The Audio File: Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York

Sometimes a great audio drama dies after only one season. Other times, an audio drama is specifically designed to be a limited series. Then, on rare occasions, there are shows that looked like they’d only last one season, but wind-up getting more seasons. We’re going to be taking a look at a show which falls in the third category. We’re taking a look at Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York. 

When we last left our hero, fourteen-year-old Benjamin Franklin was about to depart from Boston to either New York City or Philadelphia. I assumed it would be the later, but it would seem that I was wrong. New York is a vibrant, but also very seedy and corrupt, city in 1722. Ben’s going to need all of his wits and cunning if he’s going to stay out of trouble. Along the way, he’ll make some new allies, and several new enemies. There’s plenty of thrills and adventures to be had in the next exciting chapter of young Ben Franklin’s life.

Well, I have to be honest, I was not expect this to be the Gen-Z Media show to get a sequel. Don’t get me wrong, season one of Young Ben Franklin was absolutely fantastic, and I loved it. However, the ending felt like it tied everything together pretty well. There weren’t any dangling plot threads, or hints that a new season might be on the way. But then there’s been exciting things happen behind the scene at Gen-Z Media. Gen-Z Media was recently purchased by Wondery. They’re a podcast network that has help make several fantastic shows such as 1865, Imagined Life, Blood Ties, American History Tellers, and a pretty good adaption of The Handmaid’s Tale. To any parents reading this, I must here warn that most of the shows I just mentioned are decidedly not kid-friendly. 

Anyway, funnily enough, it wasn’t all that long ago that Wondery got purchased but Amazon. So, this means more money all around. And more money means more audio dramas. I wonder what other Gen-Z Media shows will be getting new seasons? I hope this means we won’t have to wait as long for season three of The Natureverse.

Some of you will probably note that Benjamin Franklin never visit New York City during his youth in real life. Old Ben notes, towards the end of the season, that this is one of the events that didn’t make it into the history books. So, you can view Young Ben Franklin in general as the untold story of the lost years of Benjamin Franklin. Well, assuming that Old Ben can be trusted, and isn’t embellishing/fabricating any details.

Ben makes new allies in the form of some local ne’er-do-wells called The Dirty Dogs. They’re pretty clearly a stand-in for Ben’s friends from season one, The Wharf Rats. Though, there are a few slight differences. The Dirty Dogs are headed by a charismatic Irishman named Danny Quinn, who doesn’t really have an equivalent within The Wharf Rats. Well, perhaps he parallels Ben himself to an extent. Danny is extremely quick-witted and can talk his way out of just about any situation. He also crafts incredibly intricate plans, often on the fly, but always manages to pull them off. I think my favorite member of The Dirty Dogs was Ruby. She’s the token girl of the group, but she’s streetwise and tough-as-nails. She’s can be a bit jerk at times, and is very snarky towards Ben, but is also kind of endearing. In fact, she’s the first person Ben encounters upon arriving in New York. She pretended to be in need of help, but then mugged Ben at knifepoint after she lured him into a back alley.

In other characters, there’s Hannah. She is a free person of color, and hopes to open the first school for black children in New York. Hannah is a fictional character, and thus, her plan is doomed from the start. Young Ben Franklin has its fun, and bends historical events slightly, but tries to be reasonably true to the historical record. But hey, her granddaughter gets to attend New York’s first school for black children in 1794, so, not a total bust. Overall, I thought that Hannah was reasonably well written. That being said, I found there were a few times the dialogue got a tad clunky. When Ben first meets Hannah, she sasses him around and launches into a lecture about how being a slave is very different from being an indentured servant. Okay, fair point, but it could have been delivered in a far more organically. I’m not a big fan of delivering messages didactically. I find to be lazy, and bad writing in general.

On the other hand, I liked how this season touched on more serious issues, such as the legacy of slavery in Early America. When we think of slavery, we tend to think of places below the Mason-Dixon Line, such as Charleston or New Orleans. However, many Northern states also practiced slavery prior to, and even several decades after, the American Revolution. Many streets of New York and Philadelphia were built using slave labor. The dockside of Manhattan used to be home to a fairly large slave auction. Quite ironic in the case of Pennsylvania, which later become a major stop on the Underground Railroad. New York granted gradual manumission starting in 1799. Full abolitions of slavery in New York was finally achieved in 1827.

Personally, I think that it is good that Young Ben Franklin touches on these issues. In many ways, America’s schools still don’t do a proper job teaching about slavery. Some people say that isn’t patriotic, but I disagree. It is perfectly patriotic to learn from the mistakes of our past. How else will we be able to build a truly better future for all Americans?

I won’t give away the villain of the season. However, I will say that the twist was both refreshing and genuinely surprising. I did not see it coming. So, hats off to Gen-Z Media for that.

There are four mini-episodes that preceded that main episodes of Welcome to New York. They are an interview with historian, and Benjamin Franklin scholar, Dr. George Boudreau. He talks about all sorts of interesting facts about the real Benjamin Franklin. For example Benjamin Franklin invented the world’s first swim fins. This fact winds up getting working into the main show. Swimming was one Benjamin Franklin’s favorite forms of exercise. Another fun fact is that printing presses required a lot of upper body strength to operate. As such, Benjamin Franklin was quite muscular in his youth. We also learn about some of Dr. Boudreau’s own escapades. For instance, he once discovered one on Benjamin Franklin’s original lightning rods at an excavation at Liberty Hall in Philadelphia. He was moved to tears by the thought that he was holding something that Franklin himself once touched. Some tourist were walking by, including a small boy who said “Daddy, a fat man fell into a hole in the ground, and now he’s crying.” ‘

Dr. Boudreau also educates listeners about Benjamin Franklin’s personal failings. Later in his life, Benjamin Franklin spoke out again slavery, and was the president of an abolitionist society. Despite this, he also owned five or six slaves over the course of his life. And yes, they were slaves, not freemen. Franklin’s letters to his wife make that very clear. It is certainly important to praise Franklin for his achievements. Indeed, there is much to celebrate about the man. At the same time, it is also important to acknowledge his shortcomings as an individual.

Unfortunately, the main show fails to do the latter. True, Old Ben does mention that he regrets that he didn’t speak out against slavery sooner. However, he also fails to mentions that he owned five or six slaves. I get why Gen-Z Media probably did this. It would be kind of hard to root for Young Ben if the listeners know he will grow up to be a slave owner. All of his speeches about liberty and freedom would certainly ring a bit hollow. It would also give the unfortunate impression that he got sick of Hannah bossing him around, and tried to get revenge on her by proxy.

Overall, however, I was very pleased with Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York. It would seem that Young Ben will be on many more adventures in the relatively near future. In fact, we’ve got a Halloween Special on the way. I wasn’t expecting Young Ben Franklin to be getting any sequels, but I’m excited to see where the story goes. We need more quality historical fiction aimed at kids. Young Ben Franklin is certainly doing its part to bring a quality historical fiction audio drama experience for the whole family to enjoy.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: 1865: Season 2

I'd had this blog for a few years, but it didn't truly take off in earnest until I started reviewing audio dramas. So, here we are, reviewing the second season of the audio drama that started it all for me. There's really no more preamble to be added, so let's get to it. We're taking a look at season two of 1865.

Season two of 1865 begins where season one ended. Ulysses S. Grant has been elected the eighteenth President of the United States. Grant proved himself on the battlefields of the American Civil War, and has become a national hero. However, Grant is about to face a whole new set of challenges. Challenges that he might not be totally prepared for. There are white supremacist insurgency groups spreading across the South. Of particular note is a new group calling themselves The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Grant must try his best to clean-up the mess that Andrew Johnson created, and preserve the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Grant must guide America through the tumultuous Reconstruction era. However, Grant will be hounded by accusations of corruption within his administration. He will find that, sometimes, his greatest allies can be his worst enemies.

