Washington University Books

In her writing,Stella Tillyard manages to span the difficult gap that separates fiction from non-fiction. Her style is lyrical - almost like a historical fiction - but without the emotive judgement. I find that it makes her books highly evocative and very easy reading.

However that should not lead people to think she has a flare for dubious tabloid presentation. She is quite ruthless in ensuring that her facts are correct, and in 'Citizen Lord' she has stripped away many of the romantic layers that have concealed the true story of Lord Edward Fitzgerald. These were myths that had been spread by Lord Edward's family following his death, and have coloured his story since. The stripping away of these layers makes this book no less interesting, indeed the true story still very much romantic and tragic.

A younger son of the first Duke of Leinster and his wife Emily, a daughter of the Duke of Richmond, Lord Edward was born into privelege and influence. Tillyard traces his gradual move from this life, to one of revolutionary in Ireland of 1798 without descending into either pathos or into judgement.

I was first introduced to Tillyard's writing with her first book, 'Aristocrats' which is also available at Amazon. I would recommend this book as also worth reading, and gives marvellous background to 'Citizen Lord' - it is about his mother, Lady Emily Lennox, and her three sisters.

I think Tillyard is a "Must Read!"

You'll have to look elsewhere for a full picture of the catastrophic Irish rebellion of 1798, but Ms, Tillyard paints a lovely picture of its most romantic leader. I first heard of Lord Edward as a teenager, dipping into Yeats and reading Lord Edward's name linked to Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmet..."that wild delirium of the brave...". I have read numerous accounts of '98 since, but found little about Lord Edward in them, save for the melodrama of his arrest and death-an extra-judicial murder, if ever there was one.

So I am grateful for Ms. Tillyard's rendering of the man himself. She gives ample proof of the sweetness of his character, showing how his inborn beauty was nurtured and how it blossomed under the doting care of his formidable and unconventional mother. Their tenderness for each other lights what otherwise is a stark and tragic story. More significantly it gives the lie to the masculinist theory that maternal love weakens and "feminizes" male children. True, young Lord Edward had a "strong male role model"-his tutor, who was also his mother's adulterous lover!-but every step of Mr. Ogilvie's tutelege was directed by the attentive and indulgent Duchess of Leinster. The letters between Lord Edward and the Duchess make lovely reading for any mother concerned with the making of boys into men.

Of course, Ms. Tillyard includes the apparently obligatory expressions of horror about "political violence" a phrase used only in reference to Lord Edward's revolutionary enterprise, not to the ongoing repression and dispossession of the native Irish. Taken against the whole of the book, however, this is only a minor stupidity, one so ubiquitous in books about Ireland published since 1969 that Republican readers can pass over it without undue offense.

The main thing is that Lord Edward Fitzgerald lives on these pages as a beloved and loving human being, worthy of all the praise heaped upon him over the centuries. How often does a shining name in history still shine under close inspection?

Anna Bradley

Manchesters biography of WSC is one of the greatest examples of historical biography I have ever read. This first volume effectively captures the age of WSCs upbringing in a way that cannot fail to illuminate and entertain.

...as is the second volume "Alone". How can anyone allow these books to be out of print? Manchester captures the sense and spirit of a bygone era better than any other historian I've ever read, with the possible exception of Barbara Tuchmann - and even then I'd say he's her equal. This volume speaks volumes about Winston Churchill and how he came to be what he was.

Most Americans don't know squat about Islam itself, let alone Islam in China. Yet today there are about 15 million Muslims in China, centered mostly in the northwest (Xinjiang province), along the margins of the old Silk Road. And they aren't just an insignificant minority: in the Middle Ages, for instance, Chinese Muslims played a central role in bridging the gulf between China, the Middle East, and Europe, bringing goods and knowledge both ways. (...)

