Review: Hunting Eichmann

Full title: Hunting Eichmann - How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi
Author: Neal Bascomb
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Total Pages: 390

An interesting mixture of one well known war criminal, his family, several holocaust survivors, and dedicated sleuths add up to a riveting tale. In this work, Neal Bascomb chronicles Adolf Eichmann's quest to escape from Germany at the end of World War II, eventually ending in South America. As Eichmann begins his new life, there are still those in Europe and other parts of the globe determined to track him down.

The author describes, in depth, Eichmann's life of paranoia in Argentina, where he constantly fears detection and punishment, as he tried to rationalize his actions during the war. At the same time, Bascomb introduces a wide and varying cast of individuals from, literally, around the world, who would work together in an attempt to bring Eichmann to justice.

While the perspective frequently shifts between characters, Bascomb does a magnificent job of describing the emotions of both Eichmann and his pursuers. Borrowing from both existing materials and using first-hand interviews, the author does well to expose the reader to the perspective of both the hunted and the hunter.

The tension in this book gradually built up to Eichmann's initial escape, then slowed slightly, only to build up again as attempts were made to capture this criminal. I was drawn in by both the story itself and the emotions so richly conveyed as this work kept my attention throughout. Certainly an enjoyable and informative reading experience.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Review: Killing Lincoln

Full title: Killing Lincoln - The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever
Authors: Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Publisher: Holt, Henry & Company, Inc.
Total Pages: 336

Oddly enough, it was the author, not the title or subject matter that first caught my eye with this book. And, yes, it is that Bill O'Reilly (Full disclosure: I'm not a follower of Fox News or any other news network. I would have been equally intrigued had one of the authors been Wolf Blitzer or any other talking head.). Figuring I knew the basic gist of the story, I decided to see if this book was worth my time. In brief, yes, it was.

O'Reilly and Dugard begin by setting the stage in the closing days of the Civil War, tracking the movements of the two primary players who will soon meet on one fateful evening: Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. The authors track the movements of both men, relaying their contrasting emotional states as the war draws to a close. It is these emotions that fuel Booth in his quest to first kidnap, then assassinate, the president. The events of the book do include Lincoln's murder, Booth's escape and subsequent capture, although, in comparison, events that occurred in the aftermath of the assassination did not seem to receive quite the same amount of attention as those leading up to it. That said, I will admit that, for those who are interested, these are covered in greater detail in other books.

One unique aspect of this book is that it is written largely in present tense. While I initially found this somewhat odd and a little off-putting (I am, admittedly, used to books about history being written in the past tense), the tense was not an insurmountable challenge; it just took a little getting used to.

With a story of this magnitude, it might be expected that there would be a large case of characters, including government and military participants, Booth's conspirators, and ordinary citizens. While the list of individuals borders on overwhelming, I found it surprisingly easy to keep track of most of those involved.
A large number of pictures, sketches, and maps further helped to provide detail into both the people and places described throughout.

The authors appear to have done their research and do cite a large number of sources, including many first-hand accounts. Despite my initial discomfort with the writing style, I was pleasantly surprised at how the book kept my attention, turning out to be quite the page turner, even though I already knew how it would ultimately end. Even for those, like myself, who know the story, this book offers a different perspective and is worth a look.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Review: The Lost City of Z

Full title: The Lost City of Z - A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
Author: David Grann
Publisher: Vintage Books
Total Pages: 400

For centuries, man has been intrigued by the unknown. What lies beyond the horizon? What treasures might be found in the unexplored areas on the map? It is that very question that drives David Grann's tale of British explorer Percy Fawcett. Fawcett was a professional explorer who was determined to explore the interior of South America, convinced that he would find what he called "Z", a lost city hidden deep in the Amazon jungle. The explorer made several attempts to locate the city, his last trip being the most intriguing - he entered the jungle in 1925, never to be seen again.

Grann does a masterful job of introducing the reader to Percy Fawcett and revealing what drove him to such great lengths in exploring the Amazon. This work also chronicles numerous rescue expeditions that were launched in hopes of finding Fawcett or, at least, determining what end he met in South America. Grann goes to great lengths to paint a painful picture of what exploring deep in the jungles of the Amazon is truly like, as he undertakes his own journey into the Amazon, hoping to answer the mystery of Fawcett's disappearance.

Grann includes entries from Facett's own journal, as well as letters and first-hand accounts from those who had accompanied the explorer on previous journeys while intertwining his own journey with that of the explorer. Descriptive, easy to read and quite gripping, I found myself reading quickly, hoping to find out how both men's expeditions might intersect deep in the heart of the jungle.

Whether you have ever pictured yourself as a modern day Indiana Jones or simply wondered "What's out there that man has not yet found?", this book is quite enjoyable and highly recommended.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Review: Priceless

Full title: Priceless - How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures
Author: Robert K. Wittman (with John Shiffman)
Publisher: Crown Publishers
Total Pages: 324

After 20 years in the FBI, Robert Wittman has seen a lot, including the creation of the Art Crime Team and the recovery of many stolen pieces of art. In his position, Wittman has literally touched hundreds of pieces of history.

