Book Nook Cafe discussion
Group Read
>
The Bully Pulpit ~ October 2015
Your welcome ! I think it's something in my personality that I have to look up all these things as I read. Thank heaven for the internet or I'd go nuts ! I think it's the Warden that I have. Not sure. Since you've read more than one Trollope I guess you enjoyed the books.
Deb, you would be a very positive addition to any salon.
Oh, thank you, Alias.I'm not sure i am a Trollope fan but i also don't dislike him. After reading The Warden, i decided i wasn't interested enough to read further in the 6-volume series. I read Lady Anna with the AOL British & American Classics group, i believe.
I'm still on Chapter 6. (Improved health seems to mean more outings!) In this chapter we learn more about TR's work with the Civil Service Commission. This interests me because when i read Candace Millard's Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President the amount of time Garfield spent on assigning patronage jobs. Millard gave the impression it was what he spent most of his limited administration doing, day after day. And this was after the CSC was established, btw, but with limited funding. Garfield's successor, Chester Arthur, finally made the commission a permanent part of the government. As i haven't read his bio, i don't know if Arthur did this as a sort of reaction to the fact Garfield was killed by a rejected office seeker.
I hope to get some reading in this week. My niece who has a toddler that just turned three had another baby. She had a cesarean so she needs some help. So I will be there for the week to help with the new baby boy. I don't know how much free time I will have, but what I do have I will try to get some Bully Pulpit time in.
Congratulations to you & your family on the new addition. Your niece is fortunate to have you helping her. I had two cesareans and know i valued my mom's help with the household, the firstborn toddler and the baby. It all helped me recover faster. I will say that my mom's advice was good. The baby will be content (except for feeding, if being breastfed) by anyone but the toddler will "need" mom's attention more during this time. It's the reassurance the newborn isn't taking over the house that soothes their mind.
I hope you enjoy the visit, busy though it will be. Our best to the entire family. What a good aunt you are.
Thank you, deb. My niece is exhausted. She hasn't been able to sleep well during the whole pregnancy due to reflux. I told her what they tell you on airplanes. You have to put your oxygen mask on first. You can't take care of anyone if you don't take care of yourself first. So hopefully she will sleep and let me take care of the newborn so she can get some sleep and rest.
Her 3 year old used to being the center of the world and we all are just allowed to orbit him. :) So this is a big change.
I went to B&N and picked up a Thomas Train book and also a Thomas Train water color paint book. We all are trying to show him a bit of extra attention.
Today she went to the mall with him to Trick or Treat to give him some mommy alone time. My sister, her mom, watch the baby.
Thanks again !
** sorry to hijack the thread with baby talk !
LOL! I'm sure both men would accommodate such talk. I'm glad to see everyone has an eye out for the 3 year old, as well as the newborn & mom. Your "airplane" advice was perfect, imo. Hurrah, YOU!
Reflections on Chapter 9:Admiration for TR on his record as governor of New York, where he worked towards legislation to establish an 8-hour day for state employees; limit the maximum hours women and children could work in private industry; improve working conditions for children; hire more factory inspectors; and mandate air brakes on freight trains.
Not to mention convincing the state legislature to preserve tens of thousands of forested acres in the Catskills and the Adirondacks and his mighty efforts at conservation of natural lands and wildlife habitats. AND his comments that "it was a matter of plain decency for corporations to pay their share of taxes," and his stated belief that "the Republican party should be beaten, and badly beaten, if we took the attitude of saying that corporations should not, when they receive great benefits and make a great deal of money, pay their share of the public burdens" --which led to his support for a bill that would compel coprporations to disclose information on "their structure and finance." Go, Teddy! Even though the GOP of today would totally run you out of town on a rail.
Thought it was interesting how Teddy ended up on the ballot as vice president. Even though he didn't want the job. And Edith didn't want him to get the job. And even though Henry Cabot Lodge warned him in no uncertain terms that he should avoid the Republican Convention entirely if he didn't want to be nominated for the job. Pge 332: "Though Roosevelt acknowledged his friend's admonitions, he was constitutionally incapable of forgoing involvement." (emphasis mine) Wonder what would have happened if Teddy had stayed home like Edith wanted him to?
Extra checkmarks in my "Nellie Taft Fan Club" column. When Taft came home with the news that he had been chosen by President McKinley to take on the role of Governor-General of the Phillipines, Nellie agreed immediately. She later admitted that "perhaps she should have given the prospect of moving three children under 10 years old more than 8,000 miles from home more consideration," but said she "knew instantly that she didn't want to miss a big and novel experience." She's an adventurer, my Nellie is!
And a force of nature. To wit: Page 343, when Nellie and Taft arrived in the Phillipines: "Nellie worked side by side with her husband. Upon arrival, he encouraged her to 'enter upon some work of public importance like the organization of a Phillipine Orchestra and Phillipine bands.' She needed no further prompting." Nellie then proceeded to help create the Phiilipine Constabulary Band.
Nellie also made the reduction of infant mortality in Manila her pet cause. She instituted an educational campaign on good nutition and launched a program to provide the city's children with sterilized milk, a campaign credited with saving many lives.
And in everything they did, Nellie and Taft advocated respect for the native culture. (In fact, Taft hadn't even wanted the job to begin with because he had been "strongly opposed to taking the Phillipines, believing that the U.S. should not take on a responsibility contrary to our traditions and at a time when we had quite enough to do at home." Right on, Will!) But when he got there, he was determined to provide education and involved the ntive populace in government, even though that wasn't a popular opinion among U.S. military brass. Nellie and Will, in defiance of the established order, made it a rule that "neither politics nore race should influence their hospitality in any way." Two thumbs up in my book.
Amy wrote: "Reflections on Chapter 9:Admiration for TR on his record as governor of New York, where he worked towards legislation to establish an 8-hour day for state employees; limit the maximum hours women..."
I just began chapter 6.
I admire TR for wading into difficult situations and not accepting the status quo. When he saw an unfair situation he would try to fix things.
I like how he tried to change things with the spoils system when he was Civil Service Commissioner.
Amy wrote: Extra checkmarks in my "Nellie Taft Fan Club" column.":) She must have been such a fun lady to be around. Smart and always up for adventure.
I thought at the end of chapter 5 it was very interesting how Goodwin laid out the differences between Nellie and Edith.
It particular I thought this line about how they used books was a real insight into their personalities.
p133
"For Nellie, literature was a way to engage the larger world, to explore the social issues of the day; reading and writing were intensely personal pursuits for Edith, a way to isolate herself and create a private world to share with those she let in."
Ya gotta admire Nellie's sense of adventure in moving so far from all she knew.
chapter 5page 126
Here is the book that that she says was one of he top 10 best sellers in American history.
Progress and Poverty----Henry George
chapter 6page 141
I had no idea what this reference was.
"Mr. Roosevelt is a regular young Lochinvar, the Boston Evening Times remarked."
Lochinvar
Lochinvar, fictional romantic hero of the ballad “"Marmion"” (1808) by Sir Walter Scott.
Lochinvar is a brave knight who arrives unannounced at the bridal feast of Ellen, his beloved, who is about to be married to “a laggard in love and a dastard in war.” Lochinvar claims one dance with the bride and dances her out the door, swooping her up onto his horse, and they ride off together into the unknown.
The poem characterizes the hero as follows:
O, young Lochinvar is come out of the west,
Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;
And save his good broadsword, he weapons had none,
He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone.
So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.
Thanks for sharing that, Alias. i guess i just skipped right over that.One thing is clear, i've already added plenty of books & authors to check out.
deb, I can see how the books mentioned would be ones you would enjoy as you like the older classics.
Why i am drawn to early novels & US history, i cannot explain. Part is that i like to read what our ancestors read. However, my TBR list explodes as a result!
Amy wrote: "Reflections on Chapter 7:One strike against Teddy in my mind at the start of this chapter: Description of the bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago in 1886 during a demonstration against the dea..."
I agree, Amy, about the sense of disappointment with TR. I also felt that way when discussing his college years & his mind's separation between gentlemen students & the others. Still, I'm hoping this is part of his growth process.
Like you, reading about McClure's magazine and their writers. I was pleased to learn more about Ida Tarbell and her past. Interesting woman but previously i only knew the barest about her.
From what little else I've read about her, it seems that Ida Tarbell was not a supporter of women's rights and the suffrage movement. Which seems completely contrary to the way she lived her life forging ahead and succeeding at such high levels in a male-dominated industry. It's a fascinating contradiction, really.
I wonder if she is atypical or not. This week we visited a museum honoring women from Oklahoma. At least a third of the women who were actively working outside the home, whether married or not, were against women's suffrage. One woman ran for office on a platform of keeping women at home! I'm not sure if that's irony or what.
Chapter 8.I thought it was interesting that McClure's magazine covered the economic aspects of the Spanish American War, contrasting it with peace efforts, etc. I couldn't help but wonder if Kearns Goodwin was pointing out the inadequacy of today's press in doing the same when Bush began the war. Regardless, it was instructive to learn the magazines did so, particularly in light of the apparent fervor of citizens for the action.
Chapter 6I finished chapter 6.
I do wish the the author organized the book differently. I would have preferred one chapter on Taft then the next on TR. Instead she went with a back and forth between the two in a single chapter. I also think an editor needed to trim this down to keep the focus sharp. There are too many character and tangents for my tastes.
ANYway, in this chapter when Taft's father is dying, it was nice to see he gave his son the approval he always sort.
p149
"Will I love you beyond expression."
Onward ! I hope to finish this book by the end of the year.
I agree re. following one of our two main characters per chapter. First of all the chapters would be more manageable to read for me. I understand what Kearns Goodwin is doing, i'd just prefer it a bit differently.
I also vote for shorter chapters ! I know that sounds shallow of me. I just started the next chapter and it seems she now is stopping the TR & Taft story and discussing McClure magazine's founder. Odd stop in the flow of the story but so far interesting.
Alias Reader wrote: "I also vote for shorter chapters ! I know that sounds shallow of me. ..."I understand your point, Alias. I agree. Although I don't like it when the chapters are TOO short, either. That annoyed me about The Da Vinci Code. And to some extent, about All the Light We Cannot See as well.
Reflections on Chapter 10:Page 353 was a good one, IMO--I highlighted several items on this page. To wit:
Reformers hoped "Roosevelt's vigorous leadership would refashion the Republican party into the progressive force it had been under Abraham Lincoln, endeavoring to spread prosperity beyond the wealthy few to the common man. (emphasis mine) It's interesting how far the GOP has gone away from that concept in the years since.
Conservatives maintained that TR's "first great duty was to carry on the policies of the slain president." And yet TR pointed out that the Constitution had provided for his succession and declared, "I am President and shall act in every word and deed precisely as if I and not McKinley had been the candidate for whom the electors case the vote for President." Do you think that a president who gains the office without being elected (i.e. through assassination or resignation) has the duty to continue pushing the same agenda as the one he's replaced? Or do you think that he (or she!) should be given the latitude to move away from those policies or agenda and make his/her own path? I thought this was an interesting discussion point.
Page 360: Was struck by this epigram that was popular in DC a the time: "President McKinley listened to a great many people and talked to but a few. President Roosevelt talks to a great many men and listens to nobody." Another description of TR: "He cuts people off in the middle of sentences, tell them he knows all about it, and very often announces his decisions before the caller has more than fairly started with his little say..." And another that detailed: "Roosevelt's impulsiveness and lack of deliberation." Sounds like dealing with TR was both frustrating and more than a bit annoying, despite his best intentions. To me, at least. And it sounds more than a little bit that Teddy had ADD with hyperactivity!