I had been eagerly awaiting this season ever since I finished season one of 1865. I was blown away with what Steve Walters and Erik Archilla, and their team of voice actors and producers, achieved in season one. As it turns out, 1865 was originally planned to only be a single season long. It does tell a complete story, and the last episode of season one does carry a strong note of finality. However, thanks to overwhelming fan support, the team decided to make a second season. It would pick up where season one ends, and follow the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. So, here we are.

Season two of 1865 differs from season one in a few key aspects. Season one start with the main show, and then released a three-episode prequel miniseries afterwards. Season two, however, begins with a trio of prequel episodes before diving into the main show. This trio of episodes serves to bridge the gap between season one and season two. They have a framing device where Edwin Stanton is having dinner with Charles Dickens. Stanton is telling Dickens about the things that occurred during the final days of the Johnson administration. Believe it or not this is absolutely historically accurate. Charles Dickens took a trip to America, and he did indeed have dinner with Edwin Stanton. Dickens was less than impressed by what he found in America. To be fair, it's not like he thought too highly of Britain. Dickens' novels included scathing critiques of the British upper class, and brought attention to the abysmal conditions of the poor and working class.

It is during these flashbacks that we meet Edmund Cooper. He was appointed as Secretary of the Treasury by Andrew Johnson. He served as one of Johnson's closest political advisors. However, he didn't appear during season one due to time constraints. So, Steve and Erik had to retroactively weave Cooper into the season one plotline for the sake of the prequel episodes. Personally, I'd say they did a good job. We'd briefly seen Johnson dining and wining with various Southern elites. You could argue that Cooper just happened to be away doing other things during the various scenes we see in season one.

The theme of framing device in the prequel episodes is that Stanton knows he isn't going to be the hero of this particular story. This can be seen as the writers symbolically passing the torch to Ulysses S. Grant. Another way that season two differs is that it covers a much larger span of time than season one did. Season one, true to the show's title, stayed in the year 1865, barring the last two episodes. Season two, by contrast, spans all eight years of Grant's presidency. I'd assumed things would be more along the lines of season one, and that Stanton would at least get halfway through the season before dying. Instead, however, the first episode of the season proper ends with Stanton dying. I mean, I knew that this was coming. Season one ends with a reading of Stanton's obituary in 1868. Still, all the same, it was kind of shocking. It was in that moment it really became clear that Grant would be figuring things out largely on his own. Though, Stanton does briefly appear in a flashback set during the American Civil War.

Some might argue that the series title no longer makes sense, as season two is set after the year 1865. However, I'd argue that it still fits. Everything that happens in the season, and the series as a whole, is because of that fateful day in 1865. So, from a thematic perspective, it fits.

Season two also differs in that we go outside the halls of power. There are several episodes that include scenes set in South Carolina. So, we get to see how the Freedmen are doing under Reconstruction, and the opposition they face. This also gives the podcast an opportunity to shine a light on lesser-known historical figures. It is a sad, but true, fact that we just don't have a lot of primary sources about many of these black characters. We get to meet Jim Williams. He was the leader of a black militia who helped protect and enforce voting rights for blacks. He's a true American hero, but not one who is particularly well-known. Hopefully, he will become better known thanks to 1865.

Jim's wife, Rose, is also a significant character. She provides eyewitness testimony that the Ku Klux Klan is real, and helps convince Grant that he needs to commit troops to combat the Klan. Rose is voiced by Kelly Jenrette. She has had role on shows such as Grandfathered, The Handmaid's Tale, and the live-action adaption of the audio drama Limetown.

People often complain about how partisan modern news media has gotten. 1865, however, shows that this is nothing new. If anything, things were even more partisan in the 19th Century. You had Republican newspapers and Democrat newspapers that would report things in wildly reinforce the ways. For example, the Democrat papers claim that the Ku Klux Klan wasn't real, and that it was just a boogeyman that the Republicans invented. In other words, they claimed that the Klan was Fake News.

In other characters, we get to meet Joseph Rainey, the first black man elected to the House of Representatives. Specifically, he served as a representative for South Carolina. For reference, South Carolina was the very first state to secede from the Union, and kickstarted the Civil War. That's one of the many reasons why it was so important that Reconstruction go well. White Southerners, if left to their own devices, were not going to let blacks vote or run for office. Rainey is played by Sydney Harcourt, who starred in the hit musical Hamilton as Phillip Schuyler.

I also enjoyed getting to meet Ely Parker. He served alongside Grant during the Civil War, and Grant later appointed him Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Parker was Native American, specifically, a member of the Seneca, one of the six tribes of the Haudenosaunee people. Parker was the first Native American to be appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs. His struggles to help the indigenous peoples is a reminder that blacks weren't the only minorities fighting for their rights during the 19th Century.

Let's talk a bit about Grant himself. Ulysses S. Grant is most famous for his time as general in the Union army during the American Civil War. He was an absolute genius on the battlefield, and lead the Union to numerous victories. In fact, Grant was the one who Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to after the Battle of Appomattox in 1865. This earned Grant the nickname The Hero of Appomattox. He was also known as Unconditional Surrender Grant. Confederates, and Confederate sympathizers, called him Grant the Butcher. They claimed this was because of how many people died under his command, and tried to paint him as a heartless monster. However, far more people died under the command of Robert E. Lee. Despite this, Lee is hardly ever painted as a butcher.

While we're on the subject, I should note that Lee encouraged his men to hunt down escaped slaves. He also encouraged them to go on raids against Free Blacks, so that they could be sold into slavery. Grant was a far superior general to Lee. To give on example among many, during the Battle of Vicksburg, ever man under Lee's command was either killed or captured. By contrast, Grant made it through the entire battle without losing a single man. Grant also felt an immense amount of guilt over the soldiers who died under his command. He struggled with alcoholism throughout his presidency. Pro-Confederate historians often used this to paint him as a worthless drunk. However, modern historians generally agree that Grant suffered from untreated PTSD, and used alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Ulysses S. Grant is played by James Black. He portrays Grant as personable and friendly, but also capable of being firm when he needs to be. He also portrays Grant as a bit reserved and soft-spoken. You get the impression that Grant is still haunted by his experience during the war. He's far less bombastic than Jeremy Schwartz was with his depiction of Edwin Stanton. This does help underscore how Grant is going to be a very different protagonist than Stanton was.

Erik and Steve took a very warts and all approach when it came to writing Ulysses S. Grant. They do acknowledge that Grant did a lot of good things that he doesn't get nearly enough praise for. It was during Grant's presidency that the Ku Klux Klan was founded. Grant spearheaded congressional investigation into Klan activity throughout the South. He then mobilized federal troops to take direct and decisive action against the Klan. It is thanks to Grant that the first incantation of the Ku Klux Klan was almost completely obliterated. Grant also fought to keep Reconstruction going, and to ensure that the rights of the Freedmen were protected. He did spend a good chunk of his presidency trying to fix the mess Andrew Johnson created.

However, Erik and Steve don't gloss over Grant's flaws and shortcomings either. Grant is depicted as, at heart, a good man. He sees the best in people, and wants to do right by everyone. However, this good will dipped into flat-out naivety on several occasions. It severed Grant well as a general, but it made him terrible at playing the game of politics. Grant seemed almost incapable of even considering that his closest allies could be doing shady things in his name. Many of his closest allies got involved in crooked backroom deals. Grant refused to even consider that his friends had committed the crimes, even when a mountain of evidence was starring him in the face. 

