Category Archives: History

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 →

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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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Remembering George Harrison

Posted on November 29, 2012 by billmanzi

Today is the anniversary of the death of George Harrison, the Beatle who was maybe the lowest key individual in the band, but certainly had a unique talent. Harrison came truly into his own as a solo artist, as he … Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday Joe DiMaggio

Posted on November 25, 2012 by billmanzi

One of the all time baseball greats was born on November 25th, 1914. DiMaggio broke the hearts of Red Sox fans for many years, and was one of the greatest players in baseball history. His marriage to Marilyn Monroe captivated … Continue reading →

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Politics, Presidents, and Making the Wheel Turn

Posted on November 24, 2012 by billmanzi

One new David Brooks column on Abraham Lincoln, and a review of Robert Caro’s LBJ books by Thomas Meaney, in “The Nation”, have made for some great Thanksgiving reading. Connected? I think so. Brooks, in his column, masterfully writes of … Continue reading →

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