BOOK REVIEW: Kate Field: The Many Lives of a Nineteenth-Century American Journalist by Gary Scharnhorst

Several months ago, I read Matthew Goodman’s book Eighty Days about Nelly Bly’s race around the world in 1889. I was intrigued by this celebrity journalist and even more intrigued by her rival, Elizabeth Bisland. However, these two were relative newcomers to the field. Kate Field (1838-1896) was a famous woman of letters/journalist who predated them by many years.

Although famous in her time, Kate Field has slipped into obscurity. I chanced upon a biography written by Gary Scharnhorst, Kate Field: The Many Lives of a Nineteenth-Century American Journalist, and learned a great deal about this extraordinary woman.

Born in 1838 to parents who were celebrated actors of the time, Kate had an unconventional upbringing. Her father not only acted, but he also wrote for a number of newspapers, showing Kate that this was a viable way to earn a living. She was introduced early on to influential people and perfected the art of networking.

At age 16, after the death of her father, Kate went to Italy to study voice. Bronchitis put an end to her studies, but she began writing letters for publication in newspapers back in the states. She became fascinated by Italian politics and, for a while, reported on the goings-on in that country, until her editors, put off by her increasingly biased articles, declined to print any more. She continued writing less controversially on her travels. When she returned to the U.S., she went on the lecture circuit, a more lucrative career than reporting. She was an instant hit.

Having mastered self-promotion, she applied her skills to promoting products. She became a spokesperson in Britain for the newfangled telephones, even getting the queen to listen in and purchase a couple. By all accounts, her advertising campaign was a great success.

In addition to advertising products, Kate used her writing and lecturing platforms for many political causes. She made enemies in the feminist community because she was anti-women’s suffrage. (She was also anti-universal suffrage, preferring property requirements.) She went on the attack against Mormonism. She was also anti-Temperance. Or, as she preferred to say, she was pro-True-Temperance, which was NOT abstinence. She became a spokesperson for the California wine industry, insisting people were better off drinking good wine in moderation.

Despite constant work, Kate was always in need of money. She decided to turn her hand to acting, believing it would be more remunerative than writing. Acting was in her blood. Nevertheless, her first attempts on the American stage were panned. Undaunted, she returned to Europe and tried again, using a stage name. There she was more favorably received.

Kate Field was a whirlwind. She had her admirers and detractors. (Mark Twain couldn’t stand her, but they competed for some of the same audience and dollars.) She was intelligent and a biting critic. She was kind to her friends, but quick to turn on them when they disagreed with or criticized her. (She handed out criticism freely but was very thin-skinned.)

The biography is balanced, highlighting her versatility and perseverance, but not sugar-coating her faults. She left behind a large body of work and, whether admired or not, she deserves to be remembered more than she has been.

BOOK REVIEW: Abigail. A Novel by Jess Heileman

After the last two books I read, I needed some light escapist fiction. I chose Abigail. A Novel by Jess Heileman, which was getting good reviews on goodreads.

This clean Regency Romance is told from the perspective of Abigail Blakeslee, a young woman who missed her debut because of the death of her mother. Abigail is not a particularly social person, partly because of a secret in her past that needs to stay secret. However, her father and younger brother are determined that she find happiness, which means pushing her out into the world.

For a start, Abigail is persuaded to accept an invitation issued by her aunt to join her cousins for the summer at the country house of the Stantons, a wealthy but untitled family. Abigail’s cousin Helena is as good as betrothed to the heir, Edwin Stanton. Abigail is not overly fond of Helena but she does like the younger cousin, Hannah. This small gathering is a good opportunity to polish her social skills in anticipation of the next Season.

From the moment she arrives, Abigail is put off by Edwin, who is harsh, serious, and unfriendly. Helena fawns over him, excusing his ill manners. Edwin is attentive to Helena but not enthusiastic. He soon begins paying more attention to Abigail, though much of the attention seems critical, at least as Abigail interprets it.

