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THE PENGUIN BOOK OF OUTER SPACE EXPLORATION – John Logsdon, editor

Posted by Daniel on July 20, 2019
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

It is pretty hard to miss the fact that we are currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first crewed moon landing (July 20, 1969).  There are abundant films, books, and memorabilia celebrating this feat. The Penguin Book of Outer Space Exploration is certainly timed to coincide with this anniversary, though it explores a much wider range than just the lunar landing(s).

Editor John Logsdon has pulled together select items that chronicle the United States’ space exploration, from inception to infancy to today’s hopes for the private sector exploration.

We can read history’s and first-hand accounts from any number of participants in the space age infancy since we still are in its infancy, but what this does differently is give us direct access to the thoughts and planning and politics behind the events.

Starting with articles published in Collier’s magazine as early as 1952 and an article in 1954 written by Wernher von Braun titled “Can We Get to Mars?,” we get all the way to 2016 and Elon Musk’s address to the International Astronautical Congress, “Making Humans a Multi-Planetary Species.” Some of the most interesting pieces included in the book, from a political standpoint, are tape recording transcripts from the Nixon Whitehouse and we see just how much NASA and the future of space exploration relied on political ambition:

Nixon: Space, what’s the problem here?
Ehrlichman: Well the problem here is do we go ahead with the
next two shots [Apollo 16 and 17]?
Nixon: No! If we go, no shots before the election.
Ehrlichman: Then what would we do with all those employees?
Nixon: For those shots? How many, George?
Shultz: 17,500 or something like that.
Nixon: I don’t like the feeling of space shots between now and
the election.
Ehrlichman: But thinking of this thing [the space program] in
just pure job terms, it is a hell of a job creator.
…
Nixon: I only see a minor waste of money. Keep the people on,
but don’t make the shots. I just don’t feel the shots are a big
deal at this time
. . . There is also the risk you could have another
Apollo 13
. . . That would be the worst thing we could
have
. . . We are just not going to do it. There will not be any
launches between now and the election. The last shot, fine.
Let’s go forward with the last shot.

This political maneuvering – how our government has used the space program for political/party gain – certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, but it’s fascinating to actually follow.

I also quite liked the debriefing reports.  From the astronauts on various voyages as well as the occasional technical debriefing.  This generally straightforward reporting of a flight is a side that the layman generally doesn’t see.

And all along the savvy reader will come away with anecdotes to share with friends.  My favorite was learning that the Apollo 11 astronauts, after coming back to Earth and being picked up by the recovery ship and sitting through quarantine (we had no idea what alien microbes might have been picked up at that time) – on arriving in Hawaii, the astronauts flew back to Texas … and had to go through customs!

Looking for a good book? The Penguin Book of Outer Space, edited by John Logsdon is a must-read for anyone with an interest in mankind’s adventure in space, and a perfect gift for anyone you might want to get interested in space exploration.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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The Penguin Book of Outer Space Exploration: NASA and the Incredible Story of Human Spaceflight

editor: John Logsdon

publisher: Penguin Classics

ISBN: 0143129953

paperback, 400 pages

SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER – Timothy Egan

Posted by Daniel on May 9, 2018
Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT, MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

My only regret with this book is that it took me so long to read it.

Edward Curtis was a photographer in the very early days of photography.  Apprenticed as a photographer in St. Paul, Minnesota, he later moved to Seattle and became interested in photographing Native Americans.  He was often and long supported by Theodore Roosevelt and trusted by many Native Americans who gave him access to their daily lives and rituals, which he documented with his cameras. His book, The North American Indian (backed financially by J.P. Morgan) was to become almost the definitive work on America’s Natives and would span twenty volumes and remains one of the only records of the early Native Americans.  Curtis also is credited with making the first “narrative documentary” film (In the Land of the Headhunters aka In the Land of the War Canoes).

Author Timothy Egan has clearly done his research in preparation for this book as he follows Curtis’ travels quite closely and draws from multiple sources to suggest attitudes and motivations.

I was touched by the way so many Native American tribes welcomed Curtis and allowed him to document some of their most private ceremonies in addition to their daily lives.  And I was caught up with Curtis’s drive and motivation.  He definitely moved swiftly and his motivation was high when he had the full support of Roosevelt and/or Morgan, but when times were tough and lean (and they were, especially near the end of his life) his interest was strong enough that he looked for ways to continue with his work.  He was almost as much a salesman as a photographer (which, unfortunately, is often the case).