Loved the description on page 362 about the Roosevelt children making the White House their own.
It's always fun to come across the name of an ancestor/relative in a history book! In this one, I was surprised to see the name of Orville Platt, a Senator from Connecticut. My great-grandmother was a Platt from the same family. So hi there, Cousin Orville! Nice to read about you.
Page 372: The comment about TR's first "state of the union" address being sent to Congress to be read out by a clerk, "as had been the custom since Thomas Jefferson sent the message in writing," made me wonder -- who was the first president to read his own speech in front of Congress? Found this:
"The order from Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution doesn't say anything about a speech; the President just has to keep Congress informed of what's going on in the country. When Thomas Jefferson took office in 1801, he decided that the idea of showing up before Congress to deliver a grand address sounded like something a monarch would do, so he decided to bag the speech. Instead, he wrote down an annual message and sent it to Congress, where a clerk read it aloud to the assembled legislators. .. For over a century, every President opted to keep Congress informed through a written message rather than a spoken one; these messages were generally full of long, exhaustive administrative and budget reports rather than rousing political rhetoric. .. Woodrow Wilson finally revived the old practice of delivering a speech in 1913. Even then, Presidents haven't always appeared to give a speech. Since the 1913 revival of the practice, 22 State of the Union reports have come in written form, most recently Reagan's 1989 report."
Page 403: I didn't know that Edith Roosevelt was the driving force behind the renovation of the White House that resulted in the construction of the West Wing building. That was an an interesting section to read as well.
Conservatives maintained that TR's "first great duty was to carry on the policies of the slain president." And yet TR pointed out that the Constitution had provided for his succession and declared, "I am President and shall act in every word and deed precisely as if I and not McKinley had been the candidate for whom the electors case the vote for President." Do you think that a president who gains the office without being elected (i.e. through assassination or resignation) has the duty to continue pushing the same agenda as the one he's replaced? Or do you think that he (or she!) should be given the latitude to move away from those policies or agenda and make his/her own path? I thought this was an interesting discussion point. Excellent question.
Since the VP is selected by the president, I would think they would have a similar agenda broadly speaking.
If there was a point on which they differed drastically, I guess I would say a person has to be true to their own heart and follow the policy they think best for the country.
Amy wrote: It's always fun to come across the name of an ancestor/relative in a history book! In this one, I was surprised to see the name of Orville Platt, a Senator from Connecticut. My great-grandmother was a Platt from the same family. So hi there, Cousin Orville! Nice to read about you.."Wow ! That is so cool.
Amy wrote: Page 372: The comment about TR's first "state of the union" address being sent to Congress to be read out by a clerk, "as had been the custom since Thomas Jefferson sent the message in writing," made me wonder -- who was the first president to read his own speech in front of Congress? Found this: ..."The State of the Union speech is one I seldom watch. It's become so partisan. All that silly clapping by the presidents party and the other party sitting frowning. I would be fine going back to a thoughtfully written document.
Chapter 7Page 163
McClure mentions reading this book.
Note you can get it for the Kindle for free.
A Modern Instance by William Dean HowellsA novel centered on the theme of divorce was a radical concept in 1882, and this portrait of a failing marriage captures a transitional moment in literary history. A cornerstone of American realism, it contrasts old and new worlds to explore social and moral issues involving family life and women's traditional roles.
Paperback, 496 pages
Published January 3rd 1984 by Penguin Classics
Chapter 7Does McClure seem bi-polar or manic? It notes how he would work in a frenzy then not be able to do anything for weeks.
Alias Reader wrote: "Since the VP is selected by the president, I would think they would have a similar agenda broadly speaking. ..."Nowadays, yes. But remember, back in TR's time the VP was selected by the party at the convention. Not by the presidential candidate himself. Knowing that, did Teddy have a responsibility to McKinley's legacy?