There are other houseguests as well, including the handsome, charming Lord Ramsey. (Everyone but Abigail can see his charm is false.) But he makes such a pleasant foil to Edwin that Abigail allows him to flatter her and finds herself flirting in return. Yet, as the days wear on, she finds there is more to Edwin than was first apparent. Moreover, Edwin’s sister, Diana, works tirelessly to throw the two of them together, much to the irritation of Helena and Abigail’s aunt. Helena and her mother grow nastier and more threatening as they become concerned Abigail is drawing Edwin away.

Abigail falls for Edwin, but tries to avoid him, since she has no intention of stealing her cousin’s betrothed. It’s clear to the reader that Helena and Edwin are a terrible match and that Edwin is much more impressed with Abigail. But Abigail is convinced Edwin loves Helena. (Helena is pretty, but her personality is so grating it’s hard to see why Abigail is fooled.) Even when she begins to believe Edwin may want her instead, Abigail refuses to be the cause of Helena’s broken heart. Finally, she discovers Helena does not love Edwin. But what does Edwin want?

It’s a sweet story even if Abigail is a bit slow to pick up on what’s going on. Her own secret is eventually revealed. It’s rather a contrived bit of coincidence, but ties up the loose ends and allows for a satisfying happy-ever-after. This is a quick, light read, just the antidote I was looking for.

BOOK REVIEW: The Overstory by Richard Powers

A friend lent me The Overstory by Richard Powers. It’s a remarkable book, but since it left me feeling depressed, angry, guilty, and hopeless, I hesitate to recommend it. Reading it on the heels of The Financier by Theodore Dreiser was doubly painful. Yet the book is powerful and I’m grateful my friend brought it to my attention.

The author is undeniably talented. The writing is evocative and the structure brilliant. I’m impressed by the breadth and depth of his knowledge of trees and of human experience. The amount of research that had to have gone into this is daunting to imagine. It’s a book with a strong message presented in such a poetic way it doesn’t come across as preachy. But that message is damning. If there is a hint of redemption for mankind in the end, I think I missed it.

The book begins with a section titled "Roots." Powers introduces the reader to several main characters, sometimes beginning with their ancestors so we truly get to know how they were formed into what they are. Some are individuals and others we meet as part of a couple. As I waded through the first part of the book, I got a bit exasperated because even beautiful writing plods when it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Where was the plot?

The plot shows up in the second part, titled "Trunk." Incredibly, the varied people come together and forge a purpose. (And the book grows into a novel instead of what seemed to be a collection of unrelated short stories.)

Trees are being destroyed. Old growth forests are being mowed down at a shocking speed. These trees are irreplaceable. By now, we have been immersed enough in each character to understand how different trees have played a formative role in each of their lives. Maybe we’ve even paused to remember significant trees in our own lives. The fact that trees communicate, that trees have agency, is acceptable fact and not fantasy. We pull for the trees as hard as the newly-minted radical tree-huggers do. We feel the urgency of the plotline. Saving the trees is essential to saving us all.

The novel is not as simplistic as that. It has too many layers to try presenting them all. I won’t go into spoilers, except to say there is a painful inevitability to the story’s progression, through sections titled "Crown" and "Seeds."

At roughly 500 pages, the novel is long but not frighteningly so. Yet it is so dense with meaning that it reads as a much longer book. Nevertheless, it was worth the time invested. It’ll stick with me a long while.

BOOK REVIEW: The Financier by Theodore Dreiser

For those disheartened by the current state of politics/economics, The Financier by Theodore Dreiser is probably not the best book to read. It’s not a satisfying novel for those who hope that at least in fiction, justice will prevail. Published in 1912, this is one of those brilliant classics that is as relevant today as when it was written, no matter how much we may wish it was not relevant.

