American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

In this episode we see how Lincoln moved toward emancipation in the context of failed military campaigns and growing pressure from enslaved people. You can explore these documents yourself in the Library of America's anthology of civil war writings.

Our next episode in this series on the American Civil War looks at the events surrounding the Seven Days Battle, especially General Hunter's move to arm blacks in occupied territories. As always we get a diverse cast of witnesses to this conflict.

In this episode, I look at the events surrounding the battle of Shiloh such as the push for compensated emancipation, the seizure of New Orleans, and the battle of the ironclads. As always, my source is the anthology published by the Library of America.

I am still alive, yes. Just taking a break from recording. Anyway, as we continue reading American Civil War anthology by the Library of America, we take a look at the first major Union victory, the surrender of Fort Donaldson.

I complete my look at volume 1 of the Library of America's anthology of Civil War writings. It is a dark winter for the USA after a series of military defeats. The political and military response to these defeats is the centerpiece of the documents I examine in this episode.

The aftermath of the Battle of Bull Run was a lot of hand wringing and searching for new ideas by the USA. The battle of WIlson's Creek deepened these anxieties. We also see how emancipation begins to be worked into Republican policy. I explore all of this in this episode.

In this episode, I look at documents surrounding the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle of the American Civil War.

In this episode we read into the aftermath of the attack on Fort Sumter by looking at documents by people such as Walt Whitman, George Templeton Strong, and William T. Sherman.

Our series looking into the American Civil War as anthologized by the Library of America continues with the events surrounding the attack on Fort Sumter.

Second in a series of the major documents telling the story of the American Civil War. This section covers the secession debate that emerged during Buchanan's lame duck period and the proffered "compromise" which would have involved constitutional amendments.

Today, I begin a long series on the Library of America's anthology of writings of the American Civil War. The first documents we look explore the impact of the election of 1860.

The final episode of my epic review of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. I do some rankings of the books, characters, and review some of the major themes.

We have finally come to the end of my review of THE BAROQUE CYCLE. Some great moments in the final scenes of this epic story, including the hanging of Jack Shaftoe and the Trial of the Pyx.

As we reach the climax of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, by Neal Stephenson, we get two heroic moments from our central characters. Daniel Waterhouse stages a jail break and Jack Shaftoe endures being pressed and decides to face the enemies of the vagabonds (courts and the gallows).

It has all come to this, the final volume of the BAROQUE CYCLE, appropriately called THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD. This is not only comes from the last volume of PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA, but also from Daniel Waterhouses' thesis about the ultimate fate of the medieval and the birth of the modern.

We finish the penultimate volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE with some mighty fine action scenes. An attempt on the life of Peter the Great and an impaling by a cello are some of the highlights. And Jack Shaftoe comes out in force here. 

In this section of the final volume of Neal Stephenson's epic BAROQUE CYCLE, we see the investigative club seemingly achieve its goals through a stake out at Bedlam, leading to an important revelation.

I think this will be the end of my H. P. Lovecraft Book Club. While there is much more I could do, I think this is a fine place to stop. For those interested, the second volume of THE MEANS TO FREEDOM completes the conversation between Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

As we come to the close of the Baroque Cycle in the book CURRENCY, we get lessons in modern economics through a fascination discussion between Daniel Waterhouse and Eliza. Picking up with Eliza is welcome after the previous book in the BAROQUE CYCLE.

The next episode in my series looking at the letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. This episode focuses on the summer of 1932 and a handful of massive letters dealing with issues such as war with Japan and American regionalism and folklore.

The climax to SOLOMON'S GOLD by Neal Stephenson is a heist on the Tower of London by Jack Shaftoe. For most of this section, Newton and Daniel Waterhouse are completely outclassed by their antagonist. SOLOMON' S GOLD is my least favorite book in the BAROQUE CYCLE, but it has a riveting climax.

This is part 2 of my review of SOLOMON'S GOLD, part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, by Neal Stephenson. As always it is a fun exploration of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this section, Daniel Waterhouse starts an investigative club.

More of my look at the Robert E. Howard-H. P. Lovecraft letters, focusing on the period from September 1931 to June 1932. We really get into explorations of American regionalism in these letters.

The final volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE begins with Daniel Waterhouse's return to England. He learns about the beginning of the Industrial Age and runs errands, while a mystery begins.

Our final look at THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson. These sections involve a dramatic journey across the Pacific, religious drama in the Americas and Jack Shaftoe's traumatic return to Europe. Great stuff.