#hw brands

[wutheringmights]

Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants by H. W. Brands was given to me by my BIL as a joke. I have an on-going joke about one of the men in that title-- one I have been torturing my friends and family about for almost a decade now.

My BIL thought it would be funny if he gave me a book about said man. I thought it was about time I read it.

This book was a pain in the ass. I started this thing back in January, and it took me the full month and a half to read. The book isn't too long, but no matter how much I sat down to read it, I never felt like I made any progress. But I couldn't stop reading it, because I knew I was never finish it otherwise.

And now that I read it (and wrote out my thoughts), I’m sure I hate it.

On one hand, I like history. It was written in a very narrative way, and it was nice to get a reminder that American politics have always been a shit show.

On the other, the scope of this book was really limited. It's not about the lives of Clay, Calhoun, or Webster; but it doesn't offer a comprehensive enough look at the politics of the time to be about their careers. You cannot tell me that there wasn't a contemporaneous Black author who wrote about their policies on slavery as it was being debated.

It's not like there wasn't other figures of American history that wasn't explored. The presidents of the time were given full exposes, and there was multiple chapters on Solomon Northup. But often, Brands would reduce alternative stances to "abolitionists disagreed." Who disagreed? What was their name and what exactly did they say?

All that to say that the way the book talked about slavery was mostly okay. Again, it's limited but it was frank. The country is at a stage where if a book doesn't try to mince the evils of slavery I have to appreciate it.

But you want to know what this book did mess up? Native American history and rights.

First, Brands committed to referring to Native Americans as "Indians." This book was published in 2018.

Second, the Indian Removal Act was skimmed over, if not almost completely ignored. There is a quick reference to it at the end of a chapter about a British journalist's thoughts on Henry Clay. Allegedly, Clay made such an impassioned speech against the act that tears welled in his eyes. That seems like something worth mentioning in a book about Henry Clay's life.

I am convinced this is because Brands adores Andrew Jackson. We spent a lot of time on Jackson's military career and presidency. Everything Brands had to say about Jackson was positive. Was the infamous story of Jackson beating a man with his cane mentioned? No. Did I have to read about how Jackson was a man of honor and principal? Yes. Constantly.

I only finished this book out of sheer stubbornness. I just feel frustrated. This book felt imbued with that American mythologism that makes engaging with any American pop history a minefield to navigate. If I cared a bit more, I would google Brands to see what his politics are.

As is, I just never want to look at this book again. I can't even confidently say I learned anything as I can feel the burning holes of the book's limited perspectives and biases. How can I trust what little I thought I learned when Brands is obviously not telling the whole story. Just look at Andrew Jackson.

[antebellumite]

i'm hearing brands talk about clay calhoun webster and AAAAAAAAAAAA

[novuit]

Everytime I join a guild and equip my new tool/weapon, Arthur becomes completely stripped off his clothes; it's so embarrassingggg.... And I have to very quickly dress him in unflattering clothing to save his dignity..

[nekochan08]

I was on the hunt for Hetalia comic panels about country lore and along the way found Italy….cosplaying Luffy

Like Luffy from One Piece 😂

[pvffinsdaisies]

Just imagining Japan wearing one of those t-shirts with Scottish town names on, and Scotland stopping dead in his tracks wondering why he’s wearing a top that says like Falkirk on it, and America just taps him on the shoulder like “you get used to it.”

[hygienic-soap-dispenser]

Here's a Fin for y'all idk

[stick-by-me]

Sporty Sanrio!

[ifindus]

Napapijri is an Italian clothing brand that uses a "sort of" Finnish name and a Norwegian flag as a logo even though it has nothing to do with either country! The brand is inspired by adventurers and "defying labels, transcending boxes, pursuing the unexpected journey into nature and creativity" as they put it.

I had never heard of this brand before I lived in Scotland, and I saw so many people wearing it there! Seemed super popular! Always so confusing because I automatically assumed they were Norwegians, but no. Just Scots wearing Norwegian flags ✨ so sweet of them 🥰

[royaltea000]

Kept showing friend pictures of Cloud Sephiroth and Zack in this and now they keep asking me when I’m gonna draw Gilbert in them and I’m sad to say they’ve won

[doueverwonder]

Australia: Every zoo is a petting zoo unless you’re a coward.

Canada: whole worlds a petting zoo if you're not a coward.

Canada: now let's go find that moose.

[romericas]

Nations Revealed AU but instead of Alfred's government revealing it or it coming to light through Watergate or something, it's just because Alfred went on the Muppet's Show as an engineer from NASA or something back in the day and then later started his YouTube channel where he keeps alluding to his time on the Muppets, leading to people figuring him out and connecting the dots with all the other nations he keeps featuring in his videos and now internet conspiracy theorists think all the tans are vampires who just happen to also be vaguely involved with politics sometimes

[antebellumite]

hw brands, talking about clay and calhoun and webster:

" if you remember your days from high school, you might remember that relationships between two people, whether it's friends or romantic relationships, two people involved, that's one kind of relationship, but it gets a whole lot more interesting when you add a third." " and that's exactly how it turned out in these guys' lives."

i. am. hypervENTILATING.

[mythandral]

Day 18: Landscape

Man has not set foot in these lands for millenia, yet something familiar puts your heart at ease.

[luderailing]

Screw it

Moldova appreciation post

[deus-ex-mona]

the way this was the last new image featuring daimeggle th o u g h

[betty-bourgeoisie]

You jest, but Alfred would make a decent candidate for Temperance if reversed (if you even use reversed card meanings; some don’t, I’m usually one of them).

Oh I think he would be great for Temperance reversed.

Actually I think Alfred really does represent a duality that would work well for temperance - The idea of temperance has heavily influenced American culture through various religious groups (Quakers, Shakers, Puritans - I won't list every itty bitty Protestant sect that hates fun, but there are/were a LOT of them in the U.S. The Temperance movement itself had religious roots too). Even the more generic flavors of American protestantism tend to emphasize not being too flashy or tacky.

And then on the other hand you have the conspicuous consumption, bigger is better attitude that is so heavily associated with American capitalism and the American entertainment industry.

These values are supposedly antithetical to each other, but they're both corner stones of the American over culture, and the tension between the two is ever present - in fashion, in foodways, in home decor, in language- the need to show off your wealth while still appearing humble and reserved (ie: godly) is always there.

As a personification of the United States I think Alfred's character could be uniquely positioned to represent both temperance and temperance reversed in a tarot deck for exactly this reason.