In so many ways, it seems that Curtis was so passionate about creating his masterpiece – the twenty-volume The North American Indian – that it was his down-fall.  He spent so much time , energy, and money on it, to get as complete and perfect as possible, that he ignored too many other things in his life.

Egan does point out that Curtis did sometimes stage his photos.  We seem to think of this as somewhat of a cardinal sin today (despite the fact that so many photographers now ‘photoshop’ their pictures), but we don’t take in to account the quality of the equipment or the speed in which photos were taken around the turn of the century.  Those weren’t ‘point and shoot’ days.

My Kindle ARC copy of the book did include some photographs, though I wished there more – what was there was impressive, but it only scratched the surface of what exists as Curtis’s collection.

I very much liked Egan’s research and narrative here.  I found the subject of Edward Curtis quite fascinating, and his subject – the ‘Indians’ of North America are still an under-represented people in our history books.

This deserves reading.

Looking for a good book? Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan is a remarkable history/biography of Edward Curtis – a photographer who documented Native Americans at the turn of the twentieth century.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis

author: Timothy Egan

publisher: Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 0618969020

hardcover, 370 pages

WHEN PARIS SIZZLED – Mary McAuliffe

Posted by Daniel on February 20, 2017
Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I have found that my reading tastes have changed quite a bit over the past few years and that I have come to really enjoy a good non-fiction book.  I’m fascinated by history (my high school teachers would have told you that this was to be an unlikely scenario) and history of subjects dear to me (literature and the arts) are of supreme interest.  When Paris Sizzled is a look at Paris, France in the 1920’s when the arts were vibrant and personalities such as Ernest Hemingway and Josephine Baker and Cole Porter (and many others) were regulars on the scene.

I absolutely love the jazz-age era and this group of artists and literary figures couldn’t be more appealing to me so I expected to be thoroughly infatuated with this book.  But I wasn’t.

The book is extremely well researched and this isn’t just a history of Paris in the 1920’s but it’s also a chronicle and biography of some of the more interesting personalities of the era – the people who made Paris of 1920 a hip place to be.

But considering how vibrant and exciting these lives were (or at least our expectations of these lives), this book does not capture the vibrancy and excitement of the jazz era or these people.  The book reads a bit too dry, matter-of-factly recording events rather than letting the reader experience them.

Given the fiction-like nature many non-fiction books take now (I’m think of Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing” biographies and a few other non-fiction books I’ve read recently), readers are getting spoiled and we expect more than a dry dissertation.  Mary McAuliffe does a decent job (again – the research itself is tremendous) but just doesn’t give it that extra bit that really lets us enjoy it

I expect I’ll refer to this when researching the era (which I expect to do in the not-too-distant-future), but I can’t recommend this as one of the better non-fiction titles I’ve read recently.

Looking for a good book? When Paris Sizzled: The 1920s Paris of Hemingway, Chanel, Cocteau, Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Their Friends, by Mary McAuliffe, is a wonderfully researched book but doesn’t capture the excitement of the era the way one would hope.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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When Paris Sizzled: The 1920s Paris of Hemingway, Chanel, Cocteau, Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Their Friends

author: Mary McAuliffe

publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN: 1442253320

hardcover, 344 pages

THE WALDORF ASTORIA BAR BOOK – Frank Caiafa

Posted by Daniel on February 3, 2017
Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

There’s no shortage of bar-related/bartender books on the market today, and I’ve browsed through quite a few of them in my search to find interesting new drinks with classic liquors.  For a number of reasons – all personal – the Waldorf Astoria has a special meaning to me and so I was eager to give this book a look.

And it has become my favorite bar book to date.

It isn’t because author Frank Caiafa has come up with all sorts of new drinks, there are plenty of bar books along those lines. This has become my favorite bar book because it does something that I haven’t seen before – at least not without commercial intentions.  This book gets specific with the brands of liquor to use in making the drinks.

Normally I would think that this is just a means to sell a specific brand but Caiafa explains why a specific brand.  For instance, my wife enjoys her gin and tonic and I wanted to try something a little different for her.  One of the first drinks I came across in the books was for the drink “Alaska” which calls for either Hayman’s Old Tom gin or Beefeater London dry gin.  After listing the ingredients and how to mix them together (like any ordinary bar book) Caiafa then explains the drink a little bit.  Here he writes:

Different styles of gin (barrel-aged Old Tom, London dry, etc.) were used with varying results before finally settling on the
original Old Tom, which is the one called for in the Old Books. Though harmonious, it doesn’t challenge the Chartreuse. The
London dry–style gin does add contrast and a bit of spiciness that you may also enjoy. I recommend trying both.

That makes sense!  All gins are not the same.  Just as I’ve been searching for the perfect bourbon for my Manhattans because all bourbons are not the same, it makes complete sense that the gin used will have an effect on the drink.  I’ve since looked the “Alaska” up as my wife enjoys this particular concoction, and none of the other versions (it’s not an uncommon drink) mention the brand of gin to use.

Any drink I’ve made in here, I’ve paid careful attention to use the brand names as listed to get the best representation of the Waldorf Astoria drinks.  While I haven’t made all the drinks in here – I haven’t even made a lot of them – I have selected a few based on my own interests and I’ve found a few new drinks to add to my list of drinks (“Bagpiper” anyone?).

I haven’t yet made any of my own bitters (Caiafa recommends this) but I am intrigued and have gotten myself ready by ordering some bitters bottles.

I’ve talked this book up quite a bit since getting it and making drinks.  This past summer, when friends have come over to sit on the deck with us, I’ve usually brought out a new drink from the Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, which is usually a great conversation starter, and I would talk about the book and why I was enjoying it so much.  I know at least one person who received this as a Christmas present because I kept raving about some of the new drinks I was finding here.

The book is mostly comprised of the drink recipes, but there is a small section on “Large Cups and Punches” and one for “Hot Drinks” and one for “Historical Concoctions” which was quite fascinating.

I’ve been searching for the perfect “Perfect Manhattan” ever since having one in a little restaurant bar in Upstate New York a decade back.  I’ve tried a lot of different bourbons and have settled a two or three that make it just right for me, and it was reaffirming to note that Caiafa’s choice was the first one to make my own list.

If you have an interest in mixed drinks, you really should get this book.

Looking for a good book? Frank Caiafa’s The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book is packed, not only with drink recipes, but information on how to make each particular drink as best as possible and it is highly recommended.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book

author: Frank Caiafa

publisher: Penguin Books

ISBN: 0143124803

hardcover, 416 pages

THE KING’S GRAVE – Michael Jones and Philippa Langley

Posted by Daniel on February 1, 2017
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

On the one hand you might think that the discovery of the burial location for one of England’s more (in)famous kings would be much bigger news.  On the other hand, the fact that I hadn’t been aware of the discovery of Richard III’s remains might be an indication that it’s not as earth-shattering as some (particularly the authors) expect.

Like many people my knowledge of Richard III comes from Shakespeare’s play.  I recognize that the play, while labelled as one of Shakespeare’s “history” plays, is not an accurate accounting of history.  It was written for dramatic appeal.  It was based on other historical documents that Shakespeare likely referenced.

One of the very nice things about this book is that it is not just a day-to-day accounting of an archaeological dig, but it is also a bit of a history on Richard III.

The book got off to a bit of a rough start with author Philippa Langley describing her gut instinct and the ‘feeling’ that she was walking over Richard’s grave when visiting an area that was soon to be turned in to a parking lot. To her credit, she works determinedly to stop construction, rally support, and find the money needed to do a proper investigation and dig to unearth whatever may be below.  She doesn’t do this based on her intuition, of course.  She provides some nicely researched documentation of an abbey that had once been on the spot and the reports of a hasty burial of an important king at that abbey.

Does it hurt that Langley is also a film-maker and is documenting this un-earthing?  Not a bit.

The actual information on the dig is pretty slim.  Langley draws it out, sharing some set-backs and a lot of personal feelings.  The site is pretty well described and there appears to be a lot of history under the earth there.  But once the skeleton is unearthed and sent to a lab for investigation/testing we learn nothing more about all the rest of the history at the dig.  Is it all just bull-dozed over and turned into a parking lot?

Perhaps the most fascinating part of this book is the description of the skeletal remains and what the individual likely experienced at the end of his life (and slightly beyond).  It’s pretty horrifying, but not un-likely, given the times, the fighting, and the individual.

One thing that bothered me a little bit was how easily and quickly investigators determined that this most likely was Richard III (I’m not giving anything away … the title says “the Discovery”).  Although the authors try to tell us that those doing the carbon testing and the remains analysis weren’t biased, it did feel as though everyone was going in to it with the hopes of proving it true.

