Category Archives: History

A Look at “He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860” by Jonathan Earle.

Posted on September 6, 2026 by billmanzi

He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860 by Jonathan Earle My rating: 4 of 5 stars There are few American presidents about whom more has been written than Abraham Lincoln, which raises an obvious question whenever … Continue reading →

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A D-Day Remembrance

Posted on June 6, 2026 by billmanzi

D-Day: The Longest Day That Changed the World On June 6, 1944, Allied forces crossed the English Channel and launched the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The operation, forever known as D-Day, opened the long-awaited Western Front against Nazi … Continue reading →

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A Look at Cobra II The Invasion of Iraq

Posted on May 3, 2026 by billmanzi

Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael R. Gordon My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book, due to its length and extraordinary level of operational and strategic detail, will not be for … Continue reading →

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The Hitler Apologists or Sympathy For the Devil

Posted on September 7, 2024 by billmanzi

I recently bumped into a Tucker Carlson interview on Twitter with Darryl Cooper, a man Carlson described as “may be the best and most honest popular historian in the United States.” I had not heard of Cooper before, and being … Continue reading →

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Revisiting 1939

Posted on February 25, 2024 by billmanzi

There has been, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, lots of discussion of Poland, and how World War II started. Some of the commentary, especially the comments by Vlad Putin blaming Poland for the start of World … Continue reading →

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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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