Scandalmonger: A Novel (Harvest Book)

Rating:
Summary: Vacuous
Review: I love history reads, and particularly so when it seems relevant to me in some way. I'm probably related to Thomas Callender, so I doubly expected to be glued to this book for a weekend. Sadly, this book was so dry and devoid of historical value in the first 5-10 pages that I just couldn't keep enough interest to pay attention after that and sent it to another relative, who I hope won't hold that against me too much.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent historical novel
Review: This book dovetails nicely into the same period and subjects of two other works I have read recently, "Founding Brothers" and "American Aurora", both of which I enjoyed. This work details the Federalist period from 1790 onward, and the opening years of the Jefferson presidency, and covers the ground very well. It is a novel, of course, but so well written it seems as if Safire was a fly on the wall in the various locales of the tale, and took down verbatim the words of the characters, historical figures all. His language is excellent, as is to be expected from this writer, who is a grammar maven. Once or twice, however, I seemed to detect a hint that some of the historical events were talked about a tad before they acutually happened, and once or twice there was some duplication, which should have been caught by a more zealous editor. They didn't detract from my enjoyment of this work, and I recommend it to anyone interested in this period of American history, and in particular, interested in the human side of the historical drama.

Rating:
Summary: History Twistery Lies Truth Or Mysteries?
Review: Twistery is the word used by the Author, William Safire, to qualify where he strayed from known facts. He provides a detailed explanation at the end so there is no confusion. It is impossible for me to judge, but I am confident that to the extent he twisted known history, it is a small part of this book. If he had stayed absolutely faithful to facts as they are known, but continued the novel-like style, as opposed to dry recitation of fact like many textbooks do, the book would be diminished just a bit.

The Players are not new, nor are the stories. Mr. Safire's gift is his ability to transform what can often be the tedious study of dates and facts, into a thrilling read. If he were to write textbooks, without literary license, the study of our Country's History would reach new levels of popularity.

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, James Monroe, Dr. Benjamin Rush, all old and familiar, but all new here. Duels, stolen letters, written admissions of guilt, peculation, and pecadillos, these bits are all true. The Alien and Sedition act, one of the most notorious pieces of legislation in our Country's History plays a prominent role. Add then murder, wrongful imprisonment, treason, and trials with "The Hanging Judge" Samuel Chase.

And to bring the story into the present, the analyses of certain persons DNA to at once settle 200-year-old questions/accusations. Or do they not?

It may sound strange to say that I don't want to give any of the book's stories away, for how can you give away what is historical fact? But with or without the twistery, the book makes old information fresh, and shows that our elected officials today, and the press that follow their every breath have changed oh so little.

Buy it, you'll love it!