All in all, this was an interesting book and I’m very glad to have experienced it.

Looking for a good book?  The King’s Grave, by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones, is a combination history primer on King Richard III and a unique modern look at the search for, and discovery of Richard III’s final burial-place.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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The King’s Grave: The Discovery of Richard III’s Lost Burial Place and the Clues It Holds

authors: Philippa Langley and Michael Jones

publisher: St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 1250044103

hardcover, 288 pages

HIDDEN THUNDER: ROCK ART OF THE UPPER MIDWEST – Geri Schrab & Robert F. Boszhardt

Posted by Daniel on September 9, 2016
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I’m not sure when I first saw a petroglyph, but over the last twenty years or so, my wife and I have done a great deal of traveling to state and national parks and at so many of them we’ve noted and photographed petroglyphs.

I am fascinated by visual arts in general, and when I see these petroglyphs or other rock art I am amazed by the tenacity of artists who worked with poor materials, but weren’t stopped by that.  The drive to produce art often supersedes the lack of materials.

This books details some rock art in the upper Midwest, primarily in the Wisconsin area. Eleven locations are explored and described.  Some of these are open to the public, such as Jeffers and Pipestone in Minnesota.  Others are locations on private property.

For those of us who might pick up this book to find locations to visit, this can be a little disappointing as too many of the locations are private.  Also disappointing – and the authors almost hit the reader over the head with their concern – is how many of the petroglyphs have been damaged or destroyed by uncaring visitors.  Since most of these petroglyphs are located in limestone caves on farm lands, it is implied (or stated outright, I don’t remember which) that teens looking to party are the likely suspects in the damage.  It is disappointing that such historical artifacts are so wantonly destroyed (and the authors make it clear how they feel about this), but kudos to the authors and the Native American councils who are actively working to protect these places.

The book is lavishly illustrated with photos and artwork (more on that in a moment) of many of the discoveries.  My ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) came with a publisher’s watermark on every page, making it near impossible to actually see anything in the photos, so it’s difficult to comment on the quality of the pictures.

One of the things that I enjoyed about this book is that it wasn’t just a flat-out presentation of petroglyph sites.  In addition to the photos, the book has many watercolor paintings by artist Geri Schrab.  Schrab is clearly moved by the ancient art and works the styles and themes into her own watercolors.  It is beautiful synthesis of ancient and modern art.

Also included in the book are “Native Voice” writings.  It is beautiful to get some written word from modern Native Americans to go along with the art.

Included in this book:

Samuel’s Cave (Native Voice: Carrie McGhee Gleba)
Bell Coulee Rockshelter (Native Voice: Dylan Jennings)
Silver Mound (Native Voice: Louise Erdrich)
Gullickson’s Glen (Native Voice: Elizabeth K. Fernandez-Arnold)
Roche-A-Cri State Park (Native Voice: Diana Peterson)
Twin Bluffs (Native Voice: Joey Awonohopay)
Jeffers and Pipestone (Native Voice: Dane Pine)
Indian Cave (Native Voice: Patty Loew)
Gottschall Rockshelter (Native Voice: Truman Loew)
Tainter Cave (Native Voice: Larry Balber)
Hanson-Losinki Complex (Native Voice: Karen Ann Hoffman

Looking for a good book?  Hidden Thunder, by Geri Schrab and Robert F Boszhardt, is an absolute must read for anyone interested in art history, Native American art, Native American history, or even anyone just interested in a great non-fiction book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Hidden Thunder: Rock Art of the Upper Midwest

authors: Geri Schrab and Robert F Boszhardt

artist: Geri Schrab

publisher: Wisconsin Historical Society Press

ISBN: 0870207679

hardcover, 160 pages

DUST BOWL GIRLS – Lydia Reeder

Posted by Daniel on August 3, 2016
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Dust Bowl Girls, by Lydia Reeder, is one of the most exciting, informative, and thoroughly engaging non-fiction books I’ve read this year.  This is a book that must be optioned for film — it has all the ingredients for a truly spellbinding movie.  Think Hoosiers, A League of Their Own, or The Blind Side.

Author Reeder has done an exhaustive amount of research on the coach, Sam Babb (a great-uncle of the author) and the women of the 1932 Oklahoma Presbyterian College girl’s basketball team.  She shares the research in a detailed Notes section.

