Category Archives: Books

Review of “Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign”

Posted on May 30, 2017 by billmanzi

Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen My rating: 4 of 5 stars A hard look at the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, with lots “insider” thoughts on what went wrong. The book has taken some criticism over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Review of Richard Rorty’s “Achieving Our Country”

Posted on April 23, 2017 by billmanzi

Achieving Our Country: Leftist Thought in Twentieth-Century America by Richard M. Rorty My rating: 4 of 5 stars For having been written many years ago (published in 1998) the Richard Rorty book “Achieving Our Country” has drawn plenty of attention … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Review of David Halberstam’s The Best and the Brightest

Posted on April 2, 2017 by billmanzi

The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam My rating: 5 of 5 stars A true masterpiece. It is hard to believe that I am reading this book in 2017, but it is still relevant today, offering insights that policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review of “Five Presidents” by Clint Hill

Posted on February 11, 2017 by billmanzi

Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford by Clint Hill My rating: 4 of 5 stars Retired Secret Service Agent Clint Hill has written another book about his service, detailing a career spent serving five … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Review of “Smartest Guys in the Room” by Bethany McLean

Posted on December 30, 2016 by billmanzi

The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron by Bethany McLean My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Enron business story remains one of the most significant instances of business corruption leading to failure … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Review of Ike’s Gamble by Michael Doran

Posted on November 12, 2016 by billmanzi

Ike’s Gamble: America’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East by Michael Doran My rating: 4 of 5 stars A very good book, with a strong point of view that some think still has relevance in todays Middle East. Doran … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Review of the “When the Tea Party Came to Town” by Robert Draper

Posted on September 19, 2016 by billmanzi

When the Tea Party Came to Town: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives’ Most Combative, Dysfunctional, and Infuriating Term in Modern History by Robert Draper My rating: 4 of 5 stars I caught a good sale at Amazon, so I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Review of Give Em Hell by Terry Golway

Posted on September 18, 2016 by billmanzi

Give ’em Hell: The Tumultuous Years of Harry Truman’s Presidency, in His Own Words and Voice [With CD (Audio)] by Terry Golway My rating: 4 of 5 stars Got the book as a gift, and it was a very pleasant … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Review of “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance

Posted on August 21, 2016 by billmanzi

Below is the review of the book Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, which is quite a read, and a topic (white working class) that is the subject of much writing and discussion in light of the heavy support given by … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Review of “MacArthur at War”by Walter Borneman

Posted on August 14, 2016 by billmanzi

MacArthur at War by Walter R. Borneman My rating: 4 of 5 stars A pretty strong military look at the WWII Pacific campaign of the U.S., as seen through the prism of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. We do … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment