Paul KahanBesprekingen

Quick history of tequila and how to properly enjoy it.

**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Here is a "taste" of all things tequila, from a brief history, to the tasting notes, to the most recognized brands, to recipes. For anyone who wishes to know the basics about this liquor, it's worthy of a read.

This is the third in the series that I have read, and much like its predecessors, this one is short and a fast read. I like the photographs throughout the book and ample pages of tasting notes so readers can go on their own tasting journey. What I appreciate too are the listing of tasting notes possible in each tequila - though each variety is different, at least one of these notes can be deciphered from the sip. Informative, fun read.

Before Cameron became a byword for ineptitude and corruption as Lincoln's first Secretary of War, there was a long public career that stretched from being a junior newspaper publisher and enthusiastic Jacksonian to being an established businessman and a founder of the Republican Party. One reality is that Cameron was a long-time practitioner of "honest graft," in that while he was angling for plum public positions and contracts, that didn't mean that the job itself would be slighted; it's how business was conducted prior to the unpleasantness of the 1860s. The real issue with Cameron as Secretary of War is that, whatever his talents as a politician and a businessman (which were many), the sort of attention to detail and organization that were needed just weren't part of Cameron's nature. The last straw though was, having joined the Republicans out of a long brewing disgust for what he saw as the overweening sectional demands from the Slave South, Cameron was in advance of the administration position on emancipation and arming freed Blacks. As for the corruption, Cameron dryly noted that if all he wanted to do was make money that was the easiest thing in the world outside of government; not that this prevented him looking for good jobs for his sons and relations. Regarding the ineptitude, well, Cameron seems self-aware enough that he was really not the man for the job and that if the administration needed a scapegoat, he was prepared to be a good party man and take the hit. He still remained Mr. Republican in Pennsylvania pretty much until his death; all in all an enlightening look at how American politics really worked in the mid-19th century.

A very informative and educating look at the Jackson-Biddle battle over the United States Bank and its key role in the finances and economy of the United States at the time, primarily over its rechartering while Jackson was the President.

A bit long winded at times, and at a few times a bit repetitive (in a way that feels like it padded out the short work to be a bit longer than necessary), but overall well written and entertaining and thorough enough to keep me reading the whole time. Not extremely bias, but you definitely get the sense that Jackson did a LOT of things wrong, though Biddle isn't made out to be any kind of saint as well.

Short, well-balanced look at Jackson, Biddle, and the rest of the participants. Very negative about the president, but not particularly sympathetic to the banker.

The main arguments are: America's had long-standing disagreements about technical competence versus democratic values. And Jackson wasn't reasonable; he tended to personalize every dispute. The result of these was that Jackson effectively created the monster he imagined the Bank to be--and Biddle, in the end, helped.

Reconstructing Grant

In The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, historian Paul Kahan continues his assault on the impenetrability of US history. Kahan has made all kinds of eras and events accessible to readers. The books tend to be short, straightforward, to the point, and highly researched. In this one, he tackles a presidency vilified as one of the all-time worst, and shows its circumstances, accomplishments, and failures equally and fairly.

Ulysses S. Grant was a most reasonable man. He was never power mad. He was an honorable soldier, who made mistakes while taking his mission seriously. Pretty much a failure, the war scooped him up and let him shine. He became Lincoln’s favorite, because he was aggressive in carrying out his mandate. And he had a habit of winning battles and campaigns, because of his drive. After the war, Grant was less than obsessed with becoming president, announcing to his wife the day after the election, he was afraid he’d won. He did it because of all the suffering of the Civil War. He did not want to let the accomplishment slide away with business as usual.

The Grant Administration was buffeted by three storms: Reconstruction, The Long Depression, and internal corruption. Grant seemed not to be up to dealing with all three at once.

Until recently, the thought was Reconstruction of the south was a mistake altogether, that America should have left things alone to evolve for themselves. Now, the thinking is Grant didn’t go far enough with strong laws and harsh enforcement that would have dealt racial discrimination a harder blow. Either way, Grant “failed”.

