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Arsenic and Clam Chowder: Murder in Gilded Age New York
Born June 23, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, James D. Livingston studied engineering physics at Cornell University and received a PhD in applied physics from Harvard University in 1956. Since retiring from General Electric after a lengthy career as a research physicist, he has been teaching in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. Although a physicist by profession, he has long had a strong interest in American history, and is the coauthor, with Sherry H. Penney, of A Very Dangerous Martha Wright and Women's Rights .
226 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 18, 2019
The setting is 1896 New York. Evelina Bliss dies after being served some clam chowder bought by her daughter and delivered by her granddaughter. But was she poisoned or was it a natural death. Without modern day forensics it is hard to determine. The book sounded intriguing but I was rather bored by it. There is some New York history here that doesnt seem to have much connection to the murder but seems to be filler to help fill the book, which was thankfully short, at 203 pages and the last 30 pages or so are citing sources and index so about 170 pages of actual reading.
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March 27, 2021Fascinating short books about a famous trial that today nobody really knows: a woman of the famous 400, or at least a descendant of the famous Livingston family, accused to have poisoned her mother adding arsenic to the clam chowder...
added bonus: this young woman has four children, she is unmarried, and the children have 3 different fathers... This goes so against the idea of the nineteenth century young lady!
And then to add to the story, the young woman has the poisoned chowder delivered to her mother by her young daughter Gracie and her little friend Florence King..
It is such a crazy story... going against all your preconceived ideas about women in the 19th century!
And it takes you day by day, person by person, through the trial and also the press this famous trial gets... Totally amazing to follow Pulitzer's daily go against Hearst' s daily with new ways of looking at the woman at the center of all this... they hire everyone to write about Mary Alice Livingston, the poisoner, from a woman poet to a woman medium who tells the readers about the past lives of the accused...
FASCINATING...
You will gobble down this book faster than a bowl of creamy new england clam chowder, with or without arsenic!
added bonus: this young woman has four children, she is unmarried, and the children have 3 different fathers... This goes so against the idea of the nineteenth century young lady!
And then to add to the story, the young woman has the poisoned chowder delivered to her mother by her young daughter Gracie and her little friend Florence King..
It is such a crazy story... going against all your preconceived ideas about women in the 19th century!
And it takes you day by day, person by person, through the trial and also the press this famous trial gets... Totally amazing to follow Pulitzer's daily go against Hearst' s daily with new ways of looking at the woman at the center of all this... they hire everyone to write about Mary Alice Livingston, the poisoner, from a woman poet to a woman medium who tells the readers about the past lives of the accused...
FASCINATING...
You will gobble down this book faster than a bowl of creamy new england clam chowder, with or without arsenic!
September 22, 2016
Fascinating read. This book is intriguing at least as much for the details of court procedure, social history and glimpses into Old New York as it is for the crime reporting itself. The narrative is built around the murder of Evelina Bliss, who died after eating clam chowder laced with arsenic. Her daughter, Mary Alice Livingston, was arrested and tried for the crime and this book traces the investigation and trial.
As I mentioned above, it's fascinating stuff and while the author does go into great detail, I did find myself wishing for more. The book is well researched, and much of the story of the trial comes from family papers and newspapers of the time. However, I would have loved more of the human side of the story. What did people who knew the family have to say about this? What happened to Mary Alice's children after the trial? And so on...
Still, a very good book. If you're lucky enough to find a copy, definitely check it out.
As I mentioned above, it's fascinating stuff and while the author does go into great detail, I did find myself wishing for more. The book is well researched, and much of the story of the trial comes from family papers and newspapers of the time. However, I would have loved more of the human side of the story. What did people who knew the family have to say about this? What happened to Mary Alice's children after the trial? And so on...
Still, a very good book. If you're lucky enough to find a copy, definitely check it out.
April 20, 2012
On the afternoon of August 30, 1895, Mary Alice Livingston Fleming ordered clam chowder and lemon meringue pie from the kitchen of New York’s Colonial Hotel, where she lived with her three children. When it arrived, she wrapped the pie, poured the chowder into a pail, and asked her ten-year-old daughter Gracie to deliver the food to her mother, Evelina Bliss, who lived nearby.
