George Howe Colt examines the lives of his own three brothers and other famous brothers in history, such as the Booths, the Marx Brothers and the Thoreaus.
BROTHERS, by George Howe Colt, is an unusual book in that it jumps back and forth between the doings of the four Colt brothers and other celebrity type brothers. Although they're extremely likable, perhaps the Colt segments are too long.
Some of what Colt discovers about brothers in general is old hat. The oldest brother tends to bond with his parents, tends to be more successful, seems more like a little adult. The youngest is more creative and has a tendency to take more chances. The poor guy or guys in the middle don't get as much attention from their parents and don't have as much self confidence.
Although he covers several dozen brother groups, Colt concentrates on the Kelloggs (think breakfast cereals), The Boothes, The Marx brothers, The Van Goghs, and Henry and John Thoreau.
Maybe it's because I have five brothers and no sisters, but I found this book fascinating. For instance Edwin Booth suffered from depression most of his life, despite being the greatest actor of his day. The two older Booth brothers, June and Edwin, were also loyal to the Union, while John was a loyal Confederate. John was also spoiled rotten by his older sister while Edwin acted as a "dresser" for his father, Junius Brutus Bootth (also considered the greatest actor of his time). The father was also mentally ill, although Colt suggests this may have been an act to draw crowds.
Perhaps the most interesting brothers (predictably I suppose) were the Marxes. Colt explains how they got their names. Their mother Minnie, whose younger brother was a vaudeville star, put them on the road at an early age, and they got the names from a fellow performer while playing poker: Harpo because of the instrument he played; Groucho because of his disposition, Chico because he chased women constantly, Gummo because of his gum shoes. Zeppo became Zeppo because he imitated another performer named Zippo who was an exercise nut. Gummo is the least known because Minnie had him enlist in the army during WWI to save the stars of the act, Groucho and Harpo, from the draft. He did perform with his brothers for nine years prior to this however. Colt never explains why he never rejoined the act. The happiest of the brothers was Chico, despite gambling away his money as fast as he got it; ironically the unhappiest was the most successful, Julius "Groucho" Marx, who was, you guessed it, a middle child.
Back to the Colt brothers. Most were travelers; Ned became a foreign correspondent for NBC, and in his youth, spent time on a cattle ranch in Argentina. George, himself, went to Paris trying to imitate the stereotypical poet. Harry became a doctor and worked for a time on a Zuni reservation. Only Mark, the youngest stuck to home, but he worked as the recycling manager at a school for the blind. Ned wasn't the youngest, but there are several years between him and Mark, which made him fit the baby of the family role.
Some of the other brothers touched upon are Jesse and Frank James, Henry and William James, Saul Bellow and brothers, The Kennedys etc., etc.
Dave Schwinghammer's unconventional mystery, SOLDIER'S GAP, is available on Amazon.com, new and used. Thank you. Click here to post or read comments.
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