This is a beautifully written book, and very readable. Having read a lot about the history of the period I already knew how fiercely the widow Custer guarded her husband's reputation and how much she did to enhance it. Unlike many female authors might do, however, Leckie does not judge Libby by modern standards, but puts her in the context of her time. She also touches on the possibility that remaining Autie's widow may have been far more liberating for her, in her times, than it would have been to become Mrs. Someone else. During her husband's lifetime she lived in his shadow, but after his death she was able to use that connection to become an author and lecturer in her own right. She also left an estate valued at over $300,000, after her husband had managed only to put them into debt. Having read her memoirs like Boots and Saddles and Tenting on the Plains, it was clear that Mrs.Custer never gave much insite into her true feelings. Nothing seemed to upset her except a criticism of her husband. Inspite of this, though, Leckie does manage to make her into a real person. I found her epilogue truly moving, and I came away with an understanding of an historical character, whom up to this point, I hadn't much cared for.

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Sometimes, it's not how good you are, but how good your P.R. is that determines your reputation. And in the case of the (in)famous U.S. cavalry commander George Armstrong Custer, the P.R. was definitely good. Immediately after Custer's death (along with 200+ of his troops in what was, and arguably still is, the worst battle loss ever suffered by U.S. forces), his widow, Libbie Bacon Custer, began a propaganda campaign designed to secure her beloved husband's place in history. Unfortunately for history, she succeeded far too well. This book, a biography of Custer's widow, gives real insight into how she manipulated the media available to her in order to glorify her husband--or to be more accurate, to glorify her idealized portrait of her husband. Had Libbie not done her work so well, Custer would have been only a footnote in American History. In addition to providing a valuable supplement to the historical record concerning Custer, Ms. Leckie's book paints a masterly portrait of an exceptional woman, which is well worth the time of readers with little interest in Custer

Alfred Dodd has written perhaps the finest book on Francis Bacon while solving the mystery of Shakespeare's identity with rare combination of historical truth and placing it inside the narrative of a story. Dodd's penetrating insights and research leave most other Bacon biographers way behind. Partly due to the fact that Dodd himself was a Master Free- Mason the general public will have a unique glimpse and understanding of the ways of Freemasonry and it's influence throughout Bacon's life and how it saturates the Shakespeare Sonnets and Plays. The novice student to the more advanced researcher will profit greatly in absorbing the facts surrounding Bacon's mysterious birth , his relation to Queen Elizabeth, his passion and guidance to advance England thru education, sparking the English Renaissance and formulating a greater vocabulary for the English language, encouraging the New World settlements, overcoming numerous enemies like his cousin Cecil, and Coke the crooked lawyer, it's all revealed in this wonderful book. By the time one finishes reading it you will have not only a greater awareness of one of the world's greatest genuises and his selfless service to humanity and it's future but a deeper wisdom into the Shakespeare authorship issue. . Alfred Dodd has left us a great treasure chest for all to partake in.

This book was entertaining as well as historically enlightening. It provides the reader with an interseting look at see the "politics" at work in the midst of what oftentimes seems to us as a cut-and-dried period in our Nation's history. It certainly adds dimension to the reader's perception of that era.

Althought the opinions of Custer and life with the calvary are viewed through (very) rosy glasses, Mrs. G.A. Custer is a witty and prolific writer. She also gives little-known insight into everyday happenings in life on the prairie and how women survived the journey. Particularly interesting are the dynamics of relationships between women when living literally in the middle of nowhere, surviving the harshest of climates, with few friends, the same friends, for extended times. Also interesting is the relationship between people of color and the white soldiers. Custer is an enigma, and readers should read this book but also others ("Son of the Morning Star" is the best thus far) to get a glimpse at the man. Libby Custer falls into poetic verse at times, but this can be refreshing - there are not many writings of women in these times available.

This is really a question insteadof a review. I have a copy of Boots and Saddles written by Elizabeth B. Custer. The copyright is 1885, by Harper & Brothers. The first page has a note wrote on it "To my friend Richard Dec 25th 1890 then a signature of the giver M L Malis ? Would you know anything about this particular book?

There are so few well written and personally lived books about the people of the northern great plains, but this is one of them. Mrs. Custer gives intimate details of life in the cavalry and the Dakotas of a time now gone.
She tells of blizzards, heat, insects, dangers and people in a most readable way that draws the reader in. This is a special book that speaks to the plainsman's heart.

From the Foreword: "This assembling of their intimate letters was prepared at Mrs. Custer's request. ...[T]here are personal things one cannot say or suffer to be said during one's lifetime, but which ought to be said. For some decades, ending in 1933 at her death, I was [Mrs. Custer's] nearest friend."

