BOOK REVIEW - RANKING THE VICE PRESIDENTS: TRUE TALES AND TRIVIA, FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOE BIDEN BY IAN RANDAL STROCK

 What kind of people have been our Vice-Presidents? Is there a scale on who was the most effective? Or does that apply to the job description of Vice President?

I have read books dealing with ranking the Presidents, most notably Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians by Robert W. Merry and Recarvomg Rushmore: Ranking the Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty by Ivan Eland. Those two books have different treks on ranking the White House residents, but the question is: How about the Vice-Presidents? Ranking the Vice Presidents: True Tales and Trivia, From John Adams to Joe Biden by Ian Randal Strock sounds like the book I'd be interested in.

One curiosity is what standards would the Vice President be ranked on? After all, historically the role of the Vice President was to preside over the Sentate, only voting to break a tie, and to stay alive in case the President doesn't. It doesn't sound like the occupation where you can rank the best to the worst, does it?

This book doesn't even try. Rather, this book appears to have the goal to help you get to know the Vice Presidents better. It breaks down the Vice President in various categories such as their age, height, how long they survived their wives (or vice versa), and which ones certified the votes that would either put them into the White House or terminate their position. 

This book also goes further than its title indicates. It also has lists of cabinets, including how many former cabinet members became president. The book also closes with various acts dealing with the Vice Presidency from the Constitution to the 25th Amendment.

While not what I expected, this book is interesting and giving you information you wouldn't have otherwise.

I will warn that the editing is not perfect. When writing about Vice Presidents who served under more than one President the author accidentally misidentified James Madison as James Monroe, and when dealing with facial hair on Presidents and Vice-Presidents, he forgot that Taft was the last whiskered President, not Teddy Roosevelt. Still, this is a unique book.

BOOK REVIEW - THE FORGER OF A NATION: OF KINGS AND KINGDOMS, BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

Can Kennneth mac Alpin, King of the Scots, forge an alliance among other kings against the Vikings from the West and the Picts from the East? An alliance with other kings who don't trust Kenneth, for legitimate reasons? And what can three young people in the mid 1990's learn from the tension of a 9th century monarch with vicious invaders, skeptical allies, and uncooperative family members?

This is the second of Donna Fletcher Crow's ten part The Celtic Cross series. Originally, she had written a historical novel about Scotland and Ireland; now, she has divided it up into ten novels, the first four focusing on Scotland and the remainder on the Emerald Isle. She also has added the story of three young people in 1993 and how the history applies to their lives.

Donna is a superb story teller, and keeps you interested in her tale. She also is excellent at interweaving history into her novels.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series. 

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DONNA FLETCHER CROW, 2021 MODEL

 

Author Donna Fletcher Crow, with her latest book series

Since starting this blog, I may have had interviews with an author in one installment and review their book in another. But up to this point, I've never had a return interviewee, until now. Which not surprisingly is the same person I interviewed for this blog. Also, the first novelist I interviewed when I was blogging for Hoosier Ink, the blog of the Indiana Chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. So I'm pleased to welcome Donna Fletcher Crow back to my blog. 

JR: Let me start off with something that caught me by surprise. Do you know you have an entry on Wikipedia? I've tried to find some of my other favorite authors, and they didn't make it (though, unsurprisingly, Kerry Nietz did). Besides that major accomplishment, what other claims to fame do you have, such as writing awards or organization memberships, etc.?

DC: Oh, Jeff, my real claim to fame is my grandchildren—15 of them—and all stellar. But in the writing world, my first award, being named “Writer of the Year” at the Mount Hermon Writers’ conference in 1983, was such a thrill. I suppose my biggest awards have been having Glastonbury and The Fields of Bannockburn each named “Best Historical Fiction” for the years they were published. And then, if you’re looking for surprises, not many people know that I was Miss Rodeo Idaho in 1960. Yes, I know—before most of you were born.

JR: Before I get into reality, let me take a trip into the fiction zone, where fictitious characters spend their lives when not being written about. This particular day, Lord and Lady Danvers happen to have a table at the banquet with Elizabeth and Richard and Father Antony and Felicity. What do you think they'll be talking about? Literature? Theology? Classical music? History? And do you think your ears would be burning?

DC: Ah, well, since my current project is writing a collection of short stories using these characters in mysterious adventures on the Riviera and in Switzerland, I expect they’ll be sharing notes on their favorite places and how things have changed since Victorian times. Elizabeth and Richard, of course, will be most interested in the literature and Father Antony is sure to bring things around to theology. I do wish I could sit in on the conversation—that would make writing the up-coming stories much easier. If readers are interested in seeing the background to all this, I’m doing a blog series on my research trip now.

JR: I believe your latest endeavor is the Celtic Cross Series. Could you tell us about this look into the history of Scotland and Ireland?

DC: The Celtic Cross Series is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, so I’m thrilled that it is becoming a reality. My Scottish and Irish epics The Fields of Bannockburn and The Banks of the Boyne have been out of print for nearly a quarter of a century, so it was past time to do something about it. Since each of those 800+ page tomes is divided into historical sections, (and since Amazon won’t print books that big) it made sense to give each story its own book. I’m loving the process of completely rewriting these stories with a new editor and I’m thrilled with the covers Ken Raney is painting for them.

