Ronald A. (rarendt) reviewed The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War (Audio CD) (Unabridged) on + 107 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I started listening to this audio book with high hopes; after all, the author had already written two highly reviewed best sellers - both of which I own, but neither of which I have gotten around to reading yet. I read a lot of history, but usually make some attempt to read books in a historically chronological order. Have spent the last three or four years on WW2, starting with Hitler's coming to power, but there's so much to read I'm just up to Pearl Harbor now.
I don't follow the same rules with audio books, so when I picked up this one at Half Price Books, I was looking forward to a real treat. I was surprised almost immediately by the author's tone, and his almost sneering references to Teddy Roosevelt, but I continued listening to see what he had to say. Before long I heard the outrageous statement that TR's meddling in Japan's politics in 1904 was the cause of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Since I have been reading extensively about Pearl Harbor and have never come across such a claim from any other historian, I started to have my doubts about Bradley's objectivity, or his historian credentials.
As I continued listening, I was amazed by the way the author vilified TR; he missed no opportunity to put Teddy down and painted most turn-of-the century Americans as prejudiced racists in love with the idea of Aryan superiority. What is going on here?
Finally, when I had gone through more than 5 cd's of the same ranting, I did what I often do when something doesn't smell right - I got on Paperback Swap, found the listing for the hardcover book, and pulled up the Amazon reviews. Could I be the only person who found so much to question in this book? There were 98 5 star reviews AND 110 one star reviews. Most people are pretty favorable reviewers about books the have spent money and time to read. Here was a book by a best-selling author which significantly more people hated than loved! I quit listening shortly after that, somewhere in the middle of disc 6.
I almost hate to post such an unfavorable review - I'd love to get 2 credits for passing this on to some one else, but I feel honor bound to alert others to some of this book's flaws. If you are part of the Hate America First club, this is the book for you. If you think all the Presidents before Obama were racist war-mongers you will love it.
I don't follow the same rules with audio books, so when I picked up this one at Half Price Books, I was looking forward to a real treat. I was surprised almost immediately by the author's tone, and his almost sneering references to Teddy Roosevelt, but I continued listening to see what he had to say. Before long I heard the outrageous statement that TR's meddling in Japan's politics in 1904 was the cause of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Since I have been reading extensively about Pearl Harbor and have never come across such a claim from any other historian, I started to have my doubts about Bradley's objectivity, or his historian credentials.
As I continued listening, I was amazed by the way the author vilified TR; he missed no opportunity to put Teddy down and painted most turn-of-the century Americans as prejudiced racists in love with the idea of Aryan superiority. What is going on here?
Finally, when I had gone through more than 5 cd's of the same ranting, I did what I often do when something doesn't smell right - I got on Paperback Swap, found the listing for the hardcover book, and pulled up the Amazon reviews. Could I be the only person who found so much to question in this book? There were 98 5 star reviews AND 110 one star reviews. Most people are pretty favorable reviewers about books the have spent money and time to read. Here was a book by a best-selling author which significantly more people hated than loved! I quit listening shortly after that, somewhere in the middle of disc 6.
I almost hate to post such an unfavorable review - I'd love to get 2 credits for passing this on to some one else, but I feel honor bound to alert others to some of this book's flaws. If you are part of the Hate America First club, this is the book for you. If you think all the Presidents before Obama were racist war-mongers you will love it.
