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This poem by Chan Gardiner pays tribute to the Linemen working on America's high voltage lines, working in dangerous conditions so that the average citizen can enjoy his time at home. (Summary by David Lawrence

These biographical essays of (mostly) British subjects were written in 1907-1908 for The Daily News newspaper and reflect their subjects as seen before the great cataclysm of World War I. Gardiner was a British newspaper editor, journalist, and author. His essays were and are highly regarded. - Summary by David Wales

Samuel Rawson Gardiner was an eminent British historian of the Victorian era whose works on the 17th century remain a respected source. This book, though short, features many of Gardner’s strengths, such as his balanced portrayal of character--the doomed Strafford, Laud, and King Charles, and the visionary leader, Oliver Cromwell. Great battles unfold across England, Scotland, and Ireland. The author delineates the constitutional issues in play in this national struggle between doctrinal certainty and liberty of conscience, between the royal power, Parliament, the populace of London, and the soldiers of the New Model Army. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)

Samuel Rawson Gardiner remains a respected source on the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which began as a civil conflict between Protestant princes and the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II. Lack of unity on both sides, soon drew in outside powers and the war became a struggle for European dominance. In this short book, Gardiner describes the famous battles and the daring generals: Mansfeld and Wallenstein, Tilly and Gustavus Adolphus, Bernard and Turenne. While, behind the scenes, working through secret subsidies and wily diplomacy, frail, indomitable Cardinal Richelieu gained control of crucial supply lines, crippling Austria and Spain, and setting the stage for the golden age of France. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)

5Oliver Cromwell

By Samuel Rawson Gardiner

The following work gives within a short compass a history of Oliver Cromwell from a biographical point of view. The text has been revised by the author. (From the preface to the 1909 edition) <br><br> This biography considers closely both the actions and the motivations of Oliver Cromwell in the many roles he took on during his life. Gardiner is careful to put Cromwell into the context of his times -- turbulent, volatile and disorienting -- as the three Kingdoms of the Stuart dynasty were torn by bitter internal strife as well as making war upon each other. The author gives close attention to how Cromwell navigated the many crises he faced as an individual, as a member of parliament, as an officer in and then commander of the New Model Army, and finally leading the Commonwealth as Lord Protector. <br><br> The author, Samuel Rawson Gardiner, was a distinguished English historian who taught and wrote during the Victorian period. He focused his scholarly work on the history of Britain during the 17th century. He is regarded as one of the preeminent historians of the period, whose groundbreaking research into sources remains foundational for scholars of the period to the present day. - Summary by Tom Booker

In the autumn of 1896, the renowned historian of the 17th century, Samuel Rawson Gardiner, delivered six lectures on "Cromwell's Place in History" at the University of Oxford. Gardiner wrote that the "object of these lectures is not to deal with the biography of Cromwell, but to estimate his relation to the political and ecclesiastical movements of his time." Thus, each lecture puts the reader in the midst of a critical period of Cromwell's career, analyzing how and why he acted in response to the problems he encountered. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)