Alias Reader wrote: "Does McClure seem bi-polar or manic? It notes how he would work in a frenzy then not be able to do anything for weeks."Yes. I thought the same thing. Just like I think it sounds like Teddy has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (Or it did until I read that he drank gallons of coffee every day! lol)
Amy wrote:Nowadays, yes. But remember, back in TR's time the VP was selected by the party at the convention. Not by the presidential candidate himself. Knowing that, did Teddy have a responsibility to McKinley's legacy? .."I think he still has to do what he thinks is best. That is what a leader does. He/She leads. This reminds me of the Kennedy book, Profiles in Courage The people profiled in the book didn't follow popular opinion. They did what they thought was right.
What do you think?
Alias Reader wrote: "What do you think? ..." I don't know, honestly. I think I believe that he/she should continue on the path of the president who was actually elected. Because THAT person was elected to lead the country the way HE/SHE thought best. That's the agenda that the people wanted and voted for. If the path/agenda that the VP suggested/upheld was the one the people wanted, he/she would have been elected instead. At least today, with primaries that winnow out the candidates until the favorite one is left. Back in Teddy's days when the party picked its candidates and the president wasn't allowed to pick his own VP? I think that's a different scenario, in my opinion.
Amy wrote: Back in Teddy's days when the party picked its candidates and the president wasn't allowed to pick his own VP? I think that's a different scenario, in my opinion..."
I would think the party would select men, and it was men at that time, who generally held the same party principles, broadly speaking. On specific issues there certainly could be a differences between people of the same party.
However, we must allow a person to lead based on their own analysis with input from various sources. After consulting with experts, constituents, and the politics of the situation the president makes the final decisions. Otherwise the the president is just a figure head.
As to following what the constituents want, that is where being a leader comes in. If the president just follows whatever the majority of those who voted wanted, assuming the majority who voted felt 100% the same on all issues, which of course they don't, then why even have a president. Just rule by polls.
There are instances where the president must have vision and courage to go against popular opinion. Civil rights comes to mind. Again the Kennedy book explores this idea. Profiles in Courage.
Of course the presidents vision may not always be right or just. I guess that is where vetoes and impeachment and the other branches of government come into play.
Also knowing what a prior president wants or thinks may not always be so clear. I am thinking of Truman who was kept far from the decision making process and secret information. Truman knew nothing about the Manhattan project for example. FDR kept him at arms length in almost everything he did.
Bringing it up to recent times, I've read the John McCain did little vetting of Palin when he selected her. I forget the name of the book, it was also a movie... maybe it was Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime . This shows even when a potential president does select the VP, the VP may lack the experience and gravitas of the person selecting them.
Then you have Nixon, whose VP Agnew had to resign. So when Nixon resigned we got Ford. The baton went to Ford who wasn't selected by the President or the party but by voters in his home state! Ford has the distinction of being the only person to be both VP and President of the United States without being elected to either office.
Then if you go back to the first few presidential elections after the country was founded, the VP was given to the runner up in the presidential election. That didn't work well and it was changed. Imagine the craziness that would cause today! The VP would be attacking the president all the time. Talk about gridlock!
Do you think the public should vote for VP separately or should the President select them? Maybe make presidential candidates select their VP before primary voting begins.
It's a messy process for sure.
I am just playing devils advocate with you. :) All this before I've had my breakfast ! Well, I better get moving or I will get nothing done today.
The situation with Truman was not so unusual. It is only relatively recently that the Presidents have included the Vice President in real activity. Very often the candidates were not chosen because of programmatic agreement but for geographic balance to get out the vote. See Kennedy/ Johnson as the most obvious example. Clearly Teddy was not chosen because he agreed with McKinley, but to get him out of the way in NY where he was annoying everybody.
I have been reading the book but the lack of good internet connections in parts of Oklahoma prevented me from sharing my thoughts. Now i see so many others have contributed thoughts.I agree with Bobbie, the VP has really been in the background until fairly recently. I felt Clinton & Gore had a good partnership, at least the first four years. Until then, i was never sure if the VP was truly more than a filled chair.