Originally published in 1950, this reprint of Ms. Merrington's work interleaves selections from the personal letters of the Custers between a sympathetic narrative of their personal lives, providing an intimate view of his controversial career and their happy marriage. We see him as he leaves his family homestead in New Rumley, Ohio, for a military education at West Point; spy long glimpses of him during his rise to prominence in the Union Cavalry to early fame as the acclaimed Boy General; saunter alongside as he courts Judge Bacon's daughter Libby in Monroe, Michigan; march behind him during his daring campaign on the Washita; sit in silent shock during his unwarranted court martial; and watch with growing trepidation as he delivers his forthright testimony before Congress about the mismanagement by the War Department immediately prior to his return to Fort Lincoln and his final campaign in the Dakota Territory. We see Custer through his own eyes, and through the eyes of his devoted wife, and what we view is a portrait of a strong, courageous leader whose skill, gallantry, and wit account for his remarkably successful military career. It is customary in these later years to deny the underlying truth of this view and paint the man in colors few of his contemporaries would recognize. But there are enough artists of history to paint horns where none may have existed; we may suffer the Custers to sketch a faded halo above his engaging visage, and let it serve to counter the later brushstrokes of politically corrected historians and politicians.

In studying history and people in history we usually base our opinions on second and third hand descriptions of people. In the case of George Custer, a voluminous writer; we have his book, articles and these edited letters to his wife. While these letters are edited, they do give us insights into the character and personality of this man from which to form our own opinions. Readers will likely react differently to the same passages based on their response to the words expressed. Taken in the context of the society of the time, we can each draw conclusions relative to his intelligence, wit and character. History is considerably more real and more alive when we have such an advantage to get to know its' participants.

I grew up like most people being fed the lies of Hollywood and those with an ax to grind about American history and blamed George Custer.
I have read 3 books now on the Custers, My Life on the Plains, Boots and Saddles by his wonderful wife Libby and now this one of their personal letters.
In all of these books, the reader will find a husband and wife emerge who were deeply in love with each other, solid in their Christian faith, of good morals, temperate, loved and respected by all....who enjoyed life to it's fullest.
General Custer even emerges as thee soldier who did not want the Indian Wars, and, for an extra history eye opener, you will find he went to great lengths to rescue the Cheyenne from military confrontation....a people who would later massacre him and his command at Little Big Horn.
I can not say enough positive about this book. It is the truth and is a wonderful read with insights to America from the view of people who actually were part of our history.
Where else are you going to read that Vice President Andrew Johnson was drunk at Lincoln's Inaugural from the eye witness Libby Custer.
This is real...this is true. You will find a General who was always careful in his planning....never reckless as his late critics spout in so many lies.
George and Libby Custer's words should be REQUIRED reading by all the "experts" before they are allowed to publish their thoughts on people they never knew.
This is a cheap book...and worth 10 times the cost.

Pat Kines' portrayal of Elizabeth Custer in "A Life Within a Life" is to Libbie Custer biographies what Cliff's Notes are to literature. Kines does an admirable job of summing up the high points in Libbie's life, and of laboriously summarizing the memoirs Custer left behind. Unfortunately, she doesn't do much else in terms of making original observations or assertions about this very fascinating person.

For somebody who is completely unfamiliar with Elizabeth Custer and doesn't want to take the time to read Boots and Saddles or any of her other writings, A Life Within A Life is a fine place to start. For others, Leckie's 1993 biography (which Kines actually points to as the impetus for her book) will be a far more interesting read.

I loved reading about Libbie Custer! She was a strong and intelligent woman with a fascinating life. In this book I learned so many things. Among them I learned that George Armstrong Custer had a more human side to him than what history books portrayed. It really opened my eyes!

"A life within a life" is a book about the wife of General George Armstrong Custer. But the book is about much more than the life of Elizabeth (Libbie) Bacon Custer. The book is also about her adventures with her husband and with the U.S. Army.

The author (Pat Kines) brings personal family experience of the old West to enhance her book. Her Grandmother had direct encounters with hostile natives, and Pat and her family have always lived in the West.

Libbie was born in Monroe, Michigan. She kept a diary from which we learn a great deal about her and the life she lived. Libbie was from a wealthy family, was well educated, and had an intellectual sense of humor.

The book brings Libbie to life with a variety of anecdotes, words from Libbie's own hand, and relevant (and interesting) historical facts of the period. Of particular historical interest is the chapter titled, "After the Civil War". That chapter shows how Libbie, from the North, viewed the people from the South as they tried to regain some normalcy after losing the war.

The book describes Libbie's down-to-earth, every-day living conditions. The descriptions are excellent and include her life in Army tents, how she traveled with her personal and military entourage, what it was like for her to stay at various forts, and how she and the other occupants of the forts (men and women) entertained themselves. Life was very hard at times, but Libbie was determined to remain a lady no matter how difficult the living conditions became.

Entertainment at the forts was very important and included dancing, singing, riding outside of the fort (even in inclement weather), and picnics. Sometimes the military band from the fort played at the picnics!

Libbie outlived her husband by fifty years, during which time she made a successful life by herself. She was able to travel a great deal and had many friends around the world.

I think that "A life within a life" is an important as well as interesting book. It shows Libbie to be a resourceful woman dedicated to her husband and at the same time she was independent and caring of those less fortunate. The book is a perfect candidate for Oprah's Book Club.