Basketball was different in the 1930’s – more-so for women than for men – and there was also the struggle for acceptance of women’s sports during this time.  Basketball was thought to be especially bad for girls. Despite all this, Sam Babb desired to coach a girl’s basketball team at his college and made recruiting trips to rural areas, bringing in young girls who thought they might not otherwise be able to even attend college (this is still the era of the Great Depression) by offering sports scholarships.

The young girls that Babb recruits are all talented athletes in their own right, but Babb’s coaching emphasizes teamwork, which can be challenging for a group of stand-outs.  But Babb also insists that the girls stay focussed on their school work.  On the court, he has the girls learn all the different positions (which seems a bit genius, given the time and the style of play in the 30’s) – this gives each girl a respect for what has to happen to create effective teamwork.

What Reeder does extremely well in this book is get into the heads of the players and coach (based on journals of and discussion with the players).  She also does an excellent job of building tension over the course of the season. following many of the games and detailing their exploits.  I just HAD to keep reading to learn if that would win that next game!

The background on Babb is tremendous, and his personal story along would qualify this book for a movie deal.  Add the stories of the girls and their challenge to win a national title and you have a compelling drama, which Reeder lays out before the reader with mastery.

Just over a year ago I watched a very small town boys high school basketball team win a State title, which also had its share of injuries and drama and challenges, and I know first-hand what that excitement and anticipation is like.  Reeder’s book captures that excitement perfectly and the reader is transported back to 1932 and living those games.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in sports, basketball, history, women’s sports, biographies, or simply interested in great non-fiction.

Looking for a good book?  This is it.  Dust Bowl Girls, by Lydia Reeder, has it all: action, biography, athletics, history, and even some romance.  This is a book you want first on your “to read” list and then on your “have read” list.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Dust Bowl Girls: A Team’s Quest for Basketball Glory

author: Lydia Reeder

publisher: Algonquin Books

ISBN: 1616204664

hardcover, 304 pages

IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE – Hampton Sides

Posted by Daniel on May 2, 2016
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I recently worked on a documentary film in which some people were attempting to sail the Northwest Passage.  Because of this, I developed an interest in learning more about some of the expeditions to the Arctic.  When I saw this book available on Audible, I was quite eager to give it a listen.  It does not disappoint.

In the late 1800’s, the Arctic was one of the few, vast, unexplored regions on the planet and many people were fascinated by what might be there.  One common belief was that there were warm currents that actually kept a land mass lush with plant life.

After his success sending Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone, James Gordon Bennett, the wealthy owner of the New York Herald, decided to so something similar with the Arctic and funded an official U.S. Navy expedition to head to the Pole.

Captained by George Washington De Long, a young officer, the voyage would have 32 men who would be sailing uncharted territory in a ship re-christened the USS Jeannette, on the way to be the first to plant a flag at the North Pole.  Not long after embarking, the Jeannette is stuck in ice, and after two years on the dangerous journey, the ship’s hull is breached by ice and the crew continue the journey on foot and sleds.  All along, Captain De Long maintains a detailed journal that despite its cumbersome nature he carries with him.

I found the research here to be incredibly thorough and, unlike many non-fiction books of late that write about the thoughts and concerns of the major characters based primarily on presumption, author Hampton Sides does a good job of detailing facts and draws from personal journals and letters to give us a glimpse of what the people involved were going through.  At the same time, Hampton builds a sense of mystery and tells the story as though it were a thriller.

Not knowing this story prior to this (other than that I know the North Pole was ‘found’ in 1908 or 1909 [depending on who you believe found it first]), I was completely captivated by this story and by the characters involved.  Hampton really draws us in to the story and helps us get to know many of the crew members as individuals, which means we’re much more invested in their story and we hope for their survival.

I don’t want to give too much away because this is a book worth reading, but suffice it to say that they do not make it to the North Pole and not everyone will survive this journey.  But where they do travel to, and who does live is well worth discovering.

I listened to the Audible version, and narrator Arthur Morey is the perfect reader for this book.  He was easy to listen to and helped to keep me interested.

Looking for a good book?  In the Kingdom of Ice, by Hampton Sides, is a gripping account of an early expedition to the North Pole and well worth reading.

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In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette

author: Hampton Sides

narrator: Arthur Morey

publisher: Random House Audio

ISBN: 0307966542

17 hours and 30 minutes

 

SLAVE NARRATIVES OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD – Christine Rudisel and Bob Blaisdell, eds.

