Deighton returns to his longtime avocation of military history—here, by focusing on the early years of WW II. Unfortunately, the result shows precious little evidence of original research, let alone fresh perspectives. Drawing mainly on secondary sources—including his own Fighter (1978) and Blitzkrieg (1980)—Deighton offers a digressive, mildly contrarian appreciation of WW II from its onset through the moment more than two years later when the US was drawn into the global conflict. His purpose is to document the poor performance of world leaders before and during this time, as well as the bravery with which those they governed or ruled supported their manifold follies. The author's also at pains to remind his British compatriots that the sun has long since set on their empire—and that their finest hour was a very near thing. Moving backward and forward in time to provide context for his principal themes, Deighton focuses on a half-dozen big-picture events—ranging from the Battle of the Atlantic through the Nazi conquest of Europe; Mediterranean campaigns (North Africa, Greece, etc.); the early stages of aerial combat; and German's ill-advised invasion of Russia. Assessed as well are the factors that led Japan to launch its reckless attack on Pearl Harbor, thereby unleashing America's vast resources against the Land of the Rising Sun and its Axis partners. Save for brief asides on sideshows in eastern Africa and Iraq, however, the lengthy, accentuate-the-negative narrative covers ground that will be familiar to even casual students of the war's initial phase—and affords few new insights to boot. At best, then, a serviceable synthesis. (Photographs, line drawings, and maps)
Pub Date: Nov. 30, 1993
ISBN: 0-06-017000-X
Page Count: 416
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1993
In this unappetizing and tacky effort, Philbin and Gifford (Cooking with Regis and Kathie Lee, not reviewed) combine recipes from guests on their hyperirritating morning chat show with those from their friends and family in chapters organized by holiday (Memorial Day, Easter and Passover, etc.). There are some terrific dishes here, but they are without exception those from professionals, like Daniel Boulud, many of whom have written their own, far superior books. Recipes from friends and relatives could have come from a 1950s ladies' auxiliary cookbook: ambrosia fruit salad with marshmallows and flaked coconut, and jelly thumbprint butter cookies that are virtual cholesterol bombs. The overall presentation is sloppy and disorienting, with boxed information often serving to confuse rather than help. What is a definition of wheat berries doing on a page with a recipe for rendering chicken fat? Worse than the food are the coy, name-dropping anecdotes and tips dripping with self-importance. Gifford says that her trick for staying slim is ``doing an exercise video'' because ``thousands of people will see your fat thighs if you don't.'' Party suggestions sound straight out of the Girl Scouts—for Saint Patrick's Day hosts are instructed to attach an ``O'' to the name of each guest and address them as ``for instance, Mr. O'Steinberg.'' Want to throw the cheesiest party of the year? This is your guide. (First serial to Good Housekeeping; Literary Guild/Better Homes & Gardens Book Club selections)
Pub Date: Oct. 13, 1994
ISBN: 0-7868-6067-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Lacks punch because it lacks supporting evidence.
An observer’s thoughts on America’s perceived moral decline and its government’s tendency toward autocracy.
According to Howard, America began sliding toward autocracy soon after it was founded, thanks to Chief Justice John Marshall, a John Adams appointee, whose federalistic decisions helped to concentrate power in the executive branch. Add to that a movement away from America’s "basicly (sic) Christian moral heritage," coupled with meddling by liberal and/or socialist elements within the government, and Howard sees the country rapidly heading toward the fate that met the ancient democracies in Greece and Rome. To put the current situation in context, Howard devotes large sections to explanations of the governments of the United States and Britain, as well as outlines key differences between ancient and modern democracies. However, he fails to provide many of the factual underpinnings necessary to back up his claims, such as the idea that "the total removal of limitations of the male democratic franchise" (i.e. allowing African-Americans and women to vote) limited democracy. Some of Howard’s other ideas that lack support include the notion that the intent of the Constitution’s framers more than 200 years ago should be the main factor in assessing a law’s constitutionality. Similarly, it’s debatable whether or not the British have “diluted their traditions” by allowing large numbers of immigrants into their country, or even that the United States is in a state of moral decline. These assertions are very much open to dispute, yet the author treats them as givens. This book begs for citations, or at least a bibliography, but the facts to back up the claims simply are not there.
Lacks punch because it lacks supporting evidence.Pub Date: May 7, 2001
ISBN: 978-0-7388-5189-2
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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