United Kingdom Books

I was doing research for a senior level graduate course and came across this book, written by a USAF officer. It was immensely helpful: the clarity of the writing, the thoroughness of the research, and the enduring value of the subject matter all impressed equally. Anyone interested in WWII aviation will be pleased with this book.

If you had been a rake in 18th century London, you would have been very familiar with a guidebook called _Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies_. It was issued first in 1757 and continued for almost forty years a bestseller. It was a bit expensive, two shillings and sixpence, which was about what you could rent a room for. It was a guide to the prostitutes available around Covent Garden, their attractions, their talents, and, in some cases, their demerits. The authorship of the _List_ was attributed to "Harris", of course, but Hallie Rubenhold, a teacher of history, is the first to uncover the full story of the _List_'s production. In _The Covent Garden Ladies: Pimp General Jack & the Extraordinary Story of Harris's List_ (Tempus Publishing), Rubenhold has not only told the story of the List and given full depictions of the three main characters involved in its production, but has also given a social history of the London of the time. It is a raucous picture, funny and sad by turns. If you appreciate the work of Hogarth, many of whose pictures are included here, you will find this a fascinating account.

Harris was not the author of the notorious book; he wasn't even Harris. He was John Harrison, who was a waiter at the Shakespear's Head tavern, a boisterous retreat especially for the theatrical set. Harris was a clever man who might have been a banker but for his low birth. He said, "I saw great room for an amendment in the profession of pimping," and worked out solutions to such problems of supplying new whores into the system. He called himself the Pimp General of All England, and few would have disagreed. He had an army of over 400 prostitutes, and was a well-known figure in the town, so including his name on the _List_ was a perfect selling point for it, but he wasn't the author. That honor, Rubenhold discovered, goes to a fascinating Irishman, Samuel Derrick. He ran away to London with aspirations to become a poet and a member of Dr. Johnson's set, and indeed became acquainted with Johnson, Boswell, and the rest. His real talents lay not in poetry but in whoring and in hack writing. It was he who produced the lists, and probably paid Harrison for the use of his assumed name in the title. The profits from the _List_ were the making of him, and he wound up surprisingly respectable. He was able to bequeath the profits of the _List_ to Charlotte Hayes, with whom he had had a fond relationship as customer, lover, and friend. She became landed gentry, although she never really left the business. Inspired by French examples, she became a mistress of high-class brothels mockingly known as nunneries. Even in comfortable widowhood and retirement, Hayes could not completely leave her background, and was sought out to help arrange assignations. This is a big story, and Rubenhold has wisely not restricted it to the lists themselves. She does, of course, include samples of what the _List_ had to say, showing that Derrick's prose was not only a precise, witty, and useful guide, but was material for fantasy that could be enjoyed as anyone can enjoy a catalogue without buying from it. Here you can find, for example, Miss Loveborn, of Number 32 George Street, who delighted in birching her customers, and it is revealed that the shop from which she bought her birchen brooms was so pleased with her custom, it granted her discounts on tea and coffee as well. There are scores of others.

The three main characters here all fared reasonably well from their trades, but Rubenhold quite rightly describes the less salubrious and cheerful parts of being a prostitute of the times. There were diseases, and cures for the diseases that were sometimes worse. There were unwanted pregnancies and distasteful ways of dealing with them. There was rape, and there was the threat of prison, though this was often for debt rather than moral crimes. Rubenhold's description of life in the Fleet Prison is unforgettable. After Harris, Derrick, and Hayes bowed off the stage, society became more prudish and the _List_ was legally closed down. It was great while it lasted, and it was the making of the pimp, the hack, and the whore, chronicled in a vastly entertaining and revealing work of history.

This is the best book I've read this year. It talks about the exciting days of the Old West when cowboys rounded up cows and horses, when outlaws roamed the range, and when Indians hunted buffalo. The conflicts come between the cowboys and the Indians about the hunting of the buffalo (almost to extinction), which brings starvation to the Indian. The gunfighter still lives in the chapters about such famous ones as Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday, Virgil and Morgan Earp, and the best gunfighter of all time, Wyatt Earp.

If you're a fan of the old west, you will probably enjoy this book.

The AAT is nearly 25 years old, yet it still manages to hold its head high in international comparisons of effective optical telescopes. In terms of citations, the AAT ranks near the top in international terms.

The book is a history of the birth and construction of the telescope. It is the only popular acccount, and as such is an important source of information for anyone wanting to know about this trail-blazing telescope.

The book is a logical sequential account of the birth of the telescope. The writing suffers a little by being shared between three authors, some of whom are more accessible than others; but this is a minor quibble in what is otherwise an authoritative account of an important instrument.

