NATIONAL BESTSELLERMoe Berg is the only major-league baseball player whose baseball card is on display at the headquarters of the CIA. For Berg was much more than a third-string catcher who played on several major league teams between 1923 and 1939. Educated at Princeton and the Sorbonne; he as reputed to speak a dozen languages (although it was also said he couldn't hit in any of them) and went on to become an OSS spy in Europe during World War II. As Nicholas Dawidoff follows Berg from his claustrophobic childhood through his glamorous (though equivocal) careers in sports and espionage and into the long; nomadic years during which he lived on the hospitality of such scattered acquaintances as Joe DiMaggio and Albert Einstein; he succeeds not only in establishing where Berg went; but who he was beneath his layers of carefully constructed cover. As engrossing as a novel by John le Carré; The Catcher Was a Spy is a triumphant work of historical and psychological detection.
#320480 in Books Vintage 1992-07-28 1992-07-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.10 x 5.20l; .85 #File Name: 0679738886414 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. I was not disappointed. Stonewall Jackson and Hill were at odds with ...By SEHWith curiosity I wanted to learn more about General A.P. Hill and turned to a source I believed I could trust; I was not disappointed. Stonewall Jackson and Hill were at odds with each other from the moment Lee sent Hill to support Stonewall on his march against Gen. John Pope. The two personalities could not have been more different. The little I knew about Hill before stems from his poor performance at Gettysburg; but I knew there was more to the man -- they named a Fort after him in Virginia (near his home in Culpepper) for heaven's sake. This very passionate; hard-fighting gentleman was prideful and highly sensitive of any criticism. He never measured up to the demands Stonewall Jackson set for his divisional commanders; and yet he never had a divisional commander more talented than Hill once engaged on the battlefield. The drama of their antagonism towards each other is a running thread through this volume; told very competently by Robertson; who proves equal to the task by showing no favoritism; he lays out the facts and you end up sympathizing with R.E. Lee who loved both men and tried to put a stop to the quarreling. What was most compelling to me; however; was that on the night Stonewall was shot by his own men; Hill was only minutes away trying to put his division in order of battle when he came rushing to his commanders side. Falling to his knees and cradling Jackson's head in his lap; Hill issued orders and didn't leave his side until Jackson's staff and medical personnel arrived. There was mutual respect between the two for their leadership prowess on the field and they were able to table their squabbles until all danger had passed. Unfortunately this was their last meeting and Hill never felt recompensed by the charges preferred against him by Jackson. I think it remarkable; however; that Lee maintained his HQ near A.P. Hill after making him Corps Commander (III Corps) when the Army of Northern Virginia was reshuffled after Jackson's death. The youngest of the corps commanders;Robertson (intentionally or not) leads one to believe that Lee intended to watch him closely and help him grow into his new role. He; however; never fully rose to the challenge; for he did not have the administrative ability of Jackson or Lee; and hence made a poor Corps Commander. But Lee loved him like a son and never gave up on him. It is a well written biography that made me love this man; for he is sincerely lovable and his story pulls at your heart-strings. One of the most tragic figures of The Sectional War; he gave to Virginia all he had to give; even to the laying down his life. Makes me proud to be a Virginian!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Terrific biography of one of Lee's most overlooked subordinatesBy Jonathan WellerGeneral A.P. Hill: The Story of a Confederate Warrior is a fairly comprehensive biography of one of Lee’s most trusted and overlooked generals. While Hill never garners the attention of a Jackson; Longstreet or Stuart; he was without a doubt one of the most capable commanders that served in the Army of Northern Virginia. James I. Robertson’s work provides a complete and objective telling of the general’s life and military career; while showcasing the ups and downs that often plagued Hill during his tenure in Confederate service.One of the hardest parts of both reading and writing an autobiography is overcoming the obvious bias involved with the research process. If a person feels strongly enough about an individual to research and write about their life; they undoubtedly have some strong leanings about the person before ever putting pen to paper. This book about A. P. Hill is really no different. While the work does claim to be objective about Hill’s place in the annuls of Confederate history; Robertson makes no bones about the fact that Hill is too often overlooked and given an unfair shake. Whether this bothers you will depend largely on how you view A.P. Hill before you read the book. I went into the book with an open mind regarding the telling of Hill’s contributions to the war effort; and in no way was I disappointed with this book.Robertson’s book covers A.P. Hills beginnings and rise through the pre-war U.S. Army; he provides a detailed background story that explains why Lee would have felt comfortable appointing Hill to command a corps after the death of Jackson in 1863. The work then covers Hill’s early career as a regimental commander; but really starts to shine when we get to see Hill placed in command of the famed “Light†Division. This is where the reader is sucked in and becomes gripped by Robertson’s storytelling abilities. Robertson’s telling of Hill’s grapples with Jackson and his aggressive nature on the battlefield is first rate; and explains his ascension to corps command with detail.This; to me; is where Robertson’s work shines the brightest. A.P. Hill is often seen as the weak link when it comes to the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia for much of his tenure as Third Corps commander; and Robertson uses this work tries to unwind the myths surrounding Hill’s abilities. While trying to keep an objective mind with this writing; Robertson often veers into the critical when it comes to defending Hill to others. While this is undoubtedly to be expected; it is problems like this that make reading biographies difficult. Again; while this did not deter my interest in the book; some may find it as nothing more than an A.P. Hill gloryfest.I actually went into this work with preconceived notions of A.P. Hill and his abilities as a commander; and I finished the work with almost the exact same opinions of the man. I agree that Hill never had the best brigades to command when it came to the army’s restructuring in 1863; and his subordinates would have definitely been the least desirable for a corps commander; but reading Robertson’s work reinforced my beliefs that Hill was much better suited to divisional command and not so much for corps command. While Hill had some qualities necessary to command men in battle; his faults often crept in to derail his positive attributes.Overall this book is a terrific read for anyone who loves the Civil War and tries to better understand the Army of Northern Virginia specifically. The Hill love is strong from Robertson throughout this work; but the storytelling and writing style is so engaging and gripping that I simply could not put the book down for very long. I doubt it will change many people’s opinions of Hill and his abilities; but it does a great job of showing why he wasn’t the second coming of Jackson.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great AmericanBy alison carmelAP Hill; like all great Americans was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for a cause he believed in - his homeland (Virginia/ Virginias) not politics; not the economic based institution of slavery; not succession or states right. Virginia - it was as simple as that! And; so when his homeland made the decision to succeed; so went the native son; as do all American warriors go when their country calls themto duty. We need to remember and honor these southern American soldiers; for they were Americans first; and as such they too embodied the noble traits America so esteems; the same traits America bestowed upon them at Institutes such as West Point; as they did their northern compatriots
