Final 2014 Posts for Summer Reading

Alexis Johnson: The President Calling

I listened to all of JFK's phone calls, and his assertiveness in equality towards the governors was very courageous in regards to Civil Rights Movement.. His frequent calls to Mississippi about their lack of cooperation in integration of schools is very inspiring, and very informative as to what states were opposed to change, and which wanted to embrace it. His sternness on the matter of the the riots in Mississippi towards Governor Barnett show his determination to create equality, starting in the schools. Ultimately, some were just opposed to change, and  President Kennedy's was cut short, leaving a lasting legacy in American History and the Civil Rights Movement.

Hunter Rogers- The President Calling

I chose to listen to the recording of JFK talking about the Mississippi Crisis. After listening to this recording i earned a lot of respect for JFK as a politician and as a person due to how he stuck up for James Meredith in the case and wouldn't give up until he was accepted into Ole' Miss. He also made sure that everyone that was watching the event in person would be safe and that Meredith himself would be protected by US marshalls and also the patrolman for the state. He spoke as both a politician but also
 kept many of the promises he made to the governor which makes him a very honorable man. In my opinion Meredith enrolling at the school should have never been an issue in the first place but I understand that it was such a big deal because of the time period that the event took place in.

Eli Lasley - We Were Soldiers Once... And Young

I read the book We Were Soldiers Once... And Young for my summer reading. This book addresses the battles fought in la Drang Valley in November of 1965, which was one of the first encounters between the American military and Vietnamese troops. Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway write with such solid authority and in-depth understanding of the conditions and suffering of the soldiers that engaged me into the action as if I were there. Not only did the authors illustrate the action of the battle, but also the actions taken place after the battle. The heart-breaking gathering of bodies and dog tags tore me apart as I read, and then the communication back to the families of those killed in action created a sense of melancholy, but also a sense of reality. All in all I really enjoyed this book.

Leah Hutchins: The Presidents Calling

I chose to listen to part of John F. Kennedy's Mississippi Crisis. I liked that Kennedy did all that he could to help Meredith be able to register for classes at Ole Miss. During that time period, there was still a lot of hate for African Americans and because that schools had recently become integrated, I feel that JFK was a very courageous man in supporting James Meredith's decision to be the first man of color in an all Caucasian university. Also, President Kennedy stood by his decision to help Meredith, despite all of the different ways that Governor Ross Barnett tried to trick Kennedy. I feel that the taped phone calls just show everyone how sneaky and underhanded or honest and dependable politicians really are.

Wayde Hall- The President Calling

 

 

I chose President Nixon Addressing Nation Regarding Scandal (Watergate Affair)

 

The Watergate scandal in general was when several burglars where caught breaking in to the Watergate building, Washington D.C., where they attempted tap phones and steal classified documents. Nixon claimed he had no knowledge of this yet he attempted to cover it up? Why would he cover up something that shouldn't involve him? Nixon

bugged his own offices as well as his colleagues, as said in the official “The President Calling” by Stephen Smith. He could simply be trying to help a friend or cover up some of his own actions. Either way due to this info I highly doubt he wasn't in some way, small or large, involved in the Watergate scandal.

Leah Hutchins: The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, is a novel telling the story of the well-known Battle of Gettysburg. I think that I have always been interested in a country going at war against itself, and since this book is about the turning point of a civil war, I was very interested in the subject matter. I like that Shaara tried to keep the information accurate and precise by using the primary sources found. whilst telling both sides of the story. Also, Shaara goes into great detail making me feel like I'm out there with the Generals in the war.

Round 2 Summer Reading Comments 2014

Alexis Johnson- The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels is the story of the four days of the Battle of Gettysburg, told from the different perspectives on each side of the war. As the story is told by different accounts you get to see personalities unfold and how eerily similar their tactics on winning the battle are. I love how we get such a dominant voice on the Union side by Colonel Chamberlain even though on the Confederate side we get General Lee and General Longstreet. I feel that by making Colonel Chamberlain a dominant character in the novel even though he's not a General like the others show's not only Shaara's, but America's admiration for him.

Wayde Hall - Wag the Dog

I chose the book Wag the Dog by  Larry Beinhart. Wag the Dog begins with a political scandal in the White House leading to the loss of votes to President Bush. To prevent the loss of an election advisers then hire a film director from Hollywood to distract and lead the voters toward Bush by fabricating a war. The ideas and schemes that weave between fiction and nonfiction used to get Bush back into the election will simply blow you away. Especially the use of Operation Desert Storm. The simple unexpected use of words and events captured my weakness for something new and exciting and pulled me in from the start.

Taylor Henley- Ragtime

After I searches through every single book on the summer reading list I chose
ragtime because it centers around a family who seem to have their own issues.
I chose this book because it uses historical fiction to convey ideas throughout
American History. The novel stuck out to me on the list of books because of its
uniqueness in characters and the way it evolves throughout the novel. The book is
narrated by the youngest son of the family and you see his evolve throughout the
story. The novel shows racism and poverty; several things that have a huge impact
on society. The novel is written to show a link between the fiction of the characters
and the historical significance of American Society as it was in the 1900s. It is also
set in New York City as WW1 approaches. The author does not use distinct names
for some of the characters which I found interesting the way he calls his mother only
be her title in the household. The novel has its twists and turns throughout the plot
which leads me to forget that it is a summer reading assignment.

Sarah Garven - The Last of the Mohicans

      I chose the book, The Last of the Mohicans partially at random, however after looking into it a bit I found that some concepts were very similar to another book I had just finished and really enjoyed. The book focuses on the story of two young women setting out to visit their father. They soon become involved in a conflict between the Mohican and Huron tribes, the former of which assists the women and their group and the latter of which attacks the group kidnapping the women and a few others. This book had a bit of a slow start as it was very descriptive in the beginning but I still enjoyed reading the book very much.

Paige Nicholson- Ragtime

I chose to read Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. It takes place in New York. Ragtime is a novel about a normal family getting mixed up with several other not-so-normal individuals. Their story begins when Harry Houdini crashes in front of their home and begin an adventure with imagined characters.

Allyson Kuhn - Ragtime

I chose the book Ragtime because we had sang a song from the musical in chorus this year so it was the most familiar to me. I thought that this book was interesting because it gave me a better understanding of the musical and of the time and place. It was also interesting because this gave you a more in depth look at the storyline than just knowing the baseline of the musical. You got a more in depth look at the environment and at the characters, seeing their struggles and things like that. You were given a look at how in this time many people had a hard time accepting change and how many people were influenced by the ever changing technological advances. One of my favorite parts of the book was the anonymous characters because I had read another book like that before and it adds another sort of mysterious and different element. While having closure is something I like in books, this one gave it an element of change and suspense.  I thought this book overall was really cool because there was a kind of "book/movie" sort of thing (except it was book/musical), which is one of my favorite things to read.

Ty Wilson - Wag the Dog

This book was chosen because of a recommendation by a friend for this assignment. After a couple chapters, one can easily pick out the transition from one viewpoint to another, establishing a tie between fiction and historical reality. That makes for an interesting story of Bush's election and the plots behind it. The fictional side provides an enriching of the historical plot, and a deeper look into the social side of the U.S Government and it's branches during that time.

Kyla Anderson - The Killer Angels

I chose Killer Angels by Michael Shaara because I had no idea what to read for the assignment and a friend recommended it due to them thinking it sounded interesting. I also really liked the title as people don't describe angels as killers normally, unless you've watched Supernatural, so I thought that was pretty cool. The book definitely is interesting just as I was told and I loved the imagery used to set the scenes and how they showed the thoughts and actions from the view points of both sides of the battle. I can't wait to see the movie and I hope it isn't changed too drastically.

Lauren Stander - Wag the Dog

For my summer reading assignment I chose the book Wag the Dog, which talks about a conspiracy story that is entirely plausible. It shows what lengths people have or could go to in order to achieve what they want in politics. As a member of the generation which often hears about Operation Desert Storm, it's interesting to see how incorrectly it's history is told. The author integrates facts into this fictional past where Operation Desert Storm was actually a ploy, set up by a movie dirrecter. This forces the reader to question what we are told really happened.