Posted by Daniel on December 29, 2015
Posted in: MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I have to admit that I don’t know nearly as much as I should about the struggle of slaves in America and their flight to freedom and emancipation, despite the fact that there’s a slavery underground house just a few blocks from my home.  Certainly I’ve read about it in history classes, but it was always just a concept that we read about, to me.

What this collection did was make it much more personal, because the essays included are told by the slaves who have escaped to freedom.  Here, the horrors of slavery become real (“I think slavery is the next thing to hell.  If a person would send another into bondage, he would, it appears to me, be bad enough to send him into hell, if he could” says Harriet Tubman).  To endure what these people did; to be hunted; to hide at day and move at night in unfamiliar territory; to leave behind family (if they weren’t already sold and sent away) … the conditions for these people had to be absolutely horrific.

I think this came clearest for me in the very simple “Letter from His Old Mistress and His Reply” by Reverend J. W. Loguen.  A woman (clearly down on her luck after her husband has passed away) writes a letter to her runaway, former slave, trying to convince him to buy his freedom for $1000 and appeals to his Christian charity.  His response is tremendous.

All of the essays and recollections here are really great (in an educational way for those of us who can never imagine this sort of life).  I was also moved by “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs and “Born on a Slave Ship” by Margaret.  But truly, everything here is powerful and reminds the reader how strong these people had to be to do what they did … and of course these are only some of the stories from those who successfully made the escape to freedom.

This book contains the following essays:

“Arrived by Adams’ Express” (Henry Box Brown) by William Sill
“Narrative of William Wells Brown, a Fugitive Slave (excerpt)” by William Wells Brown
“Ex-President Tyler’s Household Loses an Aristocratic “Article”” (James Hambleton Christian) by William Still
“Arrival from Delaware, 1858: A Desperate, Bloody Struggle – Gun, Knife and Fire Shovel, Used by an Infuriated Master” (Theophilus Collins) by William Still
“An Abolitionist in the Underground” (Seth Concklin) by William Still
“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas” by Frederick Douglas
“Blood Flowed Freely: Two Passengers Secreted in a Vessel Loaded with Spirits of Turpentine p Shrouds Prepared t Prevent Being Smoked to Death” (Abram Galloway and Richard Eden) by William Still
“The Slave Mother Who Killed Her Child Rather Than See It Taken Back to Slavery” (Margaret Garner) by Levi Coffin
“Fleeing from Davis, a Negro Trader, Secreted Under a Hotel, Up a Tree, Under a Floor, in a Thicket, on a Steamer” (Charles Gilbert) by William Still
“How Their Grandpa Brought Emancipation to Loads of Slaves” (Arnold Gragston) by Federal Writers’ Project American Guide, Pearl Randolph
“Ten Years in the Penitentiary for Having a Copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (Samuel Green, alias Wesley Kinnard) by William Still
“Slave-Holder in Maryland with Three Colored Wives” (Jamie Griffin, alias Thomas Brown) by William Still
“Arrival from North Carolina, 1857—Feet Slit for Running Away, Flogged, Stabbed, Stayed in the Hollow of a Big Poplar Tree, Visited by a Snake, Abode in a Cave” (Harry Grimes) by William Still
“The Slave-Hunting Tragedy in Lancaster County, in September 1851: Treason at Christiana” (James Hamlet and Others) by William Still
“The Slave Woman Who Crossed the Ohio River on the Drifting Ice with Her Child in Her Arms” (Eliza Harris) by Levi Coffin
“The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself (1849)” by Josiah Henson
“Five Years and One Month Secreted” (John Henry Hill) by William Still
“Arrival from Maryland, 1859” (Ann Maria Jackson and Her Seven Children) by William Still
“Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861)” by Harriet Jacobs
“Trial of the Emancipators of Col. J. H. Wheeler’s Slaves, Jane Johnson and Her Two Little Boys” (Jane Johnson) by William Still
“Arrival from the Old Dominion: Nine Very Fine ‘Articles'” (Lew Jones, Oscar Payne, Mose Wood, Dave Diggs, Jack, Hen, and Bill Dade, and Joe Ball) by William Still
“Letter from His Old Mistress and His Reply [The Liberator]” by Reverend J.W. Loguen
“Arrivals from Different Places: Captured and Carried Back” (Matilda Mahoney and Dr. J. W. Pennington’s Brother and Sons) by William Still
“Born on a Slave Ship” (Margaret) by Eber M. Pettit
“Arrival from Virginia, 1858” (Mary Frances Melvin, Eliza Henderson, and Nancy Grantham) by William Still
“Seeing a Ray of Hope She Availed Herself of the Opportunity to Secure Her Freedom” (Aunt Hannah Moore) by William Still
“Arrival from Virginia, 1858” (Alfred S. Thornton) by William Still
“Narrative of Sojourner Truth” by Sojourner Truth
“Harriet Tubman: The Moses of her People)” and “‘Moses’ Arrives with Six Passengers” (Harriet Tubman) by William Still
“Escape from Alabama Is Almost Impossible” (Philip Younger) by Benjamin Drew
Appendix: The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: “An Act Respecting Fugitives from Justice, and Persons Escaping from the Service of Their Masters” [United States Congress]
Bibliography

