Feldman's Faves: June 3, 2024

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

Fellow POWERZONERS - did you do Matt W’s 2 hour class this weekend? I didn’t do it yet but I will try to get it in this week. Looks fun yet painful.

Happy birthday to Megan whose birthday is coming up on Wednesday.

Finally, I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Olivia on finishing her articles TODAY. You did a great job this year and we look forward to seeing you once you are back from your very fun trips (just don’t lose all of your money in Vegas…).

No theme this week – just topics of interest.

THE DEMON OF UNREST By: Erik Larson – Erik Larson is one of the world’s greatest storytellers alive today. I have read and reviewed a number of his books for this group including The Splendid and the Vile and The  Devil in the White City, which were outstanding. Larson has an incredible ability to source primary materials and turn them into a fascinating story, which he does once again in The Demon of Unrest. I have listened to Larson interviewed for this book where he explicitly states that telling the story of the start of the Civil War and hate and fear that people – particularly in the South- had for Lincoln is not supposed to be an allegory or a  lesson for today.  He just finds the story interesting. That said, the beauty of studying history is that it reveals discernable patterns and hopefully teaches lessons – e.g., when Veep Breckenridge – Lincoln’s number one rival during the 1869 election - was responsible for counting the votes in the Electoral College there was a real fear that he wouldn’t do it right and there was a fear of riots taking place in Capitol Hill, which in that case didn’t happen. But the way Larson shows how communication broke down between the “two solitudes” of the US during that time and how the fortification of Fort Sumter in Charleston led to horrific consequences of state succession and ultimately to the Civil War (which seemed inevitable at that time) is a very important history lesson in what NOT to do.  Even though you know how the story ends, Larson, as always, uses his gift as a storyteller to keep you turning the pages and waiting to see what comes next.  As one reviewer notes, “The bestselling author is back with an intriguing tale from the beginning of the Civil War. In his latest appealing historical excavation, Larson, author of The Splendid and the Vile, Dead Wake, and other acclaimed books of popular history, examines the run-up to the Civil War during the six months between Lincoln’s November 1860 election and the surrender of Fort Sumter: a dismal period when bumblers, not excluding Lincoln, and fanatics dominated. People will fight for their freedom, but more will fight for their money, a fact that persuaded the Founding Fathers to continue the practice of slavery. Abolition became a major issue in the North early in the 19th century, enraging southerners. At the time, there was a widespread belief that Black men and women were fit for nothing better than being enslaved. All major southern religious traditions agreed, along with scholars, educators, journalists, and scientists. Most northerners agreed but hated that enslaved people worked for nothing; this depressed wages so there was opposition to slaves moving into territories and new states. Powerless before taking office, Lincoln vastly overestimated pro-Union sentiment in the South. He assured northern audiences that matters would calm down, believing (against all evidence) that secessionists were rational and that slavery in existing states was inviolate. Popular history demands a hero, so Larson concentrates on Maj. Robert Anderson, commander of the forts in Charleston harbor. Although he was a slaveowner, he did his duty, defending Fort Sumter until it became impossible and returning to the North to great acclaim. True to his style, Larson includes interesting portraits of obscure peripheral figures that enrich the narrative, including James Hammond, a wealthy but obnoxious planter and senator, and Mary Chesnut, wife of an even wealthier planter who kept an invaluable diary. A welcome addition to any Civil War buff’s library.” As always, Larson does a great job capturing the feel of the times. You really understand where each side came from – thinking the other side was just plain wrong and even evil – which we know was half true. Maybe this war was needed and the only way to abolish slavery - but even if it was, it came at an awful cost and one today’s leaders should understand. Here’s a good review from the NYT - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/books/review/the-demon-of-unrest-erik-larson.html

Acquired - Microsoft –The story of Bill Gates and his buddies founding and growing Microsoft into the company it is today is well known and has been told many times. But every once and while it is interesting to hear a familiar story told from a new perspective. The team at Acquired has done just that in this episode, which is one of the most interesting and comprehensive summaries I have heard in a long time. This PODCAST is very long but worth a listen to the history of one of the most significant and impactful companies of our lifetimes. Here’s an excerpt from the PODCAST itself, “After nearly a decade of Acquired episodes, we are finally ready to tackle the most valuable company ever created. The company that put a computer on every desk and in every home. The company that invented the software business model. The company that so thoroughly and completely dominated every conceivable competitor that the United States government intervened and kneecapped it… yet it’s STILL the most valuable company in the world today. This episode tells the story of Microsoft in its heyday, the PC Era. We cover its rise from a teenage dream to the most powerful business and technology force in history — the 20-year period from 1975 to 1995 that took Bill and Paul from the Lakeside high school computer room to launching Windows 95 alongside Jay Leno and the Rolling Stones. From BASIC to DOS, Windows, Office, Intel, IBM, Xerox PARC, Apple, Steve Jobs, Steve Ballmer… it’s all here, and it’s all amazing. Tune in and enjoy”:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/acquired/id1050462261?i=1000653148600

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and participation.And remember to stay safe, stay healthy and to docket daily.

Jon