Grant also chose not to run for a third term. That might not sound bad, but Grant was pretty much the only thing keeping Reconstruction going by the end of his presidency. Remember, the South had been granted amnesty by Johnson. So, former Confederates, including members of the Klan, were opposing Reconstruction from within Congress.

Many blacks feared that, if Grant didn't run, the next president would end Reconstruction. Rather unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. Rutherford B. Hayes was a milquetoast candidate who nominated mostly so that Republicans could appease the Democrats. Naturally, the number one item on the agenda was an end of Reconstruction. White Southerners gained full control of the South, and implemented Jim Crow laws. The Freedmen were stripped of the gains, such as they were, they'd been able to make under Reconstruction. Equality became a dream deferred.

Why didn't Grant run for a third term? Well, he could have, but most presidents followed the precedent set by George Washington of not running for more than two terms. There was no official rule making it so, but it was kind of an unspoken rule. FDR was the first president to serve for more than two terms, and Republicans made damn sure that the two-term limit became law after he died. So, Grants view was, essentially, "I'm sorry, but rules are rules. Who am I to challenge Washington's precedent?" This ties back into what I said about him being a bit too honorable for his own good.

Now, in fairness to Grant, and as previously noted, he was dealing with the mess Johnson created. However, even if everything had gone right, I'm not sure that Reconstruction would have been able to last much longer than it did. Most Northerners opposed slavery on philosophical grounds. However, that didn't mean they believed that blacks ought to be equal members of society. They also weren't keen on their tax dollars being used to fund Reconstruction. The point is, the will to do a proper Reconstruction just wasn't there. Even in the absolute best-case scenario, things might not have been too different from how it happened in our world.

In fact, the end of Reconstruction, and its aftermath, was pretty similar to the recent pulling out of American forces from Afghanistan. It's a little strange that the 1865 Twitter account didn't pounce on the and draw parallels like it usually does. Maybe it was considered in bad taste or too soon?

The season ends with a reading of Grant's obituary, just as last season ending with Stanton's obituary. Fittingly enough, Grant's obituary is read by Jeremy Schwartz. The obituary gives Grant is due for all that he accomplished, but also emphasizes his short comings. The general tone can be summarized as "You accomplished a lot, but you could have done so much more. Why didn't you fight harder?"

And that was season two of 1865. It was exactly what I was expecting. I expected it to be absolutely fantastic, and it did not disappoint. The team has tentative plans for a third season. It will focus on John Mercer Langston, and how he became the first black man elected to the Virginia State Legislature. You might remember Langston from season one and two, where he is the head of the Freedmen's Bureau. Now, we don't know for sure if season three will happen. Then again, that's what they said about season two, and yet here we are. The main hurdle with season three will be scheduling. John Mercer Langston is played by William Jackson Harper. He's most famous as Chidi from The Good Place. So, obviously, recording would have to take Mr. Harper's busy schedule into account.

Still, you never know. Big things have been happening for the 1865 crew. Erik Archilla testified at his old high school when it was debating changing its name. It used to be called Robert E. Lee High School, but now has changed its name to Tyler Legacy High School. Though, the deciding factor was when numerous student athletes, in particular, a member of the track team, threatened to boycott unless the name changed. Still, glad to see Erik helped out, even if in a small way. In other developments, 1865 executive producer Lindsay Graham was on The History Channel. He was one of the talking heads on a recent episode of The Engineering That Built the World. I really enjoy the That Built series; The Food That Built America, The Machines That Built America, The Toys That Built America, etc. Good to see that The History Channel is still making quality historical documentaries that don't involve aliens or conspiracy theories. And good that Lindsay is taking part in such things.

Well, there you have it. Season two of 1865 was just as amazing as we all imagined it would be. Give it a listen if you haven't already. I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Young Ben Franklin

As I've said before, there is no shame in listening to a podcast aimed at kids. A good story is a good story, and it shouldn't matter who the target demographic is. If other people can't see that, then so much the worse for them. With that in mind, let's move on to the podcast we're reviewing today. We're taking a look at Young Ben Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin is one of America's most beloved Founding Fathers. He was many things during his life; statesmen, scientist, inventor, writer, postmaster, satirist, printer. Of course, back in 1720, when he was only fourteen years old, he was just plain old Ben. Ben works as an indentured servant to his brother James in Colonial Boston. Still, he makes the best of his situation. He and his friends get into all sorts of mischief and fun. Then one day he is approached by a girl named Eliza Boyd. She is searching for the great puzzle solver Veracity Quince, who unbeknownst to her is actually Ben is writing under a pseudonym. Ben and the gang agree to help Eliza, but soon find themselves in the middle of a treasure hunt for lost Spanish gold. It's going to take all the wits and cunning they've got, because the governor of New England is also after the gold. He's planning on using it to raise an army and carve out his own kingdom in New England, or failing that, the western territories. The future of America is in the hands of Ben and his friends.

Young Ben Franklin is produced by Gen-Z Media, a podcast company focused on making quality podcasts for kids. They work in association with PRX, the same podcast collective that helps produce great shows like Timestorm and The Truth.

I'd heard of Gen-Z Media because one of their podcasts. No, not Young Ben Franklin, it was another one called The Mayan Crystal. Of course, when I looked at all of their podcasts, I noticed Young Ben Franklin, and I decided that I wanted to start with it. I'm glad that, not only because Young Ben Franklin was so great, but because The Mayan Crystal was so disappointing. I might make an edition of The Audio File dedicated to dissecting what went wrong with The Mayan Crystal, but that's for another day.

One of the things I really liked about Young Ben Franklin is that all of the kids are voiced by actual kids. That is always the ideal that you aim for with these productions. All of the kids are very talented, and I see bright futures for all of them in the world of voice acting. The adults in the cast also give excellent performances. I absolutely love the music used at the start of each episode. You just know you're in for an epic adventure when the music begins to swell.

Young Ben Franklin is primarily intended to entertain, but it does manage to slip on real facts about Benjamin Franklin's life. However, it also plays a bit fast and loose, at times, with the real history. So let's talk about that. Well, first off, Benjamin Franklin really did write columns as the fictional housewife Silence Dogood and the fictional puzzle solver Veracity Quince. He used the columns as a way to covertly express his views on various subjects. However, he did so when he was sixteen, not fourteen. A bit off, but not terribly far from the mark. Both of these columns were incredibly popular with the general public. In fact, several eligible bachelors from throughout Boston sent marriage proposals to Silence Dogood.

The governor that Ben and his friend are squaring-off against is named Archibald. However, no such Governor of Massachusetts by that name existed in our world. In 1720, the Governor of Massachusetts was William Tailor. There are also multiple references to the common myth that Benjamin Franklin flew a kite with a key on it in a thunderstorm to attract a bolt of lightning. Much like George Washington and the cherry tree, there is no historical evidence that this ever happened. However, Benjamin Franklin did experiment with electricity. In fact, one of his favorite party games was to have everyone hold hands in a circle while an electric current was passed between them. Another time, he attempted to dazzle his guest by killing, cleaning, and cooking a live turkey using electricity. However, he got the wiring wrong and instead gave himself a massive jolt of electricity, but he was unharmed.

