Spy Camera- The Minox Story (four stars)

Great book! I didn't realize that I got an older edition, but that's OK... I'm more interested in the "classic" minoxes, like the Minox-B. This book talks about the original vision of the Minox camera by Zapp, the rather confusing situation relating to the manufacture and sale of the Minox due to WWII and the occupation of Latvia by the Soviets, then the Germans, then the Soviets again. The manufacturing passed over to Germany (primarily) after the war and there were some changes to the board, so the speak. All very confusing but Moses addresses this. The book talks about the differences between individual camera models, the special lens that makes the Minox practical and several manufacturing facts. There is a chapter that very briefly discusses the use of the Minox in espionage (which is probably what it's best known for) and a lot of good information on special accessories. The book doesn't really look much at the Minox in popular culture (which I think is a mistake... you could almost do a whole book on that topic alone!) and it doesn't include information on how to operate the original Minox, but it does include serial numbers for identifying when your Minox C was made and other practical info so it balances out. Lavishly illustrated with photos.

Pogrom: Kishinev and the Tilt of History (Five Stars)

The pogrom that took place in Kishinev in what was in 1903 the Russian province of Besserabia was not the first nor the last nor even the worst of the pogroms which periodically rocked the Jewish population living in the Pale of Settlement but it was one which, for the first time, touched the imagination of people around the world to the plight of Jews living in the shadow of the Russian eagle, assuring the entry of the word "pogrom" into the English language. Zipperstein gives the reader an account of the attacks launched against the Jewish population of Kishinev, the acts of rape, murder and physical assault, the arbitrariness of the violence by the local Moldovan population and the seeming inability or unwillingness of the local police and military to get involved. Zipperstein also looks at the way the incident was captured by journalists and how it has effected the way we look at pre-revolutionary Russia to this day. Includes black and white photos and helpful maps.

I review almost exclusively history books (with rare exceptions). I will eagerly review any book having to do with antiaircraft or air defense. I am also interested in books on Africa, but again, mostly the history of the continent, especially in the 20th Century. Get in touch with me for more information. Most of my book reviews are also on Goodreads and Amazon.

The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion (Five Stars)

The Fires of Jubilee details the origins, execution, and outcome of Nat Turner's ill-fated three-day slave revolt. Stephen Oates writing, a bit florid in places, certainly conveys both the abject misery and injustice of slavery as practiced in rural Virginia in the first quarter of the 19th century as well as the horrors suffered by whites and blacks alike during his followers' murderous spree in Southampton County and the inevitable military action to suppress the rebellion... not to mention acts of vigilantes throughout Virginia and North Carolina against blacks thought to be involved in the Turner conspiracy. Oates is very good at balancing the reliability of Confessions of Nat Turner against what other historians have said about them. I found this an interesting book in light of local history (currently residing in Suffolk). If you're only going to read one book on this topic this is the one to get. Illustrated with maps.

Camp Chase and the Evolution of Union Prison Policy (Four Stars)

During the Civil War Ohio's Camp Chase served a number of roles: a mustering site, a prisoner of war camp, a holding place for Union parolees and a prison for Union soldiers guilty of violating the articles of war. Pickenpaugh provides first-hand accounts of how the camp was built and organized, noting the changing roles that the camp fulfilled during the war due to changes in Union policy. The author does a good job of portraying POW life, from the absurd to the reprehensible. The book also discusses the life of "paroles," Union soldiers captured by Confederates but paroled to Union custody until such time as they were officially "exchanged" by the U.S.-C.S. cartel. I had a personal reason for getting this book as my Civil War ancestor was captured by partisans in Kentucky and immediately paroled. He spent several months at Camp Chase.

Lines of Contention (Five Stars)

An interesting book. I was afraid it would consist entirely of the most well-known political cartoons of the Civil War era but in fact it draws on a variety of sources and there were many I have never seen before. It also has some helpful information which helps the reader "interpret" the cartoons, putting them in context. I have to admit, there were a few that I wouldn't have "gotten" if not for Lewin's explaination. Finally, the author provides a thumbnail sketch of the cartoonists and the periodicals they drew for. An excellent addition to my Civil War library!