Scan barcode
hoboken's review against another edition
4.0
A great read. Thomas has a good narrative voice and a lively style. Vivid detail on the runup to and execution of the Spanish-American War--a period that I didn't know much about--told through the lives of TR, William Randolph Hearst, Henry Cabot Lodge (the first senator of that name), and two who opposed them, the psychologist William James and Speaker of the House Thomas Reed. The author notes that it's too bad no one remembers Reed anymore. Think of it--a Speaker with integrity.
This is the war where we got Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and sowed the seeds of the mess that is still our relationship with Cuba today. And began the practice of waterboarding. How many people had to die b/c these men were little boys during the Civil War whose fathers paid substitutes to fight for them and lived with the guilt for the rest of their lives. Yes, TR was a friend of John Muir's and as President started the national parks and busted the trusts, but it's hard to get past the follies of his youth. I recommend this book.
This is the war where we got Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and sowed the seeds of the mess that is still our relationship with Cuba today. And began the practice of waterboarding. How many people had to die b/c these men were little boys during the Civil War whose fathers paid substitutes to fight for them and lived with the guilt for the rest of their lives. Yes, TR was a friend of John Muir's and as President started the national parks and busted the trusts, but it's hard to get past the follies of his youth. I recommend this book.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
3.0
A great account of the run-up to the Spanish-American War. My main takeaway is how absurdly aggressive and thoughtless Roosevelt, Lodge, and Hearst were. Obviously Hearst is seen today as a dishonest hawk, but Roosevelt comes off no better. He sought war for war's sake and didn't seem to care much about the consequences. Not a man who is deserving of much respect.
kevenwang's review against another edition
5.0
I love Evan Thomas. Particularly this portrayal of TR & friends
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
3.0
Well, I wish I had paid more attention while listening to this one. I had a lot of other things to think about. But It was good even if it did fail to keep me in rapt attention. Basically, this is a look at some of the American personalities involved in promoting and opposing the Spanish-American War. Some interesting insights into Teddy Roosevelt and Speaker of the House Reed sounds very interesting. I'd like to learn more about him.
pdonnellan's review against another edition
4.0
The performance of the audiobook bumped this up an extra star. I knew that T.R. was committed to proving himself in battle and trying to erase the familial shame of his father opting out of the Civil War, but this book really brought home for me how fanatically, pathologically committed he was in his determination to fight in Cuba. I've always been fascinated with Teddy, but this book reminded me that when it came to reveling in the salutary effects of war, he was more than slightly unhinged.
emiged's review against another edition
3.0
It goes without saying that the decision for a country to go to war should be made very carefully. The inevitable death and destruction that will come on both sides demand the highest standards of accurate intelligence, transparency and integrity during the decision-making process. It's disconcerting to realize just how prone to manipulation and personal desires the process can be. The War Lovers chronicles the march to war that occurred during the last few years of the 19th century. The Spanish-American War lasted less than a year, but drastically affected the trajectory of the next fifty years (or more) of American history. It led directly to the United States involvement in both Cuba and the Philippines and with American expansionism enthroned as official government policy, the annexation of Hawaii was a logical next step.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
librarianonparade's review against another edition
4.0
Teddy Roosevelt is totally one of my historical boyfriends, but even I have to admit, the man was a bit war-mad. I wouldn't go so far as to argue that the Spain-American War wouldn't have happened without his involvement and role in encouraging the tensions, but he did nothing to prevent that war, indeed did everything he could do encourage it.
That he wasn't alone in this is the subject of this book. America has a somewhat dubious track-record of 'inventing' causes for war or manipulating situations to create a cause - 'Remember the Maine!' can sit quite comfortably alongside the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or indeed September 11th if one wants to be truly controversial. There were definitely parties in America that wanted Spain out of Cuba; whether because they truly desired freedom for Cuba or freedom for America to operate in Cuba is almost immaterial. Certain individuals in America, the American press and a large portion of the American public wanted a war - one almost gets the sense that almost any war would have done.