JR: Many of your stories have your modern characters learn lessons from the past. With your study of British History, is there any common threads or helpful applications from the past on the other side of the Pond to our COVID affected, politically divided country?

DC: History always speaks to today. I never feel I’m writing about history—I’m writing about today because the basics never change—just the technology. The most important thing that writing Glastonbury taught me was that, no matter how dark things look today, they have always been darker in the past. And humanity has always survived—triumphed, even. The Light always overcomes the Dark.

JR: This may seem like another way of asking the previous question, and pardon me if it does, but what struggles did Britain in the past have with religious liberty? Is that right more secure now, more vulnerable, or about the same in the 21st century than it was here?

DC: Always and everywhere religious liberty has been and is under threat. I’m not sure whether the greatest threat, though, is having political leaders oppose religious faith or try to suppress it. Real faith has always grown when it’s under threat. The important thing is not to look at the depressing statistics about how church attendance is slipping here and in Britain, but to look at all the good things that are happening—and try to be part of that. People often ask me about failing faith in England (and I know there are struggles), but I visit so many thriving churches in the UK, belong to so many super Christian organizations there, and have such wonderful Christian friends all over Britain—including many faithful pastors and priests—that I know there is definitely a strong beacon of light still shining.

JR: Besides the Celtic Cross series, what looms on the agenda with your writing?

DC: As I mentioned above, I am working on a short story collection. When that’s done, I hope to get to a stand-along mystery I have wanted to write for many years using as background the great revival that swept the Hebrides right after World War II. I did the research clear back in 2000, so I think it’s had sufficient time to germinate.

JR: Thank you for your time. For those who haven't taken the opportunity from my previous interviews with you (I believe this is at least the fifth... and interestingly the first that isn't following the release of the latest Monastery Murder), how can we keep in touch with you?

DC: Thank you, Jeff. I always love your interviews because you ask the most surprising, searching questions. I would love to have your readers follow me—and there are lots of options: Subscribe to my newsletter (and receive a free Lord Danvers book), follow my blog, follow me on facebook, or follow me on Amazon. And you don’t have to choose—it’s all free.

LABOR DAY - MAYBE THE MOST NEGLECTED HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR?

Herdsmen with Cows by Aelbert Cuyp

Let me start by sharing one story that always made my skin to boil. A stewardess in first class was asking a couple if they needed anything. The lady didn't respond. The stewardess asked again. The man turned to her and informed the stewardess, "She doesn't talk to the hired help."

It's obvious when you read through Scripture that God cares about the "hired help." You may remember my blog dealing with the Sabbath. When God gave the fourth commandment, He made it clear it applied to the male and female slaves (and the animals as well) as those who were "free." 

This surprisingly (or not) leads me to Labor Day. How many of you know the history of this day? I do... because I looked it up on-line two days ago. It became a federal holiday on the first Monday of September when President Grover Cleveland signed it into law June 28, 1894. At that time 30 of the 44 states already were celebrating it, starting with Oregon in 1887. Technically, the law was for federal workers - there were strikes in the 1930's for other laborers to enjoy the day off.

Many holidays have often lost their true meaning. Many Christians mourn the commercialism of Christmas. For most people Memorial Day and Independence Day are a day off. Even Thanksgiving has become "Turkey Day" and includes warm-ups for the true holiday of the weekend, Black Friday. My hunch - Labor Day has lost its meaning more than any of the others I've mentioned.

Politically/Historically the Democrats have been the champions of Labor. I'm guessing most of my blog readers know enough history to remember Cleveland was a Democrat (I'm not sure how many of our population know who the 22nd/24th President was, and if so, they only know that he was the only one to serve non-consecutive terms). So was Congress when the holiday was introduced in Congress and signed into law. However, my guess is the ignorance of this holiday is held by both parties.

There are holidays that Christians debate whether they should be celebrated in church, including Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veteran's Day, and even Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter (and other church calendar holidays). Labor Day belongs on that list. I have never heard Labor Day mentioned in a church service.

But, in the scope of eternity, where does celebration of Labor Day rate? Not very high. However, how we treat workers - either those who we personally employ or those we benfit - IS important to God.

Today, my wife and I went to a zoo. No, the zoo workers didn't get a day off. But there were two that were raking a couple of pens, and I spoke to both of them and asked how they were doing. One appreciated it, the other seemed surprised I'd ask. To me, that's showing honor to others.

I started with a non-fiction story that angered me; let me close with a fiction story that inspired me. I won't mention the name so as not to spoil, but I saw an adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories. In it, a pair of murders took place at a nightclub. Both times, one member of the party encouraged the band to start playing. The people at the table were focusing on the music, not on the murderer who filled their glasses like a good waiter, added something to one person's glass, and sticking an incriminating bottle into another's pocket. 

Well, actually, I skipped something. Poirot joined in the table at the second occurrence. After one person was carried out, he talked to the other guests (the same people were at both murders), he revealed that nobody noticed the killer behind, and stated that worked because people don't pay attention to the waiters, and then asked the killer if he noticed the person who just refilled his coffee. The killer turned and saw the person he thought he just poisoned. 

Ever since, when somebody refills my coffee or iced tea (they rarely refill my Jamocha shakes), I make it a point to thank them. Not primarily to make sure they don't add anything to my beverage, but because they deserve me to thank them.