Churchill & Orwell: The fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks New York: Penguin Press, 2017, 339 p. $29.00 Thomas E. Ricks is perhaps best known for his book, The Generals, but his latest work, Churchill & Orwell, is a volume that seals Ricks’ reputation as one of our finest historical observers and commentators. Ricks is a fine writer and his erudite style adds much to what is both a dual biography of Winston Churchill and George Orwell, as well as an essay on the legacy and importance of these two domineering figures in world history. This latter observation, placing Churchill and Orwell in a global context, is not overstated. While Churchill saw his political and public career rescued f
Ambrotype image in half-case by Daniel Denison of Albany, New York circa 1852 (Credit: Bill Howard Collection) During the American Civil War, Daniel Denison (1814-1899) was one of the most accomplished photographers operating in the City of Albany, New York. As thousands of soldiers passed through the Capital City on their way to and from the Front, Denison, along with his business partner, Rensselaer E. Churchill (1820-1892), produced high quality portrait images that are some of the finest produced during the period. Carte-de-visite by the studio of Churchill & Denison of Albany, New York taken around 1863 (Credit: Library of Congress) Before the Civil War divided the country, Denison was
