Hero of the Empire by; Candice Millard

This is the third book written by this author. The others are; Destiny of the Republic and River of Doubt. Now I have read them all. She is an excellent writer using great research to provide interesting facts and intimate details that add to the authenticity. Rather than attempt to write my own review I will only write the following found on the jacket. “At age 24, Winston Churchill was utterly convinced it was his destiny to become Prime Minister of England one day, despite the fact he had just lost his first election campaign for Parliament. He believed that to achieve that goal he must do something spectacular on the battlefield. Despite putting himself in extreme danger as a British officer in the colonial wars in India and Sudan, and as a young journalist covering a Cuban uprising against the Spanish, glory and fame had eluded him.” “Churchill arrived in South Africa in 1899, valet and crates of vintage wine in tow, there to cover the brutal colonial war the British were fighting with Boer rebels. But just two weeks after his arrival, the soldiers he was accompanying on an armored train were ambushed and Churchill was taken prisoner. Remarkably he pulled off a daring escape--but then had to traverse hundreds of miles of enemy territory, alone, with nothing but a crumpled wad of cash, four slabs of chocolate, and his wits to guide him.” “The story of his escape is incredible enough, but then Churchill enlisted, returned to South Africa, fought in several battles, and ultimately liberated the men with whom he had been imprisoned.” For those of you interested in history as I am I strongly recommend this book to you. Mine is available on loan. Jack B. Walters April 5, 2017

Hillbilly Elegy By; J.D. Vance

This book has received great reviews and is ranked as #1 New York Times Bestseller. It was recommended to me by several friends. I went to the Library and was placed 356 on the waiting list. Another friend in OLLI loaned me his copy last week. I have finished and will now make a short report. It is well written. At the end he thanks the many people who helped him. When I wrote my memoirs I never allowed anyone to see what I was writing until the book was published. Perhaps it could have been better, I will never know. I didn’t want anyone to soften my comments and be more politically correct. One accomplishment this author received was publicity creating huge book sales. I gave my copies away. No one who didn’t know me would be interested enough to purchase. As well as this was written I do not understand why it is so popular. It is his life story. The fact that he was born in Kentucky rather than New York as I was doesn’t have any special hardship as far as I am concerned. He does add comments about lifestyles in Middle America and draws conclusions which are of general interest. I apologize for not reacting as others have. It is worth reading but as a primer for solving our nation’s problems I learned nothing new. Jack B. Walters March 28, 2017

ouch/oops article

I was very pleased to read your article and particularly pleased that the Star chose to put in in large print on the front page. I was made aware as you were by listening to the morning talk show as I was driving. My take is twofold; 1- This is a microcosm of what is happening all over America in our Universities. I read where Berkeley spends in the millions. Mr. Trevino’s salary of $214,000 is just the tip. If you are truly interested I suggest you find out the staffing of this new department and the total cost projected. The University feels this is justified while at the same time requesting a large increase in tuition. 2- I will not take the space to list out the many categories as you put in your article. Don’t you believe that by creating all of these different groups that you are fomenting hatred and division, putting one group against another? You went to college and so did I. I went there to learn what I needed for my hoped for career as an engineer. The courses I took were all to prepare me. I took no interest in other activities. After school I studied and worked jobs to help pay my way thru. All of this new activity gets in the way of learning in my way of thinking. How are we ever to come together as a people if we keep dividing us this way? I will admit I am white and went to college in the forties after the war. Perhaps I was just one of those lucky people but I want to state I worked hard for anything I achieved. I never felt of myself as being privileged. Prior to the GI Bill of Rights only the sons of Doctors and lawyers went to college. FDR changed all that for which I am still grateful. We transformed the country and created a golden age that lasted until the mid-70’s. Jack B. Walters March 26, 2017

Letter to the publisher published

George W. Bush Speaks Out Isn’t it wonderful that former President Bush lectures President Trump about the Press? He was applauded when during the entire eight years of President Obama he kept silent. Our new President does not only have the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party to contend with, he has many in the Republican leadership chipping away at him on a daily basis. I include Senator McCain in that group. Those of us who believe in Trump are watching with deep interest. Jack B. Walters March 1, 2017

This is a followup letter after my previous letter was published

I have had a great week I wrote a letter to the editor of the Arizona Daily Star on Monday. It was published on Wednesday. The subject was Senator McCain and his constant ranting in the press about any and everything our new President did. In Thursday’s paper there were two letters almost violent in their condemnation of mine. Low and behold on Friday there was another and not only that put the publisher found a letter from a columnist for the LA Times and printed it. It was two columns wide and the full length of the page. Guess what, on Saturday they printed another scornful letter berating me. I couldn’t be happier. I struck a nerve. I expect negative feedback from my OLLI classmates next week as well. I have joked from time to time that I can’t die; I have so many people I haven’t pissed off yet. A lot more work to do. I may live forever. I may have discovered the secret for a long life. Jack B. Walters February 4, 2017

Letter to the editor published

Open letter to Senator McCain Almost daily you are published in our paper with criticism of President Trump for one issue or another. It would seem logical that from your esteemed position that you could communicate directly rather than through the use of Media. I am sure he would take a call from you. What you do not understand is that you believe we voted for your Republican principles. Nothing could be further from the truth. We voted for Trump and included Republican Congress people as that was the only reasonable thing to do. The Republican Party has been just as useless as the Democratic Party. Your job is to provide council and support as our President tries to get our country back on track If you and other Republicans get in the way the next election you will all be gone. You have two years to get it right. My hope is that you will. Jack B. Walters January 31, 2017

White Trash

(The 400 Year Untold History of Class in America) By; Nancy Isenberg This is one of the most depressing books I have ever read. The author shreds any idea the reader might have of how our country came to be. She attacks all of my heroes including Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Jackson and Thomas Paine. She only stops when she ran out of time and published the book. She ends with Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. To give you an idea, on page 320 she lists all of the adjectives that she used throughout the book to describe the lowest element of society; Waste people, Offscourings, Lubbers, Bogtrotters, Rascals, Rubbish, Squatters, Crackers, Clay-eaters, Tackies, Mudsills, Scalawags, Briar-hoppers, Hillbillies, Low-downers, White-niggers, Degenerates, White-trash, Swamp people. I had never even heard of some of these descriptions. Our wholesome history as taught when we were in school had us think of the good people leaving on the Mayflower to be allowed freedom of worship. She describes boatloads of criminals emptied out of jails and poor people who went as indentured servants. We, of course, knew about this. She makes it worse by describing early settlers as indigent, lazy bums looking for an easy way out. This doesn’t change throughout the book. Everything she wrote may be completely accurate. I read it to the end as I always do. I do not recommend reading but if you are interested the Tucson Library has over 10 copies in circulation. Jack B. Walters January 5, 2017