Category Archives: Books

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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A Look at “After Hitler” by Michael Jones

Posted on July 16, 2016 by billmanzi

After Hitler: The Last Days of World War Two in Europe by Michael Jones My rating: 3 of 5 stars A nice summer read that adds to the historical record surrounding WWII. In much of the history written we seem … Continue reading →

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All the Way- LBJ and the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Posted on July 4, 2016 by billmanzi

HBO has recently released a version of “All the Way,” the movie version of the Broadway play with Bryan Cranston, who also starred in the movie. Cranston was superb in both, bringing Lyndon Baines Johnson to life in a fascinating … Continue reading →

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Review of Rick Perlstein’s “The Invisible Bridge”

Posted on June 26, 2016 by billmanzi

The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan by Rick Perlstein My rating: 4 of 5 stars Perlstein’s effort, the third installment of his series, is an informative and insightful look at the fall of Nixon, … Continue reading →

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A Review of “On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller

Posted on May 8, 2016 by billmanzi

On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller by Richard Norton Smith My rating: 5 of 5 stars Such a terrific book on a political giant, who played an enormous role in American politics, and whose name and philosophy … Continue reading →

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Book Review- Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus

Posted on March 26, 2016 by billmanzi

I read the first of the three Rick Perlstein books back in 2014. In this election cycle featuring the rise of Trumpism, and the seeming disintegration of the national GOP it might be time to take another look at this … Continue reading →

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Review of the Buddy Cianci Autobiography Politics and Pasta

Posted on February 15, 2016 by billmanzi

Right after I read this and posted my review on Goodreads Mayor Buddy Cianci passed away. I have placed the review here, as well as a video of Mayor Cianci talking about the book on WGBH. Good stuff from a … Continue reading →

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Review of Ben Bernanke "The Courage to Act"

Posted on December 28, 2015 by billmanzi

The Courage to Act: A Memoir of a Crisis and Its Aftermath by Ben S. Bernanke My rating: 4 of 5 stars A fairly dry, but very important book by the man at the helm of the Fed during the … Continue reading →

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