A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans

A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans: Pirates, Skinflints, Patriots, and Other Colorful characters Stuck in the Footnotes of History

by Michael Farquhar

I learned about this book on and NPR (National Public Radio) interview with the author. This book covers 30 men and women who made a mark on American history, but are forgotten--thus the title. Some of them I have heard of, such as Anne Bonny, female pirate of the Carribean. I enjoyed her chapter the best, even though I'm familiar with her due to my kid's interest in pirates. Though this book certainly adds details to her life not found in the children's books we've read together, and for good reason. Though born to a wealthy plantation owner , she'd much rather be a pirate than attend balls or other such proper social activity of her time. She's wild. "If you'd fought like a man, you wouldn't be hanged like a dog" is her fairwell to her pirate lover before his hanging. I love it.

Others in the book were interesting and appalling at the same time, such as Gaston B. Means, who is horribly MEAN. Fittingly called a scoundrel, he murders a woman by shooting her in the back of the head and claiming she shot herseld, and then fakes a second will to try to get her fortune, and that's just the beginning. What eventually lands him in jail (FINALLY!!), is the swindle he invented to make money from the Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping by leading people to believe he is in contact with the kidnappers and he can have the baby safely delivered for $100,000, and then $35,ooo more, and then . . . . Yuck.

Others were more than just a little boring, like Alexander "Boss" Shepherd who made Washington DC beautiful. Not surprising he's forgotten. Good work I'm sure, but not my cup of tea.

Others a little crazy, like John Ledyard who attempted to walk around the world. Why? Yeah I don't know. He liked to be starving, cold, lost, and unsuccessful? Hmm. A glorified version of adventure? You would think he'd get the picture, but he kept going.

Overall, the book gets a thumbs up. I enjoyed most of it and I'm intersted in reading some of Farquhar's other books such as "A Treasury of Royal Scandals" and "A Treasury of Great American Scandals."