Jumping ahead, but the series ends with Ben preparing to depart for either New York or Philadelphia. He decides this by flipping a coin, but we never find out what it lands on. Of course, if you know your history, you'll know he chose Philadelphia. Slight problem though, because the podcast is set in 1720, while Ben left for Philadelphia in 1723. Also, he and his brother part on amiable terms, with Eliza taking over as James' apprentice. In real life, Ben ran-away from home when he was sixteen. Also, Eliza, and Ben's other friends, are totally fictional characters with no basis in reality. Ben plans on arriving to his destination by catching a ride on a ship. For reference, Pennsylvania is a landlocked state, apart from a bit of it's northwest that boarders Lake Erie. Though, I suppose that he could ride up the river to Philadelphia.

There also a scene in the first episode where Ben steals some copper bars for a science experiment. He does so by tying a giant kite to his back and gliding onto the ship the bars are on. Besides that fact that this obviously never happened in our world, I'm not sure it could have. I mean, it would have to be a gargantuan kite to life a teenage boy off the ground, and that's not even getting into how steering would work. So apparently, in the show's universe, Benjamin Franklin was so awesome he could bend the laws of physics to his will. And he was apparently a teenage ninja on-top of everything else he did.

However, these mistakes might be intentional. If so, there's actually a pretty brilliant justification for them. The series is narrated by an old Benjamin Franklin looking back on his youthful adventures. As such, these various mistakes could be Old Ben misremembering the details. Alternatively, he could be embellishing, exaggerating, or outright fabricating certain details to make the story sound more impressive. Granted, there isn't really anything within the show itself that would support this interpretation. The closest we get are the little bits at the end where Old Ben reads the show credits, and talks about some of the other shows Gen-Z Media has to offer. They're fun, but certainly aren't mean to be canonical within the main show.

Now all of this being said, Young Ben Franklin does all get a fair number of things right. For example, I liked how it gave a focus on indentured servitude. Indenturing was a fairly common practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. Basically, you would sign a contract agreeing to work as a servant to someone for a set number of years, after which you'd be given your freedom. It was common for those who could not afford passage to America to come as indentured servants. Several of my ancestors on my mom's side of the family came to America as indentured servants. Well, technically they came when it was known as England's colonies in the New World, and then British North America, but you know what I mean. Many poor people who otherwise would face starvation chose to be indentured. For example, many Scottish people came to America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as indentured servant following the Highland Clearances of the 18th Century.

If indenturing sounds a bit like slavery-lite, well, that's because it kind of was. Now, obviously indentured servants had far more rights than slaves, but that didn't mean their lives were free form hardship. They often endured grueling work, often under the care of cruel masters. The contracts of indenturing theoretically protected them, but the terms were often vague. For example, many stated that master must provide servants with clothing, but never specified what kind of clothing. Many masters took that to mean they only had to give rags to their servants. Servants could take their masters to court, but the threat of physical violence and intimidation from their master often dissuaded them from doing so. Master also routinely cut corners when it came to providing food, and indentured servants arriving by ship had to ride below deck with the cargo.

Benjamin Franklin was indeed an indentured servant in his youth, and it isn't hard to see hid disdain for the institution. In fact, Ben's plan for the gold is to use it to buy the freedoms of all the indentured servants in New England. Another point of accuracy is that Ben peppers his speech with several saying that Benjamin Franklin did indeed use in his writing. Many people use his saying without realizing their source. Many of them derive from his famous work Poor Richard's Almanac.

To name just a few examples: Don't throw stones at your neighbors if your windows are glass. No gains without pain. Haste makes waste. Lost time is never found again. Well done is better than well said. When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy. Hide not your talents, for they were made to be used. What is a sundial without shade?

Not related to historical accuracy, but I loved that one of Ben's friends is named Sam. His other two are named Ned and John. Despite the predominately male cast, Eliza, and the governor's daughter Constance, play significant roles in the story. Eliza acts as Ben's eyes and ears inside the governor's mansion, where she works as a servant, and Constance also helps slip important information to Ben and the gang. Eliza also frequently sneaks along whenever Ben and company go on a mission to break into various locations. I should also say that I like that there were good British characters, such as Constance, so the series avoided falling into the trap of good Americans vs evil British so common in media related to the American War of Independence. You also don't really get too many works of fiction set in Colonial America apart from Jamestown, The Pilgrims, or The Salem Witch Trials. As such, Young Ben Franklin was a nice change of pace.

As previously stated, the series ends with all of the major plot threads wrapped up, but leaves open the possibility of future seasons. Though it doesn't seem that there are an more seasons on the horizon. I think that this was intentional, as that way it would encourage kids to read more about the real Benjamin Franklin, and to learn about the facts behind the fiction. Still, we should be glad for the amazing season that we did get. Fun fact, Young Ben Franklin was released, fittingly enough, in its entirety on July 4th, 2018.

Well there you have it. Young Ben Franklin occasionally bends the truth, but it is still a great series about the youth of one of America's most beloved Founding Fathers. It is aimed at kids, but can be enjoyed by all ages. I happily recommend it.

Well, that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: 1865: Season 1

The world of audio drama is home to many genres and stories. However, historical fiction is still relatively rare compared to most other genres. As I've mentioned in the past, I tend to have fairly high standards when it comes to historical fiction. Well, I've found a historical fiction audio drama that is well-researched and incredibly well-written and entertaining. We are taking a look at the podcast 1865 from Wondery and Airship.

1865 begins shortly after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, one of Lincoln's closest advisers, finds himself tasked with steering the presidential cabinet through turbulent times. Andrew Johnson, formerly the Vice President, is now in charge of the Oval Office. Johnson is a bigot and is sympathetic to the former Confederate States of America. Johnson intends to do everything is his power to stifle the Reconstruction efforts, and intends to pardon former Confederate leaders. Lincoln's legacy, and the future of the United States of America, are on the line. Stanton and Johnson are about to engage in a game of cat-and-mouse to determine the future of America.

I first became aware of 1865 when I was listening to Levar Burton Reads, another podcast I enjoy. Sometimes, Levar will give shout-outs to other podcasts he enjoys, and 1865 was one of those podcasts. I was intrigued, but unfortunately, at the time 1865 required a Stitcher Plus membership to listen to. Thankfully, 1865 is now available to listen for free on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, which is where I listen to most of my podcasts. I learned about this when Campfire Radio Theater, another podcast I love, tweeted about it on Twitter.

Well, I can certainly say that it was worth the wait. It is a truly epic series, and a true labor of love. The series started life as a play created by Steve Walters and Erik Archilla. They were supposed to write a paper about 19th Century America theater for a college class. However, they both hated research papers, and there wasn't much to research beyond minstrel shows, so they asked their professor if they could write a play instead. They titled their creation Mars, after Lincoln's nickname for Edwin Stanton. It was a success, and even managed to be performed a few times. Still, they always felt that there was something more that they could do with the story.

So they decided to team up with Lindsay Graham, the host of the popular American History Tellers podcast. Rob McCollum would act as director. The story would be expanded into a full cast audio drama with music, sound effects, and everything else. It would be a movie for the ears. The recording took place primarily at Lindsay's studio. To bring their vision to life, they assembled a crack team of talented voice actors from around the Dallas area and beyond. Through hard work and dedication, everyone did their part to deliver a solid podcast.

If you know your history, you'll know that, despite a valiant effort, Stanton largely failed to stop most of Johnson's schemes. The challenge for the writers, therefore, is to make the audience care about Stanton and his battle in spite of this. The writers met this goal and then some. I found myself very wrapped-up and enthralled by the story's plot. Occasionally, I had to remind myself of how things were going to turn-out. Still, I did learn a lot of things from this podcast. Chief among them being who Edwin Stanton is. He's not a figure most people would have hear of, and that certainly a shame. Hopefully, 1865 has played a part in raising Stanton's profile.

