I like history, but more the Tudor period, or the ancients. American History, for the most part, has always somewhat bored me. (Yeah, I know. I am a bad Yank. I did, however, love my local history classes in college).

Farquhar is funny. Good short read. I fear very sorry for Ima Hogg. I really, really do.

Wow, just wow.

Very interesting. Nice perspective on the personalities of those in positions of leadership. I enjoyed the exposure to many people and eras. This book piqued my interest in many things and I look forward to finding out more about many of the people covered in this book.

The book reads very much like the author himself is sitting there, perhaps comfortably in the living room with coffee and dessert, telling stories. Very conversational, with a lovely dry wit. The stories told are further proof that truth is often stranger, and more entertaining, than fiction.

Powerful men are powerfully petty and lame. Everything about modern politics makes so much more sense when you learn the things that have been left out of the history taught in public schools in order to make the myth of the USA possible, tidy, and clean.

Farquhar goodness. I liked his Royal Scandals book better, but that's only because I generally prefer European history to U.S. history. Family drama (who knew that Ben Franklin was a horrible father?), character flaws (Nixon was an anti-Semite on top of everything else?), and catty sexual scandals (like the Peggy Eaton affair) abound. I love Farquhar's style -- imagine a gossip magazine written by a scholar who doesn't dumb things down. Can't wait to read his book on liars and hoodwinkers!

Read by Johnny Heller, and reader and author are an excellent fit. The dry humor of Farquhar's text is perfectly delivered in Heller's wry deadpan. A match made in heaven!

http://nhw.livejournal.com/197514.html[return][return]Lots of fun gossip and trivia, with a cut-off date of 1980, and a slightly contrived reaching back to cover the Salem Witch trials. But generally entertaining.

Another nice Farquhar book, not my favorite by him but enjoyable with fun facts about scandalous Americans not known before as well as refreshing history lessons on aspects as famous as the Salem Witch Trials and J. Edgar Hoover.