George Washington's Secret Six is extremely well-written and concise. Frankly, it was a surprise to this reviewer. Any time a celebrity (in this case Brian Kilmeade of Fox and Friends) attaches his name to a book, one has to be skeptical. In this case, the skepticism was not well-founded.   Read the rest of this entry »

A depressing movie that makes you think.   Read the rest of this entry »

This was just another one of those fun things to post on a Saturday.   Read the rest of this entry »

Here is something unexpected from Richard Dreyfuss.   Read the rest of this entry »

A few years ago I spent some time trying to understand Plato's Republic, and jotted down some of my thoughts.   Read the rest of this entry »

Congressman Trey Gowdy has some questions for the gallant members of our press. As he suggests, draw your own conclusions.   Read the rest of this entry »

In the second chapter of The Ethics of Rhetoric, Richard Weaver uses the “Scopes Monkey Trial” (although he refers to it as The Scopes Evolution Trial), to demonstrate the uses of rhetorical and dialectical argument.   Read the rest of this entry »

Author Scott Martelle’s account of the efforts to find the body of John Paul Jones and the man chiefly responsible doing so, is fascinating and thorough. He manages to incorporate many interesting anecdotes and historical details along the way, all of which add color and texture to the tale, and it’s a tale worth reading.   Read the rest of this entry »

Another weekend post from the lighter side. While visiting a family member in the Mayo clinic, the following conversation was recorded in the elevator.   Read the rest of this entry »

Whether you are serious scholar, a devotee of naval history, or just like a good book, Sloop of War does not disappoint. The amount of research done by author Ian McLaughlan and Derek Andrews, to whom the book is dedicated, is simply astounding. Inspired by a feeling that the literature was lacking on this unappreciated class of sailing ship, McLaughlan made it his mission to give the sloop its due.   Read the rest of this entry »