Brenda Ralph Lewis

Churchill: An Illustrated Life by Brenda Ralph Lewis was so much more than I had expected. My interest was primarily the photographs, I was not, in honesty, expecting anything beyond a basic overview of his life. Yet the biography itself is a very good one and is worth reading even if the book had the normal allotment of pictures most biographies have.

I don't want to overstate and perhaps set a reader up for disappointment. This is not an exhaustive biography, but with a life as rich and show more full as Churchill's such a biography would be massive. Lewis goes into enough detail about his entire life rather than focus too much on the WWII period that this serves as an excellent biography for someone who has not read anything beyond a Wikipedia entry. I've read many of his books as well as several biographies and while I don't know what, if anything, was new here it was very interesting and reminded me of things I had long forgotten.

And the photographs were everything I had hoped for. Many rather iconic images as well as some I don't recall seeing before. Coupled with the biography it made the entire reading experience a joy.

While I did not pull down any of my Churchill related volumes, either his own multi-volume works or even Manchester's quite good biography, I couldn't resist going back and revisiting a book from a couple years ago that went very well with this one. Clementine Churchill: A Life in Pictures by Sonia Purnell.

I would recommend this to anyone who either wants to learn about Churchill's life or who wants to revisit his life without reading a large tome. Lewis presents Churchill with his many flaws and his very well documented strengths, all in a very fair way. Or, like me, come for the photographs and stay for the biography.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

Tartans: From Scottish Clans to Canadian Provinces, by Brenda Ralph Lewis, is a nice pocket-sized reference for those who might do genealogy or who simply want a ready reference when they are visiting places where these patterns are part of the history.

I don't think this was intended to be an introduction to tartans but rather a useful reference for those with at least a basic knowledge who might have a need to identify them when out and about. A full size version of this would make an show more invaluable reference in a home or office. While I was ignorant of much of the history, I was aware of what they mean and their importance. This volume served to give me a better perspective on the number (of which this is a small percentage) and variety of patterns. Since this is more about identification than fashion, I didn't feel that not getting a look at larger sections to see the repeat was a big deal.

I would highly recommend this to those who already have an interest and some knowledge of tartans and their history. Whether for reference or simply to have, this will be a great addition to their libraries. Those who might want to learn about tartans more generally might prefer an actual history book rather than this one, though if they plan to dig deeper, through history in general or genealogy in particular, this will still be a valuable book. There is enough information given that, as I did, you can look up details that pique your interest. Going into much more detail on 250 patterns would be unreasonable to expect in a small handheld reference book, unless you're very strong and can carry a handheld encyclopedia.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

After reading this book, it becomes quickly apparent why Europe has fostered both World Wars...their historic leaders just haven't been all there, so to speak. The oven was on, but the bread wasn't cooking. If you want to get a neat summary of some of the worst European royal personalities, then this is an excellent book to make your start.

There's Don Carlos of Spain, one of the insane and deformed Hapsburg nutballs, who loved torturing animals and little girls. His own father had him show more killed, which was a mercy. A good example of the horrors of in-breeding. The Germans and French are well represented here also, but not the Brits. I'm sure the Sceptered Isle has its own book devoted just for those special nuggets of tea and murder.

Book Season = Autumn show less

Evocative period photographs and dramatic personal reminiscences honor the contributions of women to World War II, from the women in home and in industry to women in service and intelligence, on both sides of the war effort.
Beginning with the years directly preceding the conflict, this book documents the changes in women's roles and their importance during the war years. Themes include the willingness of women to help in the war effort however they could; the prejudices they encountered show more working at historically all-male jobs; the particular hostility directed toward black women in the U.S.; and the positive self-image that resulted from participation in the workforce, armed forces, and other fields, which carried over into the 1960's women's movement. The emphasis is on the U.S., although Great Britain and Canada are also discussed, and other countries, such as Russia, are mentioned. Personal reminiscences enliven the text, and numerous photographs, illustrations, and reproductions of posters give a feeling for the period. Easy to read and to understand, this is an informative book.

Staggering in scale and impact, World War II called vast numbers of men to fight for their country and left behind huge vacuums -- in the family, the workplace and society at large. Written with profound insight and admiration, "Women at War" celebrates the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters who bravely stepped into the breach and explores how their experiences changed lives ever after for both sexes.
Heartfelt personal stories and evocative period photography dramatically capture the sacrifices and remarkable achievements of women of rare courage -- for both the allied and axis countries.
Among the many unsung heroines of World War II, readers will meet:
-- Women at home, coping with air raids, rationing and loneliness, taking in refugees and growing in resourcefulness and independence
-- Women in industry, acquiring technical skills and mastering feats of manual labor traditionally performed by men only
-- Women in service, both public and military, from fire brigades to catering corps to the privileged ranks of female pilots
-- Women in espionage, manning anti-aircraft floodlights, plotting war plans, breaking codes and uncovering the secrets of enemy intelligence show less