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Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration |
Book bits
Three books about immigrants, readers' picks, reviews of 'Troublesome Young Men' and 'What Happens on Wednesdays'
By Marjorie Kehefrom the August 7, 2007 edition
Page 1 of 2
Troublesome Young Men
Author: Lynne Olson
It's a well-known story. In May 1940, with World War II under way and Britain's position growing more perilous daily, Neville Chamberlain won a vote of confidence in the House of Commons. But given his Conservative Party's huge majority, it was a narrow win and, three days later, he resigned. He was succeeded by Winston Churchill who led the British to victory, securing his place in history.
But the reality of those fateful days, described by Lynne Olson in Troublesome Young Men, was much more complicated. Churchill was indeed a strong and steady opponent of appeasement during the 1930s and a constant thorn in the side of Conservative Party leadership. But he muted his criticism completely after he joined the cabinet in September 1939 and actually led Chamberlain's defense in Parliament.
To Olson, the heroes of the story – more than Churchill – were a small number of young Conservatives who risked their political careers to overthrow a prime minister of their own party. A few of the rebels – like Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan – later became famous in their own right. But most – like Robert Boothby, Harold Nicolson, Robert "Bobbety" Cranborne, Ronald Cartland, Leo Amery – are little remembered today. Indeed, Cartland died on the beaches at Dunkirk within a month of the decisive vote.
Olson re-creates that exceptional time in a well-written, fast-paced book that reads like a political thriller. She paints a fascinating picture of British society in the late 1930s and describes the social and political pressures that made it so difficult for the rebels to overtly buck the leadership of their own party. She introduces us to the major actors in the drama with all their strengths and weaknesses and carefully describes the parliamentary intrigues.
Her portrait of Chamberlain is especially valuable. Today, if we think of him at all, it is as a well-intentioned bumbler who carried an umbrella and was hopelessly out of his depth. But in reality he was a manipulative and dictatorial leader. He browbeat his parliamentary critics, demanded the press adopt the government's line, tapped phones, restricted journalist's access to government sources, and claimed that critics were damaging the national interest. Members of his party who opposed him were bluntly told that their careers were finished.
"Troublesome Young Men" is an extraordinary tale of political courage in perilous times – and a wonderfully written book.
– Terry Hartle
Three books about immigrants
Filling in a gap in the history books, Driven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese Americans by Jean Pfaelzer tells of the purging of thousands of Chinese immigrants in the western United States between 1850 and 1906. The events related are deeply disturbing, but Pfaelzer, who is a professor of East Asian studies, handles her material skillfully, bringing to life a vast cast of characters and creating a narrative that's both compelling and accessible.
"What of the children?" asks Melissa Klapper in Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in America, 1880-1925. Klapper, who is a professor of history, draws on the experiences and observations of the children of immigrants during a period of massive immigration to the United States. Klapper relies strongly on personal accounts but also knows how to place these in a larger context.
Being released this fall is a striking graphic novel that wordlessly portrays the voyage of an immigrant. The Arrival by Shaun Tan shows a man taking leave of his wife and daughter and then sailing off in search of a better future for them in a new world. The immigrant's struggles are lonely, but finally end in joy.
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