The gesture was surprising, and suspicious. Mary Alice’s relations with her mother had been less than cordial, despite later protests to the contrary. She had borne three children out of wedlock and was pregnant with a fourth, an accomplishment that drew Mrs. Bliss’ ire. Mary Alice was also desperate for money, and Evelina was all that stood between her and a massive inheritance from her father. When Mrs. Bliss died hours after eating the chowder, Mary Alice was arrested for murder and became the darling of the New York press.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder recounts Mary Alice’s sensational 1896 murder trial. The case riveted the public for several reasons. One was that the defendant came from one of New York’s must illustrious families: the Livingstons. Another was that the crime was matricide, which was relatively rare at the time. A third, which sent the newspapers into a frenzy and made jury selection difficult, was that if found guilty, Mary Alice could be the first woman to die in New York’s electric chair. These factors, combined with salacious testimony about Mary Alice's unladylike love life, ensured that the courtroom was filled every day of the trial and kept the story on the front pages throughout the summer of 1896.
Author James D. Livingston does a nice job of linking Mary Alice to notable contemporary figures. While awaiting trial in the Tombs, one of her fellow inmates was Maria Barbella, an Italian immigrant who nearly became the electric chair’s first female victim. Her stepfather, Henry Hale Bliss, was struck by an automobile in September 1899, making him the first motor vehicle casualty in the United States. She faced Howe and Hummel, the city’s most notorious and corrupt criminal defense team, during a breach of promise suit she brought against a former lover.
In addition to recounting the crime, trial, and aftermath, Livingston explores issues such as jury bias, capital punishment, women’s rights, and the precise meaning of “reasonable doubt” in court cases. I didn’t find these statistic-laden sections as compelling as the rest of the narrative, but readers seeking a broader overview of the forces that helped decide Mary Alice Livingston Fleming’s fate will find persuasive evidence that the jury’s verdict was a foregone conclusion.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder can be enjoyed by True Crime fans, social historians, or mystery buffs wanting to see life imitate art.
The gesture was surprising, and suspicious. Mary Alice’s relations with her mother had been less than cordial, despite later protests to the contrary. She had borne three children out of wedlock and was pregnant with a fourth, an accomplishment that drew Mrs. Bliss’ ire. Mary Alice was also desperate for money, and Evelina was all that stood between her and a massive inheritance from her father. When Mrs. Bliss died hours after eating the chowder, Mary Alice was arrested for murder and became the darling of the New York press.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder recounts Mary Alice’s sensational 1896 murder trial. The case riveted the public for several reasons. One was that the defendant came from one of New York’s must illustrious families: the Livingstons. Another was that the crime was matricide, which was relatively rare at the time. A third, which sent the newspapers into a frenzy and made jury selection difficult, was that if found guilty, Mary Alice could be the first woman to die in New York’s electric chair. These factors, combined with salacious testimony about Mary Alice's unladylike love life, ensured that the courtroom was filled every day of the trial and kept the story on the front pages throughout the summer of 1896.
Author James D. Livingston does a nice job of linking Mary Alice to notable contemporary figures. While awaiting trial in the Tombs, one of her fellow inmates was Maria Barbella, an Italian immigrant who nearly became the electric chair’s first female victim. Her stepfather, Henry Hale Bliss, was struck by an automobile in September 1899, making him the first motor vehicle casualty in the United States. She faced Howe and Hummel, the city’s most notorious and corrupt criminal defense team, during a breach of promise suit she brought against a former lover.
In addition to recounting the crime, trial, and aftermath, Livingston explores issues such as jury bias, capital punishment, women’s rights, and the precise meaning of “reasonable doubt” in court cases. I didn’t find these statistic-laden sections as compelling as the rest of the narrative, but readers seeking a broader overview of the forces that helped decide Mary Alice Livingston Fleming’s fate will find persuasive evidence that the jury’s verdict was a foregone conclusion.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder can be enjoyed by True Crime fans, social historians, or mystery buffs wanting to see life imitate art.