Frank Cowperwood was the son of a mediocre banker in post-Civil War Philadelphia. Frank knew from an early age that he was going to make scads of money. Shrewd, brutally intelligent, and completely amoral, Frank made his way up in the world working at various finance-related jobs until he was able to open his own brokerage company. He came to the attention of various wealthy, none-too-scrupulous, politically connected men in the city who were impressed by his understanding of the intricacies of the world of finance. He made money hand-over-fist, but too slowly for his liking, especially because he could see there was real money to be made if only he could take over the streetcar lines in growing parts of the city. For that, he needed even more capital.

His big break came when the newly-elected city treasurer, a dull political hack, appointed because he was weak and biddable, came to him for financial advice: he needed to sell city bonds for more than most people were willing to pay for them. Frank knew how this could be done in a way that would allow him to skim a good deal of money off the top, with a little on the side for the treasurer as well. Although not legal in a strict sense, "everybody was doing it."

Frank was not only grasping when it came to money. While fairly young, he married a pretty, wealthy widow whose bewildered reluctance he easily overcame. He bought a large house and furnished it expensively. He had two children. But all the while, his main goal was ever more money.

He fell in with a wealthy businessman who also speculated in just about everything, Edward Butler. They had a mutually beneficial working relationship and for a time liked, or at least respected, one another. But Butler had a beautiful, high-spirited, young daughter. It wasn’t long before Frank put her on his list of things to acquire. Pampered, spoiled, and convinced no man was good enough for her except for the wealthy Mr. Cowperhood, Aileen Butler rushed headlong into her seduction. Adultery, betrayal – none of this meant anything to these two excruciatingly selfish people.

Frank continued to use city money for self-aggrandizement while seeing Aileen on the side. Everything was going swimmingly for him until the Great Chicago Fire. The ensuing financial panic reached Frank even in Philadelphia as insurance companies, banks, and businesses failed. Frank was overextended, owing money to creditors who wanted it speedily as well as being five hundred thousand dollars in the hole to the city. On shaky legal ground, he was nevertheless confident he’d done nothing wrong. At least, not wrong enough to ruin him or land him in jail. The city treasurer was in a worse position, being such a poor steward of public funds. Frank tried to intimidate the man into lending him even more city money so that they (or at least Frank) could get through the worst of it. For once, Frank’s schemes didn’t work.

His exposure was so great that to buy time he tried to enlist men more wealthy and powerful than himself. He had the gall to go first to Butler.

With an election coming up, the wealthy businessmen of the city hunkered down and looked for someone to blame for the misuse of city funds. They pulled their support from their treasurer-puppet. Someone would have to take the fall, either Cowperwood or the treasurer. Or both.

At just this time, Aileen and Frank were found out, thanks to an anonymous tipster. Butler, an aggrieved, infuriated, broken-hearted father, convinced his cronies that Frank should be the scapegoat.

Frank is such an awful person, that even though everyone is greedy and awful in his sphere, the magnitude of his offenses and his utter lack of remorse makes the reader hope for his downfall. Aileen is obstinate in her refusal to believe anything Frank may have done should hurt them. Wrong or not, if she and Frank benefitted, nothing else mattered. She doesn’t care who gets hurt and even blames her father for trying to keep her from her lover.

Frank is convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary. Readers may rejoice. But don’t be fooled into thinking karma got him. Even there, privilege buys him special treatment. He adapts. He’s released early. He ends up with Aileen. It’s a devastating ending.

The novel is written in old-fashioned style with an omniscient narrator and dense details of the financial world. Every new character is introduced with wordy physical description that stops the action dead. And yet, the book is gripping. I didn’t want to put it down. There is a sequel that follows Cowperwood west to Chicago. I’m sure I’ll have to read it at some point. But I’m too drained now by the apparent triumph of such disgusting people.

