Tom Whipple by Walter D. Edmonds

Tom Whipple Reviews

• 
  Michael Fitzgerald

  Great illustrations - some spreads with beautiful vibrant colors and plenty of black-and-white with fine details.
  
  The story is curious, engaging, and reportedly true. Edmonds credits it to Lydia Maria Child's book Letters from New York (1841). In that book, the account comes directly from George M. Dallas, who appears in the story as the American ambassador to Russia, but who would soon become U.S. Vice-President under James K. Polk.
  
  It's a fine tale of Yankee gumption and democratic spirit. Unfortunately, the Russians who were allies at the time of this book's publication (1942) and are portrayed in a positive light back in the Czarist 1830s of its setting, turned out to be more than a little problematic in the decades that followed.
• 
  Gary

  Although I like the idea of a young man meeting the Emperor, especially being based on a true story, this work could have used much more detail. That being said, Paul Lantz did a great job on the illustrations, some of which are in color and this first edition helps round out my Edmonds collection.
• 
  Juergen John Roscher

  A simple short-story of the adventure of Tom Whipple when he works on a ship that goes to Russia. Improbable situations but an entertaining read.