Stephanie Williams-The Last of the Mohicans

I read The Last of the Mohicans and I thought it was an interesting history story. I remember watching the movie in middle school so I thought I should read the book as well. I thought it was interesting to see how different the Hurons and the Mohicans were. Magua was very deceitful and vengeful while the Mohicans were very kind and protective to Munro's daughters. I think that Magua just wanted to marry Cora as a way of angering Munro because Munro had tried to convert Magua which angered him. I also thought it was interesting how Magua continued to escape through every ambush and reappeared to capture Munro's daughters again. My favorite part was in the end where they treated Uncas' death and Cora's death with equal respect. It was appropriate considering all that Uncas had done for Munro's family throughout the novel. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to watching the movie again.

Naomi Belay - The Things They Carried

For my APUSH summer reading assignment, I chose to read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, it had been suggested to me by my older sister. The book takes place during the Vietnam War and tells a variety of short stories. Although I'm not all that interested in war stories, I thought it was an easy read and there were multiple times where I was too focused in the book to stop reading. I particularly enjoyed the stories  "The Man I Killed", "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" and "On the Rainy River". In "On the Rainy River" it shows the fear the author Tim O'Brien had felt prior to becoming a soldier in the Vietnam war, and how he almost went to Canada just to escape all the chaos. Usually soldiers or men drafted for the war are portrayed as brave and fearless, I admired how he admitted to being afraid. I liked how it wasn't just one long story and that there was a string of fascinating stories; and it wasn't just sad war stories, there were some funny ones too. It really helps you absorb what the Vietnam War was like, and it's nice how it's written by someone who had experienced the war firsthand.

Byron Solis-The autobiography of Malcolm X

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is all about the struggle that the world renowned Human Rights activist faced through out his life, whether it was from his early childhood to his assassination. This autobiography gives a more in depth look on his personality, his lifestyle, and his belief towards many things, rather than the basic facts that are spread around about him.
I chose this book because of my interests on 20th century America and how it impacts how we live today. Malcolm X was one of the major figures in the Civil Rights movement, and how he reacted and how he convinced many other Americans to go with his beliefs interests me also.

Sarah Zimmerman - The Devil in the White City

Personally, I have always been fascinated with serial killers and what compels them to commit murder, so The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson was the first book that caught my eye. I also already had extensive knowledge about America’s first known serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who is the perpetrator in the novel. The author bases the novel around the building of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, aka the World’s Columbian Exposition. The novel is nonlinear and separated into four parts, which I found intriguing because I enjoy nonlinear films, so a nonlinear book was right up my alley. Larson focuses on recreating two men, H.H. Holmes and David Burnham, as well as Chicago at that time. Burnham was the head architect behind the World’s Fair, and Dr. Holmes starts out as a man in search of work as a doctor, and ends up being a serial killer running the “World’s Fair Hotel”, who gases, skins, and fillets his victims. The events that take place in the book are something to be described as almost too strange to be true. 

Caleb Lewis- We Were Soldiers Once... and Young

I chose to read the book "We Were Soldiers Once... and Young." This book caught my eye because I enjoy learning about war and I had family that was involved in the one in Vietnam. For those reasons, I wanted to learn more about this war that had such a prominent effect on the U.S. I've actually found that the more I read this book, the more I get drawn in to it.  The authors, Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway, make the reader feel like they are a part of the action on the battlefield. I felt like I was with the guys in the bunkers as bullets were flying, as leaders discussed tactics that led them to landing zone X-Ray, and as the guys realized that they were severely outnumbered in the war as they sat at the base of the mountain. Because of this, the reader is emotionally captivated, which helps readers realize that war is a very real and horrible thing; not a game. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book so far and can't wait to read more.

Melanie Munroe- The Last of the Mohicans

  I chose to read the book The Last of the Mohicans because it was the only title listed that was recognizable to me.  Written by James Fenimore Cooper, this story is set in America during the Seven Years War.  It is about the journey of two sisters, traveling to meet their father at a British fort.  Their journey finds much conflict and battle, war being abundant.  The sisters were guided by several Mohican Indians.  Along their journey, this British-allied group often fought with a tribe allied with the French, headed by the antagonist, Magua.  This story began slowly, with the author taking time to thoroughly paint the setting, character profiles, and the group's conditions.  However, after a slow start the story began to pick up pace, becoming captivating due to the presence of violent contact between the two tribes.  Although being difficult for me to begin, this book eventually grew to become a story line meant to show the important role that American Indians played in the Seven Years War.  This story caused me to reflect on the roles that separate cultures played on the foundation of our nation.

