The book was the proper length for the evidence put forth, although the final chapters were somewhat repetitive. Excellent description of the JN-25 system. This title belongs on the shelf of any historian interested in the US entry into WWII. That JN-25 had been read by the British had appeared previously, notably in the book "And I Was There" by Admiral Layton and have been ignored by mainstream historians. "Betrayal" forces the reader to reconsider the manipulations of the British whose conduct was clearly cost US lives. Continued British lying and secrecy surrounding the issue indicates that England wishes to wait for the WWII generation to quietly pass from the scene before they come clean.

James Reckner, a professor of history at Texas Tech University and a former officer in the United States Navy, examines the around-the-world cruise of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Battleship Fleet in. Using government documents, newspapers, unpublished manuscripts, and a wide variety of secondary sources, Reckner argues that the logistical and diplomatic accomplishments of the Great White Fleet's cruise, which sailed the world from December 1907 to February 1909, remained a decisive factor in testing the capabilities of the U.S. Navy. The author suggests that historians have mistakenly emphasized the fleet's effect on diplomacy without considering the technical aspect of the fleet's voyage. Reckner asserts that the need to test the fleet proved the overriding consideration behind the Navy Department's decision to conduct the cruise. He highlights the significance of the cruise by repeatedly pointing out the number of obstacles facing early twentieth-century vessels, specifically that battleships of the period were far less reliable than modern warships. Reckner argues the Great White Fleet proved an influential cause behind the U.S. Navy's re-examination of its organization and battleship design during the world's unprecedented naval expansion prior to World War I. Reckner examines the state of naval affairs at the turn of the century and how it influenced a change in American naval policy during the Roosevelt administration. He traces the fleet's voyage of sixteen battleships and over 14,000 men as they departed from Hampton Roads, Virginia and sailed down the coast of South America, up the West Coast, only to pause for several weeks in San Francisco Harbor. While at California, naval officials reorganized the fleet and the ships got underway to cross the Pacific. After sailing to Hawaii, the fleet headed south to New Zealand and then Australia, Manila, Yokohama, Ceylon, Suez, various ports in the Mediterranean, before finally returning home to Virginia. Reckner reveals that the fleet's voyage of over 45,000 nautical miles produced a great deal of publicity for the United States Navy, ultimately boosting the prestige of American naval power abroad. However, he underscores the fact that the fleet had other national and international purposes as well. First, the U.S. Navy had to train the crews and determine the fleet's coal and provisions requirements. Reckner argues that the voyage confirmed various aspects of the Naval War College's new "War Plan Orange," the recently developed war plan against Japan. Second, the cruise launched a critical reexamination of the navy's administrative structure and the design for new ships. It ultimately led the U.S. Navy toward modernization, greater efficiency, and professionalism. Despite the effects of Roosevelt's Great White Fleet on naval matters, Reckner argues, the ultimate result of the fleet's voyage was its effect on foreign policy. The author points out that the traditional interpretation of the Great White Fleet as an example of Roosevelt's active foreign policy is erroneous. "This is a misconception," Reckner writes, "albeit one encouraged by Roosevelt himself" (p. 157). The author demonstrates that the voyage served as a good measure of the abilities of his battleship fleet in preparation for war. Accordingly, Reckner's study reinforces the connection between a strong military and an effective foreign policy. The author suggests that Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy, which served as a pillar to his corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, depended on the effectiveness of a strong naval presence so that the president's declaration that the impotence or chronic instability of neighboring countries might force the U.S. to intervene in its neighbors' affairs to forestall foreign intervention would be taken seriously. The strength of Reckner's study, however, lies with his treatment of the fleet's voyage. Reckner points out how the fleet was received in South America, the Pacific, and Europe. At every port of call, the author maintains, the ships, officers, and men of the Great White Fleet received friendly receptions in a carnival-like atmosphere which everyone used as an excuse for public holidays and festivities. Teddy Roosevelt's Great White Fleet is intended for the student of history with a significant knowledge of naval affairs and the political and diplomatic situation in the U.S. at the turn of the century. Reckner's work serves as a good supplementary source for the origins and the various trials surrounding the U.S. Navy's move toward establishing a modern naval force.

Teddy Roosevelt, Rough Rider is interesting because it is a biography and history of Teddy Roosevelt as a child. He liked natural history and even stuffed the animals he caught himself - yuck! When he grew up and was president, he was involved in saving park and forest land and wildlife. Yellowstone Park was one of the parks he helped with. He had asthma but he wanted to build up his body to be strong, so he did a lot of sports like boxing and horseback riding. He liked to read and write books. A funny part of the story involved frogs, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out!

The Wise and the Wicked is a gathering of NPCs of various races, regions, alignments, levels, and motivations. Each entry has a complete stat block, detailed background, roleplaying notes, and combat style. Additionally some NPCs have items and spells that merit thorough description in the style of the DMG items and PHB spells. If you are using the Scarred Lands setting, you will definitely have a lot of material to make your adventures within this book. Some of the stat blocks have errors in them like a wizard with 40 hp who should really have 100+ because of his 20 Con, or a level 9 fighter with an attack bonus of +4. But this are forgiveable because of the fantastic NPCs and stories throughout. If you don't use the Scarred Lands setting, this book might not be as useful.

I am intensely interested in Franklin D. Roosevelt and his times, so I figured this book on a little-explored aspect of his career couldn't miss. Colorful characters straight out of "Guys and Dolls" rub elbows with the patrician Roosevelt in this account of the transition between the free-wheeling era of Tammany Hall to the do-gooder era of the New Deal. Too bad that author Mitgang lacks any sense of story-telling ability. The organization of the book is sloppy and confusing and robs the story of any drama. The humorous aspects fall flat. Great idea for a book, but the execution is a misfire.

Mitgang's presentation of the scandals involving NY Mayor Jimmy Walker, leading up to the Seabury Commission investigations and Walker's removal from office by then NY Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, offers a story that should be captivating. The personalities involved were among the major American political figures of their time. Walker's precipitous fall from power was one of the major political events of the era. But I laid down the book feeling that I had somehow been presented the story, but only at the most superficial level. Perhaps I should have known better given the book's brief length. But Mitgang has a good reputation as a journalist, and I expected more. For example, none of the major actors is presented with much depth at all. Their motivations are not explored in sufficient degree. The implications of FDR's action in this case for his Presidency are not explored. Walker's failure to run again for the mayoralty--if for no other reason than self-vindication--is not analyzed. Some major political figures--including former Governor Al Smith and succeeding Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia--are given what might be walk-on parts or cameo roles, if this were a movie, despite the fact that they were clearly major power brokers at the time. All in all, this book is a reasonable BASIC introduction to the story, but left me wanting more. It is hardly history; it is more a narration.

This thin book is a quick, breezy read. It shines a spotlight on an interesting time in American life -- the tail end of the Roaring 20s and the onset of the Great Depression -- and the long-cherished "spoils" system of municipal government.

Many larger-than-life characters are here: FDR, Jimmy Walker, Fiorello LaGuardia, Al Smith. Smith's metamorphosis from trail-blazing liberal to the anti-Roosevelt in four short years was particularly eye-opening for me. (In school, they only taught us about the "Happy Warrior"of 1928, conveniently foregoing the not-so-happy iteration of 1932 and beyond.) I was also struck by the enmity toward the pre-presidential FDR which was evident in many quarters.