Jonathan Lipman's "Familiar Strangers" explores some aspects of Islam in northwestern China from the first arrival of Muslims there in the 8th century up through the 20th. Like most similar histories, it revolves around two major dilemmas that have constantly faced Chinese Muslims (as opposed to non-Chinese Muslims living in China): first, is Islam compatible with Chinese culture? and second, can Chinese Muslims themselves properly be considered Chinese? China's "host" culture has always tended to absorb alien peoples and faiths -- whether they're Mongols and Turks (the so-called "barbarians"), Buddhists from India, or whoever. There were always strangers lurking at the gates of China, drooling with envy or burning with ambition, but almost every one of them who managed to break through eventually assimilated and became, in effect, Chinese: in fact, many sought to do so in the first place. But Muslims were an exception. Their Islamic faith forbade them to have the same kind of relationship with traditional Chinese culture as other groups: for instance, ancestor worship and reverencing the emperor were antipathetic to Islam. Consequently, Chinese Muslims were, while not complete strangers, "familiar strangers", ethnically Chinese, foreign by affiliation.

Lipman's history isn't a comprehensive account of Muslim culture on the northwestern Chinese frontier. Instead, it examines how Chinese Muslims reacted to the complexity of belonging to two cultures at once. Lipman explores, for instance, Muslim reaction to acculturation policies under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Muslims' role as "strangers in bad times" during the Ming-Qing cataclysm in the 1640s. Chapter 3, "Connections: Muslims in the Early Qing, 1644-1781", analyses the introduction of Naqshabandiya Sufism into China in the early 17th century and the struggle between two rival forms of it -- the orthodox Khafiya and the radical Jahriya -- in the 18th century, the latter a branch of revivalist Wahhabism, the earliest modern version of so-called Islamic "fundamentalism". Chapter 4, "Strategies of Resistance," explores the period between 1784 and 1895, looking at three large-scale Muslim rebellions against the Qing state. Chapter 5 examines Muslim "Strategies of Integration" during the Nationalist period and under the People's Republic. Finally, Lipman sums his findings in chapter 6.

The book is a scholarly read and not always easy going. If you don't have much previous knowledge of Chinese history, start elsewhere. But if you've got the background, it's a great read.

The first time I got the book from a Chinese Muslim scholar, I began to search what i am Intersted and i got it. I t is about a Islamic sect Xidaodang in which I am one member.Mr. Lipman has been in Xidaotang once and did some research on the group.His book shows his description and study are not only successful, but objective as well.He has his own unique view on Chinese Muslim...

This beautiful book tells the story of an amazing jewelry maker. Gorgeous photos show off her work, which incorporates found objects, fabrication, beads, and natural materials in imaginative, exciting ways. Truly inspiring work that transforms the ordinary into unnique art.

To Ramona, a domino is not merely a game piece. A domino can join other found objects in a necklace. This catalogue of 32 of Ramona's necklaces, appearing in a Bank of American gallery presentation from 18 November to 14 December 2001, are just plain fun. Of the 32 pieces, my favorite is an eye-catching necklace including cast silver, black and yellow African millefiore, and bauxite beads -- a stunner!

This is a great book, written not from a journalistic point of view nor from an official point of view, but from that of somebody who was a fire boss for over a decade on the Grand Canyon's North Rim fire crew. Written as fiction, although it is based on actual events with only the names changed. Edward Abbey, who worked in a fire tower on the North Rim for a couple of seasons, makes a thinly-disguised cameo appearance here as "Abner". Effectively captures the work, the culture, and the humor of forest firefighters in a way that no other book I've read has. If you're at all interested in the subject I'd recommend picking this up.

This book describes a seasonal firefighters job in 1977. This was before the advent of much of the specialized equipment used today. He also capture the essencial conflict between the resource/ranger staffs and real live firefighters. Reading this book I can feel the B2 unit digging into my back from my green canvas backpack.

If you liked "Mushrooms of Northern California", then you'll love "Flora of Mount Rainier". Once again Mr. Biek provides with an interesting and well informed account of the beauty of the world we live in. A must for naturalists and anyone who appreciates the great outdoors.