Jacob Spainhour -- President Calling

I listened to Nixon’s recordings about the North Vietnamese bombings, and was surprised to see the insistence Nixon had in regards to ending the war by absolute force. Everybody knows that Nixon did not exactly have the most upstanding character in regards to diplomatic events, evidenced by his Watergate scandal, but actually watching him slip into a sort of power mad state was somewhat disturbing. An interesting statistic that particularly stood out was that he ordered more bombs to be dropped on North Vietnam in twelve days than had been dropped in the past three years combined. Whether or not Nixon was morally correct in doing this is a different question, but it is plain to see that he wanted to win, no matter the cost of money, or human lives. While it appeared he was trying to end the war by withdrawing troops, the scale of battle appeared to have been increased significantly, all the way up to the final peace agreements. The potential for war with the USSR involving the mines in the river only furthers the common opinion that Nixon truly would do whatever he could to confirm victory to the United States.

Ryan Wiley - Wag the Dog

The book I had chosen was Wag the Dog by Larry Beinhart. I'm a fan of those types of books that have faded the line between fiction and nonfiction, and so this book almost immediately took my attention. Going from one side of this faded line to the other, it jumps from actual true events and adds more of a fictional twist into it. So when President Bush starts to drag behind in the polls of the re-election, you never guess what type of scheme they come up with to try and put him back on top of the race. Using a method of humorous and intense word choices, this book will easily reel you in.

Joy Richards- Snow Falling on Cedars

            I have chosen to read Snow Falling on Cedars because of the unique plot line, and the war which it follows. This historical fiction novel narrates a story about a town that still to the decade following the war is deeply effected by what happened during World War II. This is not your typical novel told through the eyes of soldiers, as it also is told from the perspective of the Japanese citizens of America and how they were placed in interment camps right here on American soil. There is also a love triangle that is going on during this book which adds a little more flare to this interesting novel. I have always been interested in World War II, but to here the story through the Japanese Americans has given me a whole new perspective.

Asantewaa Yamoah- The President Calling

I listened to the audio of Johnson speaking after Kennedy's death. Johnson had the honor of being Kennedy's vice president and had to take over after his assassination. In Johnson's speech he spoke about how we need to keep in mind Kennedy's vision and goals for the United States. Kennedy focused on civil rights but Johnson had more time and opportunities to make a bigger impact. Johnson's tone during his speech was very calm considering he now had a lot of pressure on him to follow Kennedy. Johnson did well in conveying to his audience that he would be a successful president and do what he believed was best for the country just by the confidence in which he spoke. I did enjoy listening to this because it is something that I have never heard.

Emily Case- the Grapes of Wrath

I can honestly say that when I went to choose my summer reading book for this class, I knew none of the titles, as well as nothing about them. I ended up choosing the Grapes of Wrath purely because I was intrigued by the title and was curious about whatever "grapes of wrath" were. However, upon reading the novel, I found that it is much more than just an interesting title.

John Steinbeck, the author, does a brilliant job of including vibrant details in his writing. You can vividly picture each scene in your head, and much of the language he uses is beautifully strung together. An especially detailed chapter happened to be the 3 page tale of a turtle crossing a road. At first, I was incredibly confused as to why the turtle chapter was included-turtles do not have any further significance throughout the story. After reading on though, I realized it carries heavy symbolism to the Joad family and their difficult travels.

Something else that I thought was interesting was the way Steinbeck changed his writing style every chapter or so. Chapters that deal directly with the Joad family and their story are written in a "normal" style. However, there are also chapters scattered throughout the book that are more general, and apply to the mass of families that were displaced by the industry. These sections are written in a different style, and don't use quotations. To me it implies a sense of chaos and hurry, something that the families deal with.