A bit more about Stanton. He was born in Ohio, and was the son of a staunch abolitionist. From an early age he was instilled with the ideals that all people, regardless of race, should be free and equal. He was the one who really pushed Lincoln make the Civil War not just a fight to reunify the nation, but a fight to end the evil of slavery once and for all. That's not to say Lincoln didn't care about blacks, but he tended to be more of a pragmatist than Stanton. For example, Lincoln wanted each former Confederate state have ten percent support for the thirteen amendment before rejoining the Union. Stanton, along with his fellow Radical Republicans, wanted fifty percent support from each state.

Facing off against Stanton was Andrew Johnson. Johnson was one of the few Southerners who remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War. He was Lincoln's second Vice President, and was primarily selected in hopes of convincing the border states from seceding from the Union. Lincoln didn't like Johnson, and certainly didn't think he'd ever wind-up as president, but again, Lincoln was pragmatic. About the only positive thing you can say about Johnson's presidency is that the Alaska Purchase happened during it, but that was Secretary of State William H. Seward's doing. Johnson is widely considered one of the worst presidents America ever had. He was a bigot and a white supremacist. He deeply opposed Reconstruction, and pretty much anything that might grant equality to blacks. For example, he opposed the Freemen's Bureau, even though they sought to help poor whites as well.

Each episode is accompanied by a behind-the-scenes bonus episode explaining the facts behind the fiction. The bonus episodes also feature the creators going into more details about their writing process. They explain where they deviated from the historical record, and why they chose to do so. I should note that they very rarely deviated from established history. 1865 is impeccably researched.

Of course, a podcast of this magnitude needs a talented them of voice actors to bring it to life. Thankfully, the cast of 1865 is more than up to the challenge. Many of them are alumni of anime dubbing companies such as Funimation. Edwin Stanton, our leading man, is voiced by Jeremy Schwartz. He has lent his voice to several animes over the years, but I haven't seen most of them. Though I do recall that he had a very memorable minor role in the fourth season of Full Metal Panic! I recognized him thank to 1865. Besides that, I think he was Sasha's dad in Attack on Titan, and I think he was possibly in Space Dandy, and an episode of the reboot of Space Battleship Yamoto. I know it sounds like I'm being an asshole, but he's not a name I'd think of off the top of my head if you asked me about anime dub actors. Though his voice does sound familiar. Of course, if I was more up on my anime, I probably wouldn't have time to review podcasts. Schwartz delivers a powerful and commanding performance as Stanton. Amusingly, he kind of looks like Stanton too.

Johnson, our main villain, is voiced R. Bruce Elliot. He has appeared in several animes that I actually have watched. He was Kanbei in Samurai 7, Dot Pixis in Attack on Titan, and I believe he was also in both versions of Fullmetal Alchemist. He's also appeared a several minor live-action roles in films and television such JFK and Walker, Texas Ranger. Oh, and he was also Mr. Tenagain on Barney and Friends. Damn, I could have had some fun with that one if I was better at splicing audio. He actually sounds almost exactly like how I envision Andrew Johnson sounding. Not only that, but he actually kind of looks like Johnson as well.

In other famous voices, Secretary of the Navy Harrison Wells is voiced by J. Michael Tatum. He has appeared in several of my favorite animes, and was for me, the biggest surprise of the cast. He was Kraft Lawrence in Spice and Wolf, Scar in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and Kyoya Ootori in Ouran High School Host Club. He has a very distinctive voice, and I certainly wasn't expecting to encounter him in 1865, but it was a pleasant surprise indeed. We also have William Jackson Harper, famous of Chedi from The Good Place, as John Mercer Langston, the head of the Freedman’s Bureau. 

Series executive producer Lindsay Graham voices Abraham Lincoln in the various flashback scenes. Overall, he does a good job, though at times he makes Lincoln sound a bit sinister. Even Erik Archilla and Rob McCollum got in on the actions and voiced some minor characters.

Obviously, there's a ton more actors and actresses in the cast. However, this review would drag on too long if I named all of them. I will say that they all do an excellent job, and it is because of their hard work and dedication that 1865 is the amazing podcast that it is. It is good that they are all getting more work and expanding their acting careers.

Now let's take a moment to talk about the musical score. It's all original pieces specifically commissioned for the podcast. It a lot of violins and fiddles, and maybe one of two other instruments. Certain musical effects were achieved by running bits of violin music through a synthesizer. You just know you're in for something amazing when the music begins to swell at the start of each episode. The ending music, clips of which are used for transition, is also well-done. The bonus episodes use a less dramatic, more plucky kind of fiddle for their music accompanied by acoustic guitars. The music helps to enhance and elevate the writing and acting.

In addition to the main show, there is also a three-episode miniseries about John Wilkes Booth. This originated in the show's initial run on Stitcher. They had a few episodes that focused on the hunt for Booth. However, these were dropped in the revised show, as the writers felt it interfered with the flow of the plot. Despite this, the writers still liked those episodes, and wanted to find a way to work them into the revised show. The first episode begins in 1862, and the last episode ends where the main series begins, with Lincoln's assassination in 1865. The first episode of the Booth miniseries is slightly racier than the main show, as it does begin with a sex scene. Though this is the only instance of this in all of 1865. The ending is also rather interesting. The main show, which has skipped ahead to 1868, ends with a reading of Stanton's obituary. It feels like the culmination of everything up til that point. We get a true sense of what a lion of a man Stanton was, and even the music changes to reflect this. At the end of the Booth miniseries, it ends like just a typical episode. This gives you a sense of what a pathetic individual Booth ultimately was.

1865 deals with topics and issues that, in many way, America is still feeling the ramifications of even 150 years later. It is said that history doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes. Various political goings-on inadvertently paralleled things happening in the podcast. For example, at one-point Harrison Well complains that Johnson is acting too loutish and unpresidential. Johnson retorts that he's the president and can act how he pleases. Erik Archilla, who runs the 1865 Twitter account, had an absolute field day with this. It would say things like "The President has been impeached. He calls it a witch hunt; a plot to remove him from office. He blames the former head of intelligence, a man he fired for not showing loyalty to his Presidency, for orchestrating the whole affair. Washington picks sides. Welcome to 1865."

On a more serious note, it is true that many things America is dealing with today do have their roots in the time of 1865. Towards the end, Stanton is informed that monuments to the Confederacy are being built, including in places like West Virginia, which never joined the Confederacy. It is astounding to think the controversy over Confederate statues began mere years after the Civil War. I'm of the opinion that they ought to be removed and placed in museums. People say it's to remind us of history, but you don't see Germans building statues of Nazis. But that's the discussion for another day, and I'm getting off track.

Moreover, Johnson has been acquitted by one vote, and it seems that equality for black will have to be yet another dream deferred. By this point, Johnson has successfully granted the South amnesty, and reintegrated it into the Union. Pretty much the only glimmers of hope are that Johnson's shot at a second term has been ruined thanks to Stanton. Stanton also achieves his dream of joining the Supreme Court, thanks to the newly elected Ulysses S. Grant, but he dies five days after being appointed.

It is certainly tragic to think that the chance to correct one of the greatest evils of American History was ruined by a man who never should have been president. Personally, I think Johnson should have been declared ineligible by merit of being a Southerner, but I digress. It is also amazing to think that a pivotal moment was decided by a single vote. Perhaps if Stanton had been more pragmatic, and gone after Johnson on lesser crimes, the vote would have turned out differently. It is also interesting to ponder how American history and politics might have turned out if a president has successfully been removed from office. Still, as with most speculations, we will never know for certain, and are left to ask, what if?

