Before I return from Costa Rica an amendment to my reading list

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I wrote recently that in deciding to run for Congress a fifth time (more likely simply filing for office to get on the ballot) I decided to do so as unobtrusively as possible for my life partner. Evidence of that was to shove off that was to Costa Rica for 10 days since getting elected is so remote. It was a lovely trip I will be composing a column in the Reader about after finishing this blog post.

But I am continuing my 250th anniversary celebration of American Democracy by reading about the presidents that preceeded our dicator worshiping ninny Donald Trump. To that end I took two books with me. They are part of five excellent books on the period just before my birth the murderous “Good War” of American memory and its aftermath with presidents so superior to Trump that even if he was merely average he’d look like the dog crap I occassionaly tracked into my house before leashes became de rigeur in the modern Era.

I consulted with my AI to find the books I should be reading although by good luck I had all three on my book shelves before I dug into them after finishing off Atkinson’s second volumne of his American Revolutionary War History. Truman bravely and wisely stepped into FDR’s giant sized boots and made some decisions that the Franklin shrank from and Eisenhower mostly succeeded in dealing with the landmines Truman had no choice but to sow as he navigated the early Cold War. The book in the middle about the surviving casualties of Europe’s battlefield were managed by General Washington and the recipients of Truman’s and America’s post war decency so contrary to Trump’s myopic shit flinging.

I finished the middle book and as of my return to Duluth am close to halfway through the book on Ike which, as I expected gave me a new appreciation for my Kansas hero as well as a more critical appraisal of the times that boxed in his better instincts.

I should add that I also listened to two excellent Second World War histories on Audible on our trip to Colorado in late March. Both gave me a better sense of the French resistance that was critical to Ike’s successes and the development of Truman’s OSS for gathering intelligence for our military which became the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Ike made use of it but also, gave it vast cover for hiding its work from Americans much to our dismay when if screwed up.

The book covers of my Audible listening:


Madamme Fourcade by Lynne Olsen a book review

Book and Dagger How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II, by Elyse Graham book review

I HAVE JUST UPDATED MY READING LIST TO REFLECT THE EIGHT BOOKS I’VE READ SO FAR IN 2026. I cheated a little by adding the Hitchcock book on Ike although its still a likely week away from being finished. Eight books in the first four months of our Semisesquintenniel. Not bad!

About the author

Harry is a ferociously good natured eccentric in Duluth Minnesota who detests traitors dressed up as Uncle Sam. You can find somewhat better edited writings of his at the Duluth Reader "contributors." page. The URL is:

https://duluthreader.com/contributors/h/84/284-harry-welty