The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy by Pellom McDaniels III

Let me start by saying that I've never read a book that used the words 'possibly,' may have,' and other phrases that basically tell you this is not based on fact but rather based on what we know about the time period.  That said, I think that this book offers not only an interesting story but an insightful look at Thoroughbred racing in its infancy.

Born in January of 1861, near Winchester, KY, Isaac's early life is surrounded by mystery as he was born a slave.  The author does a good job of presenting the atmosphere of the time.  While we don't know exactly what was happening in Isaac's life we do know his father (it's not clear if this man was his father or step-father) eventually entered the Union Army during the Civil War.  The spouses and children of the men in his unit were treated horribly. Eventually Isaac and his mother, America, ended up back in Lexington after his father was killed in battle.  Unfortunately, while they were relatively safe, things didn't go exactly as planned there.  America worked hard and made/saved money but lost her life's savings to a faulty bank.  When she became ill she looked to Isaac's future and apprenticed her 13-year old son to horse breeder James T. Williams.  His small size, less than five foot tall, caught the attention of Eli Jordan, the best horse trainer in Fayette County.  Isaac began riding Thoroughbreds and went on change the history of the sport.

Murphy is one of only a few riders to ever win three Kentucky Derbies.  In there era following the Civil War his athletic exploits were, at times, well documented.  Oddly enough, his win percentage of 44% was unprecedented and thus suspect.  Writers with an agenda questioned his abilities in major newspapers.  Within the industry Isaac's reputation for being a straight shooter was know, so much so that other jockeys, who had been paid off, conspired against him.  In 1890, Murphy was drugged right before a race. This resulted in the betting favorite loosing and Murphy taking a serious blow to his reputation as newspapers reported that he was drunk, rather than drugged.  Although he won the Kentucky Derby in 1891, Murphy never really recovered from the blow to his reputation. 1895 marked his last ride, which he happened to win.

The years of making weight and traveling wore hard on Murphy's body and he died of pneumonia in Feb. 11, 1896, at approximately 35 years of age.  Isaac Murphy's grave was in a black cemetery that became lost though the years.  In 1967, it was rediscovered by journalist Frank Borries, Jr. and moved to the Kentucky Horse Park.   If you visit the park, look for the marker near the monument to Man O'War.

Hidden Warbirds

Hidden Warbirds by Nicholas A. Veronico is a unique look at aviation.  While I have been to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and flown a few times that is about the limit to my exposure to planes.  The photos in this book will take you right to the location of these downed birds.  In fact, even if you're not a huge reader this book is so full of wonderful, full-color photos that you can gather an idea of what is happening just by looking at the photos.  

A few tidbits that I found interesting:

The US built more than 300,000 planes in a four year period leading up to 1945.

After WWII, 25,000 of them were considered surplus.  Prices were not as low as after WWI but you could still buy a variety of warplanes for about $1200. 

There are an estimated 300 warplanes in Lake Michigan.  Many of which have a chance at being restored because freshwater is much kinder to metals than salt water.

The US Air Force and the US Navy have very different policies on aircraft retrieval.    For the Air Force, if the plane went down before 1961, if you have the landowner's permission then you can recover the aircraft.  With the Navy you need a permit to recover.  Both branches are very sensitive about human remains.

As a lay person I did find the shear number of plane names and ID numbers to be overwhelming but you kind of ignore that part and focus on the stories, wow!  These people have some serious dedication to their craft.  It took them years to get permission to get the Swamp Ghost out of the Agaiambo Swamp (Papua New Guinea).  I'm not sure if I would have that dedication to a machine.  And then there is the P-38 that they dug out of 260 feet of ice in Greenland.  Dang!

Overall, really nice book.  Pictures are amazing!  The stories are good and will leave you marveling.

Horse Power by Juliet Clutton-Brock

This book by Ms. Clutton-Brock is a great look at the history of the horse and donkey.  Printed in 1992 by the Harvard University Press there are a great deal of color and b/w photos to illustrate the role of the horse until the end of the nineteenth century.  It is one of the few books out there that also include the donkey and mule in looking at early history.

