Charles Rappleye (1956–2018)

I have been reading biographies of all the presidents and when I saw this one on Hoover I thought that it would be perfect for me, however, I found that it was slow in the beginning and a bit too detailed as to his motivations and actions at trying to be the Republican nominee in 1928 and the future President after Calvin Coolidge. There was sporadic information regarding his qualifications (education, etc.) and I felt that the author didn't really care for the man. I wonder why he wrote this book.… (meer)

SONS OF PROVIDENCE, The Brown Brothers, The Slave Trade, and The American Revolution
Charles Rappleye,
Simon and Schuster
Hardcover, 416 pages
0743266870.

John and Moses Brown, two incongruous brothers were loyal to Britain. Yet, when a series of revenue raising taxes descended on the colonies, the Browns saw it as economic servitude to England. Charles Rappleye presents a history of Rhode Island and the Slave Trade through his research of primary documents and through letters of correspondence between the Brown brothers. Most people would be surprised to read about the significance of the Browns, and the relationship Newport and Providence and all Rhode Island had in the slave trade.

John and Moses Brown were originally were collaborators in the slave trade, but their legacies would diverge and history would remember their roles differently. Where John was an avid proponent of slavery and compulsive capitalist. Moses turned Quaker and was equally an unshakable abolitionist and social reformer. They polar opposites in values and appearance and they were stubborn in their ideals of liberty.

The Gaspee incident in Narragansett Bay, was a significant event led by John Brown that would establish Rhode Island equal to Boston as a rebellious colony. Also, throughout New England, slavery was most widespread in Rhode Island and the slave trade would remain entrenched in their harbors for many years.

John and Moses Brown were prominent business leaders in many areas. John was an investor in real estate, Moses was credited with establishing one of America’s first banks and introducing textile technology that allowed New England to compete with England as the Industrial Revolution moved forward. They both collaborated to establish Brown University where it is today.

Rhode Island is a familiar setting to me and this history provided a valuable addition to my existing schema. Charles Rappleye humanizes this history lesson from two opposing viewpoints and the insight of first hand witnesses. Sons of Providence clarifies many misconceptions in history and furnishes a glimpse into the tenets of the time period. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: This book was a self-purchase.
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].… (meer)

A fascinating and well-researched book whose clear intention is to restore Morris to the Founding Fathers pantheon. Not sure the author will succeed, but this is a fine history.

The strongest takeaway, for me, is a reminder about how fragile the American Revolution really was. Rappleye certainly gives Morris too much credit for the Republic's survival, but what's clear is that Robert Morris was a key player and that his financial machinations were essential. Rappleye portrays his subject as a master administrator and a master politician, and generally succeeds in bringing him to life.

Morris was a genius at moving money around. The author examines these manipulations in probably more detail than most will find interesting, but I found those sections fascinating. Well worth a study if you want to understand how master financiers work, and think. Much of what Morris did was high-risk, high-reward; that he succeeded so often is far more interesting than the collapse of his personal financial efforts near the end of his life.

I've gigged the rating a half-star because the author occasionally pushes his story too far. In particular, the comparisons of Morris' wartime role as Congress's Financier to the modern presidency seem to be a bit forced, and calling his colleagues his "cabinet" is certainly misleading.

The book's epilogue isn't directly about Morris; it's about how both popular and academic historians' depictions of the Financier have changed over two centuries. It's also, of course, about fashion in American historiography, and worth reading just for that.

Excellent book. Well worth your time.

This review has also been published on a dabbler's journal.… (meer)