The Long Depression was a result of economic mismanagement, a common enough failing throughout history. In this case it was aided and abetted by the lack of a Central Bank, which hadn’t been invented yet. Grant and his Treasury Secretaries, none of whom were economists, were on their own, and they didn’t really help matters.

Internal corruption was a continuation of the massive corruption and profiteering that bloomed during the Civil War. Morality took a backseat to bribes, kickbacks and padded payrolls, right up to (if not particularly) cabinet level. The whole country looked bad, and Grant’s administration did not set a fine example.

In addition, Grant began feeling his oats, as America reached out to grab the world. His government worked to annex (what is now) the Dominican Republic, buy or annex Cuba, went to war with Korea to open it to US goods, opened Hawaii to trade, and even plotted buying or annexing Canada. The global American Empire was born during the Grant Administration.

Grant was a heavy smoker, demolishing dozens of cigars a day (that’s what did him in). He was a bon vivant and practical joker. He was a “cheap date”, getting high after just one drink, which could be a problem when entertaining as much as he had to. But there’s not much of that in this book, which keeps its focus on the presidency and the situations it dealt with and created for itself.

President Grant seemed to have had no vision beyond saving his accomplishments in the Civil War. He personally was honest, straightforward, plain spoken and untainted. But the events of his era swept him into the dustbin of history, unjustifiably according to Kahan. He says the critics were unfair, and the many accomplishments minimized. This small book sets out the events and the facts in plain language. Grant would have approved.

David Wineberg

This is a gorgeous book, unabashedly enthusiastic and wonderfully friendly. The detail is terrific – had I the resources to tackle any of the recipes included I have absolute confidence that I would be walked through it safely and successfully from start to finish.

I love the warmth of the book, the sheer contentment that breathes through the pages in the lives the authors have made for themselves, for the place that they've made and the community they've formed. It's lovely. There's even photographic proof throughout – the obligatory "here we are eating the things we're telling you about" shots, as enviable and admirable as any I've seen. It all makes me want to become a regular at the Publican, and if I ever get to Chicago I'm definitely seeking it out.

One of my favorite things about the book is the series of profiles of "Friends of the Publican", suppliers and other allies, each given a full page with a photo and a warm essay. It's credit where credit's due, in spades.

The poems are fun, too.

As a cookbook, though, it is largely aspirational. It isn't tremendously useful to me, because as a foodie I'm frankly low-class. Between my paycheck and my lack of space, I won't be following the directions (however clear and concise) to make my own sausage anytime soon. All throughout the text, the authors direct the reader to go to farmers' markets, the finest suppliers, basically anywhere but the grocery store … Buy tomatoes from the guy who charges the highest prices. Don't buy strawberries at the grocery store. Don't buy eggs at the store. Don't you dare buy fish at the store. In fact, have your trout flown in from San Francisco. Even the recipe that perked me up (I might be able to make this one!), calling for Yukon gold potatoes (I've heard of those!) specified "size C" potatoes, which … I didn't know they were classified like that. Makes sense, I suppose, but ....

I might be able to do the pork pies …

They do here and there almost apologetically bend, and say or the dates you get at the grocery store would be fine or something. And I find it delightful that in amongst the ingredients sourced from across the country and the world (not afraid of a carbon footprint, these chefs), they profess their loyalty to Hellmann's mayonnaise. It's adorable.

It's actually kind of fun to read this point of view; it's a little like reading a fantasy novel. These are people who live in as completely different a world from mine as Pern or Arrakis, and it's all they know. Their first and only priority is food and feeding people, and they're apparently unfamiliar with a lifestyle in which going out to eat is a rare luxury. I'm not condemning this – bless their hearts, long may they cook meals which cost what I get in a week's paycheck. "As Herb says, it's all about life, liberty, and the prosciutto happiness." Cheers.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.