BOOK REVIEW: Jay Cooke's Gamble. The Northern Pacific Railroad, The Sioux, and the Panic of 1873 by M. John Lubetkin

Jay Cooke’s Gamble. The Northern Pacific Railroad, The Sioux, and the Panic of 1873 by M. John Lubetkin is a fascinating account of the bold, visionary (or impractical, depending on perspective) endeavor to build a second transcontinental railroad in the 1870s.

I’m interested in learning about the Panic of 1873, but quickly discovered that U.S. economic history is far too convoluted and complex to grasp without investing a lot of time – and I’m not that interested in it. When I came across this book, I thought it might be a way to approach the topic obliquely. I expected something detail-rich and narrow in focus, but dry. But this book is anything but dry.

Lubetkin has researched the topic thoroughly and presents it in a well-organized, tension-filled fashion. The major players are fleshed-out, three-dimensional people whose talents and strong points are balanced with their foibles. While the author was reasonably non-biased, I nevertheless found myself rooting for some and peeved with others.

Jay Cooke is the focal point. The most prominent banker of the time, Cooke was particularly skilled at selling bonds – a talent that gained him the reputation as financier of the Civil War in the North. After the war, he needed a new calling and found it in the Northern Pacific Railroad. Convinced it was God’s will that he help open up the Pacific Northwest to Christian settlement, Cooke took on ownership of the foundering project.

His own reputation was sterling, but he partnered with J. Gregory Smith and Thomas H. Canfield, two greedy, dishonest men who began bilking the company pretty much as soon as it was formed.

Aside from the financial shenanigans, construction of the railroad was hampered by the lack of a defined route. The bulk of the narrative concerns the surveying expeditions sent out to determine the best path. Although led by dedicated, hardworking men, the surveys were troubled by poor maps, horrible weather, and fear of Native Americans. The route along the Yellowstone River took them through the territory of Sitting Bull and the Sioux, who were well aware that a railroad through their hunting grounds would be devastating. The survey teams received military escorts, but these were of inconsistent efficacy, especially as a couple of the top commanders were alcoholics whose leadership was unreliable.

The final survey, just before the collapse, received the largest military escort. The calvary was commanded by George Armstrong Custer. The author does a wonderful job of portraying Custer fairly, showing both his strengths and weaknesses, a harbinger of things to come.

In the end, the combined financial strains, environmental forces, and fear of Indian attack were too much for skittish investors. Cooke had more and more difficulty raising the necessary funds to keep the company solvent. His own bank was too heavily invested in the railroad. When one of his junior executives bailed out and betrayed him, Cooke was blind-sided and hadn’t time to gather resources to save his bank and smaller connected banks. While many other factors also played into the Panic of 1873, Cooke’s bankruptcy was a major precipitant.

The summary does not do justice to how well this book presents the material. Using letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, and a host of other material, Lubetkin transports the reader into the midst of the events. I’m surprised by how riveting I found the read.

BOOK REVIEW: Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy

Years ago, I read Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery with my daughter and I’m still nostalgic for the shared enjoyment. When I saw Sarah McCoy wrote a novel focusing on Marilla Cuthbert, the woman who took Anne in and grew to love her as a daughter, I knew it was a book I had to read.

Marilla of Green Gables is a sweet prequel to the beloved Anne series. It opens with a young Marilla working devotedly alongside her brother, Matthew, on their parents’ farm. Her father, Hugh, is a man of few (to no) words. Her mother is more sociable but currently isolated due to a difficult pregnancy. Marilla’s Aunt Izzy has just arrived from the city to help out. Izzy tries expanding Marilla’s world, if only by taking her out more to spend time with the neighbors. Marilla meets the girl who will be her closest friend, Rachel White. Marilla also becomes reacquainted with a neighbor, John Blythe. The two are destined to fall in love.

Unfortunately, tragedy strikes. Marilla’s mother dies in childbirth. Her last words extract a promise from Marilla to take care of her father and brother. No doubt, Marilla misinterprets her mother’s intention. She takes it into her head that she has promised never to leave Green Gables – never to marry or have a life of her own. Maybe it’s an excuse. She loves her home and doesn’t want to leave.