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December 13, 2010There was a brief period in highschool when I became obsessed with true crime novels- In Cold Blood, The Executioner's Song, Shot in the Heart- and so when I had the chance to review Arsenic and Clam Chowder: Murder in Gilded Age New York by James D. Livingston it seemed like a good time to revisit my former love. Arsenic and Clam Chowder is a non-fiction account of the 1896 murder trial of Mary Alice Livingston, who was charged with killing her mother by lacing clam chowder with arsenic and having her daughter deliver it. If found guilty, Livingston faced the possibility of becoming the first woman to be executed using the electric chair.
Livingston has certainly done his research, and the story he tells is straightforward while incorporating details from the time period which make it realistic. However, perhaps because he didn't have the opportunity to talk to any of the individuals involved personally, I sometimes found it lacked the passion and richness I would have hoped for in order to become truly immersed in the story. I'm also not entirely sure that the story Livingston tells is entirely worthy of an entire novel- even at less than two hundred pages it often seemed like he was stretching things out, including a lot of information that felt irrelevant like the fashion for men's facial hair at the time (clean-shaven was out, beards were in).
In addition to the details of the trial, Livingston ends the book with two unique chapters. The first one contemplates what exactly beyond a reasonable doubt means and whether or not he believes Mary Alice was guilty. It provides an interest point for discussion on the book, as well as the philosophical implications of the death penalty, which isn't something you'd expect in a true crime novel. In the final chapter (or the Afterward) Livingston follows up with how everything turned out for the major characters in the book, including his own personal connection to Mary Alice. I particularly enjoyed the Afterward because it felt like the credits after a film which is based on a true story, when you find out what happened next, something you can only do if the actual event did not occur recently and which definitely satisfied my curiosity.
Ultimately, I think Livingston has found an interesting story to tell and does a fairly good job at telling it, although perhaps with more resources he would have been able to enrich it further. Although I wouldn't go outside your comfort zone to pick it up, for readers who enjoy either the time period, or true crime, Arsenic and Clam Chowder is certainly a worthwhile read.
Livingston has certainly done his research, and the story he tells is straightforward while incorporating details from the time period which make it realistic. However, perhaps because he didn't have the opportunity to talk to any of the individuals involved personally, I sometimes found it lacked the passion and richness I would have hoped for in order to become truly immersed in the story. I'm also not entirely sure that the story Livingston tells is entirely worthy of an entire novel- even at less than two hundred pages it often seemed like he was stretching things out, including a lot of information that felt irrelevant like the fashion for men's facial hair at the time (clean-shaven was out, beards were in).
In addition to the details of the trial, Livingston ends the book with two unique chapters. The first one contemplates what exactly beyond a reasonable doubt means and whether or not he believes Mary Alice was guilty. It provides an interest point for discussion on the book, as well as the philosophical implications of the death penalty, which isn't something you'd expect in a true crime novel. In the final chapter (or the Afterward) Livingston follows up with how everything turned out for the major characters in the book, including his own personal connection to Mary Alice. I particularly enjoyed the Afterward because it felt like the credits after a film which is based on a true story, when you find out what happened next, something you can only do if the actual event did not occur recently and which definitely satisfied my curiosity.
Ultimately, I think Livingston has found an interesting story to tell and does a fairly good job at telling it, although perhaps with more resources he would have been able to enrich it further. Although I wouldn't go outside your comfort zone to pick it up, for readers who enjoy either the time period, or true crime, Arsenic and Clam Chowder is certainly a worthwhile read.
January 7, 2025
super interesting & informative crime / court room trial account of a murder case of a woman (who was distantly related to the author) poisoning (well, maybe) her mother in the 1890s NYC. Reads like a very long newspaper article.
July 29, 2025
Good book if you want an history lesson!
October 24, 2010
On August 30, 1895, Mary Alice Livingston Fleming purchased clam chowder and a piece of lemon meringue pie from the Colonial Hotel Restaurant. Mary Alice lived in the hotel, which was also home to her stepfather, Henry H. Bliss. Though Mr. Bliss and Mary's mother, Evelina Bliss were now separated, her mother and step-father remained on good terms. Mr. Bliss even paid Mary Alice's bills.
Mary Alice had been alone in her apartment that day. When her children returned home, she asked her daughter Gracie and the girl's friend, Florence, to carry the clam chowder in a small tin pail and the pie wrapped in paper to Gracie's grandmother, Evelina.
