A Ship to Remember: The Maine and the Spanish-American War
This fast-paced, well-written popular history uses a broad spectrum of printed sources to present the Spanish-American War from a reporter's perspective, concentrating on describing reactions to events, especially the sinking of the Maine in the Havana harbor on Feb. 15, 1898. The former book editor of Reader's Digest , Blow offers vivid set pieces on familiar personalities (Theodore Roosevelt, George Dewey, Spanish Adm. Pascual Cervera) and battles (Manila Bay, San Juan Hill, Santiago). The work's naval focus is so pronounced that its treatment of the Cuba campaign is little more than a summary history of the Rough Riders. But Blow's conclusion--that the Maine 's loss remains an unsolvable mystery--fits the evidence better than the frequently espoused conspiracy theories do. And his general approach is a useful reminder that human decisions ultimately determine the outbreak and conduct of war. Photos not seen by PW.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.