One of the more interesting factors of this book is the look at beliefs and practices in horse/donkey care over the ages.  In Roman times they believes that mares could be impregnated by the wind.  The slitting of nostrils was also very common for many years.

Another point of interests is the author's attention to the work of J. Spruytte.   Mr. Spruytte reconstructed Tutankhamun's chariot to prove that the horses could be galloping and the driver would be able to shoot arrows without loosing his balance.  There is also exploration of the Assyrian method of shooting arrows from a galloping horse using a weighted "pom-pom."  This is important because during that time they were not using stirrups.

A look at the economics of horsepower in the Middle Ages is quite interesting and includes several quotes on Welsh Laws, written around 940 AD.  "Four horse shoes and their complement of nails are worth two pence."  This shows that horseshoes were now part of the equine culture at that time.  The laws also outline the value of other horses with the plow horse being the least valued.

While certainly not a complete look at the history of the horse and donkey it is an interesting one.  

The Horse, the Wheel and Language by David W. Anthony

The flap of the book describes it as "Linking prehistoric archaeological remains with the development of language, David Anthony identifies the prehistoric peoples of central Eurasia's steppe grasslands at the original speakers of Proto-Indo-European, and show how their innovative use of the ox wagon, horseback riding, and the warrior's chariot turned the Eurasian steppes into a thriving transcontinental corridor of communication, commerce, and cultural exchange." If you're a fan of academic writing then you'll probably enjoy The Horse, the Wheel and Language:  How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes shaped the Modern World.  It won the society for American Archaeology’s 2010  Book Award.

There is no doubt that the information contained with this work is valuable but it is a tough read for the average reader.

Some pieces of interest to horse people are:

The comparison of cheek pieces from various burial sites show when more rapid and precise carriage driving evolved.  

The study of organic bits vs iron bits via the wear patterns on horse's teeth. 

If you're interested in the subject of language movement but can't handle the entire book then I recommend skipping to Chapter 17.  This chapter nicely sums up the book.  The reference section is also very valuable as you can find additional resources that may be easier for the reader to digest. 

Presidents on Wheels by Herbert Ridgeway Collins

"Fire!"

One word neatly sums up the first several chapters of this look at the carriages and cars that various presidents have used.  At the time of the writing (1971) many of the early carriages had been damaged or destroyed by fire.  Despite this and the lack of pictures Mr. Collins does an excellent job of using Presidential correspondence and  newspaper reports to provide us with the early history.

The pung sleigh (a boxy body on simple runners) that George Washington used in 1776 is maintained by the Henry Ford Museum and the Powel coach that he rode in is kept at Mount Vernon. Both are rather plain, especially when compared to European coaches of the time.  Correspondence shows that Washington preferred 'a genteel plain Chariot with neat Harness' however he eventually was convinced that his status required a more prestigious look.  The hammercloth and saddle cloths for the postillions were eventually made of leopard skin, trimmed in red and gold lace.  Only a few bits and pieces of the carriages who carried America's first president still exist.

The author, Herbert Ridgeway Collins, was the Associate Curator at the Smithsonian Institution during the writing of this book in 1971.  As a result he knows where the bodies, or in this case, carriage bodies, are.  Mr. Collins tells you where you can view the existing carriages driven by Presidents and where the remaining bits and pieces are stored of those destroyed by time.  It is interesting that European carriages of royalty have been preserved so well throughout time but American culture really hasn't been interested in preserving the carriages of our leaders.

A few other interesting tidbits from the book:

In February of 1864 a fire destroyed the White House stables and they were rebuilt by 1869.  However it was President Taft that converted the stables into a garage.  He was the first President that was provide a vehicle, prior to that only carriage and horses were provided.

Dwight D. Eisenhower had the trunk of his car broken into and a spare tire stolen during a visit to DC after being President.

The History of the Carriage by Laszlo Tarr

The History of the Carriage by Laszlo Tarr, Arco Publishing 1969

Translated by Elizabeth Hoch, Originally printed in Hungary

This work by Laszlo Tarr is a very well researched, richly illustrated look at the early history of the carriage.  From the sledge to royal carriages they’re all covered.  One of the things that sets this book apart from others on the same subject is the dedication to include a wide variety of cultures.   Early American Indians and their single-animal slide-car receive just as much time as slide cars used by the Bashkirs.   Interesting antidotes about traffic regulations, finances, vehicle fortifications, and culture interpretations keep the text moving.

