NF Philip Thomas Tucker

[TallTallMan]

He's been badmouthed for using Wikipedia as a source but in honesty that has been used by other better writers, much to my detriment. Even one of my favorites, Elizabeth Brown Pryor, used the site for Overland casualties in Reading the Man.

I'm still shocked at how commonly Battle Cry of Freedom is used even in the most meticulous work. A great book, but not one for getting something new. He mostly uses secondary sources like Freeman, Catton, Foote, and James Lee McDonough's Western Theater Saga (as I call it).

 

[Belfoured]

I put his bio on the website as a Google Doc and it is LITERALLY thirteen pages, 5990 words, at Arial size 11!

About Phillip Thomas Tucker PhD | Central Florida Author

Learn more about Phillip Thomas Tucker PhD. More than 125 books of groundbreaking history. Family owned.

www.phillipthomastuckerphd.com

In an odd way, I've always been "impressed" at his ability to turn out so many books. Now I'm even more "impressed" - he's done that while also putting in the time and effort to come up with this monster.

 

[Belfoured]

Is this guy seeking psychiatric help yet?

Those rants come across as unhinged. As we know, you can get a Ph.D. pretty much anywhere. Whenever I see somebody trot that one out, I suspect significant insecurity.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Also, he needs to read his dictionary, since he does not know what "irony" means.

In fairness, almost nobody today understands irony.

I blame Alanis Morissette.

 

[Belfoured]

Thank you for your service.

Dictionary reading, run on sentences, and definitions will be his editor's responsibility, if he finds one.

See your post of Tucker's screed to Eric W. above for the answer to your third question.

If I were this guy's editor, I'd be institutionalized by this point.

 

[Belfoured]

In fairness, almost nobody today understands irony.

I blame Alanis Morissette.

There goes my understanding of "it's a free ride when you've already paid". Buzz kill ... But Weird Al Yankovic did try to fix it

 

[TallTallMan]

But Weird Al Yankovic did try to fix it

I saw him back in '16. Great concert.

 

[Belfoured]

I saw him back in '16. Great concert.

A unique talent, to say the least ...

 

[TallTallMan]

It's weird to see an author THAT pro-Custer, even more than Cozzens. I guess Little Big Man and Dee Brown have fallen out of favor?

I think he was incompetent and self-absorbed but I don't think he was a Chivington or a Carleton.

I guess my favorite piece of negative Custeriana is a p***ographic video game called Custer's Revenge where he goes on a mass Indian raping spree.

 

[Jamieva]

If I were this guy's editor, I'd be institutionalized by this point.

He clearly doesn't have an editor.

 

[Belfoured]

He clearly doesn't have an editor.

Hey - when you're the best-informed, most prolific historian on the Planet, an editor would be a needless impediment. Plus, what editor could possibly keep up? I do see a potential steel cage death match, however: Philip Thomas Tucker vs. AI ....

 

[Library Lady]

I do see a potential steel cage death match, however: Philip Thomas Tucker vs. AI ....

But what if they used his work to train it (AI)?

 

[Kearny The Magnificent]

The only thing I don't get about PTT is why reputable publishers like Stackpole, Casemate, History Press, etc work with him. I read his Barksdale book, skimmed Custer at Gettysburg before opting not to buy it, and read some of his other theories; how this person has over 100 books and keeps putting out more low effort content is baffling.

 

[TallTallMan]

Hey - when you're the best-informed, most prolific historian on the Planet, an editor would be a needless impediment. Plus, what editor could possibly keep up? I do see a potential steel cage death match, however: Philip Thomas Tucker vs. AI ....

I've been looking at him on Archive. I get the impression most of his books are just repeats with different wording. I looked inside the Barksdale book and it seems to basically be the Pickett's Charge deal.

He does that thing where he gives a "new look" with nonexistent positions. Not exactly strawmen, but close. Usually Hollywood's the target. For example, in one of his "debunking" the Alamo books, it says on the flap that he proves it was fought in the morning and not the afternoon. Everybody knows that! He arguing with the John Wayne movie! Hollywood is not a historical position.

Him in '92 on his bio of John B. Bannon. "is United States Air Historian"? And this was University of Alabama Press!

 

[Jamieva]

He apparently wrote a black confederate book which put him on Kevin Levins radar. So he reviewed the book and pointed out how thin the bibliography for the book is among other things.

