First off, I recommend this book; as a good historic novel, not for it's scholarly contribution.
It's about the "first" great scandal of 18th century America. Well, the scandal happened in 1793, so how exactly can it be the first? But then the country was only born in 1787, so maybe I'll let it slide.
Alan Crawford isn't a scholar, in fact he's a former speech writer and press secretary. I can't find who in particular he wrote for, but I did find out that his latest book on Jefferson dying in debt is well liked by UVA's Jefferson Professor. Fine--I haven't read that one. I read Unwise Passions. And this post is about that book.
I think Crawford took some liberties with the story to give it a moral theme. I mean, the story literally ended with me feeling that "if I'm good and persevere I will come out on top and anyone who makes my life miserable will die miserable and alone". That's not how real life works--that's a Jane Austen novel. One of my friends gave me a good label for this: "non-fiction novel".
So, to end this: take it with a grain of salt. I believe that any non-fiction book should be taken with a grain of salt but I think this book should be taken with an even bigger grain of salt than normal. Use it to become interested in the people and look for more scholarly works on them.
It's about the "first" great scandal of 18th century America. Well, the scandal happened in 1793, so how exactly can it be the first? But then the country was only born in 1787, so maybe I'll let it slide.
Alan Crawford isn't a scholar, in fact he's a former speech writer and press secretary. I can't find who in particular he wrote for, but I did find out that his latest book on Jefferson dying in debt is well liked by UVA's Jefferson Professor. Fine--I haven't read that one. I read Unwise Passions. And this post is about that book.
I think Crawford took some liberties with the story to give it a moral theme. I mean, the story literally ended with me feeling that "if I'm good and persevere I will come out on top and anyone who makes my life miserable will die miserable and alone". That's not how real life works--that's a Jane Austen novel. One of my friends gave me a good label for this: "non-fiction novel".
So, to end this: take it with a grain of salt. I believe that any non-fiction book should be taken with a grain of salt but I think this book should be taken with an even bigger grain of salt than normal. Use it to become interested in the people and look for more scholarly works on them.
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