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Joe Di Cola · 08-28-2013, 09:15 AM

I am re-reading REVEILLE IN WASHINGTON by Margaret Leech. I last read it in the late 1950s or early 1960s. The copy I have was my father's which he purchased in 1941 when the book was first published. I am enjoying it very much, although it is from an era when historians did not include end notes. I would dearly love to know the sources of some of the material. All of my early years with Lincoln, starting when I was 11, none of the books had end notes. This is still a source of frustration to me for the reason stated above. In 1952 Benjamin Thomas listed some "Lincoln Literature" for each of the chapters in his great bio of Lincoln, but I do not consider these to be end notes as such. Thank goodness that standards have changed, although sometimes a 300-page book contains 200 pages of text and 100 pages of notes!
Any thoughts from others of you about the frustration involved in determining sources in older books?

Joe

L Verge · 08-28-2013, 09:31 AM

Speaking of overcoming difficulty and adversity, I am enamored of the great physician, Dr. Ben Carson, and am reading his book America the Beautiful. His subtitle and theme relates to rediscovering what made our country great and how to overcome obstacles that have tarnished that greatness over the years. He shows great respect for our Founding Fathers and what motivated their actions at their particular time in history.

His book should be required reading in every twelfth-grade classroom with valuable class discussions to instill renewed values in students who will be entering adulthood, voting, fighting to preserve democracy here and abroad, parenting future generations, and playing a role in our economic future as well as society in general.

Living just fifteen miles from the U.S. Capitol, and with today being the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington (which I remember in 1963), I could not help but make a comparison between Dr. Carson's message and Dr. King's "I have a dream..." message: "I have a dream that one day my four little children will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Dr. Carson, who grew up in the projects of Detroit and Boston, fulfilled Dr. King's dream of being judged by the content of his character. That is the quality that all of us should aspire to also - no matter our race, creed, or color. This famed neurosurgeon and noted public speaker (among other accomplishments) took what was handed him and made lemonade out of it. He did not stand back and moan and cry about injustices done to his ancestors - he overcame it with a positive attitude, education, and hard work. That's what will keep America going in the future.

BettyO · 08-28-2013, 10:03 AM

Amen, Sister Laurie!

I will be on the outlook for this book - sounds exactly like Dr. Carson - a true winner!

L Verge · 08-28-2013, 07:12 PM

Back to Reveille in Washington: Does anyone know if Margaret Leech's research papers have been preserved for posterity and if so, where?

Rob Wick · 08-28-2013, 07:34 PM

What is available is located at Harvard.

http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~hou02159

http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu//oasis/deli...d=hou00374

Best
Rob

DanielC · 08-28-2013, 08:10 PM

I'm reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. That generation continues to amaze me.

hannahrozesmom · 08-28-2013, 08:22 PM

I am reading The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and The Plot To Kill Abraham Lincoln by Kate Clifford Larson. I'm also listening to Manhunt by James Swanson. :-)

J. Beckert · 08-28-2013, 08:47 PM

(08-28-2013 09:31 AM)L Verge Wrote: Speaking of overcoming difficulty and adversity, I am enamored of the great physician, Dr. Ben Carson, and am reading his book America the Beautiful. His subtitle and theme relates to rediscovering what made our country great and how to overcome obstacles that have tarnished that greatness over the years. He shows great respect for our Founding Fathers and what motivated their actions at their particular time in history.

His book should be required reading in every twelfth-grade classroom with valuable class discussions to instill renewed values in students who will be entering adulthood, voting, fighting to preserve democracy here and abroad, parenting future generations, and playing a role in our economic future as well as society in general.

Living just fifteen miles from the U.S. Capitol, and with today being the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington (which I remember in 1963), I could not help but make a comparison between Dr. Carson's message and Dr. King's "I have a dream..." message: "I have a dream that one day my four little children will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Dr. Carson, who grew up in the projects of Detroit and Boston, fulfilled Dr. King's dream of being judged by the content of his character. That is the quality that all of us should aspire to also - no matter our race, creed, or color. This famed neurosurgeon and noted public speaker (among other accomplishments) took what was handed him and made lemonade out of it. He did not stand back and moan and cry about injustices done to his ancestors - he overcame it with a positive attitude, education, and hard work. That's what will keep America going in the future.

That was outstanding, Laurie. I can't think of anything more important or personally satisfying than being judged solely on the content of one's character. Character and personal integrity make the man. (Or woman). Our country needs more role models like Dr. Carson.

