical problems, wrestling with poor financial investments, billeted soldiers, the death of loved ones and perplexing life choices.  In this book, the struggles, character flaws and uncertainties are not airbrushed out.  But neither does Dr. Nevin set out to find villains to slay among the Martins or the nuns with whom Therese shared her convent life.  In the end, this book is about the love-centred, Jesus-focused path that Therese chartered at the end of her life.  Eschewing excessive preoccupation with dogma and self, she dispensed with a mercantile approach to religion (if you're good to God, God will be good to you) and plunged head on into the abyss of love.  Dr. Nevin discusses, with awesome command of the biographical facs and the primary sources, the still unfolding implications of Therese's writings. She died at 24, but not a moment of her life was wasted.
4956051
The life of Sugawara no Michizane, who became a literary cult figure and then a deity in the Shinto faith in Japan, is one that's both a mixture of legend and fact, and Robert Borgen's biography does a very thorough, but engaging and readable exploration of the two, with emphasis on the factual side.  Borgen contends that Michizane's accomplishments are sufficient as a historical person that they do not necessarily need deification, and he walks the reader through the life of Michizane exploring his background, family history, his poetry in various styles, and his final years before and after exile.

The book also provides a valuable reference on life in the early Heian Period, where most extant literature focuses on the latter years.  Borgen shows how this early period was a time of transition, and Michizane was a product (and victim) of it.  Topics explored are helpful for students, historians, or fellow Japanophiles like myself.

For a historical biography, one will be pleased to find how readable it is without sacrificing content.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.
1051948
I did not really know much about Margaret Thachter .  This is an excellent bio for those who do not need to know every detail of Mrs Thachter's life.  I did not want a detailed description of English Parliamentary maneuvering.  The author is very readable and brings knowledge of politics of the era.  I recommend this book for anyone curious about Margaret Thachter.
3782796
I loved reading and learning about someone who isn't a celebrity but lived such a memorable life. This book gave me a look into how things were from a women's point of view from a historical standpoint. I've been searching for more like this.
1394664
This little book is not easy to come by but it is well worth the effort; how often does a reader encounter one small volume which encompasses time travel, mysticism, spiritualism, Japanese history, Christian teachings,  the WWII Japanese American internment camps, fallen heroes, combat and personal sacrifice,  and a multi-layered story of a young boy coming of age in a courageous,  inspiring manner?  Although this book almost defies description,  the story  manages to transcend age divisions, as it is fascinating and accessible to  young readers but also keeps the attention of mature readers as well.

The timeless spiritual values, and the eternal virtues of truth and honor, are brought into a captivating story, and the dramas played out in this tale hold the reader's interest to the very last page.
The edition that I own was an early one, and there are a few typos which were NOT the fault of the author but which happened as the person who did the editing, transcribed and reformatted the original texts. But this is a small thing, easily overlooked, and hopefully it will be corrected if there is another edition on the horizon.
I also hope that this author will write more in the future; her style is warm and deeply engaging. As she reveals more and more layers of the characters, we come to feel that we know them and care about them, just as we do with new friends in our own lives.
All in all, I highly recommend this one.
3261623
An exceptionally well-written, thoroughly documented biography covering the complete and unfortunately short life of George Butterworth (1885-1916).  All of Butterworth's surviving works are discussed along with an examination of his friendship with Vaughan Williams and the poet Housman from which he derived several of Housman's poems, the most notable of which are the setting of the six songs from The Shropshire Lad.  It was this cycle that led me to find out more about Butterworth; it's incredible beauty combined with Housman's very attractive poetry makes the entire package irresistible to the singer, as well as the audience as later proved by the wide popularity of the song cycle.  This, combined with the pathos created by the fact that this talented young composer just beginning his career was killed three weeks after he joined the Army by a German sniper along with several others of musical potential.  WHAT A DEVISTATING LOSS TO THE MUSIC WORLD.  And this "the war to end all wars"!

But the book does not dwell on this aspect, but instead  gives us the succinct picture of Butterworth's background, both family and education.  The author uses many footnotes, more than I used, but I did check what  I considered to be important in the overall picture.  I was really not much interested in his heritage, but many no doubt would be interested.  It did focus on the three periods, short though they were of his composing life and I learned a great deal by this portion of the book , which also included detailed examples and explanations of his individual compositions.