This book was written by Chesterton during World War I to show that the war was, in part, England's fault for supporting Prussia and allowing her to get away with almost anything. His purpose is summed up very well in the first chapter, which is a letter to Professor Whirlwind, a German/Prussian supporter and writer. Chesterton says:
"There is a very great deal that is really wrong with England, and it ought not to be forgotten even in the full blaze of your marvellous mistakes. I cannot have my countrymen tempted to those pleasures of intellectual pride which are the result of comparing themselves with you. The deep collapse and yawning chasm of your ineptitude leaves me upon a perilous spiritual elevation."

This then, is what he attempts to do: to show that England should not be smug and think themselves simply the defenders of humanity (though they may be that), but England should realize that they helped Prussia come to power, and they dealt poorly with the French Revolution and Napoleon, which let to some serious problems in Chesterton's day. Also, Chesterton blasts England for their poor treatment of the Irish, which were at the time involved in the home rule movement.

Why does Chesterton do all of this? He think it is patriotic. He said in an essay entitled A Defense of Patriotism (found in his first book of essays entitled The Defendant) that "love is not blind...love is vigilant." He thought, I think correctly, that if one really loves their country one will do what is best for it, not simply say it is the best. And sometimes what is best for it is to tell it that it has made mistakes, so that it will not make them again. Chesterton says near the end of the book that "I have passed the great part of my life in criticizing and condemning the existing rulers and institutions of my country: I think it is infinitely the most partiotic thing that a man can do."

This book gives an excellent glimpse into the situation in England during World War I, as well as an excellent view of what Chesterton considered patriotism to be. Of course, it is filled with witty and deep remarks, as all of Chesterton's works are.

Overall grade: A

Stone, who died in 1999, established his international reputation with this work, one of the most important books published on Engish history in the last half century. He examines the decline of the Court centered aristocracy as against the provincial squires, with the consequent loss of Parliament and the country. He also mentions the remarkable sequel: the Aristocracy regains its power and prestige, this time leading Parliament. Like all of Stone's work it asks large questions , and dares the reader to analyze it independently. It is a great temptation. I admit that my own prejudices incline me to the view that the landed gentry who backed Cromwell, and the landed gentry who were loyal to the King were not that different from each other, which is why Cromwell was successful (he could easily conciliate his former enemies, who were just like his gentry supporters) and why Cromwells revolution was swept away in an instant with no oppostion(the gentry decided they wanted their King back). It is a testimony to Stone's book that I was forced to think these things through, and that I am still not sure wie es eigentlich war, as Ranke said.

Rest in peace, Professor Stone. A light has gone out in Princeton.

If you are ever faced with issues relating to failing international insurance companies, this book is an indispensable guide. It covers all of the major jurisdictions, as well as some obscure ones (Belgium, Russia). The writing is clear and concise and the authors are the leaders in their field.

Having trouble deciding on which mystery novel to read? This book is a great starting point. This volume lists the "Top 100" mystery novels (actually 101) as voted by members of the Mystery Writers of America. For each book (technically some are not novels), Otto Penzler has written a brief essay, which can help you decide if you would like to read it or not.

There are also short essays on the various crime subgenres, written by an author that specializes in that area. For example, Gregory Mcdonald, author of the "Fletch" series, writes on the humorous subgenre. Another section of the volume lists interesting tidbits like, "Favorite Hiding Place for a Body" as voted by the membership. In the back, the volume lists all of the Edgar nominated books up to 1994.

So, if love mystery novels and would like to discover new authors or if you're looking for a book in which to explore in the genre, then this is the book for you.

The generation that passed between the death of Victoria and the accession of her son, Edward VII, in 1901 and the death of Edward's son, George V, in 1936 was one of great change not only in the British monarchy but in the state of monarchy throughout Europe. Edward's personal power was subject to the close limitations of the unwritten English constitution, but his cosmopolitan personality and astute knowledge of international affairs gave him great informal authority, especially since the emperors of Germany and Russia were his close relations. George, though likeable, shared neither his father's eminence abroad nor his extroverted style, and was much more subordinate to his ministers - and during the early part of his reign, as a result of the Great War, the empires of Germany, Russia, and Austria ceased to exist. The author of this well-researched study, who has written a number of other books and articles on modern European royalty, follows the complex interconnections among the royal houses of Europe during this period, pointing out just how much diplomacy depended before the War on personal relationships between monarchs, and also just how little such things came to matter during the subsequent Age of Dictators. He includes a great many photographs and illustrations, many of which are new to me, as well as a (necessary) genealogical chart and table of accession dates.

This book was recommended by a Tour Director in Scotland when I visited the bridge from which James Stewart's body hung until his body fell piece by piece from it's chains. I had always found myself interested in why the Highlanders came down to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie and where they found their courage. Even though this book takes place in the aftermath of Culloden, James Hunter explained to me the structure, loyalty, and fierceness of the clans through the life of James Stewart. It was insightful in a writing style that I could see within the hearts and minds of these people. The bravery of James Stewart and his senseless murder is a story that was well written, so that I was able to experience life in the times after Culloden. I would recommend this book to anyone who's asks "Why" and "Where did they find their courage". Thank You Ian for guiding me to this book!