08-28-2013, 09:40 PM

(08-28-2013 08:10 PM)DanielC Wrote: I'm reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. That generation continues to amaze me.

Great book!!
Read it twice!!

(08-28-2013 08:47 PM)J. Beckert Wrote:
(08-28-2013 09:31 AM)L Verge Wrote: Speaking of overcoming difficulty and adversity, I am enamored of the great physician, Dr. Ben Carson, and am reading his book America the Beautiful. His subtitle and theme relates to rediscovering what made our country great and how to overcome obstacles that have tarnished that greatness over the years. He shows great respect for our Founding Fathers and what motivated their actions at their particular time in history.

His book should be required reading in every twelfth-grade classroom with valuable class discussions to instill renewed values in students who will be entering adulthood, voting, fighting to preserve democracy here and abroad, parenting future generations, and playing a role in our economic future as well as society in general.

Living just fifteen miles from the U.S. Capitol, and with today being the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington (which I remember in 1963), I could not help but make a comparison between Dr. Carson's message and Dr. King's "I have a dream..." message: "I have a dream that one day my four little children will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Dr. Carson, who grew up in the projects of Detroit and Boston, fulfilled Dr. King's dream of being judged by the content of his character. That is the quality that all of us should aspire to also - no matter our race, creed, or color. This famed neurosurgeon and noted public speaker (among other accomplishments) took what was handed him and made lemonade out of it. He did not stand back and moan and cry about injustices done to his ancestors - he overcame it with a positive attitude, education, and hard work. That's what will keep America going in the future.

That was outstanding, Laurie. I can't think of anything more important or personally satisfying than being judged solely on the content of one's character. Character and personal integrity make the man. (Or woman). Our country needs more role models like Dr. Carson.

But was Dr. Carson invited to the ceremonies today??
If not, he should have been.
And that's all I'm gonna say.....

brtmchl · 08-29-2013, 10:02 AM

My 7 year old and I are reading, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, a little each night before bed. We are trying to get him used to chapter books.

I am reading, In The Heart Of The Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick

This is supposed to be the True Story that inspired Melville to write Moby *****.

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 08-29-2013 06:47 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Mike, whenever the wizard of Oz is mentioned, I usually can't get this tune out of my head for the rest of the day:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs...auLgZISozs

It's worth to watch it at least until Dorothy says:
With the thoughts you'd be thinkin'
You could be another Lincoln
If you only had a brain...

Ray Bolger was a brilliant dancer!

brtmchl · (This post was last modified: 08-29-2013 09:32 PM by brtmchl.)

Thanks Eva, I agree. Now I will humming that for the next few days. What a great movie and book, I am so excited that my kids love it. They are at a great age.

P.S. NICE Job, bringing it back into a Lincoln reference.

08-29-2013, 10:12 PM

I'm reading 'Coolidge'
He was a much better Prez than we thought

Liz Rosenthal · (This post was last modified: 08-30-2013 04:40 PM by Liz Rosenthal.)

I just finished The Lincolns by Daniel Mark Epstein. While the writing is beautiful - scenic and sensitive - and the author somehow makes even a description about Mary's various outfits interesting, it's a very depressing book. So unless you have a high threshold for sadness, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

I've just started Lucius Chittenden's Recollections of President Lincoln and His Administration. It was published in 1891! (Chittenden was an official in the Department of the Treasury during the Lincoln Administration.) I wasn't sure if it would be worth reading, since some of the reminiscence volumes from that era tend to be very dry, a prime example being Lincoln and Men of War Times by Alexander McClure, who wrote in maddening generalities and called everybody under the sun "sagacious."

But it appears that Chittenden was an engaging writer, and funny, too. Here is a little bit of his style, in which he writes of being recruited as a Republican campaigner in Pennsylvania (though he was a Vermont resident): "Resistance appeared to be unavailing. I surrendered, telegraphed home some of the details of my capture, and that I did not anticipate an early escape out of the hands into which I had fallen.... [Then he was recruited to campaign in NJ.] I pleaded exhaustion, loss of voice, general dilapidation and worthlessness, in vain...."

I'm expecting more of this same cleverness in the remainder of the book!

RJNorton · 08-31-2013, 05:58 AM

Liz, your posting on Daniel Mark Epstein's book reminded me of something that happened over a year ago. I had used Epstein's book to post that Ulysses S. Grant had declined Mary Lincoln's invitation to see the Grand Illumination on the evening of April 13th. But Linda Anderson found the truth and posted it here. I should add that Mr. Epstein is not the only author who got that wrong.