Brian KilmeadeCritiques

A great story of how people from differing backgrounds and cultures can have the same ideas and how they try to get the same results from differing directions

Great story telling.

October 16, 1901, new President Theodore Roosevelt invited his friend and advisor about Black issues, Booker T. Washington to dine with him at The White House. That one decision, by a man who valued hard work by all people, caused a backlash by the South that affected every other decision made in his presidency because after all that was equivalent to inviting the black man to rape and pillage his daughters.

This book does a great job of giving Teddy's backstory and Booker's backstory by alternating chapters. When the two finally converge, the history moves forward from there. When Teddy makes a decision that affects 197 black men and bars them from their pension and their future ability to make a living, it is not sugarcoated, but noted in history.

Teddy and Booker T looks at the personalities of both individuals, the decisions they made, the influence of WEB DuBois on the next generation, and the state of the union in the early 1900's Jim Crow era of the deep south which makes any thinking person cringe.

Well worth the read.

Booker T. Washington and Theodore Roosevelt formed as much of a friendship as was possible between a southern Black man and a northern politician around the turn of the last century, and Brian Kilmeade uses this connection as the center of Teddy and Booker T. He explores both of their backgrounds, their meeting, and then follows their subsequent relationship through Roosevelt’s presidency until both of their deaths. This is not a particularly well-written book, but readers looking for a cursory examination of both men and their relationship will find a precise story with a lot of interesting notes and primary sources. (FYI — a terrible audiobook with inconsistent reading, tone, and recording volume. Publishers need look no further if they ever need an example of why it’s worthwhile to spend money on a professional reader instead of using the author.)

Do not waste your time. This actually deserves negative stars for the writing, but the cover is lovely so I'll let it have one.

This is extremely BAD history writing. (I would love to see what a professor would do to these authors over this.. crawling away doesn’t even BEGIN to cover it) There is little to no analysis or insight. It’s revisionist, Islamophobic, and worse its using history to suit a modern agenda. All huge no-no's. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. (I'm sparing you my extremely long rant. For what it's worth I began making notes of what was wrong in with this, then stopped as it was becoming more than an essay in itself. I ended up just putting it down.)

Had I known who the author was before I picked this up I wouldn’t have wasted my time. But I don’t watch Fox. Now I know better regarding these authors. I'm going to have to make a list of these types of authors so I'm not encountering them and having to go through this trauma again. Yes I wrote trauma. Otoh.. now I have had the opportunity to warn others.. so all is not lost andtake heed!!!

edited to add: It is a real shame because this is a very interesting topic, and with some real historical research work it could be very well addressed. That is why I picked it up. I was looking forward to some real historical research, analysis, and insight into this topic. It's a real shame this was not it. Also once again kudo's to the artist who did the cover.

Very misleading title and subtitle for a surprisingly fair enough pop history of an important time at the turn of the 20th century after the assassination of President McKinley (who unlike TR, treated Washington with great respect). Washington rightly is portrayed as a hero and title notwithstanding TR is rightly portrayed as being on the wrong side of racial history, having betrayed Washington after their dinner and also in TR's outrageous Brownsville decision made after ignoring Booker T. Washington's advice. Not sure who is responsible for making the cover lead potential book buyers to think there is some equality in contributions by TR and Washington; for me, to leave this otherwise worthwhile book on my shelf, I just fixed the cover by (1) changing the words Two American Icons to be One American Icon and (2) placing 3 rooster stickers around TR -- although unlike the repentant Apostle Peter who wept bitterly, TR's displays of post-dinner regret appear to be for perceived pragmatic self-interest not for the pain and harm he caused Washington and the cause of justice. Anyway, it's a quick read and not as bad as the ridiculous cover suggests.

Focuses on the events near the Battle of New Orleans. Explains the "boiling pot" that was the population of New Orleans, encompassing many of the groups of people that would come to be known as Americans and how General Jackson provided for creating a defensive army out of this multitude. From pirates, to Native Americans, freed men, enslaved men, and even nuns. Jackson found ways to make these Americans stand united to defend their home. A good read.

Reads more like a novel than an in depth history accounting. A good overview of the key events over a 4 year period. Well written and an easy read.

Teddy and Booker T. by Brian Kilmeade

What could a wealthy man who would one day become president of the USA and a poor black man born in slavery have in common? Well, a whole lot more than you might ever imagine! This book is a well-written, fluid, biography of two men well known in history. I had a bit of knowledge about both men but this book, well, it opened my eyes and made the two men come alive as I read.

I sometimes think we have come “a long way” and then read books like this and do see change but also see that there is still oppression, bias, bigotry and cruelty over a century after the civil war.

So, what did these two men have in common? Drive, ambition, wanting better for others, the willingness to reach out and make things happen for themselves and for others. They both revered education and the spoken and written word. They wanted to see the betterment of the fellow man. BUT, they were also men of their era and influenced by the beliefs of their times.

Both men lost women they loved, gave much to become who they were, and became symbols of their era that live on today.