This admirable book concerns the activities of three individuals in encouraging the declaration of war - Teddy Roosevelt, for one, in his role of Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Henry Cabot Lodge, TR's great friend and Senator for Massachusetts; William Randolph Hearst, editor of the New York Journal and one of the fathers of 'yellow journalism', or what we might today think of as the tabloid press; and three who fought across the war-fever sweeping the country - President McKinley, who was easily influenced and gave into pressure to declare war after the explosion of the Maine in Havana Harbour, blamed on the Spanish but almost certainly an accident; William James, brother of Henry James, a lecturer at Harvard and influential philosopher and psychologist; and William Reed, Speaker of the House.
The Spanish-American War wasn't quite the start of America as an imperial power (arguably that came with a similarly trumped up war against Mexico in the 1840s) but it brought with it Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico as American possessions, and it paved the way for the expansion of America's armed forces and served as a demonstration of its armed might, which came in handy roughly a decade later with WW1. It was a small war, 'a splendid little war', as a friend of TR's put it, but it served as an important point in America's history and deserves to be remembered for more than the making of Teddy Roosevelt, with his Rough Riders and charge up San Juan Hill.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book - although I'd argue any book featuring Teddy Roosevelt is enjoyable, simply he was such a larger than life figure - but it doesn't go into a huge amount of depth on the politics or historical legacy. The latter is a particular shame, given this war's influence on America's position regarding Cuba and its latter angst over imperialism, expansionism, not to mention the parallels with the Iraq war.
That he wasn't alone in this is the subject of this book. America has a somewhat dubious track-record of 'inventing' causes for war or manipulating situations to create a cause - 'Remember the Maine!' can sit quite comfortably alongside the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or indeed September 11th if one wants to be truly controversial. There were definitely parties in America that wanted Spain out of Cuba; whether because they truly desired freedom for Cuba or freedom for America to operate in Cuba is almost immaterial. Certain individuals in America, the American press and a large portion of the American public wanted a war - one almost gets the sense that almost any war would have done.
This admirable book concerns the activities of three individuals in encouraging the declaration of war - Teddy Roosevelt, for one, in his role of Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Henry Cabot Lodge, TR's great friend and Senator for Massachusetts; William Randolph Hearst, editor of the New York Journal and one of the fathers of 'yellow journalism', or what we might today think of as the tabloid press; and three who fought across the war-fever sweeping the country - President McKinley, who was easily influenced and gave into pressure to declare war after the explosion of the Maine in Havana Harbour, blamed on the Spanish but almost certainly an accident; William James, brother of Henry James, a lecturer at Harvard and influential philosopher and psychologist; and William Reed, Speaker of the House.
The Spanish-American War wasn't quite the start of America as an imperial power (arguably that came with a similarly trumped up war against Mexico in the 1840s) but it brought with it Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico as American possessions, and it paved the way for the expansion of America's armed forces and served as a demonstration of its armed might, which came in handy roughly a decade later with WW1. It was a small war, 'a splendid little war', as a friend of TR's put it, but it served as an important point in America's history and deserves to be remembered for more than the making of Teddy Roosevelt, with his Rough Riders and charge up San Juan Hill.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book - although I'd argue any book featuring Teddy Roosevelt is enjoyable, simply he was such a larger than life figure - but it doesn't go into a huge amount of depth on the politics or historical legacy. The latter is a particular shame, given this war's influence on America's position regarding Cuba and its latter angst over imperialism, expansionism, not to mention the parallels with the Iraq war.
kalliegrace's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting look at how glory-hungry these men were.... I don't think I will ever understand their desire for war as much as men can.
jeremyjsnow's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting perspective on the Spanish-American War. Worth reading.
librarianonparade's review
4.0
Teddy Roosevelt is totally one of my historical boyfriends, but even I have to admit, the man was a bit war-mad. I wouldn't go so far as to argue that the Spain-American War wouldn't have happened without his involvement and role in encouraging the tensions, but he did nothing to prevent that war, indeed did everything he could do encourage it.