The Folk Song era for Butterworth was the 2nd compostion period which I found particularly fascinating be cause it spoke of his association with many of other well-known composers interested in the Folk Music Revival; Cecil Sharp (also killed in the war), Vaughan Williams and several others.  Since I knew little or nothing about this period in music in England, it made for interesting reading.  Included were comments about the relationships and some were quite humorous.  One that I will include herein was made by the poet Housman when he discovered that Vaughan Williams had omitted two verses from is musical setting of the song "Is My Team Ploughing?" (This is one of the Shropshire lad Songs in which a ghost is communicating with a live friend-  A WONDERFUL SONG).  In The V.Williams setting he leaves out the words:  The goal stands up, the keeper Stands up to keep the Goal;  The composer's view was that any poet who had written such lines as those should be grateful to have them left out, a remark not made directly to Housman, but to a friend; Housman's response was "I wonder how he would like me to cut out two bars of his music."  Even the 'greats' can go at it!!!!!!

The book moves forward clearly and at a reasonable pace; it stays with the story and includes many photographs of Butterworth and other involved in his life.  If you are a singer, especially a baritone, for that's what the songs were written for, but of course he did write instrumental music as well.  The last composing period was when he focused on instrumental writing and before he was killed wrote two significant instrumental pieces, as well as many other musical compositions.  All are listed in the book.  Everything you want to know about George Butterworth is herein.

"In all of Butterworth's output, the man and the music are inseparable.  He was very much a man of the English countryside, as was Housman whose verses so fired the composer's imagination.  ......Butterworth was no innovatory composer, nor was his music very influential, but he will remain an important minor figure with a reputation based on a handful of works, the sincerity and musical value of which assure him a place in the history of English music."
715382
Imagine my surprise when I received an email from author P.J. Sullivan nearly one hundred and fifty years after John Barton's letters had been left in the care of my 2nd great grandfather.

Until his email, I had been left wondering if the letters ever made their way home to the Barton family.  These many years later, it is a privilege and a delight to read the letters in Sullivan's book.  His  added comments, opinions, speculations, and unanswered questions, allow us to journey with him as he uncovers the daily life and emotional ins and outs of the Bartons during the Civil War. This intimate look into the lives of ordinary people, gives us a greater idea of the tangible sacrifices and losses of a country at war, and sheds light on the distance and disparity of a soldier's life and that of his family at home.

In his final chapter, Sullivan ponders on these questions and more: Why would John, a married man with two small children, leave his farm to join the army for three years at thirteen dollars a month? Why would he sign an oath repudiating his wife and children? Why had John wanted a child put out of the way? And finally, was Barton's death an accident or suicide?

The death of John Barton leaves many things unexplained, but his words and those of his correspondents now forever endure thanks to P.J. Sullivan who has transcribed these often illegible and time-worn letters. In his advance book to me, he included a little note that reads in part: "I hope you like the book that your ancestor made possible." Indeed I do. It gives me great pleasure to know that after decades of searching, the letters finally reached the Barton family and can be now shared as a part of our American history.
2104989
Ms. Gavin presents a detailed depiction of a young woman's life who has fallen into oblivion, when she deserved more attention and appreciation. A bit heavy on the religious aspects, those aspects did play a formative part in Anna's life and times, and so need to be narrated. I had no idea Anna's mother was so well-known in her time and her influence, support, and unconditional love of her daughter, a woman also incarcerated in the limitations of her era, were admirable. A delightful history of women's place in British society and the advent of the Humane Movement.
858282
GK Chesterson gives razor sharp insights into St Francis of Assisi, based on authenticated historical references. The surprises - a very three dimensional depiction of St Francis as a vivacious, courteous, shrewd, candid, complex man. Chesterson gets to what was unique about the man that allowed 5000 followers to join him within the first five years, living without possessions, sleeping on the ground, depending on the kindness of others for each meal, living a nomadic life, moving on to wherever they were needed next to help the poor. This short book is a masterpiece of biography. Wordy, but well worth it.
3463046
A fine introduction in the life of an enigmatic person and an invitation to try to discover more about her work and publications.
954195
Intriguing and engrossing book on a person and subject I knew very little about prior to this.  Excellent writing style and almost reads like a novel.  Loved the accompanying pictures.  Well worth a read!
4825208
When I was a child of 8 years and  Nelson Rockefeller was Governor of my home state, I heard about the disappearance of Michael in New Guinea. It was hard to imagine that this young man disappeared without a trace and harder still to contemplate what may have been the sinister crime of murder and cannibalism. Carl Hoffman writes of a similar fascination on his part. This book chronicles his extensive research, both documentary and two trips to the scene living with the native people. He offers a new depth of insight to indigenous folk, their history, their spirituality and their way of living. Though no one can prove that Michael died in the waters surrounding the New Guinea or in a more horrific way at the hands of the Asmat tribesmen, Hoffman describes a quest for truth that takes the reader to a new level of understanding.