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Post by TRK on Nov 27, 2009 19:43:29 GMT -5
Last week, Newsweek published a pretty favorable one-page review of Robert Merry's new biography of James K. Polk, A Country of Vast Designs. www.newsweek.com/id/222559 I'll probably regret taking a Newsweek review to heart, but it made the book sound very interesting and somewhat unique, so I ordered a copy. Has anybody else here read it yet? |
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Post by Jim Boylston on Nov 27, 2009 22:28:35 GMT -5
I'll have to check it out. I read Walter Borneman's Polk bio that came out last year, but haven't seen Merry's.
Jim
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 27, 2009 23:18:42 GMT -5
It got a full-page rave from Sean Wilentz in last Sunday's NY Times Book Review. Looks very interesting and breaks new ground; sounds like it's focused on Polk's presidency and revisits conventional wisdom about his actions and motivations, particularly the Mexican War. In fact, you can read the review yourselves right here: www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/books/review/Wilentz-t.html?_r=1&ref=booksOddly, after reading this review, I was unable to find the book in any of the large Borders or Barnes & Noble stores in my area. Allen |
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Post by TRK on Nov 28, 2009 9:15:15 GMT -5
It's going for over 40 percent off at Amazon right now. I have an impossible backlog of reading here, but am kind of excited about what I'm hearing about this book.
p.s., Allen, you are a brave man to venture into a Borders or B&N during Thanksgiving week!
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Post by Allen Wiener on Nov 28, 2009 10:47:34 GMT -5
Yeah, Tom; that kind of turned out to be a mistake!
Allen
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Post by pawbear on Nov 28, 2009 17:46:33 GMT -5
I think I know what I want for Christmas. This review segues well with some of the commentary going on in the Joe section in Texas History.
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Post by Kevin Young on Nov 29, 2009 12:36:13 GMT -5
It got a full-page rave from Sean Wilentz in last Sunday's NY Times Book Review. Looks very interesting and breaks new ground; sounds like it's focused on Polk's presidency and revisits conventional wisdom about his actions and motivations, particularly the Mexican War. In fact, you can read the review yourselves right here: www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/books/review/Wilentz-t.html?_r=1&ref=booksOddly, after reading this review, I was unable to find the book in any of the large Borders or Barnes & Noble stores in my area. Allen Looks promising! Will have to add it to the collection. |
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