Yah, I read this book. I live and work in Kyrgzystan and I am always trying to find good books on this region. I really appreciated this book because it was easy to read and facinating. The author first describes what the nomadic lifestyle as well as the sendentary lifestyle was of the Kyrgyz, Kazahk, Turkomen, Tajik, and the Uzbek was like before Russians entered the picture. Then she outlines the change under the Russian Tsarist government and then under the Soviet influence. Written in 1966, it still is relevent especially for anyone living and working in Central Asia.

This is a book I had a hard time putting down. It is an eyewitness account of civilian Civil War times, and is a "must" for Civil War period buffs. It tends to deromanticize the era, as Libbie Custer tells the day-by-day details of marching with the Union Army, living in then near-desolate Washington D.C., and taking over rooms in Confederate farmhouses to set up camp. But those details are nevertheless fascinating, because they are so different from life today. Her memoirs unfortunately give too little information about Custer's personality and her relationship with him, which I was eager to learn. This is probably due to the writing style of the era, however, as Victorians tended to be "closed" about their personal feelings.

While the book starts slowly with what seems to be an overly detailed account of Bacon's family and their activities, it is a clear headed and balanced account of a man who achieved fame across the centuries, as well as in his own time---but never great virtue, character or happiness in his own life. It is quite readable, and even engrossing in the second half. Scholars will appreciate the careful documentation and extensive reference to sources and supporting materials.

An excellent starting point for Shakespeare-Bacon ciphers is a book by a woman, Elizabeth Wells Gallup, b. 1846, and published in 1901 by the Howard Publishing Company of Detroit, MI. "The bi-literal cypher of Sir Francis Bacon" and reprinted in 1975 by AMS Press, NY. Most of the copyrights of the many such Bacon cipher books written around 1901 are expired, and someone is reprinting these.

Gallup's book references Bacon's description of a code based on a binary number system, which

Bacon described in 1605 in "Advancement of Learning". (De Augmentis Scientiarum). The letter A is represented by aaaaa, B is aaaab, C is aaaba, and so forth. A book could be printed in two slightly different fonts using this scheme, and could conceal any text. This is what Gallup refers to as the "bi-literal cypher". The fonts were supposedly the italics letters. The rest of her book decodes the literature to reveal what allegedly was written. See a photo here: http://www.prs.org/books/book422.htm (shows bi-literal cipher concept)

Gallup further claims that Bacon published under the names of Christopher Marlowe, George Peele, Robert Greene, Edmund Spenser, William Shakespeare, and Robert Burton. So she has this entire crew conspiring with Bacon to create a glorious "kingdom" of literature. The printers mark the frontispieces of these books with a stylish letter A in the upper right and left corners of some of these books, to signal the researcher that these are part of the collection.

Actually, most of the book is material she claims to have decoded. The secret text itself!

Bacon supposedly wrote all this to conceal his personal history, namely, that Francis was really Francis Tudor, the morganatic son of Queen Elizabeth I and would have been the rightful heir to the throne. That he was sired by Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, who murdered his wife to be with Elizabeth (a similar theme is in Hamlet, that the wicked uncle murdered Hamlet's father) and that from that alleged marriage came two sons, Francis and Robert Devereux, later the mysterious Earl of Essex.

Francis was allegedly educated as a foster son of Nicholas Bacon and his wife Ann. That at age 16, [quoting Gallup] "Francis discovered the facts of his nativity through the gossip of a Court lady, and in a fit of anger the Queen acknowledged to him her motherhood and his son-ship, and that he was immediately thereafter sent to France, and subsequent action was taken by which he was barred from his succession to the throne." This presumably, as it would have revealed Elizabeth to be a partner in crime in the murder of Leicester's wife. In France, he meets Marguerite, who is supposedly the model for Juliet Capulet. Since Francis was a Tudor, of the dynasty symbolized by the White Rose (War of the Roses), perhaps there was double meaning in "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Gallup arranges all these books in a grand sequence, so that the entire story might be revealed. She explains that there were more than just this one class of cypher, that there is another major work of the early 1900's written by Dr. O.W. Owen, a five-volume set titled "Sir Francis Bacon's Cipher Story". This supposedly used some kind of "word key" system, involving text that appears near the words "nature" "fortune" "honor" "reputation". Owen glued this list of books to a long

strip of canvas, scrolled onto two large rotating spools, so that he could turn from one section of the literature to another, jumping around like hypertext links. It was an incomplete set of these books found in a used bookshop that got me intrigued in this yarn.

So the entire body of Elizabethan literature was to have been written by Bacon and his conspirators, so as to permit his glory to outlive his rivals (Sonnet: "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments... will e'er outlive this rhyme...") and to bring longevity to the English language, and to "shake a spear" at ignorance.

Although Gallup is completely serious about her work, I could not find any evidence whatsoever of its validity. But if you like the literature of the Elizabethan period, this will give you an excuse to read it-- looking for the keys to the lost plays of Shakespeare!