Hours later, Evelina Bliss was dead. Mary Alice would soon be accused of her murder.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder: Murder in Gilded Age New York recounts the sensational 1896 murder trial of Mary Alice Livingston, a member of one of the most prestigious families in New York. Livingston was accused of murdering her mother with a lethal dose of arsenic found in the clam chowder that had been delivered by Mary Alice's daughter and her friend. Her motive: to gain access to the inheritance left by her father, which would become hers only after her mother's death.
By the time of Evelina's demise, Mary Alice had three children by three different men and was six months pregnant. Although she had never married, she took the name Fleming, which was the family name of the father of her first child. Mary Alice was no stranger to the court system. She had accused two of the fathers of her children with a breech of contract, claiming they agreed to marry her.
Mary Alice's trial would last months, providing fodder and sensational headlines for Joseph Pulitzer's World and Randolph Hurst's Journal. If convicted, Mary Alice would face the death penalty. During the time of her trial, juries were made up of men, so in order to provide her with a jury of her peers, Pulitzer formed a jury of "twelve well-known, brainy New York women" who would follow the case and pronounce a verdict. An all-out circulation war was on.
Witnesses from well-known experts to Mary Alice's daughter Gracie and her friend Florence would be examined and re-examined to discover the truth. The truth, however, remains elusive.
In this intriguing account of Mary Alice's trial, author James D. Livingston brings Mary Alice and the days in which she lived, up close and personal. So engaging that it reads more like a novel, Arsenic and Clam Chowder, is an impartial true crime story that brings the reader from that fateful day in August 1895, through Mary Alice's trial, and into a discussion of reasonable doubt. A distant cousin of Mary Alice and her family, Livingston's account is well-researched and throughly detailed, providing the reader with a glimpse into the Gilded Age in New York, capturing the headlines of the day, the industrial advances, and the society into which Mary Alice was born and lived. In the end, the reader must decide if the outcome of the trial was fair and right, based upon the facts provided. The author also provides his thoughts on the matter.
The Afterwards section follows the major players in Mary Alice's trial after the verdict; nicely wrapping up the story for readers. Also included are historical photographs of buildings, evidence, and sketches drawn during the trial.
If you love true crime novels, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of Arsenic and Clam Chowder by James D. Livingston!
Mary Alice had been alone in her apartment that day. When her children returned home, she asked her daughter Gracie and the girl's friend, Florence, to carry the clam chowder in a small tin pail and the pie wrapped in paper to Gracie's grandmother, Evelina.
Hours later, Evelina Bliss was dead. Mary Alice would soon be accused of her murder.
Arsenic and Clam Chowder: Murder in Gilded Age New York recounts the sensational 1896 murder trial of Mary Alice Livingston, a member of one of the most prestigious families in New York. Livingston was accused of murdering her mother with a lethal dose of arsenic found in the clam chowder that had been delivered by Mary Alice's daughter and her friend. Her motive: to gain access to the inheritance left by her father, which would become hers only after her mother's death.
By the time of Evelina's demise, Mary Alice had three children by three different men and was six months pregnant. Although she had never married, she took the name Fleming, which was the family name of the father of her first child. Mary Alice was no stranger to the court system. She had accused two of the fathers of her children with a breech of contract, claiming they agreed to marry her.
Mary Alice's trial would last months, providing fodder and sensational headlines for Joseph Pulitzer's World and Randolph Hurst's Journal. If convicted, Mary Alice would face the death penalty. During the time of her trial, juries were made up of men, so in order to provide her with a jury of her peers, Pulitzer formed a jury of "twelve well-known, brainy New York women" who would follow the case and pronounce a verdict. An all-out circulation war was on.
Witnesses from well-known experts to Mary Alice's daughter Gracie and her friend Florence would be examined and re-examined to discover the truth. The truth, however, remains elusive.
In this intriguing account of Mary Alice's trial, author James D. Livingston brings Mary Alice and the days in which she lived, up close and personal. So engaging that it reads more like a novel, Arsenic and Clam Chowder, is an impartial true crime story that brings the reader from that fateful day in August 1895, through Mary Alice's trial, and into a discussion of reasonable doubt. A distant cousin of Mary Alice and her family, Livingston's account is well-researched and throughly detailed, providing the reader with a glimpse into the Gilded Age in New York, capturing the headlines of the day, the industrial advances, and the society into which Mary Alice was born and lived. In the end, the reader must decide if the outcome of the trial was fair and right, based upon the facts provided. The author also provides his thoughts on the matter.