It is equally tragic that Stanton has faded from the public consciousness. Then again, so has Johnson, so there's that. Still, despite the immeasurable odds stacked against him, and his often thankless job, Stanton never gave-up, and continued to fight the good fight. I hope more people become aware of Edwin Stanton, and his battle for the rights of all Americans, thanks to 1865.

The writers have said that season 2 is on the way, and it will explore another era of American History, or possible be a prequel about Stanton early career. I can't wait to see what they've got. In the meantime, if you join the 1865 Patreon, you'll have access to all sort of bonus material. One is the "In Their Own Voices" series, where the cast read writings from the characters they portray.

Well, there you have it. 1865 is a standout production. It is earned several awards in the audio drama and podcasting world, and with good reason. It is a well-researched, and expertly written story in a pivotal moment in the history of America. I can't recommend it enough. Go ahead and start listening as soon and you're done reading this.

Well, I think that should do it for now. I've got to get back to writing more reviews so I can introduce you all to more great podcasts. I will see you all next time.

Book Review: A Different Flesh by Harry Turtledove

I've discussed this before, but a plenty of times I really want to listen to a book, but it just won't be available for various reasons.  Of course, over the years, my patience has been rewarded in some very big ways.  Case in point, the book we're going to be reviewing today.  We're going to be taking a look at A Different Flesh by Harry Turtledove.  

A Different Flesh is a collection of short stories set in the same universe.  In the world of A Different Flesh, the ancestors of the Native Americans never crossed the Bering land bridge during the Ice Age.  However, Homo Erectus did cross into the Americas.  Thus, when the Europeans discover the Americas, they don't find any Native American civilizations, but they do find tribes of Homo Erectus, whom they refer to as sims.  Also, the Ice Age megafauna of the Americas never went extinct, so the Europeans also discover a land full of woolly mammoths, sabertooth cats, giant ground sloths, and giant armadillos among other things.  

The stories follow the history of the Federated Commonwealths of America, this world's equivalent of the United States of America.  Before the start of each story, the mood is set with an excerpt from a book about the history of the FCA.  It also provides great details about the history of this world that don't quite make it into the stories.  The excerpts also chronicle the relationship between humans and sims.  

We're going to take a look at each of the stories individually, but I'm going to give some overall thoughts first.  Well, I can most certainly say that this book was well worth the wait.  Harry Turtledove says that he got the idea for this series when he read an article by the late great paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould.  Gould pondered what might have happened if John Smith and the Jamestown colonists had discovered Australopithecus rather than Native Americans in Virginia.  Gould concluded that it would not have ended well for Australopithecus.  Turtledove certainly seems to have come to the same conclusion.  One thing I think he did well was that, though he wrote the sims as sympathetic, he never made them too anthropomorphized.  You can definitely see similarities between humans and sims, as is to be expected, but at the same time sims clearly act and think differently than humans. 

The first story is called "Vilest Beast" and is set in Jamestown, Virginia in the year 1610.  Without the Native Americans and their corn, the colonists are having an even hard time than they did in our world.  Despite this, Edward Wingfield and his wife Anne are making the best of things.  Things change when their infant daughter Joanna is kidnapped by a tribe of sims.  Edward must lead a search party to get her back. 

Given what inspired these stories, it's fitting that the first should take place in Jamestown.  Speaking which, we learn how things went with John Smith and the Sims.  It ended badly...for John Smith.  Apparently, the sims killed him in 1607, and his death was a considerable blow to the moral of the colony.  Overall, I would say the way Turtledove portrays the sims still holds up based on what we know about Homo Erectus.  There's never called Homo Erectus in any of the stories, but Turtledove has confirmed this is the case in interviews.  Also, the excerpt from the text book mentions that sim fossils have been discovered in East Africa, South China, and the island of Java.  All of which are places Homo Erectus fossils have been found.  

It might come across as a bit silly that they're called sims, but how was Turtledove to know that there would one day be a video game called The Sims?  These stories were written between 1985-1988, with A Different Flesh being published in 1988.  I'm guessing it was intended to be short for simians, or something like that.  

Also, fun fact, Edward Wingfield was a real person who existed in our world.  I've got to admit, this story hooked me from the start.  I've always been fascinated by the colonization of the Americas, especially the different ways it often plays out in alternate history.  I'm also a big paleontology fan, so this story was kind of a match made in heaven.  Really, the whole book was kind of like that.  I found it realistic that the colonist struggled more without corn to supplement their diets.  It can't be stressed enough what a difference corn made to the early colonization of the Americas.  Curiously, later stories make mention of a colony in Massachusetts, which is called Plymouth in this world because Massachusetts got its name from the Native Americans.  Obviously, this means the Pilgrims still happened, but without any corn they would have been completely screwed. 

Anyway, I loved how the story resolves.  Turns out the sims took Joanna because they wanted to learn more about the colonists by studying one of their young.  By all accounts, the sims treated Joanna no differently than one of their own young.  Edward spends most of the story viewing the sims as nothing more than wild animals, but after this, he starts to realize they aren't so different.  He even briefly worries about what's going to happen to the sims as the European continue to colonize the New World.  All in all, "Vilest Beast" is a great start to the collection. 

The next story is called "And So To Bed".  It is set in 1661 and is told in the form of the diary of Samuel Pepys.  He's a figure from our world, a great English statesman, and the Pepys of our world is indeed famous for his diary.  In the world of A Different Flesh, however, Pepys' diary holds a different significance.  He notes that there is a clear link between chimps, Sims and humans.  He wonders if there's some process that slowly changes life over time. 

This was one of the weaker stories, but it has some interesting ideas.  It makes sense that the Theory of Evolution was developed earlier.  Sims are an obvious link between humans and animals.  It was also fun to learn about a historical figure I'd never heard of before.  Well, anyway, moving right along. 

The third story is titled "Around the Salt Lick".  It takes place in the year 1691 and follows a scout named Thomas Kenton and his loyal sim companion Charles.  Thomas is hunting spearfang cats for their valuable fangs.  Spearfang cats have gotten a bit rare in Virginia, so Thomas and Charles have had to push into the frontier to find the bounty.  However, things get a bit complicated when they come into conflict with a tribe of wild sims.  

This one was maybe not my favorite, but not too bad either.  I did find it funny at the end where Charles turns out to be snobby towards wild sims.  He views them much the same as humans do.  We learn that sims can communicate via sign language, but not vocal speech.  The excerpt from the history book provides more worldbuilding hints.  Apparently, England adopted the Divine Right of Kings model of government.  People who objected to this moved to America in droves.  This would suggest that the English Civil War never happened in this world.  Well, that or maybe the Royalist won.  Also, apparently Spain had a much harder time colonizing the New World without the Aztec and Inca to conquer.  By the time of "Around the Salt Lick" they've only got two successful colonies: Argentina and New Grenada. 

Argentina makes sense, because it has a fairly European climate, but New Grenada?  That was in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador in our world.  Unless it was somewhere else, that makes a bit less sense, especially since it is said Spain struggled to colonize the tropics without any corn.  Also, without Aztec and Incan gold and silver, Spain would have a harder time financing their wars in Europe.  That would potentially mean the European History took some very different turns.  Of course, that might explain what happened in England.  Turtledove is mostly focused on stories about the sims, but he's certainly lead tantalizing hints at a wider world.

The fourth story is titled "The Iron Elephant" and is set in 1782.  Hairy elephants play a major role in the Federated Commonwealths of America.  They haul passenger carriages and freight cars all across the nation.  However, this time-honored institution is facing competition from the new invention of steam-powered locomotives.  A race has been organized between a team of mammoth drivers and a train engineer.  Can flesh and blood triumph over iron and steam?  

