Review: The Harding Affair: Love and Espionage during the Great War by David Robenalt

The Harding Affair: Love and Espionage during the Great War by James David Robenalt

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The affair between Warren Harding and Carrie Phillips was actually very boring. Evidently there were lots of love letters and correspondence between the two. And I do mean boring love letters and boring correspondence. I pretty much skimmed over those that were published in the book. The book contains some interesting history about Republican politics in the years of Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. Harding found himself caught in the middle of that political squabble. There is also some interesting history and commentary regarding the United States entering World War I. Just like World War II, there was great antipathy on the part of the American public to be involved in the war. In addition, there was a great deal of sympathy for Germany.

Based on the book, Harding appears to be a capable senator, hard-working and capable of compromise. He was a very good speaker and in demand for his abilities. However the shameless way that he pursued Mrs. Phillips does not present him in a good light. Given that his wife was constantly in bad health, one could understand his need for female companionship. But Mrs. Phillips was a needy and manipulative woman. The book covers allegations that she was a spy for Germany in World War I. Based on the book, it appears the only certain thing that could be alleged was that she was very sympathetic for the German cause and attempted to persuade Harding towards that end.

I slogged through the book more for the historical morsels around the time of World War I than for the less than sordid details of Harding’s affair(s). This book did provoke an interest in reading a book written about the Harding presidential administration.



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Mental Burps

I’m not sure what would be more frightening – – a huge asteroid headed for a crash landing on earth or the prospect of a Trump re-election in November?

Looks like Sports Illustrated is going out of business. It was the premier sports magazine in my youth and early adult life. The swimsuit issue normally published in the beginning of the year always generated some controversy and interest. And there were some great sports writing and photography in the magazine.

I used to love to buy magazines like Playboy, US News and World Report, Tennis, Money, Runners World, Men’s Health etc. I can’t remember the last time I went into a bookstore to buy a magazine. I can’t remember the last time I went into a bookstore to look at magazines.

John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster and Sam Houston were cited as Profiles in Courage in the book by John F. Kennedy. Tim Scott, the senator from South Carolina, will never be cited for his courage. How low must the performance, moral and integrity bars for Senator Scott to endorse Donald Trump?

One past regret in my life: that I did not take measured risks in my early adult years.

Books Reviewed

Brief thoughts and comments on books and reading…

My tastes are changing as I have become older. I want to be more entertained, less provoked and upset. More fiction, preferably historical fiction, less politics.

Speaking of books that provoke and upset, I have no interest in reading any more books about the Trump presidency. I get it after reading about a dozen books on his administration: he was an awful President and a horrible human being.

In fiction, I continue to read stories where the main character is a man in his 60s and 70s.

My sources for reading material: My Library, Kindle (less than $5 books) Barnes and Noble… I now belong to a new library that will hopefully provide me more opportunities to find books that I am interested in reading. I haven’t bought a book at Barnes and Noble for about time months. Price of their books are often too high and often not worth the price.

How I scout books before I read them? I read reviews from Goodreads, Kirkus, and Amazon. Sometimes books are previewed (maybe the first chapter) and I’ll read the previews to see if it catches my interest. If possible, I try to see the Table of Contents for a book. Often that provides a preview of the contents of the book and if I may find interest in topics covered.

I rarely read non fiction books cover to cover anymore. I tend to skim through sections of a book where I have no interest, am already familiar with the content or bored.

I enjoy collecting aphorisms and seek books about aphorisms. If I am to write a book, it will be aphorisms that I create about life, aging, religion, money, marriage, friendship, etc.

I prefer to read books less than 200 pages. Reading a book that is more than 500 pages is a mental marathon that I can rarely finish.

My universe of reading topics continues to shrink. There are so many things now that I have very little interest in, including politics, self help, health issues, money and finances, Trump etc.

I really don’t need most self improvement books. At 71 1/2, if I haven’t figured things out by now, I never will.