The Afterwards section follows the major players in Mary Alice's trial after the verdict; nicely wrapping up the story for readers. Also included are historical photographs of buildings, evidence, and sketches drawn during the trial.
If you love true crime novels, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of Arsenic and Clam Chowder by James D. Livingston!
October 27, 2010
Arsenic and Clam Chowder by James D. Livingston is a fascinating look at murder in Gilded Age New York. Mary Alice Livingston (a distant cousin of the author) was arrested in 1895 for sending her ten-year-old daughter Grace to deliver an pail of arsenic laced clam chowder to her mother Evelina Bliss in order to gain access to her inheritance. As Evelina suffered a grotesque and painful death, she informed the doctor that she was poisoned by a relative for money. The ensuing investigation and trial would put capital punishment for women and reasonable doubt on trial for the world to see, while competing newspapers the World and Journal wrote eloquent stories about her four illegitimate children from three different fathers. The author lays the case against Mary Alice well and captures the heightened tensions in New York City that surrounded the trial. These were the days that were filled with "trials of the century" when female poisoners haunted Victorian imaginations. I love true crime books based in this period, and this book is thoroughly enjoyable and interesting. The author finishes up with a discussion on how reasonable doubt affected this trial and how it works today. My only quibble would be that in one of the pictures included in the center of the book, the author gives away the outcome of the trial. That's a small complaint however. The images included truly help the reader to see the main characters more clearly, and the historical details he adds also bring this era to life. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
June 2, 2013
On Friday, August 30, 1895 Evalina returned home to her apartment. It was just your average day, so she was delighted when her ten year old grand-daughter brought over dinner; a tin pail of clam chowder and a pie wrapped in paper. Evalina immediately fell ill afterward eating it, and boldly told the doctor between waves of pain that her family did this to her. They poisoned her for her money. A few hours later, Evalina died.
Her daughter, Mary Alice Livingston, was accused of murdering her mother. Mary Alice said she was innocent; her mother was her best friend. But on further inspection, it would seem Mary Alice ordered room service from a hotel restaurant and on the ticket was clam chowder and a pie; which she promptly sent to her mother. Whether she added anything to it was for the courts to decide.
It seems when Mary Alice's father passed, he left quite a bit of money in a trust. Mary Alice needed it desperately. She was raising three kids on her own, but the trust wouldn't give Mary Alice the funds while her mother was alive. The odds were not stacking nicely against Mary Alice. Pregnant with her fourth child in prison, the book escalates into the courtroom, where Mary Alice is facing the possibility of being the first woman to be executed by electric chair.
Arsenice and Clam Chowder is a mystery and yet true story, filled with rich and vibrant characters, a solid plot, and a court room drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final verdict. A stellar read!
Her daughter, Mary Alice Livingston, was accused of murdering her mother. Mary Alice said she was innocent; her mother was her best friend. But on further inspection, it would seem Mary Alice ordered room service from a hotel restaurant and on the ticket was clam chowder and a pie; which she promptly sent to her mother. Whether she added anything to it was for the courts to decide.
It seems when Mary Alice's father passed, he left quite a bit of money in a trust. Mary Alice needed it desperately. She was raising three kids on her own, but the trust wouldn't give Mary Alice the funds while her mother was alive. The odds were not stacking nicely against Mary Alice. Pregnant with her fourth child in prison, the book escalates into the courtroom, where Mary Alice is facing the possibility of being the first woman to be executed by electric chair.
Arsenice and Clam Chowder is a mystery and yet true story, filled with rich and vibrant characters, a solid plot, and a court room drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final verdict. A stellar read!
November 5, 2010
I love reading about things that have happened in the past and this murder/trial that took place back in 1890's was an enjoyable read for me. It was so fascinating to me to keep reading on to find out what was happening next. I love true crime and historical type books and this defiantly was both. This was a hard to put down book.
