Storm of a different kind
I’m not sure what to think about Doug Brinkley. I mean, yeah, he’s a prolific writer, and he’s a reasonably good wordsmith, and he’s an exhaustive researcher, but as a historian, I’m not sure I can trust the guy.
Take his last book, Tour of Duty, an account of John Kerry’s military service during the Vietnam War. Now, there’s nothing wrong with being topical, but Brinkley clearly hammered out that little page-turner in an (ill-fated) effort to save Kerry’s bid for the 2004 presidential election.
And après ça, The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which by all accounts, is pretty harsh on Nagin, Blanco, Bush, and the whole FEMA family. Not that they don’t each deserve a public spanking–I’d personally tan their hides in the middle of the food court at Lakeside Mall on a busy Saturday afternoon–but like the Kerry book, something about it feels a bit, well, opportunistic. I guess if he hadn’t made his political leanings so painfully obvious in other works, I wouldn’t have this problem, but as it is… Let’s just say that having been directly affected by the storm, and having seen the hurricane used for political ends over the last eight and a half months, it would’ve been nice to get something ostensibly objective.
On the other hand, Steve Sabludowsky’s critique of Brinkley (not the book itself) is just plain stupid. Or sour grapes. Or both. Sure, I agree that Brinkley’s biased, but to lambast the man for wanting to make a buck off his work? To criticize him for the book’s release date, over which he has little control? That’s a load of crap, and Brinkley’s right to call him on it. No wonder no one reads that BayouBuzz crap.
Side note: if you’re curious about the origins of the book, you might tune into Brinkley’s interview on Fresh Air, taped back in September 2005, while most of us were still sleeping on other people’s couches.
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Did you see Brinkley on “The Hot Seat” @10:30? It was pretty good. I didn’t care for his book on Kerry and have yet to read this new one, I will. But I have to tell you he made me stop to pause. It was hard not to agree with him. And as far as Brinkley making a buck off of the storm..he’s just one of many pigs in my view.
A couple of quick comments.
1)”Tour Of Duty” came out when Kerry was riding high in the Democratic primaries, not later in the year.
2) Brinkley is NOT making a buck off the new book, he’s donating the proceeds to the Historic New Orleans Collection.
Seems like typically poorly written Steve drivvel to me.
Well, I’m glad the book came out before the coming hurricane season begins. It might give some good insight as to how we could do better, although anything would be better. I’m going to read it.
Gawd, I just read that critique. I can’t believe “renown” historian Douglas Brinkley even bothered responding to that. I’d say it was a hoax, but the Brinkley response is too well-written!
Hello.Very intersting and informative site.Thanks
I’m about half way through the book or should I say “The Book”, as I think thats how its going to come to be known as. I dont live in New Orleans but I have a very strong connection to the city and care very much about its future.
The Book is really engrossing. I hate to say Im *enjoying* it because the subject matter is so depressing. I followed Katrina and the aftermath very closley and there are things Brinkley brings out that I hadnt heard before. It is obvious he’s very biased but he presents a good argument to support his views. He quotes his many many sources and presents so many heartwrenching first hand accounts. Its an emotional book. I can only read so much of it in one sitting.
Too bad all the people voting in the election yesterday didnt read it.