Marilla leads a fairly quiet life, devoted to her family, punctuated by encounters with John that leave her questioning her choice. Often she is irritated by her own conflicting desires and strikes out, pushing John away. (Readers may grow frustrated by her here.)

Marilla is a native of Prince Edward Island. During the time frame of the novel, Canada is undergoing an upheaval as conservatives (those loyal to the Crown) and liberals (those who look to the U.S. as an example of freedom) come to violence. Marilla comes from a long line of conservatives. John is a liberal.

Additional historical context is provided with Marilla’s response to slavery in the United States. Through charity work, Marilla comes in contact with ex-slaves who have escaped by crossing into Canada. Although slavery is against the law in Canada, slave catchers are active and are supported by the government. Marilla and her aunt Izzy work with a Catholic orphanage to help runaways. This is more dangerous work than I would have expected, imagining Canada as a more welcoming haven.

The injection of these historical bits adds drama and interest to Marilla’s tale. The failed courtship gives the story poignancy and provides a plausible backstory for the Marilla of Anne’s story. You don’t have to have read Anne of Green Gables to appreciate Marilla of Green Gables, but you’ll be missing out on a beautiful classic if you don’t. Like L.M. Montgomery’s works, this book can be enjoyed by older children and adults of all ages.

BOOK REVIEW: Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

Continuing with Georgette Heyer’s re-released mysteries, I read Death in the Stocks. In this delightfully humorous novel, a corpse is discovered early on, stabbed in the back and propped up in the stocks on the village green. The novel is set in the early twentieth century, so the stocks were a quaint historical relic as well as a bit of a red herring.

The victim is Arnold Vereker, a wealthy businessman from London, a nasty and disliked character who had taken a home in the country as a weekend getaway for himself and various lady friends. The immediate investigation of his home revealed a young woman at the house, his half-sister Antonia (Tony) Vereker, who had come from London to argue with him, but not, she claims, to kill him.

In short order, we meet her attorney, Giles Carrington, a sensible man who is a cousin by marriage, Tony’s artist brother Kenneth, Kenneth’s fiancé, a cold beauty named Violet, and Tony’s fiancé, Rudolph. Rudolph is the accountant for Arnold’s corporation and he has recently been caught embezzling. Everyone hated Arnold for one reason or another, except for Violet, who is nevertheless pleased to hear that he’s dead since Kenneth is the heir and will now be wealthy.

They all have terrible alibis and are quite glib about the whole affair, which exasperates the inspector and troubles Giles. Giles happens to be in love with Tony and is just waiting for her betrothal to Rudolph to fall apart. He works with the inspector while counseling his cousins, a conflict of interest of which they are all aware but accept.

Things are confusing enough, and then, Arnold’s long-lost, presumed dead brother Roger appears on the scene, recently returned from South America. He replaces Kenneth as heir and chief suspect. His alibi is even weaker. The siblings are pleased to pin blame on him, though no one seems to actually believe him guilty. They also bandy about the possibility of their own blame. Kenneth, in particular, takes pleasure in baiting the inspector. However, when Roger is murdered, Kenneth is not so amused. It isn’t the fact that his own guilt now seems assured, but rather, he fears being the next victim.

The inspector is a competent detective who methodically pursues clues and discusses them with Giles, the only sane-appearing member of the family. Giles does his own clue chasing, being better informed and knowing the quirks of the Verekers. Naturally, it is Giles who solves the case.

The plot zips along and the mystery is well constructed to keep everyone guessing. What makes this novel shine, however, is the dialogue and the relationships among the various characters. It is farcical for a murder mystery, and also contains a cute romance. Although the novel started out a bit slowly, establishing who’s who and what their motives might be, it’s well worth sticking with it to see how it all plays out.