Comments on: A Blistering Review http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:29:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12846 Kevin Levin Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:45:01 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12846 Thanks for passing along the link. I read it this morning. Thanks for passing along the link. I read it this morning.

]]> By: Eric Roy http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12845 Eric Roy Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:36:59 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12845 Here's a brand-new <a href="http://Slate.com" rel="nofollow">Slate.com</a> review of Keegan's book that seems to echo the NYT review in some ways, while also being more forgiving. It sounds like Keegan may have some valuable insights to offer as to how the geographic scope of the war determined how it was won/lost, but that it's hard to trust those insights in the face of some pretty stunning errors of fact. That's frustrating & a shame.<br><br><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2" rel="nofollow">http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2</a> Here's a brand-new Slate.com review of Keegan's book that seems to echo the NYT review in some ways, while also being more forgiving. It sounds like Keegan may have some valuable insights to offer as to how the geographic scope of the war determined how it was won/lost, but that it's hard to trust those insights in the face of some pretty stunning errors of fact. That's frustrating & a shame.

http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12652 Kevin Levin Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:45:01 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12652 Thanks for passing along the link. I read it this morning. Thanks for passing along the link. I read it this morning.

]]> By: Eric Roy http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12651 Eric Roy Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:36:59 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12651 Here's a brand-new <a href="http://Slate.com" rel="nofollow">Slate.com</a> review of Keegan's book that seems to echo the NYT review in some ways, while also being more forgiving. It sounds like Keegan may have some valuable insights to offer as to how the geographic scope of the war determined how it was won/lost, but that it's hard to trust those insights in the face of some pretty stunning errors of fact. That's frustrating & a shame.<br><br><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2" rel="nofollow">http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2</a> Here's a brand-new Slate.com review of Keegan's book that seems to echo the NYT review in some ways, while also being more forgiving. It sounds like Keegan may have some valuable insights to offer as to how the geographic scope of the war determined how it was won/lost, but that it's hard to trust those insights in the face of some pretty stunning errors of fact. That's frustrating & a shame.

http://www.slate.com/id/2233725/pagenum/all/#p2

]]> By: Andy http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12325 Andy Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:39:04 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12325 Keegan's one foray (that I'm aware of) into naval history, <i>The Price of Admiralty</i>, was pretty bad. For those with even some background in the topic, there was nothing really new, no insightful analysis, and his repeated mix-ups of maritime terminology were completely distracting. <br><br><i>Six Armies in Normandy</i> is worthwhile, if only for Keegan's autobiographical introduction on what it was like to be a child in Britain during the war. Keegan's one foray (that I'm aware of) into naval history, The Price of Admiralty, was pretty bad. For those with even some background in the topic, there was nothing really new, no insightful analysis, and his repeated mix-ups of maritime terminology were completely distracting.

Six Armies in Normandy is worthwhile, if only for Keegan's autobiographical introduction on what it was like to be a child in Britain during the war.

]]> By: John Maass http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12125 John Maass Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:55:25 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12125 Review of Keegan's new book is here:<br><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garner.html?_r=2&hpw" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garne...</a> Review of Keegan's new book is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garne…

]]> By: John Maass http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12126 John Maass Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:48:56 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12126 This book is reviewed by the NYT here:<br><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garner.html?_r=2&hpw" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garne...</a> This book is reviewed by the NYT here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/books/16garne…

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12059 Kevin Levin Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:23:10 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12059 Well, I don't know how much of a defense that is if you have to draw a comparison with McPherson. I agree that McPherson is not the only one who has probably gone too far in endorsing the work of others. The frequency of certain names only works to minimize the value of the endorsement. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Well, I don’t know how much of a defense that is if you have to draw a comparison with McPherson. I agree that McPherson is not the only one who has probably gone too far in endorsing the work of others. The frequency of certain names only works to minimize the value of the endorsement. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12061 Kevin Levin Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:24:37 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12061 Well, that's not much of a defense if you have to draw a comparison with Ellis. I agree that McPherson is not the only historian guilty of this practice. The frequency of certain names only works to limit the value of the book jacket's endorsements. Well, that's not much of a defense if you have to draw a comparison with Ellis. I agree that McPherson is not the only historian guilty of this practice. The frequency of certain names only works to limit the value of the book jacket's endorsements.

]]> By: Leonard Lanier http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12058 Leonard Lanier Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:18:05 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12058 In McPherson's defense, he does not write nearly as many blurbs as Joseph Ellis. I honestly believe that Ellis tried to resurrect his tarnished career by composing as many positive book reviews as possible. On one occasion, I walked into the local Barnes & Nobles, picked up a book on Revolutionary-Era cookery, and to my utter astonishment saw an endorsement by Ellis. His one-man PR routine must work. Recently saw that Mount Holyoke gave Ellis his endowed chair back. In McPherson's defense, he does not write nearly as many blurbs as Joseph Ellis. I honestly believe that Ellis tried to resurrect his tarnished career by composing as many positive book reviews as possible. On one occasion, I walked into the local Barnes & Nobles, picked up a book on Revolutionary-Era cookery, and to my utter astonishment saw an endorsement by Ellis. His one-man PR routine must work. Recently saw that Mount Holyoke gave Ellis his endowed chair back.

]]> By: toby http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-12001 toby Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:24:10 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-12001 I read the review & found it a bit less "blistering" than expected.<br><br>MacPherson does seem to find some good aspects to the book ... nothing wrong with the characterizations of the generals that I could see. Keegan may still be worth reading for his good points.<br><br>About the egregious errors, they just seem to be symptoms of what I had seen creeping into Keegan's books e.g. a certain sloppiness.<br><br>I look forward to finding it on the remaindered shelf! I read the review & found it a bit less “blistering” than expected.

MacPherson does seem to find some good aspects to the book … nothing wrong with the characterizations of the generals that I could see. Keegan may still be worth reading for his good points.

About the egregious errors, they just seem to be symptoms of what I had seen creeping into Keegan's books e.g. a certain sloppiness.

I look forward to finding it on the remaindered shelf!

]]> By: toby http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/31/a-blistering-review/#comment-11999 toby Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:48:05 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5317#comment-11999 I admire both MacPherson and Keegan, so this is disappointing. IMHO, Keegan's essay on Grant in his book The Mask of Command was quite insightful. <br><br>However, I have had an uneasy feeling about Keegan for a while that he is a historian in decline. His early works like The Face of Battle and Five Armies in Normandy are excellent, but his more recent works leave a feeling of traversing well-worn paths, a feeling of someone on autopilot - like his history of the First World War. <br><br>He did have a nice book a few years ago Warpaths: Travels of a Military Historian in North America, where I thought he had some interesting observations of the military geography of the Civil War, Revolutionary Wars, French & Indian Wars etc. It seems he has somehow declined from that.<br><br>At least if his book is remaindered, it can be picked up cheaply! I admire both MacPherson and Keegan, so this is disappointing. IMHO, Keegan's essay on Grant in his book The Mask of Command was quite insightful.

However, I have had an uneasy feeling about Keegan for a while that he is a historian in decline. His early works like The Face of Battle and Five Armies in Normandy are excellent, but his more recent works leave a feeling of traversing well-worn paths, a feeling of someone on autopilot – like his history of the First World War.

He did have a nice book a few years ago Warpaths: Travels of a Military Historian in North America, where I thought he had some interesting observations of the military geography of the Civil War, Revolutionary Wars, French & Indian Wars etc. It seems he has somehow declined from that.

At least if his book is remaindered, it can be picked up cheaply!

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