Kearns Goodwin made the point that TR felt compelled to say things would continue as they had under McKinley, merely because it would keep Wall Street calm. I'm not fond of his reasoning but can understand it. It couldn't have surprised anyone who knew him that he wouldn't stick to that long. I was, however, surprised to learn that he was practically gleeful to have this opportunity.
(I'd like to think this is because he had been sitting idle, imagining four years of same. However, i'm becoming somewhat disappointed in TR on some levels, so this fit that change of mine. It began when he practically deserted his wife who was in ill health in order to go to war. HE had a choice.)
But i think the question Amy asks is a good one. Did he have any responsibility to McKinley's administration or reputation? Because McKinley already had one term, i suppose i'm inclined to think TR had less of a duty to do more than complete projects his predecessor began. When the first Harrison died in office, Tyler appeared to have set his own agenda. Of course Harrison died so early that it may have been just guessing to know what he would have done.
If i remember correctly, when JFK died his entire cabinet tendered their resignations for LBJ to use when/if desired. As far as i've read (a few pages into chapter 10), he hasn't replaced anyone yet. Looking forward to learning more.
Alias Reader wrote: "Do you think the public should vote for VP separately or should the President select them? Maybe make presidential candidates select their VP before primary voting begins. ..."Given politics today & the acrimony we've witnessed, the idea of the public voting for the person of the President's opposing party as VP, we'd probably see even less accomplished. Imagine the cabinet meetings. And i wonder if one could ever trust a VP not of your own party, even prior to the last 10 or so years.
I have no complaint about the last two VPs we've had. Were the public to vote on VPs, i wonder if Cheney would have made it to a second term? When looking at list of VPs, there are quite a number i don't recognize. Schuyler Colfax, anyone? (Grant's first)
Chapter 10.I was interested that TR made time for a shave at midday. I couldn't help but wonder if this meant he shaved twice a day (or more) or if it means his sole shave was that late. I know it's a minor point but it caught my imagination. Perhaps it was all for show, something to dazzle the reporters and visitors.
I was also intrigued by the lavender gloves the French ambassador kept on his hands after stripping (probably to his skivvies) for crossing the creek on a "run" with TR. First of all, that he noted the color seemed odd, so i wondered if this was some diplomat thing but could find no further info. However, i did learn that the man, Jean Jules Jusserand, went on several runs with TR, mostly because he could keep up with him. AND there is a bench at Rock Creek Park in honor of the Frenchman!
http://blogs.weta.org/boundarystones/...
One of the things i wanted to look up from this book was about places TR's father took him. One was Miss Sattery's School for Italian Children. I could only find mention of it as a night school, all other references were about TR, almost word-for-word from our book, which appears to be from TR's own autobiography. I was sure there would be more info online but could find none. I did find out that Miss Sattery's first name was Margaret from her obituary.I also couldn't find much nonfiction about the Newsboy's Lodging House. There are numerous fictional accounts, however. I guess i'll have to try one of those. Five Points Mission is one place i could find, however.
Does anyone here know any more than what i shared about the first two? They sound as though they truly contributed to improving the lot of children.
madrano wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Do you think the public should vote for VP separately or should the President select them? Maybe make presidential candidates select their VP before primary voting begins. ..."..."Even in the "beginning" when they didn't choose by party as we have today there was a big problem having Pres and Vice Pres with different philosophies. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson come to mind.
Chapter 10. I was surprised that Senators were still elected by state legislators at this time. In my Presidential Bios i'm up to Buchanan but for some reason presumed fairly soon this would change. I guess not.
I also noted that Edith's secretary was Isabella Hagner James. I looked her up, as i was curious about her memoirs. I found this, where i learned she was the first paid social secretary at the White House. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/memo...
The response after TR invited Booker T. Washington to dinner at the White House was astounding. I understand that the man was from South Carolina but for a Senator to suggest what he did (that a 1000 would be killed in the South before the African Americans "learn their place") was shocking. No pretense at stateliness there.