Margaret Fowler- Wag the Dog

I chose Wag the Dog by Larry Beinhart for my summer reading. I chose Wag the Dog because it is a fictional book with nonfiction qualities. Although I am not usually drawn to conspiracy theory type books, the idea of a made up war peeked my interest. Beinhart writes this book with the idea that Operation Desert Storm was actually scripted by a Hollywood director in order to get President George H.W. Bush reelected. Beinhart weaves fact with fiction to create a thrilling political novel filled with propaganda that makes you question if there was ever really a war.

Bryant Mutanga - Snow Falling On Cedars

The book I chose is Snow Falling On Cedars. I chose this book because I found the plot very intriguing, surrounding a murder case between a Japanese American and a local fisherman of all things. I also was very surprised at how this book is fictional and yet it took place following World War II. I was amazed because these events seemed so real, as if they actually happened. Also, the way the author David Guterson, wrote the book was very clever; illustrating the events before the murder all in flash back so the reader could understand what was going on. From reading the short plot summary on the book, I can't wait to pick it up again and continue reading!

Kacie Stokes - Devil in the White City

I chose to read "Devil in the White City" because one of my friends recommended it to me. After I researched what the book was about, I quickly realized it was the one I wanted to read. The plot line of this book is different from any other book on the list as it follows two very different men, Daniel Burnham and H.H Holmes. Daniel Burnham is an architect that builds the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, while H.H Holmes is the serial killer that takes advantage of all the people coming in to the World's Fair and builds a "hotel" to kill and dispose of their bodies. It is fascinating to read how this story unfolds and how both Burnham and Holmes overcome their own challenges. This novel is hard to put down once you start, because it is entertaining from start to finish. What makes the book even more interesting is that it is a nonfiction work, and at some points it's hard to believe that the storyline is anything but pure fiction.

Annah Monismith- The Devil In The White City

I chose The Devil In The White City because an old history teacher recommended it to my class several times. His description at the time made it sound so fascinating, unfortunately I never had the chance to pick it up until now. The book is wonderful. It paints the world so clearly and makes everything seem magical. Almost as if it wasn't real. I think that this is key in the success of this book's plot line. The author weaves the unbelievable throughout the story with an expertise that could rival any fiction novelist. Then he tells you it's all real. The surreal sense that all these events actually happened, captivates the reader in a way that no other book can. I'm very excited to complete the project for this book!

Annah Monismith

Anthony Jusevitch- Devil In The White City

I choose to read Devil In The White City because my dad, who majored in US history, loves this book. Once I started to read it I understood why. The books dual plot lines set around one event (the Chicago Worlds Fair) gives lots of suspense. While one character's story focuses on the fair itself, the other character's story focuses on the city of Chicago's people during the fair.  The book is based off of a true story, so its packed with interesting facts and real history. When I was reading, I had to keep reminding myself that the storyline of the serial killer was real. The whole book is just wildly amazing and interesting. I'm very glad I picked this book to read.

Spencer Dennis - The President Calling

I listened to the tapes of John F. Kennedy speaking with Governor Barnett during the conflict of Mississippi. I believe President Kennedy was trying to prevent all forms of conflict to the best of his abilities, and in doing so he showed his honorable character. While persuading Governor Barnett to “maintain law and order” Kennedy also demands that Barrett act civilly and people remain unharmed. As the discussion between Barnett and Kennedy progresses, Kennedy hears of a state’s policeman that has been harmed. He then demands that the first priority be to stop the shooting and violence, again showing his honorable character, putting the people first and making sure they go unharmed.

Spencer Dennis - Coming of Age in Mississippi

   I chose Coming of Age in Mississippi. What caught my eye with this book is that it is an autobiography, giving a first-hand account of the injustice Anne had to face. When looking back at these times of discrimination, we often neglect to ask ourselves “How did the discriminated really feel? What was going through their minds?” Anne Moody directly answers these questions, revealing a phenomenal external setting, such as a racist society, as well as an internal look at what was going through her mind, what she was thinking and how she felt. While doing all of this Anne also engages the audience with such vivid details that it grabs the readers on an emotional level, making them truly feel what she went through and how hard it was growing up during this time period. As the book progresses the audience is shown how hard those facing injustice were truly willing to go in order to gain equality. Anne herself is a great example of this, showing no matter what was thrown at her she was willing to keep fighting through it all. I’m very excited to continue reading this as it enlightens me on a topic I was not so well informed about before.