Yeah, this one is sort of an alternate history retelling of the legend of John Henry.  John Henry is my favorite American Folk Hero, so I'm not complaining.   We get even more worldbuilding here.  Apparently, in order to tame the wooly mammoths, America started importing elephant trainers from India.  The protagonist of the story, Premier Chand, is descended from these.  Also, the Federated Commonwealths got their independence in 1732, so the American Revolution happened earlier.  This story appear to be set in Illinois based on mention of Cairo (pronounced Kay-Roe) and the New Nile is obviously the Mississippi River.  Again, no Native Americans, so it isn't called Illinois.  I guess that means Chicago, if it exists, is named something else as well.  It's kind of amazing how many places in America get their names from the Native Americans.  

As fascinating as the world of A Different Flesh is, not sure I'd wanted to live there.  True, I'd get to see all sorts of Ice Age animals, but it would be a poorer world without the richness of Native American culture.  Also, I have a small amount of Native American ancestry, so I would not exist in the world of A Different Flesh.  

It's interesting that this story features sims the least of all the stories in the collection.  Oh, but they're not absent from this story.  The sims appear towards the end of the story, and they're are the ones who get the last laugh in the big race.  Without giving too much away, I can say it shows that sims are smarter than they are given credit for.  "The Iron Elephant" is another great story in the collection. 

The fifth story is titled "Though Heavens Fall" and takes places in 1804.  From the textbook excerpt we learn that Americans used sims as laborers on plantations and farms.  This blunted the Transatlantic Slave Trade to a large extent, but didn't completely prevent it.  Africans were brought to America as slaves, but most of them wound up as house slaves.  Sims make terrible housekeepers, apparently.  The story follows a slave named Jeremiah.  He's got a pretty good life on the Gillen plantation in Virginia.  Still, he dreams of the day he saves up enough money to buy his freedom.  Unfortunately, the sims have recently come down with an illness, and Jeremiah gets sends to the fields to supplement the work force.  After a day of hard labor he decides to make a run for it try his luck in Portsmouth, Virginia.  He takes up residence with lawyer Alfred Douglas, and together they set out to put the institution of slavery on trial.  The outcome of the trail will impact not just Jeremiah, but Black Americans as a whole.

I think this was possibly my favorite story of the bunch.  Well, "Vilest Beast" was pretty good too, but it is tied with "Though Heavens Fall".  I think the way slavery was depicted made sense.  Slavery has existed as far back as Ancient Mesopotamia, and I don't think sims would completely element it.  The Greeks and Romans believed in human-like creatures such satyrs, cyclopes, and centaurs, yet they still had slavery.  Still, as is noted in the story, people would have to recognize that a white person has far more in common with a black person than with a sim.  

Even before the trails you can kind of see that the characters have kind of figured this out.  Mr. Gillen treats Jeremiah almost like an employee rather than a slave, and seems almost apologetic when he has to send Jeremiah to the fields.  Still, the overseer makes it clear that he has nothing but contempt for Jeremiah, and black people as a whole.  Moreover, Jeremiah is under no delusions that he is anything other than a slave.  On the flip side, I enjoyed how Jeremiah and Alfred's relationship developed.  They start off as employee and employer, but soon develop a genuine friendship with one another. 

We also get a glimpse into the legal and political system of the Federated Commonwealths.  Apparently, courts use three judges, one senior judge and two junior judges, for trials.  Two of the three judges must agree for a verdict to pass.  Also, the government of the Federated Commonwealths is bi-cameral legislature divided into the Popular Assembly and the Senate.  Popular Assembly is directly elected by the people, while the Senate is made of former governors and censors who serve lifetime terms.  At the top of the government are the two censors.  They are elected by the people and serve a single five-year term.  The thinking is that they'll keep each other in check, especially if they're from opposing parities.  As you can see, the Conscript Fathers of the Federated Commonwealths modeled the nation very closely on the Roman Republic.  

I also noticed some similarities to British Parliament, but that makes sense.  We know that America got a lot of political refugees after England adopted the Divine Right of Kings.  That means that ideas of parliamentary government were floating around in America.  Some of those ideas probably got incorporated into the fabric of the Federated Commonwealths.  It also turns out that sims can speak, but it takes a considerable amount of effort, and they can only say like one or two simple words at a time.  This is why they use sign language.  

There's a really great scene at the end where Jeremiah is mean to sim that bumps into him on the street.  He knows he's being kind of a dick, but he also knows that blacks would be at the bottom of society if the sims didn't exist.  All in all, a really great addition to A Different Flesh.

The penultimate story is titled "Trapping Run".  It is set in the Rocky Mountains in 1814 and follows a trapper named Henry Quick.  During a trapping run he gets attacked by a bear, but fortunately, a tribe of sims find him and nurse him back to health.  Quick has always though to the sims as nothing more than animals, but spending so much time with them allows Quick to see them as something almost human. 

This one took me a but to get into, but I did enjoy it once it took off.  I guess you could say that Quick was really having some Dances with Sims after his leg healed.  Also, from this story we learn that sims and humans can indeed have hybrid children.  I really did enjoy how Quick came to view the sims as more human as the story went on.  He apparently goes on to become the founder of the Sims Justice Movement.  As we learn in the next story, Henry Quick became quite famous among the sims because of this.  Well, I think that's enough for this one, let's move on.

The final story is called "Freedom" and is set in 1988.  Over the years, sims have been used in all sorts of scientific research, including AIDS research.  The story follows a sim named Matt.  He's a teat subject at the AIDS research center in Terminus, Georgia.  Overall, he's got a pretty cushy life with plenty of food, females, and regular injections of HIV inhibitor than suppress his symptoms and make him feel like he doesn't have HIV at all.  Maybe he's not technically free, but he's not complaining.  However, a group of sims rights activists disagrees and decide to kidnap him to set him free.  Of course, as they soon discover, this is easier said than done. 

The collection began on a strong note, and it certainly ends on a strong note as well.  A recusing theme throughout A Different Flesh is about what it means to be humans.  Sims are far more intelligent than most animals, but aren't quite at human levels of intelligence.  This certainly creates a moral conundrum about their place in society.  Even the sims rights activists acknowledge that sims will never, for example, be elected to public office.  Before we get to anything else, let's address the city name.  Terminus is the A Different Flesh version of Atlanta, Georgia.  It might seem odd that this is the case, given that Atlanta is from Classic Mythology, and wouldn’t be impacted by the lack of Native Americans.  However, Terminus was indeed the original name of the city.  It was changed in 1732, when the colonial governor of Georgia renamed the city after his daughter.  We know that the alternate American Revolution happened in 1732, or else that’s when America officially became independent.  So, that means the rename never happened.  That, or the Americans refused to acknowledge the name change. 

Anyway, the Sims Rights activists kind of reminded me of certain more extreme animal rights groups.  I'm talking PETA and their ilk.  Given that this was written in 1988, I can't help but wonder if Turtledove had that in mind.  The activist are certainly well intentioned, but they clearly didn't think things through, and you know what they say about the road to hell.  They have a hard time convincing Matt not to have sex with other sims, lest he give them HIV, and they don't bring nearly enough HIV inhibitor.  So, in the end, they have to return him to the AIDS research center. 

From the excerpt we learn that sims were used as slave labor in factories, and that many displaced factory workers lead sims rights movements.  However, they did this less because they cared about sims, and more because they didn't like that the sims were taking their jobs.  It's interesting that they helped the sims, but not necessarily for altruistic reasons.  Also, apparently the FCA equivalent of NASA used sims to test their spacecrafts.  