A thorough exploration of the flora of Mount Rainier. Perfect for naturalists, hikers and anyone who points to a flower and wants an answer to the perennial " What is that?" Ideal for anyone who who loves the outdoors and is insatiably curious about the environment around them. Obviously well-researched. Great illustrations and photos.

(Im Using My Mom's Amazon Account to write this reveiw)
:D James Mitsui Is actually my grandpa :)
(my mom is his daughter)
umm yea!
you should buy my grandpa's book, its seriosly the awsomest!
(idk i coulod probly get some signed copies if ya'll want)
umm yea
..
Buy My Grandpa's Book!
You'll Lie It :)

From a Three Cornered World takes poems from Jim Mitsui's three previous books and adds them to three sections of new poems. Jim Mitsui, is of course of Japanese descent, but the poet is also a Washington state poet, and an American poet. From the beginning, Mitsui shows careful attention to the things which influence his life. Jim Mitsui takes the reader on a guided tour of his family and his wonderfully rich view of the world. The reader sees the author's world from a multitude of perspectives ranging from childhood to career to friendships to love. Add to this that the poet has a magnificent sense of personal history, that is a personal perspective of history, and you cannot go wrong. Being fortunate enough to listen to Mitsui both read and talk about his poetry, I have come away with a sense that he wants me to discover rather than be told what to expect from these poems. Often influenced by paintings and the wonderful minutia of everyday life, I find myself reading his poem, "Rationale," again and again. The two line ars poetica is as powerful as that of Neruda. Quite simply, this is a fascinating collection of poetry of which I shall never tire.

After reading the book, I realized how much more I knew about American History in general. Little did I know that Washington was such a conservative. I did not think I knew so little before I read this, but now I am filled with information that wants to be shared. His explanations on the state of America from pre-revolutionary times until the signing of the constitutions are extremely interesting. This is on top of the extensive information on the father of our country. I came out of this book with a new understanding of how the country was formed and a new love for the work that out founding fathers did. Great book for anyone interested in American History. Especially great read for George Washington fans. This is scholarly writing at its best!

We tend to be too focused on the constitution as a document that is somehow frozen in time. We forget too often that as ratified it was very vague on any number of subjects as to how the various branches of government would work. We also too often assume that the way it broadly works now is the way it always worked. Hah!
Recently, we have been blessed by work by scholars like David Currie and Akhil Amar Reed that remind us that the Constitution is not just a document but a history of practices based on that document. Our early Congresses, Presidents and Supreme Court Justices had to decide how to perform their functions. How were the seperation of powers and the checks and balances to work?
Many of these issues took years to settle (e.g., the idea of judicial review).
George Washington played an incredibly vital role in many of these decisions. Flexner, in his biography called Washington, 'the indispensable man". This is as true of his role in the ratification debates and the early years of the new government as it was in the Revolutionary War.
So says Glenn Phelps to which I say, "Amen". There is a telling moment in the first volume of Farrand's Records of the Convention when the delegates first consider placing the executive in one man. After the motion is seconded, Madison notes, "A considerable pause ensuing.." (Farrand, 1:65) which is broken only after Washington asks if they just want to go ahead and vote on the motion and Franklin asks everyone to speak their mind. The delegates were reticent about speaking their minds on the reasons they would limit the powers of the office of President simply because they all assumed that Washington would be that President. Only after they were encouraged by Washington and Franklin did they then speak their minds!
I would also argue that one of the factors that contributed to the new Constitution being accepted was that everyone in the country thought that way. Most people trusted Washington to not abuse the powers he would have. They trusted him to set the tone for the office. Amazing, when you think about it.
Phelps argues (rightly, I think) that Washington's ideas about government were formed by a rather classical republicanism and by his experiences in the Revolutionary War.
His classical and conservative republicanism led him to believe that government had to be founded on the people but that the people should be represented in the government by the "best" men in their states. The best were those who had the capacity to rise above local interests to discern the true national interest and who also had the virtue to persue that national interest over any of their own. In this he was no democrat. He did not believe that representatives were to mirror local interests or to be tied down by instructions by those local interests. The people had to trust their representative to do what was best. (Phelps, p.83)
For me the most interesting part of Phelps' book is his examination of Washington's terms as President. Washington set many precedents as to how appointments were to be made, what the function of the Cabinet would be, what would be the relationship of the President to the Congress and both to the various departments of the Executive.
There are too many examples for me to be inclusive so I will give you one that was new to me. Phelps feels that Washington was very influenced by the success of his "council of war" policy during the Revolution. Washington would explain overall strategic objectives to his junior officers and then ask for advice on a series of questions. These councils served the dual function of giving the junior officers the big picture and, perhaps, of improving that same strategy. Phelps feels that Washington tried to model his cabinet on that idea (pp 160-3). But he went further than that initially. He tried unsuccessfully to incorporate the Supreme Court and the Senate into the idea of the "consultative presidency". Phelps argues that Washington's well-known visit to the Senate where he asked for advice on the instructions to be used in negotiations with the Creek Indians is an example of this (pp. 167-72). Washington took literally that part of the Constitution that the Senate had an "advise" function to play in treaties as well as an approve function.
All-in-all, this is a very enjoyable, informative and well-written book. The overall picture of Washington that emerges (as pretty much the leader of the Federalists) will disturb some people but it should not really surprise them.
One more brief comment. I almost always have to throw something in on the limits of originalism as a judicial philosophy.
All aspects of our government have a history. There is no denying the vagueness of our Constitution on most subjects that it touches. That vagueness can be somewhat focused by the ratification debates. But even then most of the details of governance went unanswered. Phelps, Currie, Reed and others are very right to point out that those details were filled in by the early administrations and beyond. Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Polk, Lincoln, Cleveland, McKinley, both Roosevelts and others more contemporary have interpreted their role as Presidents. I know people hate the phrase but it really is a "living document". We the People are what gives it life not the other way around.
In any case, this is an excellent introduction to the effect on Constitutional development by Washington. Phelps is to be thanked for having filled an obvious void with this fine volume.