Zachary Durrett - Wag the Dog

I chose Wag the Dog by Larry Beinhart for my summer reading. Once I ruled out the books that the library did not have the movie for, this was the one I was interested in. Anyone can write a story about war, but when you write about creating a war, that's where the trouble comes in. How can you write a story about creating war? Most people like to think that war just happens. One day, a country does something offensive and another country responds defensively, by announcing war. Although, what really happens when you announce war? Troops don't automatically get sent. Time must be used to gather troops and send them. This book shows the planning period of war, even though it wasn't a real war. It mentions the importance of propaganda, time and time again, and how little people actually know about war and what goes on during it. Wag the Dog also shows the darker side of what some people are willing to do to keep a secret, win an election, and make money. Although we don't see this publicly in our country, it is still an insight into the minds of others.

Alexa Patton- Coming of Age in Mississippi

For my book I chose Coming of Age in Mississippi. I picked this book because it seemed the most interesting out of the choices. It appealed to me because I have had many conversations with my grandma about the south during this period of time. She was a nursing student during the early 1960’s and was bothered by the prejudice encountered by black students who were her friends. Coming of Age in Mississippi is the story Anne Moody’s life from the age of four through her mid-twenties. She describes what family life was like for a black girl growing up poor in Mississippi in the 1940’s through 60’s. The beginning of the book talks about Essie Mae’s (Anne) childhood after her parents divorced and her Mom’s struggle to support  her children. The first prejudice that she faces is within her own race when her mom dates a light skinned black man. Because her family was poor she began working as a maid at the age of 9 to help support her brothers and sisters. She became aware of the violence happening to black people at the age of 14 when a boy her age was killed for whistling at a white woman. She didn't realize how bad things were until this happened because she was always working or studying since she was a very smart.  Her mom always told her to just be quiet and to do her work and don’t ask questions, but Essie Mae did not have that type of personality. I’m still reading the book but as she has gotten into her late teens and twenties she has become an activist for the rights of blacks. I’m looking forward to finishing this book because she was involved in many important events such as the Woolworth’s sit-in and the March on Washington.

Alexa Patton- The President Calling

I chose to listen to the tapes of John F Kennedy during the integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962. These tapes interested me because I am reading, Coming of Age in Mississippi , by Anne Moody the autobiography of a black women who was college age during the time of this incident and involved in the integration movement  In the conversations between Governor Barrett and Kennedy, Kennedy  got his point across in a respectful way.  Kennedy made it clear to Barrett that it was his job as President to enforce the laws of the United States and rulings of the Supreme Court regarding James Meredith’s entrance into the University.  I was impressed at how well Kennedy kept his composure, when it seemed the Governor was avoiding giving him a straight answer about how he was planning to handle the situation and prevent violence.

Asantewaa Yamoah-Ragtime

I have chosen to read Ragtime because I am familiar with the musical. I really enjoyed the plot and the development of characters and want to get a chance to know what the musical was based off of. Reading the book will give me a better understanding of the musical and what the people that have performed the musical are trying to convey. Since the novel is narrated by a young boy you get the perceptive of a child which is not always given during this period. I also find it interesting with the lack of names of characters and wonder how that shapes the novel. I am looking forward to reading this novel and learning more about the time period.

Jaclyn Weinell- The Last of the Mohicans

I decided to read The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper, because I already owned the book and the movie. From reviews, I expected a desperately boring and overly descriptive story about war, but I discovered that this was not the case. While the book is quite wordy and written in an understandably different style than popular books today, I encountered many very well-written and thought-provoking quotes, such as "In short, the magnifying influence of fear began to set at naught the calculations of reason, and to render those who should have remembered their manhood, the slaves of the basest of passions". The subject is also interesting, giving information about a lesser-known peoples' involvement in a well-known war. The book offers a window into life as it was centuries ago, from technology to views on race and gender, which was compelling.