Phillip Thomas Tucker’s Black Confederate Mess

Correction: America Through Time is an imprint of Fonthill Media, not The History Press. Arcadia Publishing & The History Press distributes these titles for Fonthill. A few weeks ago I briefly mentioned the forthcoming release of Phillip T. Tucker’s book Blacks in Gray Uniforms: A New Look at...

cwmemory.com

 

[Belfoured]

The only thing I don't get about PTT is why reputable publishers like Stackpole, Casemate, History Press, etc work with him. I read his Barksdale book, skimmed Custer at Gettysburg before opting not to buy it, and read some of his other theories; how this person has over 100 books and keeps putting out more low effort content is baffling.

That is indeed a legitimate question - especially because in all honesty I can't envision a publisher that believes in meaningful editorial control working with this guy. If you look at who his publishers are, they appear to be of the type that puts a lot of dependence on the author. And while relying on Amazon ratings too much is a fool's errand, looking at the *** and ** ratings for several books shows a strong pattern of editing problems, big and small.

 

[Belfoured]

I've been looking at him on Archive. I get the impression most of his books are just repeats with different wording. I looked inside the Barksdale book and it seems to basically be the Pickett's Charge deal.

He does that thing where he gives a "new look" with nonexistent positions. Not exactly strawmen, but close. Usually Hollywood's the target. For example, in one of his "debunking" the Alamo books, it says on the fap that he proves it was fought in the morning and not the afternoon. Everybody knows that! He arguing with the John Wayne movie! Hollywood is not a historical position.

Him in '92 on his bio of John B. Bannon. "is United States Air Historian"? And this was University of Alabama Press!

View attachment 507001

My guess is that in the early days a careful press might buy in to the Ph.D., etc. Most of his post 2010 stuff, at least, seems to be put out by presses that don't exert a lot of editorial contol. I'd be surprised if a university press would go near it these days. Based on reviews, he also appears to have a well-established track record of using 300 pages for 75 pages of actual content and presenting "new"/"unique" theories as fact.

 

[Belfoured]

But what if they used his work to train it (AI)?

That is truly a frightening possibility ....

 

[Jamieva]

I also find it odd he doesn't do any type of interviews or any type of media to try to select his books. If he popped up writing books at this rate out of nowhere in 2024 I would think it's ai written or something.

 

[Biscoitos]

There is some 200-odd books writer by the name of Dr. Philip Thomas Tucker, the proclaimed "Stephen King of American History".

His website bio is longer than Team of Rivals, so here's one from DoYouBuzz:

DoYouBuzz - Faire son CV facilement avec notre outil de création de CV en ligne

DoYouBuzz est une application permettant de réaliser facilement un CV professionnel, moderne et personnalisable en PDF ou sur le web.

www.doyoubuzz.com

The recipient of a Ph.D. in history from prestigious St. Louis University, Phillip Thomas Tucker served over 20 years as a professional historian with the United States Department of Defense (DoD). In this role he conducted research and completed writing projects assigned by military commanders, including generals, and DoD officials in Washington, D.C., and at various military establishments around the country. Supplementing his historical work with the DoD in his spare time at home, Phillip Thomas Tucker, Ph.D. also continued to compile historical narratives for publication in multiple fields of American history. In 1993, he earned the Douglas Southall Freeman Award for his groundbreaking biography of an Irish-born priest and inspirational man of God.

Dr. Tucker continues to write historical accounts of central figures and major battles in American history, including books featured by the History Book Club and the Military Book Club. He has authored more than 30 books and is widely viewed as one of the country's leading "new look" historians. In addition to his most recent book, Alexander Hamilton's Revolution: His Vital Role as Washington's Chief of Staff, he is the author of biographical accounts of inspirational and remarkable women such as Cathy Williams: From Slave to Buffalo Soldier and Emily D. West and the "Yellow Rose of Texas" Myth. Outside of his professional endeavors, he has donated to Haitian relief funds and has been a mentor to inner city youth in Washington, D.C.

I have not read any of his books, but they have a bad reputation. Why are they bad?

Phillip Thomas Tucker PhD | Author | Central Florida

Best-selling author. More than 125 books of groundbreaking history. Family owned. Books by the author. Nonfiction books.

www.phillipthomastuckerphd.com

I bought and read The South's Finest: The First Missouri Confederate Brigade from Pea Ridge to Vicksburg. It was well done. I had no issues with it on any level.
He has published on a wide variety of topics. Civil rights, African American history, military history and many more.
Should the sole basis by which we criticize an author and his work be of his being very prolific and widely spread across many topics?
I cannot speak to the other criticisms of Tucker.