This is a small book that includes a lot of fascinating information. Don Higginbotham is a historian who's studied George Washington carefully, and he wrote and delivered three papers on Washington's influence on the American military, as lectures at Mercer University. This book includes those three lectures, reworked and lengthened, along with a fourth chapter he wrote for this book, contrasting and comparing George C. Marshall, the US Chief of Staff in World War II and later Secretary of State and author of the Marshall Plan, with Washington.

The author's main premise can be succinctly stated. Washington was a fine model for the American army to follow and build on, because of his character and sense of duty. He deliberately restrained himself and others from abusing his power as commander in chief during the Revolution, and that example served as the framework for the behavior of generals in the years since. Washington was working without benefit of examples, in many ways: no one had ever dealt with a government like the Continental Congress before, because there hadn't been a government like it in the past. So Washington essentially was making it up as he went along, and the result was exemplary, and has done us proud in the years since.

This is an excellent little book, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Washington or the American military.

Whether you are interested in George Washington specifically, or military history generally, this book is a must read. Higginbotham, a well-respected University of North Carolina history professor has done a magnificent job of explaining the unique relations between civilian and military interests that are so crucial in our form of government. In the process, you are sure to gain a renewed appreciation for George Washington, the military leader whose character and forebearance created a solid foundation for American military tradition.

Michael Rockland's book "The George Washington Bridge: Poetry In Steel"
Is both brilliant and funny--a rare combination. The book is as much
about Rockland's love affair with, and experiences on, the bridge as
about the bridge itself. After so many books on the less consequential
Brooklyn Bridge, it's about time the George, the world's busiest bridge still after 75 years, got its due. The highlight of the book is Rockland's adventures on the bridge, including climbing to the top of one of the towers. I've read many of Rockland's books. This one, beautifully illustrated, is his best. A must read.

I love everything about this book. From its light weight, beautiful insert photos, and accurate yet engaging historical prose, I couldn't put it down. For anyone who lives in the tri-state area, or just loves New York, this is a wonderful read. I bought three copies for friends who love history books.