Reagan Anderson-Wag the Dog

I am reading Wag the Dog by Larry Beinhart for my summer APUSH assignment. A novel rooted in factual history mixed with Beinhart's opinions and imagination leaves the reader muddled in thought about what is actually historically accurate and what is pure fiction. The key to ensure George H. W. Bush's re-election is in the scrawl of Bush's political adviser's last letter before he dies. An insanely genius idea, Bush's adviser proposes starting a war to rally public support of Bush's re-election. This war, however is not real. It will be masked as an authentic dispute to the public but the people on a "need to know" basis understand that it is really just a Hollywood production put on by some of the nation's most notable filmmakers. Easily swayed by meticulously created footage propaganda, patriotic songs, and a need for justice, the support of Bush resulted by this idea is greater than ever imagined. This book leaves one wondering; is a war's victory determined by the media? How far will the government go to get there way?

Sean Scruggs - President Calling

I listened to LBJ address congress after JFK's assassination.  He seems to be speaking as an honest man and is sad that JFK was killed, but wants to continue his work.  In some parts he seems to be more of a politician saying that passing certain (specific) bills would "memorialize JFK more than a monument".  He seems genuinely sad that the president was killed, but is ready to assume the "awesome responsibility" of presidency.  He should be sad, it was a grave time in history, America lost a president by assassination.  That doesn't happen often or pretty much ever.  He however did try to make some political points mentioning key bills in his speech.  Some might say that it was inappropriate to try to push bills along while confronting the issue of an American president being assassinated, others might say he was taking advantage of the opportunity.  It probably didn't matter in the long run that those comments were made, but we will never know because these people in congress that were addressed know that Kennedy pushed for some bills and others not as much.  They would probably act accordingly and possibly subconsciously in the way they would have if LBJ not brought it up at that particular moment in time.  All in all he handled the situation very well, no one wants to be in that position.  Considering how that position was vacated I think a lot of people would definitely not want to be in that position.

Emily Totten - The President Calling

For this assignment, I listened to John F. Kennedy's broadcast about the Mississippi Crisis. I think that the president did make the right call dealing with Gov. Barnett, as he as refusing to obey an order from the Supreme Court and said that Mississippi's law overruled the Congress and Supreme Court. Pres. Kennedy was very formal and polite with Gov. Barnett and did his best to persuade him but Go.v Barnett was stubborn. Possibly one of things that Pres. Kennedy could have  done was take Gov. Barnett out of office but that would have been too extreme for the circumstances and might have caused more trouble. I think Pres. Kennedy made the right decision and I am glad that he was concerned for the student and his welfare. 

Jennifer Hoeflich - The Devil in the White City

I chose to read The Devil in the White City because I had read another book by Erik Larson last year, In the Garden of Beasts. I wholeheartedly loved the premise of The Devil in the White City. By writing a book about an architect and a murderer operating in the same city at its most glorious hour, Larson sets up a beautiful dance of contrasts that makes the book more interesting to read than one about just about the architect Daniel H. Burnham or just about Henry H. Holmes, the murderer. The fact that the story revolves around the Chicago World Fair gives the story an atmosphere of excitement and awe. Even when the outcome of matter at hand has already been mentioned such as the vote of which city will host the world fair (spoiler: it's Chicago, as mentioned on the book jacket and in the prologue), there's this wonderful tension and suspense. The way that the two men are portrayed adds to the book's appeal. Larson doesn't cast Burnham and Holmes as the archetypal hero and villain or saint and demon, as tempting such treatment would be, even in a historical book. Instead, the author writes the two men as exactly that, men. They both have a personality and habits. What separates them from the common man of the period (which both born as) or even ourselves, is not who they were but what they did. Even if the people only flit into the narrative for a few pages, such as jeweler Icilius “Ned” Connor, I was left with an understanding of their respective character. The only real problem I have with the book is related to this. There are so many people given in such detail that it is incredibly easy to forget who a person is and, unlike In the Garden of Beasts, The Devil in the White City does not have a list of dramatis personae. Regardless, I found the book to be enjoyable to read as well as being informative.