What I’m reading: Edmund S. Morgan, American Heroes: Profiles of Men and Women Who Shaped Early America
A treasure and a pleasure to read, Morgan is one of the greatest American historians (his American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia is vital to understanding how slavery was rationalized in a country being built on a foundation of liberty; if I were teaching a class, it would be on my syllabus). American Heroes is a collection of essays from his long and rich career.
What I’ve just finished reading: Jane Leavy, The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood
An absorbing book about one of the greatest baseball players ever, about a blessed yet troubled life that ended not long after Mantle finally learned how to subdue the demons that began to trouble him in youth. I’m not convinced that Mantle was indeed the “last boy” of his way of life — the title implies promises on which the book doesn’t deliver. But if you want to understand this boy’s life, you’ll want to read this book. Highly recommended.