Another theme in this story is about how a freedom is relative and subjective.  The activist think they're freeing Matt, but they're way more restrictive and stifling than the institute ever was.  In the end, Matt's happy to return to the institute.  I especially liked the end where the other sims ask him what it was like outside.  He says that it isn't like on TV, and that the activist are like all the other humans; they only care about sims when it serves their personal goals. The story ends on a bittersweet note.  Matt is happy and back home, but the future of sims remains uncertain.  True, it is mentioned that there are three major reserves the size of moderate sized states, but the sims are also losing their habitats to development and the continued encroachment of humans.  And, as mentioned, there's the question of just how do that fit into society.  Both issues have been pretty consistent across all the stories, and I guess it just goes to show that, the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Ending on a bittersweet note seems pretty realistic to me.  A lot of times, bittersweet is the best you can hope for in real life.  But hey, that's history for you.  

Before we wrap things up I've got to talk about the audiobook edition that is here at long last.  It is narrated by Paul Woodson.  He's equally adept at pulling off both British and American accents.  I also closed how he gave the sims a distinct accent of their own.  What can I say?  The audiobook was worth the wait.  

Well, I think that does it for this review.  I absolutely loved A Different Flesh, and I hope that more classic Harry Turtledove novels get their audiobooks.  Hey, we've already got Agent of Byzantium and The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump, things are really looking up for alternate history audiobook lovers.  And yes, my review of Agent of Byzantium will be here before you know it.  

For now, however, I will see you all next time.  

Comic Review: Uncle Sam

At one point or another every American has pondered a fundamental question: what does it mean to be American? Relatedly, what is the nature of America? What are we to make of America's history? These questions are at the heart of the comic we're going to be reviewing today. We're reviewing the comic Uncle Sam by Alex Ross and Steve Darnall. 

The comic follows a man named Sam. His clothes have grown tattered and faded, he spouts out quotes and slogans like a madman, but Sam is no ordinary man. He is Uncle Sam, the living embodiment of the United States of America. Sam is confused and disoriented; he is plagued by memories and images of horrors and hypocrisy that have occurred throughout American History. Sam is about to embark on a journey to find the answer to who he, and by extension America, really is.

So, a bit of clarification before we really begin. If you're a fan of DC Comics then you might be familiar with the DC universe's version of Uncle Sam, as created by comics pioneers Will Eisner. That version of Uncle Sam was a muscular man of action who fight in World War II against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. He, along with his super team The Freedom Fighters, would continue the action on a parallel universe version of Earth called Earth X, where World War II lasted way longer than in our world.

Well, all of that having been said, the Uncle Sam in the comic we're discussing is not that Uncle Sam. In fact, this comic is not published by DC Comics, it's published by Vertigo. Vertigo is a subsidiary of DC Comics. Technically, DC and Vertigo take place in the same universe, but they keep to themselves and rarely interact. Vertigo stories tend to be a bit more mature, and in some cases, especially the horror comics, darker, than your typical DC fare. They're keep separate so that Vertigo stories can maintain a sense of drama and tension, without superheroes swooping in to save the day, and in some cases ruin the realism.

Okay, now that we've established all of that, let's talk about Uncle Sam. This story really captures the zeitgeist of the 1990s. Not so much in that it features any 1990s pop culture or tends as major plot points, but it really captures the feeling and spirit of that moment in time. Around the time this comic was written, back in 1997, America was dealing with a lot of major issues. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, America found itself the sole remaining global superpower. There was a lot of joy, but also a lot of fear and uncertain for what the 21st Century would bring the nation.

In 1992, the Rodney King trails and the LA Race Riots made national news, and it sure felt like America was trying to commit suicide. In 1995, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City. A mere year or so after this comic was written, President Bill Clinton would face impeachment by Congress, in part because of his infamous scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Keep in mind, I was born on New Years Eve of 1992, so I only knew about all of this several years after the fact. My mother tells me that the Oklahoma City Bombing particularly chilled her because there was a daycare located very close to the building that was bombed.

The point is, America was reeling from a lot of shock, and a lot of people were questioning just what it meant to be American. Keep in mind, it was also around this time that historians began to turn a much more critical eye toward the events of American History.

Uncle Sam is divided into two issues. The first issue is an incredibly brutal deconstruction of the American Dream. Sam gets a firsthand of many of the tragedies and atrocities of American History. He witnesses the Trail of Tears and the Indian Wars. He is with Union soldiers in a Confederate POW camp. He witnesses the horror of a black man being lynched in the pre-Civil Rights South. There a particularly powerful scene where a lawn jockey, who also provides commentary for the lynching, calls Sam out on the ways that America has failed to deliver on its promises to Black Americans. An equally powerful scene is, when at the POW camp, a Union solider ask Sam if the war will be worth it. Sam can't bring himself to say if it will be. Throughout the first part of the comic, Sam's disheveled look brings to mind the famous "I Want Out" poster that was popular among protesters during the Vietnam War.

The second half of the comic, however, is a reconstruction of the American Dream. Throughout the first half of the comic, Sam has encountered a mysterious woman named Bea. Turns out that she's Columbia, the other personification of the United States of America. Columbia teaches Sam to view his history in a more nuanced way. For example, Sam is haunted by the vision of himself participating the suppression of Shay's Rebellion. However, Columbia points out that this resulted in the scrapping of the Articles of Confederation, and the adopted of the Constitution. The Constitution lead the strengthening of America's government, and the also ensured greater protection of rights and liberties for all Americans. Columbia shows him that, though the execution didn't always live up, there was never anything wrong with the idea of America, or the American Dream.

Sam also has conversations with Britannia, Marianne, and a Russian Bear; the personifications of Britain, France and Russia. With renewed vigor, Sam faces off against his greatest foe: a shadowy double of himself. The other Sam is bright, shiny and pretty much embodies the 1990s Republican view of America mixed with a heavy dose of reality television and consumerism. Sam defeats him by owning up to the mistakes throughout America History, but promising to learn from them and make sure that America becomes a better place for all people. Unlike his doppelgänger, Sam expresses a sincere and genuine view of the American Dream.

At the end of the comic we find Sam back on the same street he began on. Only this time he has the hat he's been missing throughout the comic, and his colors are just a bit less faded. He now looks a bit more like the famous "I want you" version of Uncle Sam. He picks himself up, dusts himself off and marches down the street singing "Yankee Doodle" with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. Alex Ross is famous for his photorealistic watercolor art style, and it is on full display in this comic. There is a section in the back of the comic that briefly explains the history of Uncle Sam the character; from his first incarnations as Brother Jonathan to the form we all know and love today.

One of the great ironies about America is that the same nation that, at its founding, denied women the right to vote and only count blacks as 3/5 of a human being wound up becoming one of the greatest forces for freedom, liberty and democracy in the world. America isn't perfect, but we are getting better. Hey, we got rid of slavery and twice elected a black president, that's got to count for something.

All too often people tend to look at history, especially American History, in a very black and white sort of way. The truth is for more nuanced, and painted in far more shades of grey. I think that's one of the big takeaways from this comic. As I've said, America isn't perfect, but we are getting better with each passing day.

This is a really special comic, and I think I'm made it clear that I love it very much. It was the product of a specific moment in history, and I don't think it could have been made today. Uncle Sam is, as of this writing, almost thirty years old, but it's just as relevant today as it was when it was first written. I cannot recommend Uncle Sam enough. It's another one of those top-of-the-line comics to me.

Well, I think that should do it for now. I will see you guys next time.