Amy, i read about your kin in this chapter with sharper interest, just knowing he was "yours". What a thrill.
Like you, i found it interesting that TR realized how far his Republican party has wandered from Lincoln's version. As i read my bios i'll be curious to see how that developed.
deb
Chapters 11-13. It was fascinating to see the levels and vastness of the corruption exposed by the various authors in McClures magazine. The scale and extents to which railroad companies went to crush individuals is as appalling now as then, even though we've heard about it all along. I cannot imagine what those up against them must have felt.Lincoln Steffens seemed to be only talking about the elected officials when quoted below but, honestly, i think a case could be made for even private individuals. "Corruptions is treason; that the man, who, elected to maintain the institutions of a government by the people, sells them out, is a traitor; whether he be a constable, a legislator, a judge, or a boss, his act is not alone bribery but treason.”
Once again i find myself with a list of novels in hand, learned about from these chapters. I've read Theodore Dreiser but not the trilogy mentioned, Trilogy of desire: Three novels. Of The Octopus and author Frank Norris, i knew nothing. Onward.
I enjoyed reading your comments, deb. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.I am up to chapter 8.
Chapter 8Here in NYC we have Riis park. I didn't know who Riis was. Now thanks this book I do!
Here is the link to the famous park.
http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/ja...
Dubbed "The People's Beach," Jacob Riis Park—part of Gateway National Recreation Area—is a popular summer destination steeped in history. Today its sand, surf, seaside recreation areas and famous Art Deco bathhouse is a popular destination for all New York City.
Opened in 1932, the restored bathhouse an architectural landmark is home to a variety of ranger-led programs and history exhibits. Facilities available in season include the Riis Park Pitch and Putt Golf Course, ball courts and food concessions.
The park is named in honor of Jacob Riis, the famed New York City journalist and photographer who documented the plight of the poor and working class in the city's tenements. Today, the park's ocean beach and landscaped walkways, boardwalks and courtyards still provide city dwellers, many of them new immigrants, an opportunity to spread out and enjoy the open air.
Constructed on the site of one of the first US naval air stations, the park was designed in 1936 by innovative Park Commissioner Robert Moses, who had also created Jones Beach on Long Island in 1929. Moses envisioned Riis Park as a Jones Beach for poor immigrants, a destination accessible by public transportation and closer to the city. Jacob Riis Park was transferred to the control of the National Park Service in 1972.
Wikipedia
Jacob Riis
Journalist
Jacob August Riis was a Danish American social reformer, "muckraking" journalist and social documentary photographer.
Born: May 3, 1849, Ribe, Denmark
Died: May 26, 1914, Barre, MA
A few of the books by Jacob A. Riis:
How the Other Half LivesThe Children of the Poor
The Battle with the Slum
Children of the Tenements
Chapter 8Wiki
Lincoln Joseph Steffens was a New York reporter who launched a series of articles in McClure's that would later be published together in a book titled The Shame of the Cities.
Born: April 6, 1866, San Francisco, CA
Died: August 9, 1936, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Education: University of California, Berkeley
Quotes--
Power is what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it.
Art is like a border of flowers along the course of civilization.
Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.
The Shame of the Cities
Lincoln Steffens
Alias Reader wrote: "Chapter 8Tammany Hall
Here is what it is now.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/201..."
That's an interesting article--thanks for the link, Alias!
Book Nook Cafe
Books mentioned in this topic
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (other topics)Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (other topics)
Decorating Is Fun!: How to be Your Own Decorator (other topics)
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (other topics)
My Beloved World (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Dorothy Draper (other topics)Eudora Welty (other topics)
Robert D. Putnam (other topics)
Mark Haddon (other topics)
Temple Grandin (other topics)
More...
I've long wished to be a fly on the wall of a good salon held by someone i esteem. I am not sure i'd want to be a part of it, lest my ignorance shine. :-)