In this New York Times bestseller, part memoir, part true-crime story, Wittman retells how he recovered stolen art, including numerous undercover operations, during his time in the FBI. There is conflict and action aplenty, as the author draws back the curtain on the world of art theft. There are occasional lulls in the action, as it seems that the story gets a little sidetracked.

The story is told in the first-person perspective, making it easy to identify with the author. However, this does also limit the reader to one point of view. While Witmann makes great efforts to include the readers in what happens before and after the undercover and recovery processes, it's these moments that cause the story to lose momentum. In some places, it feels as if elements of the back story are forced, rather than flowing into and out of the overall tale.

While many of the stories he shares are interesting, there are times throughout the book where it feels like Wittman is simply patting himself on the back. To be fair, what he has done is certainly remarkable and deserving of commendation. In the opinion of this reviewer, though, when said commendations are coming from the one person whose accomplishments are being lauded, it makes the whole effort seem a bit hollow and self-serving.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? No
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes, but not enthusiastically

Review: Thunder Run

Full title: Thunder Run - The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad
Author: David Zucchino
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Total Pages: 352

Sometimes choosing a good book really is as easy as making a decision based on a catchy title. The title of this work is what first drew my attention to David Zucchino's work chronicling the mechanized drive of U.S. troops into the heart of Baghdad as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I can safely say that there is more to this book than just an attention-getting title.

Throughout this book, Zucchino does an excellent job of both detailing the events of the operation while mixing in enough personal information about the participants to create an emotional attachment with the reader. Enough characters are introduced to give the reader many different views of what is happening, but not so many as to create confusion as to who's who. Tension builds throughout, as the U.S. tanks make their way into Baghdad, continuing toward their ultimate goal of capturing the palace complex.

This was a book that, once I started, I hated to have to put down for any reason. I was enthralled from the first paragraph and felt compelled to constantly continue reading to see what would happen next, hoping that the American soldiers would make it safely through their mission. Zucchino provides plenty of description and continually keeps the tension high. Maps are located at the front of the book, providing easy access and helping provide an overview of the operation's path. However, at least in the copy I have, no pictures are included.

The story is told largely from the American point of view, but does include some accounts from Iraqi citizens, as well. It is a book about a military action (I promise not all books I review here will be) and, as such, there are some graphic descriptions as to the injuries inflicted upon the combatants on both sides, along with some adult language. However, nothing that I would consider gratuitous.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Review: Enemy At The Gates

Full title: Enemy At The Gates - The Battle For Stalingrad
Author: William Craig
Publisher: Konekcy & Konecky
Total Pages: 457

William Craig takes readers inside one of the most infamous battles of World War II with this work. After laying some groundwork, explaining the events that lead to the battler itself, Craig meticulously lays out the events that unfolded in and around Stalingrad from August of 1942 through early February of 1943. Using first-hand accounts, this work weaves a tapestry of emotions of the military men and women who fought on both sides and also the civilians caught in the middle while presenting the facts of the battle itself.

Some may remember the movie of this same title that was released several years ago. While I am sometimes wary of reading books that have been made into major motion pictures, I was quite pleasantly surprised by Enemy At The Gates. The movie simply didn't do the book justice. I'll admit that it's been some time since I've seen the movie, but my memory is that it is primarily the story of two snipers battling in the cauldron that was Stalingrad. What took Hollywood nearly two hours to portray takes place over the course of just 4 pages in this book. There is so much more to this story outside of that duel. Craig's treatment of the battle goes far beyond and includes a wide array of participants, but not so many that the reader can't remember who is who (something I have encountered in other books). Craig does his best to tell the tale from both the German and Russian perspective. Both sides are well represented.

The author's writing style is very easy to read, even 38 plus years after its initial publication. The book contains several maps, which are helpful in illustrating troop movements and the lines that made up the front throughout the conflict, as well as pictures of the city and several key participants. Additionally, the book ends with one of my favorite features, a epilogue, which describes what happened to the survivors who were introduced to the reader throughout the book after the conclusion of the battle.

There are some graphic descriptions, both of injuries suffered by participants and of living conditions in the battle zones, that some readers may find disturbing. That being said, these details are not merely for shock value, but to help paint a true picture of the toll this battle took on all involved.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes

Welcome - The Inaugural Post

Hi and welcome to the Reviews of Old News blog. I'll be periodically posting reviews of books about history which I have recently read.

Why do this blog? Fair question. I like to read. A lot. And when I read, it's non-fiction books about something historical in nature. While I enjoy learning about new people and things, there are also many times I find myself standing in a bookstore or library or perusing books online, wondering "Should I buy this book? Is it worth my time?" I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has ever had that moment of pause. If so, I'd like to let my reading experience help you. Plus, it also gives me a good outlet to discuss what I've read.

Fair warning: I readily acknowledge that I have biases. Really, we all do, whether we realize it or not. I will try to point out any personal or environmental biases that may color my review (provided, of course, that I recognize them). And I'll also do the same about the book's author, if bias is readily apparent. Additionally, I will try not to lean too much toward any particular time period or author, although I am starting to see from my collection, that I apparently do favor World War II a little bit. See, we all have biases... :)

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