 Duke Olivarez, a Spanish aristocrat, reportedly talked so loudly while in his carriage that state secrets were overhead by his coachman, who repeated them.  This supposedly led to the use of a saddle-mule.   Conversely a Peter the Great political appointee was soundly rejected in part because he made his driver sit in his own carriage (in the driver’s box, instead of on a saddle-horse).  In 1792, a state-coach delivered to the Chinese Emperor on behalf of the British was refused because of the highly built driver’s box.  The idea of seating a man in front of (and above) the Emperor was not well received.

With over sixty prints and 314 illustrations the reader is taken on a virtual journey through the ages.  Whether looking at a child-king’s lamb pulled phaeton or a Hungarian ‘kosci’ the quality of the woodcuts and other illustrations is very high.  The vehicles used by peasants are explored with just as much detail as the luxury vehicles of the ruling classes.  In fact, many of the illustrations seem more powerful being in black and white than in the full color examples used in today’s books.

While copies of this book are difficult to find they are available in libraries and snippets of the text are available through Google Books.

Too High a Price

The prologue of Too High a Price is extremely visual - five out-of-control ladle cars  full of liquid steel derail.  A manmade lake of fire results and then...a shrieking scream!

From that explosive opening we move to the courtroom of Judge Dorr III where we meet Joe Carter, a lawyer with one of Pittsburgh's larger law firms.  Dorr is not a fan of Carter.  Carter is big on body language, letting it speak his disbelief of  Robert Hart's story.  Mr. Hart was the person who let out the shrieking scream as his feet where hit by the liquid steel. Unfortunately for Mr. Hart there is a question as to whether his actions caused the accident or the company he worked for was at fault.

As the trial takes place you learn more of the back story behind the trial - Joe Carter once helped break a labor strike which has made him a target of some of Hart's less than savory co-workers.  It quickly becomes clear that something isn't quite right with the trial, particularly the jury.  Carter becomes concerned, reporting the issues to a senior partner in his law firm.  The reply?  "There's no percentage for you creating an issue when pursing the firm's immediate interests don't require you to."

From there the next 400-plus pages are a tumble through the world of personal-injury claims.  Carter wants to do the right thing but at what price?

"Everything in life has a price.  Each of us has to decide whether we're willing to pay the price without regard to the consequences."

Women in War by James E Wise Jr. and Scott Baron

When I was in college I had the opportunity to attend a leadership conference that included women involved in the Vietnam Women's Memorial, specifically one of the women that was used as a model for the statue.  I always remember her speaking because while she didn't give a hint that she was in trouble, as soon as the speech was over she was escorted to the hospital for blood poisoning.  Over time I've forgotten her name but I'll always remember her speech as it really opened my eyes to the lives behind the military 'picture.'  By that I mean, you see in the newspaper or online pictures of soldiers in remote locations and they seem so removed from my world that it is hard to relate to them sometimes.  It is important to remember that all soldiers are some one's child, they are an individual, and each has a unique story to tell. For that reason I tend to search out books like Women at War: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Conflicts as they give you a brief look at the people behind the uniform.

This book looks at some of the amazing women who have served, specifically dealing with WWII on.  Technically WWI was the first war that American women were allowed to participate in but most were not allowed to serve anywhere other than France and only in the capacity of nurses.  This just serves to highlight how far women progressed by WWII.   Probably my favorite WWII story in this book is that of Cpl. Barbara Podoski who worked with the OSS.   She was at the center of an propaganda operation that was directly responsible for the surrendering of some 600 enemy soldiers.

In 1948, Congress passed legislation allowing women into the regular and reserve forces - with full rank and privileges - although it did exempt them from combat. From this time period comes the story of Col. Ruby Grace Bradley.  Although she was told by her recruiter "Now don't worry, you won't be in a war" she served in two and became the most decorated woman in the history of the U.S. Army.  She was one of the "Angels in Fatigues" as a POW during WWII and a combat nurse in Korea.  In Korea, many nurses were behind the lines but few actually served on the 'official' front lines. In 1951, the war landed on Maj. Bradley's doorstep once again as she worked to evacuate the sick and wounded from a hospital.  As chief nurse she refused to leave until all of the patients were loaded, despite sniper bullets and exploding ambulances.