2024 Predictions

Alabama will win the National Collegiate Football championship beating Texas. Jim Harbaugh will resign as Michigan coach and become a NFL coach (San Diego).
???

No Kansas City – Philadelphia reprise for 2024 Super Bowl. 2024 Super Bowl will be Baltimore vs. Detroit. Baltimore will win 38-17.
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Kentucky will beat Kansas in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
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No Biden – Trump reprise in November 2024. Biden will withdraw from race. Due to legal issues, Trump will also withdraw but will receive conditional pardon.
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Both parties will choose current elected and active governors. Republicans will not choose Ron DeSantis.
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Ukraine-Russia war winds down to negotiated cease fire by May 2024.

U.S. needs to act militarily to aid in Israel’s defense. Benjamin Netanyahu replaced. Very few additional hostages released or located.
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AI serves as a very effective propaganda and distortion tool in 2024 elections. Many voters are duped to believe just about anything to support their narratives and beliefs about politics.
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Twitter goes dark in 2024 due to loss of advertisers, disinterest by members and huge operating losses that Musk no longer wants to fund.
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Taylor Swift will not marry Travis Kelce.
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76ers make Eastern Conference Finals but lose.

???

The Top 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time (Variety)

https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-shows-of-all-time/

  1. I Love Lucy
  2. Mad Men
  3. The Sopranos
  4. The Simpsons
  5. Breaking Bad
  6. Sex and the City
  7. The Wire
  8. Seinfeld
  9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  10. Roots
  11. Cheers
  12. Sesame Street
  13. Succession
  14. The Twilight Zone
  15. Saturday Night Live
  16. All in the Family
  17. Oprah Winfrey Show
  18. The Golden Girls
  19. Playhouse 90
  20. 60 Minutes

I listed the Top 20 by Variety. My choices for my Top 20 would only include Seinfeld, Cheers and All in The Family. Mad Men may make my Top 25. I watched I Love Lucy when I was a kid but more because my mother watched it and we only had one TV back then.

MASH was #24 on Variety’s list but it is on my top 5. West Wing was ranked #25 by Variety but I would probably have it 10 or more spots higher on my mine.

The Sopranos richly deserves its high ranking. The Tonight Show was ranked #52 but I feel it is undervalued given the cultural influence it had on the country when Johnny Carson was host.

Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy by Brian Stelter (Brief Review)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really did not need to read this book. First, I am fully aware of Fox News journalism standards or lack of. One only has to watch five or 10 minutes of Hannity, Waters, Bartiromo, Ingraham, or most Fox broadcasting. Neil Cavuto may be the last person on Fox who at least tries to be somewhat impartial. Second, there was a lot of discussion and disclosure about this book when it was first published. I can’t say that I learned anything new by reading the book from cover to cover.

Stelter focused on the career, behavior and broadcasts of Tucker Carlson. I just found it hard to believe that Carlson believed half of what he broadcasted. There is evidence from this book that he really didn’t – – that he was concerned primarily about ratings and keeping the Fox/Trump base entertained and inflamed.

Given all the scandals and the cartoon nature of most of Fox’s commentators, I find it hard to categorize it as a news organization. I think it is a propaganda arm of the Republican party like Joseph Goebbels was the propaganda arm for the Nazi party.

Given the contents of the book, I was incredulous that Fox commentators were so quick to support the election deniers like Rudy Giuliani. What happened to Maria Bartiromo? She had a excellent reputation as a business reporter and now she is no more than a shill for wackos with strange political beliefs and claims (Sidney Powell).

Despite Fox settling their case, paying Dominion $797 million, nothing has really changed in terms of their broadcasting standards. Yes Tucker Carlson is no longer there but most of the same sad crew continues to spew rumors, innuendos, lies and exaggerations. Sadly nothing has changed at Fox News.

Stelter did dig up some interesting anecdotes and offered some plausible theories about the behavior and motivations of the Murdochs and many of the Fox commentators. As an industry insider, his viewpoints are worth consideration.