The author does a fantastic job in writing this novel. I thought the Pictures and drawings in the middle of the book was very helpful in relating to what was being read in the book. I really enjoyed actually seeing what the characters and what the area looked like.
There were some twists in the book that just totally made me stop and say no way.... This is a book I would recommend to anyone who is wanting a well written fascinating wonderful read. If I had to put a star rating on this book it would get an easy 5 stars. It was wonderfully written, kept my attention, Very hard to put down and defiantly well worth the money.
* I have been provided a complimentary copy of Arsenic and Clam Chowder for review by the Author James D. Livingston threw an opportunity from Pump Up Your Book. By receiving a complimentary copy it in no way obligates me to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.*
The author does a fantastic job in writing this novel. I thought the Pictures and drawings in the middle of the book was very helpful in relating to what was being read in the book. I really enjoyed actually seeing what the characters and what the area looked like.
There were some twists in the book that just totally made me stop and say no way.... This is a book I would recommend to anyone who is wanting a well written fascinating wonderful read. If I had to put a star rating on this book it would get an easy 5 stars. It was wonderfully written, kept my attention, Very hard to put down and defiantly well worth the money.
* I have been provided a complimentary copy of Arsenic and Clam Chowder for review by the Author James D. Livingston threw an opportunity from Pump Up Your Book. By receiving a complimentary copy it in no way obligates me to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.*
November 3, 2010
A wonderfully written and well researched book, "Arsenic and Clam Chowder" is guaranteed to make you look at your family and food in a totally different light. Mr. Livingston does a fantastic job of telling the story of a powerful Socialite family and the tragedy that struck them and shook all of New York. What I found even more interesting is that the story is not just another story to the author, but is much more personal, as Mary Alice is his distant cousin!
I found this book transported me to the time, and made me familiar with New York in the late 1890's and early 1900's. His descriptions and retelling of events made the time and event come to life, making this an easy book to read. The twist that were revealed left me shocked and amazed. I was also amazed at how over 100 years ago, the evidence was collected and tested.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in True Crime, history of New York, the Gilded Age, or just a good book about a horrific deed centered around a bucket of clam chowder.
I found this book transported me to the time, and made me familiar with New York in the late 1890's and early 1900's. His descriptions and retelling of events made the time and event come to life, making this an easy book to read. The twist that were revealed left me shocked and amazed. I was also amazed at how over 100 years ago, the evidence was collected and tested.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in True Crime, history of New York, the Gilded Age, or just a good book about a horrific deed centered around a bucket of clam chowder.
November 19, 2010
Actually 4.5 Stars...
From my book review blog Rundpinne......"When I began Arsenic and Clam Chowder by James D. Livingston I was expecting a quaint cozy mystery and what I discovered immediately was a brilliantly reconstructed account of the 1896 murder trial of Mary Alice Livingston, accused of matricide"....The full review may be found here.
From my book review blog Rundpinne......"When I began Arsenic and Clam Chowder by James D. Livingston I was expecting a quaint cozy mystery and what I discovered immediately was a brilliantly reconstructed account of the 1896 murder trial of Mary Alice Livingston, accused of matricide"....The full review may be found here.
August 20, 2012
In full disclosure, I am a distant cousin of the author and a direct descendent of Robert Swift Livingston, the father of Mary Alice Almont Livingston (making her a 4gAunt), the woman who found herself the center of a notorious murder trial at the end of the 19th century. Thus, as one might expect, the book has a particular appeal for me. Nevertheless, the book should find a broader appeal to both those interested in true crime stories and those interested in America's Gilded Age.
August 13, 2021
Short but entertaining account of a poising incident in early-1900s New York City. I enjoy microhistories like this that give you a window into the era via a very specific life/event. I've found that approaching Gilded Age history is much more enjoyable this way, since top-down accounts just end up making me angry about how little has changed in modern America when it comes to capitalism and the unchecked power of the elite.
December 27, 2013
sea, murder, greed, science: this book has it all in a fascinating story of a murder in turn of the century New York. The author does an exemplary job of not only describing the trial but also the everyday world of the people involved in the case. So vivid and entertaining
July 18, 2011
Not as compelling as other historical non-fiction I've read recently, but still kept me reading.
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