The author managed to make both men come alive through his writing and made me see them, experience some of what they did, and come away with admiration for both men. I also was happy to NOT live back then when medical science was less than it is now and women and children (and perhaps men, too) died too young.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Teddy Roosevelt and/or Booker T. Washington because this book is easy reading with information that is relevant now while telling the stories of two great men of the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sentinel – Penguin Random House for the ARC – this is my honest review.

5 Stars

They are known for their accomplishments on stage, on screen, in the political arena, the newsroom, and the boardroom, not on the athletic field but that doesn’t mean they didn’t “suit up” as kids. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade collects the reflections from over—or about—70 individuals, including the author, about their time playing sports as kids shaped their futures once their competitive time on the field came to an end.

Kilmeade’s inspiration for this book was a segment he began one Saturday afternoon for his shift on an all-sports radio station in Los Angeles for listeners to phone in and talk about their own sports experiences, resulting in a flood of calls for people reliving their memories growing up and more than a few saying how their time helped them later in life. A decade later, Kilmeade thought the concept would work by interviewing well-known actors, singers-musicians, politicians, and television personalities about how sports affected their non-playing professional careers. Published in the 00s, some of those interviewed aren’t well known today as they were then or whose time in the political spotlight is long gone as well as the fact that many had a connection with Fox News at the time due to Kilmeade co-hosting Fox and Friends, and a few from family or friends about those who had recently passed. Overall Kilmeade wrote some great early life sketches based on the interviews he conducted with Robin Williams and Bernie Mac standing out to me. Because it’s been almost twenty years since publication some of the individuals have passed away—the aforementioned Williams and Mac along with President George H.W. Bush—or some individuals have destroyed their own reputations and careers since along with some active athletes that were mentioned throughout the book namely Lance Armstrong.

The Games Do Count is a nice collection of briefs snapshots of the early years of famous individuals and how sports shaped who they became before they transitioned to their non-playing careers.

I received an ARC of this title from School Library Journal in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, the Barbary pirates had been preying on merchant ships sailing in the Mediterranean’s international waters for centuries. Barbary pirates were from the north African countries of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. Nations, such as Great Britain and France, either had to pay exorbitant bribes or suffer the losses inflicted when the pirates raided their merchant ships. Merchant sailors would be held for ransom and merchandise would be sold to the highest bidder if the Barbary pirates attacked.

In the 1790s, America had made peace agreements with Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli that involved paying the equivalent of one-eighth of the new government’s annual expenditures to the Barbary pirate states. The treaties were signed against the advice of Jefferson, but he was able to convince George Washington and John Adams to continue building new ships to replace the ones that had gone out of service at the end of the Revolutionary War. The first three American ships were launched in 1797 and, by the time Jefferson was elected president in 1800, the Barbary states were already demanding increases in American tribute. Jefferson declined and sent the American ships as peacemakers rather than agents of war.

American ships blockaded the harbor of Tripoli in effort to avoid outright war, but, during a resupply errand, the USS Enterprise and the Tripoli clashed, with the American ship overwhelmingly defeating the Tripolitan ship. The policy of American appeasement was over, and a new era of American global influence was beginning.

This is a fast-paced young readers adaptation of the New York Times bestselling historical thriller, with back matter that includes a timeline, sources, and an index. Recommended for students who like other works by Kilmeade, the history of the U.S. Navy or factual accounts of piracy.

A very enlightening story, and some historical facts I had never heard before. Brian Kilmeade brings excitement to the audio version.

This was an easy-to-read history of Texas and its founders as a Republic. As with other Kilmeade books, there is obviously a lot of assumption and triangulation (which the author acknowledges) in order to have a readable story.

interesting part of history that is frequently overlooked, however since I just read Dead Wake and The Witches, the writing is sub-par.

As indicated by the title, this is not a comprehensive biography of Andrew Jackson. Instead, the clear emphasis is upon the events surrounding the battle of New Orleans and its significance.

The author writes not as a scholar, but to a greater extent as someone with a pro American stance who wishes to tell a good story. I found the book refreshing in its positive approach to Jackson- a man who is complicated indeed, but unquestionably exceptional.

I also appreciated the discussion of the vagaries of the peace negotiations, and therefore why from Jackson's perspective the Battle of New Orleans was so crucial.

An easy reading and fun book. recommended.½

11/14/22

Narrative non-fiction that provides a partial history of the early US Navy and its confrontations with the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The book is a quick and easy read about a lesser known part of US history. It covers successes and failures in military and diplomatic encounters with four northern African countries, Tripoli, Algiers, Tunis, and Morocco, collectively known and as Barbary Coast. It highlights the efforts of a number of little-known Naval officers.

The book starts with the capture of a US merchant ship by Barbary pirates, and enslavement of its crew. The leaders of the North African nations demanded tribute in cash and goods as a fee for protection against further attacks. One of the highlights is the detailed description of the Battle of Derna in 1805, the first combined land and sea battle of US forces on non-American soil (the land group included hundreds of mercenaries).