That he wasn't alone in this is the subject of this book. America has a somewhat dubious track-record of 'inventing' causes for war or manipulating situations to create a cause - 'Remember the Maine!' can sit quite comfortably alongside the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or indeed September 11th if one wants to be truly controversial. There were definitely parties in America that wanted Spain out of Cuba; whether because they truly desired freedom for Cuba or freedom for America to operate in Cuba is almost immaterial. Certain individuals in America, the American press and a large portion of the American public wanted a war - one almost gets the sense that almost any war would have done.
This admirable book concerns the activities of three individuals in encouraging the declaration of war - Teddy Roosevelt, for one, in his role of Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Henry Cabot Lodge, TR's great friend and Senator for Massachusetts; William Randolph Hearst, editor of the New York Journal and one of the fathers of 'yellow journalism', or what we might today think of as the tabloid press; and three who fought across the war-fever sweeping the country - President McKinley, who was easily influenced and gave into pressure to declare war after the explosion of the Maine in Havana Harbour, blamed on the Spanish but almost certainly an accident; William James, brother of Henry James, a lecturer at Harvard and influential philosopher and psychologist; and William Reed, Speaker of the House.
The Spanish-American War wasn't quite the start of America as an imperial power (arguably that came with a similarly trumped up war against Mexico in the 1840s) but it brought with it Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico as American possessions, and it paved the way for the expansion of America's armed forces and served as a demonstration of its armed might, which came in handy roughly a decade later with WW1. It was a small war, 'a splendid little war', as a friend of TR's put it, but it served as an important point in America's history and deserves to be remembered for more than the making of Teddy Roosevelt, with his Rough Riders and charge up San Juan Hill.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book - although I'd argue any book featuring Teddy Roosevelt is enjoyable, simply he was such a larger than life figure - but it doesn't go into a huge amount of depth on the politics or historical legacy. The latter is a particular shame, given this war's influence on America's position regarding Cuba and its latter angst over imperialism, expansionism, not to mention the parallels with the Iraq war.
That he wasn't alone in this is the subject of this book. America has a somewhat dubious track-record of 'inventing' causes for war or manipulating situations to create a cause - 'Remember the Maine!' can sit quite comfortably alongside the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or indeed September 11th if one wants to be truly controversial. There were definitely parties in America that wanted Spain out of Cuba; whether because they truly desired freedom for Cuba or freedom for America to operate in Cuba is almost immaterial. Certain individuals in America, the American press and a large portion of the American public wanted a war - one almost gets the sense that almost any war would have done.
This admirable book concerns the activities of three individuals in encouraging the declaration of war - Teddy Roosevelt, for one, in his role of Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Henry Cabot Lodge, TR's great friend and Senator for Massachusetts; William Randolph Hearst, editor of the New York Journal and one of the fathers of 'yellow journalism', or what we might today think of as the tabloid press; and three who fought across the war-fever sweeping the country - President McKinley, who was easily influenced and gave into pressure to declare war after the explosion of the Maine in Havana Harbour, blamed on the Spanish but almost certainly an accident; William James, brother of Henry James, a lecturer at Harvard and influential philosopher and psychologist; and William Reed, Speaker of the House.
The Spanish-American War wasn't quite the start of America as an imperial power (arguably that came with a similarly trumped up war against Mexico in the 1840s) but it brought with it Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico as American possessions, and it paved the way for the expansion of America's armed forces and served as a demonstration of its armed might, which came in handy roughly a decade later with WW1. It was a small war, 'a splendid little war', as a friend of TR's put it, but it served as an important point in America's history and deserves to be remembered for more than the making of Teddy Roosevelt, with his Rough Riders and charge up San Juan Hill.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book - although I'd argue any book featuring Teddy Roosevelt is enjoyable, simply he was such a larger than life figure - but it doesn't go into a huge amount of depth on the politics or historical legacy. The latter is a particular shame, given this war's influence on America's position regarding Cuba and its latter angst over imperialism, expansionism, not to mention the parallels with the Iraq war.
More...