Special Functions of Mathematics for Engineers Book

An interesting read. Theodore White covers the years from his childhood until 1963. During those years he attended Harvard (scholarship - not wealth), was the senior correspondent for Time magazine in China during WWII, worked as a foreign correspondent in Europe (48-53) and covered politics in the Unites States. The man saw much and met many well known personages. While other reviewers have remarked on White's political stance (he was a classic FDR New Deal Liberal) it doesn't (and shouldn't) take away from his experiences or the fact that he was an intelligent and thoughtful observer.

White was there as history was being made. Both large (WWII, Chinese Communist Revolution, JFK's election, the implementation of the Marshall Plan) and small (the increase of street crime in New York City, the devastating effect that runaway inflation can have on economies and people, the horror of famine). White aknowledges that some of his memories are those of a younger man and his notes from the time periods aren't always as comprehensive as he would like. Not necessarily lacking in detail, but lacking contemplation, no appreciation of the history that he was recording. It's an excusable oversight though. White was a young man (especially during WWII) and in a hurry. Very few of us can claim otherwise when we look back on our twenties - I certainly can't.

In Search of History is better than the typical autobiography. Instead of a laundry list of places and people that the author has gone to and met White tells you about his experiences and the conditions of where he lived and worked. He explains, details and comments. It's an interesting book and while it might seem old fashioned to younger readers, even conservative by today's standards, it's a well written personal history. It will also give the reader a better sense of the Depression/WWII generation that made such a major contribution to the United States and whose impact will be felt for decades to come.

Strongly reccommended for those who are interested in history on a Human scale.