The primary downside is an undercurrent of political slant, emphasizing a preference for the use of military force. It skims the surface of topics that warrant a deeper dive. For example, it points out the suffering of Americans enslaved by the Barbary states, but there is no mention that slavery is ongoing in the US at the same time (or of the fact that Jefferson himself owned slaves). One wonders what else has been glossed over or omitted. It has spurred my curiosity, and I plan to seek out more in-depth and impartial sources.

Quite a maverick take on the Culper ring which brought about the British downfall during the war of American Independence. Why I mention maverick is because Kilmeade takes the liberty of fictionalizing the (presumable) dialogue which transpired at the time with relevant (presumably) colloquialism inserted into the right places. Overall though I found this book to be lucid and thoroughly entertaining. 101% amazing. It kept me sane during the lockdown.

“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

These are the stories today’s American youth need to read. They need to hear such stories of unwavering courage, patriotism, and devotion. The United States of America is but a shameful shadow of the nation men like Andrew Jackson fought so hard to build and preserve. This story—and the others told by Kilmeade and Yaeger—is perhaps more relevant and critical today than ever before.

”General Jackson and his multiethnic, multigenerational army made up of people from every American social class and occupation had come together to do what Napoleon had failed to do: destroy the finest fighting force in the world.”

This story has a little of everything, and the cast of characters is stunning: Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, even pirates for goodness sake! Kids should be reading these accounts so they don’t believe the revisionist drivel they’re fed in the public forum. They will enjoy the thrilling and often harrowing sense of adventure and growth that pervaded the early days of American history. I, for my part, hope that such well-researched and powerfully written accounts will help instill in my kids a love for their country and what it is meant to be. Yes, I understand that there were also negative aspects. When taken in context, we can see that ours is a nation led by great and courageous heroes who were also flawed humans like the rest of us. But we used to be a nation that learned from our mistakes and let them unite us to grow and become the best we could be. Our current state has us on a perilous precipice on which I won’t expound here, but I pray for a return to our historic greatness (no, that’s not a MAGA reference).

I love this book and highly recommend it!

In Mr Kilmeade's fifth history book, he covers Mr. Lincoln & Mr. Douglass. He begins with their early lives until the Civil War. While the slavery issue eventually unites them, the Civil War hangs heavy on Mr. Lincoln attempting to weave carefully while Mr. Douglass demands more action. Their pivotal meeting clears the air as their friendship strengthens. Mr. Lincoln's murder creates an aura of myth while Mr. Douglass lives to write & sadly later forgotten. Mr. Kilmeade's attempt to restore Mr. Douglass' deep impact on Mr. Lincoln's views succeeds. The reader will find a balanced look of the two men.

Mr Kilmeade's fourth history book covers Sam Houston & his role in the battle for Texas Independence. The author begins with Spain's desperate ploy to lure immigrants to settle in a land between the Red River & the Rio Grande. But once Mexico's Independence is secured, trouble starts. With the ever changing Mexican governments in the south, immigration continued unabated until Santa Anna, the latest ruler of Mexico begins to make demands. Soon the Texans declare independence & the war commences. Kilmeade covers the battle for the Alamo to the battle of San Jacinto, from disaster to complete victory over Santa Anna's army. Very well researched & readable as well.

Easy read. Conservatively presented facts and opinions. Although I don't particularly hold the author in high regard, this is a quick, easy way to present history.

Short and simple but thoroughly enjoyable read that captures the intrigue and drama, the political difficulties, the wins and losses in battle, and the heroism, weaknesses, strengths frailties of the characters without diminishing their patriotism. Excellent writing.

This was a very fun read. I really enjoyed this, and it is aptly titled. The war between the US (via Thomas Jefferson) and the Tripoli pirates is forgotten. It’s not a glowing war that US citizens tend to want to remember. Kilmead and Yaeger do a fantastic job writing the book, and they keep it short, simple, and understandable.

This was a very nice read for me. I had seen it around in bookstores, but hadn’t actually gotten it until this past Christmas as one of my (many) history-related presents. It was a very quick, easy, and fun read, and it was interesting to learn some of the real facts behind my favorite historical drama show, “Turn: Washington’s Spies” (I am planning on reading the book that it’s based on, Alexander Rose’s Washington’s Spies in the near future). I highly recommend this if you need something to read about the American Revolution.

Brian Kilmeade's "Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates" is a short but interesting history of the United States first foreign war against the pirates of North Africa. Building a navy just after the United States declared independence, and then managing to use that small fleet against the Barbary pirates was anything but smooth, as Kilmeade points out. There were periods during which the U.S. paid tributes and ransoms to the pirates, and times when military action was taken instead.

For anyone reading Kilmeade's book and interested in others on the same subject, I'd also recommend "The Pirate Coast", by Richard Zachs, which I liked a lot, or "Pirates of Barbary: Corsairs, Conquests and Captivity in the Seventeenth-Century Mediterranean", by Adrian Tinniswood.