Book Review: Profiles in Audacity
Profiles in Audacity: Great Decisions and How They Were Made by Alan Axelrod is a collection of vignettes explaining how some of the most influential decisions in history were arrived at; from Galileo’s decision to publicly support Copernicus’ solar-centric version of the universe to President Truman’s decision to drop the A-Bomb to Bill Gates acquiring the rights to DOS. Though the book does cover events spanning a period from Cleopatra to Flight 93, about 70% of the book is dedicated to the 200+ years of American decision makers so for a strict historical survey for pedantic historians, it falls woefully short.
However for the casual reader of history, it is a very interesting and engaging coverage of many of turning points of history and not merely the boring, behind the scenes red tape kind. Decisions in Crisis covers Elizabeth I’s standing up to the then overwhelming might of Spain and JFK’s finding a middle ground in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Decision to Venture touches on such diverse topics from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Race for the Moon to Charlie Goodnight’s first cattle drive (which, much to my father’s shame I am sure, I hadn't realized) and Ted Turner’s creation of CNN. Decision of Conscience I found to be the most stirring with examples such as Gandhi’s use of non-violent resistance, Branch Rickey’s hiring Jackie Robinson to play for the Dodgers, W.E.B. Du Bios role in the creation of the NAACP, Daniel Ellsberg’s decision to leak the Pentagon Papers and Betty Friedan’s decision to look into and beyond her own dissatisfaction with what society prescribed a woman’s life should be to what women had the potential to achieve. Decision to Risk Everything of course included such famous examples as Hillary and Norgay’s ascent of Everest and Washington’s Delaware crossing, but it also includes such lesser known moments such as the Berlin Airlift and Nixon’s decision to open relations with Communist China.
The final section, Decision to Hope, was the weakest. It does contain some excellent examples, such as Begin and Sadat's work for peace between Egypt and Israel (which is one of my first memories of world events as a child), Carnegie’s philosophy of modern noblesse oblige. However the book strikes a very sour note here by including Chief Joseph’ surrender at the Battle of Bear Paw mountain as a “Decision to Hope. “I want time to look for my children and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I will find them among the dead. Hear me my chiefs, I am tired, my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” How does this sound hopeful to anyone? After watching his tribe be decimated by U.S. troops, freezing temperatures and starvation in a conflict started by American settler’s greed it does not sound at all hopeful to me. It sounds like surrender which is not an act of hope, but resignation. A "decision" to give up forced down one’s throat at gun point is not a decision at all.
But that stumble aside, it is otherwise an excellent overview of some of the more momentous moments in history, especially the modern ones that shaped the world we live in today and can introduce even more knowledgeable history readers to historical figures not usually mentioned in the grand scale of most historical work.
It's The "Awww!" Factor.
Exhibition aims to put 'war animals' in the spotlight
...Among the working animals whose stories are included in the exhibition are Rob, the SAS dog who made over twenty parachute drops during the Second World War; Winkie, the pigeon who saved the lives of a ditched aircrew by carrying a vital message revealing their location; Sefton, the cavalry horse who survived the Hyde Park terrorist bombing by the IRA; Endal, the assistance dog who helped to rehabilitate a badly-injured Gulf War veteran; and Roselle, the Labrador who led her blind owner to safety from the 78th floor of the World Trade Center after it was attacked on 11 September 2001.
Animals of many kinds from dogs and cats, to lions and eagles have also been adopted officially and unofficially as pets and mascots by the armed forces. A number of these will be featured in the exhibition including Rin Tin Tin, who was found as a puppy on the Western Front and went on to become a Hollywood legend; Judy, the pointer, the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Other animals to feature include Voytek, the bear mascot of the 22nd Transport Company of the Polish Army Service Corps who saw action at Monte Cassino in 1944; and Simon of HMS Amethyst, the only cat to have been awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal known as the 'animals' Victoria Cross. Dickin Medals on display will include those awarded to three police horses during the V1 Flying Bomb Offensive of 1944 and to Buster, the spaniel, who located a cache of arms in Iraq in 2003...
Awww...rat's is cool.
However for the casual reader of history, it is a very interesting and engaging coverage of many of turning points of history and not merely the boring, behind the scenes red tape kind. Decisions in Crisis covers Elizabeth I’s standing up to the then overwhelming might of Spain and JFK’s finding a middle ground in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Decision to Venture touches on such diverse topics from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Race for the Moon to Charlie Goodnight’s first cattle drive (which, much to my father’s shame I am sure, I hadn't realized) and Ted Turner’s creation of CNN. Decision of Conscience I found to be the most stirring with examples such as Gandhi’s use of non-violent resistance, Branch Rickey’s hiring Jackie Robinson to play for the Dodgers, W.E.B. Du Bios role in the creation of the NAACP, Daniel Ellsberg’s decision to leak the Pentagon Papers and Betty Friedan’s decision to look into and beyond her own dissatisfaction with what society prescribed a woman’s life should be to what women had the potential to achieve. Decision to Risk Everything of course included such famous examples as Hillary and Norgay’s ascent of Everest and Washington’s Delaware crossing, but it also includes such lesser known moments such as the Berlin Airlift and Nixon’s decision to open relations with Communist China.
The final section, Decision to Hope, was the weakest. It does contain some excellent examples, such as Begin and Sadat's work for peace between Egypt and Israel (which is one of my first memories of world events as a child), Carnegie’s philosophy of modern noblesse oblige. However the book strikes a very sour note here by including Chief Joseph’ surrender at the Battle of Bear Paw mountain as a “Decision to Hope. “I want time to look for my children and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I will find them among the dead. Hear me my chiefs, I am tired, my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” How does this sound hopeful to anyone? After watching his tribe be decimated by U.S. troops, freezing temperatures and starvation in a conflict started by American settler’s greed it does not sound at all hopeful to me. It sounds like surrender which is not an act of hope, but resignation. A "decision" to give up forced down one’s throat at gun point is not a decision at all.
But that stumble aside, it is otherwise an excellent overview of some of the more momentous moments in history, especially the modern ones that shaped the world we live in today and can introduce even more knowledgeable history readers to historical figures not usually mentioned in the grand scale of most historical work.
It's The "Awww!" Factor.
Exhibition aims to put 'war animals' in the spotlight
...Among the working animals whose stories are included in the exhibition are Rob, the SAS dog who made over twenty parachute drops during the Second World War; Winkie, the pigeon who saved the lives of a ditched aircrew by carrying a vital message revealing their location; Sefton, the cavalry horse who survived the Hyde Park terrorist bombing by the IRA; Endal, the assistance dog who helped to rehabilitate a badly-injured Gulf War veteran; and Roselle, the Labrador who led her blind owner to safety from the 78th floor of the World Trade Center after it was attacked on 11 September 2001.
Animals of many kinds from dogs and cats, to lions and eagles have also been adopted officially and unofficially as pets and mascots by the armed forces. A number of these will be featured in the exhibition including Rin Tin Tin, who was found as a puppy on the Western Front and went on to become a Hollywood legend; Judy, the pointer, the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Other animals to feature include Voytek, the bear mascot of the 22nd Transport Company of the Polish Army Service Corps who saw action at Monte Cassino in 1944; and Simon of HMS Amethyst, the only cat to have been awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal known as the 'animals' Victoria Cross. Dickin Medals on display will include those awarded to three police horses during the V1 Flying Bomb Offensive of 1944 and to Buster, the spaniel, who located a cache of arms in Iraq in 2003...
Awww...rat's is cool.
posted by KiplingKat | 1:57 PM
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