Reading

From the book:

“Once in Hawaii I was taken to see a Buddhist temple. In the temple a man said, “I am going to tell you something that you will never forget.” And then he said “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven. The same key opens the gates of hell.”

Douglas MacArthur was a man of astounding opposites which seem to grow more numerous with each page I flip.

An astounding leader, who stood up in the open to count the number of enemy bombers flying overhead as they dropped their payloads all around him; yet his troops called him “Dugout Doug”. Ouch.

The man was about as conceited as is humanly possible. But he had the goods to back it up.

The book itself is written exceedingly well; it reads like a novel, delving into the backgrounds of the individuals and the thinking behind decisions and reactions. I think I will be picking up other books by William Manchester in the future…

I was interested in this book as it connects the visual tools of ages past with the stories and cultures utilizing them. The opportunity to learn more about the use of maps and their impact on some of the key events which have shaped our current world is quite intriguing. As the inside jacket states “Historical atlases offer an understanding of the past which is invaluable to historians, not only because they convey a previous age’s sense of space and distance but also because they reveal what historians and educators of those periods though important to include or omit.”

But, I wasn’t prepared for the book, which turned out to be a bit drier than I had expected. This is by no means a criticism as the subject is handled quite well. But, at this moment in my life I need materials which is a little more reader-oriented than scholarly. An engaging book will allow me to put aside the stress of several concurrent projects, looking for a job and thinking of the future. Maps and History wasn’t able to hold my attention as it requires more of the reader than I am ready to give right now.

So, it will return to the shelf to be pulled down when I have the time to pursue with more vigor.

American History Author Dies

Lung Cancer took the life of one of my favorite authors early this morning. Ambrose, 66 wrote more than 25 books on American history, of which I have read but a few. I am working to change that.

His writing style tends to be much more open and personal than many of the other historical texts filling the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Utilizing personal accounts and probing some of the psychological reasons behind the key individuals, Ambrose presents history as a story told by those who were there.

My generation is further removed from American history than those born before us, and not due to the linear passage of days; though time does play a role.

We are distracted by the cacophony of videos, music, games and the intensity of 24 hour news concerning regions half a globe away.

For many, it is hard to step back to look at our past. Stephen Ambrose made it easier.

I love history, and I spend time reading some of of the event-based history books to provide my foundation for future learning and analysis. But few authors and few books engage me to the same degree.

Rest well Mr. Ambrose, you’ve left an amazing legacy to enrich your fellow Americans and citizens of the world.

I decided to pick up Neuromancer yet again after finishing Crazy Horse and Custer the other day. William Gibson is one of my favorite authors, due in large part to the amount of detail in his stories. I discover/realize something new each time I read a story of his.

This time I paused when I read a description of Molly, and came to the realization that my mental image of her didn’t match the one painted in the book. It was as if I had produced the story for my mental screen and cast an actress who was close to fitting the description, but just hadn’t quite made it.

I’m not quite sure how my brain will compensate as I continue my reading. Perhaps my mental actress will undergo some cosmetic surgery before I pick up the book once more. Hrrrrm…