"I don't think I'll forget Vietnam because it changed my trust in people..." Spc5 Karen Irene Offutt is quoted as saying.  That seems to sum up so many of the Vietnam stories. Spc5 Sheron Lee Green's story also highlights one of the forgotten aspects of the war - religion. I'll sum it up by saying that children in Catholic orphanages were treated differently than those in Buddhist orphanages.  "It wasn't only a war of North and South.  It was also a war of Catholic versus Buddhist."  I admit that I hadn't really considered that aspect of the Vietnam War until it was pointed out in this book.

The book also includes quite a few stories from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Persian Gulf conflicts.  They range from SSgt. Jessica Lee Clement's story in which she was injured and only had a 2% (yes, 2%) chance of survival to Maj. Mary Biglow Krueger's experience treating Afghan women who were seeing a doctor for the first time.  This section of the book goes into much more detail on the day to day issues facing women at war - doing laundry, working with men in primitive conditions, dealing with those who feel that women don't belong in the military, etc.

Overall, I liked this book and would recommend it to you.  Another book that you might find interesting is Army Strong Women: Building the Next Generation by Melissa Leigh Farmer which shares the stories of women from the Army.

My First Car by Matt Stone

A few weeks ago I visited the Frick Museum to see their Fabergé exhibit.  While there I thought I'd mosey on over to the transportation collection.  The Car and Carriage Museum was fabulous! Sooo much better than it looks on the website and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in antique carriages or cars.  Of course, it probably helped that I spent quite a bit of time talking to the docents, who were very helpful and told interesting stories.  While I'm much more of a carriage enthusiast than a car enthusiast, good workmanship should be appreciated in all its forms.  When I happened upon My First Car: Recollections of First Cars from Jay Leno, Tony Stewart, Carroll Shelby, Dan Ackroyd, Tom Wolfe and Many More! the next week I thought I'd check it out. Just like the museum, it was a pleasant surprise!

Let me start by saying that I didn't know who half the people in this book were.  I may have know their last names just because, hey, who hasn't heard of the Andretti family and I've used Meguiar's products on my car but that is about the extent of it.  I was a bit more familiar with some of the TV stars mentioned and since I live in the Pittsburgh area, of course I've heard of Andy Warhol.  But I bet you didn't know that Andy Warhol couldn't drive.  He tried learning to drive when he was 56 but never got past going out with an instructor.  I like learning little pieces of history like that.

The fact that Hugh Hefner's first car was a 1941 Chevy coupe that broke down  the same day he launched Playboy in 1953 is kind of cool.  Tom Wolfe's description of mushrooms growing out of the wood in his old station wagon is strange but as he says "It was a very strange car."  John McEnroe, of tennis fame, went from an old Ford Pinto to a Mercedes 450 SL (I don't even really know what that is but I do know that there is a big difference between a Ford Pinto and a Mercedes.). The story that I liked the best though is that of Piero Ferrari.

I was please to read that Piero's father, Enzo Ferrari, had the wisdom not to give a Ferrari to a teenager. Instead Piero's first car was a Morris Mini 993.   He has a great story about beating a Porsche up a series of hills.  Of course, what comes around goes around so he also has a story about being beat by a Ferrari, which he decided in the long run wasn't such a bad thing.

It was also fun to read about Carroll Shelby being grounded after going 80 mph on the day that he passed his drivers test.  He was 14 at the time.  Anyone surprised that he eventually helped create the Shelby Cobra?  Even I know what a Shelby Cobra is.  (It was 'Ashley' in Gone in Sixty Seconds)

I will say that I think this book is best read over several days.  As a non-car enthusiast I got bogged down a few times but found myself returning again and again.  I really enjoy hearing the quirky little stories that lurk in  everyone's closet, just waiting for the right time to be shared. They're the stories that make history come alive.