This is an important book and it really should be read by all high school and college students.

Looking for a good book?  Editors Christine Rudisel and Bob Blaisdell have put together a fantastic collection of stories of slaves who have managed to make it to freedom with this book, Slave Narratives of the Underground Railroad.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Slave Narratives of the Underground Railroad

editors: Christine Rudisel and Bob Blaisdell

publisher: Dover Publications

ISBN: 0486780619

paperback, 224 pages

 

 

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MODERN EDITION – Henry Bain

Posted by Daniel on July 31, 2015
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I think that anything that gets people to read, and become more familiar with, the U.S. Constitution is a good thing.  For that alone, this book is praised.

This edition is a modern retelling of the Constitution.  Much as scholars do with Shakespeare, or even the Bible, this edition attempts to simplify the document.  It does so by rearranging the layout of the Constitution so that it might make more sense in a consecutive format.  It also highlights each section so that the reader knows what it is discussing, and it defines words that the editors think the modern reader might not understand.

The question for me is: is this necessary?

I read Shakespeare as if it were lifted off the pages of the Quarto, though if I were sharing it with students, I would pick a friendlier, easier-to-read edition.  I don’t read Greek, or Latin,or even German, so I can’t say that I’ve read any of the Bible in any of the earliest editions, but I am comfortable with the older King James Edition language.

The U.S. Constitution is only a couple hundred years old and the language hasn’t changed that significantly (we are, after all, still reading Shakespeare, which is over 500 years old).  And the subject matter, ‘laws’ essentially, is still kind of dry reading for most of us.  That hasn’t changed.  For this, I’m not sure that this modern edition is necessary.  In fact, this could be more confusing to the student who might think that the Constitution is laid out in the fashion presented here (despite editor’s preface to the contrary).

I didn’t learn anything new to my understanding of the Constitution (my knowledge is probably a little above average) and I’m not convinced that the new formatting is truly helpful.  Is the original so convoluted that anyone who takes on the reading of the document isn’t going to understand it?

Reading the Constitution again, even in this slightly altered form was a treat.  This is one of those documents you think you know, based on your elementary school knowledge, but actually reading it again, brings it to a new light.

Looking for a good book? The Constitution of the United States of America is a document that should be read by all Americans, but do they need a re-edited version, such as this, or is the original good enough?

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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The Constitution of the United States of America Modern Edition: Rearranged and Edited for Ease of Reading

author/editor: Henry Bain

publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

ISBN: 1626342083

hardcover, 152 pages

amazon-buy-button-test

GUNS OF OUTLAWS – Gerry and Janet Souter

Posted by Daniel on April 13, 2015
Posted in: NON-FICTION, Uncategorized, WESTERN. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

This coffee-table styled book is rich with history, excitement, and chock-full of enough photos to please any historian or gun-lover.

What is it about the outlaw, the criminal, that we are intrigued by the weapons that they favored?  Is it simply that they made a name for themselves, using weapons and so those weapons identify them or speak to their manner of thinking and behaving?  Perhaps the Souter’s will follow this up with a “Guns of Lawmen” next.

We do romanticize the outlaw, and the longer-ago the outlaw lived, the more romantic the period in which s/he fought.  I would have to admit that as the book progressed and we approached the period of Al Capone and his cronies, the outlaws lost their lustre to me.  I was a little more sickened by the violence of these men, yet they were every bit as violent as those from the ‘old west.’

Gerry and Janet Souter, authors of this book, do a very nice job providing history of the weapons and many, many beautiful photographs of often the original weapons being described, or at least a similar weapon from the manufacturer.  It is fascinating to thumb through the book and compare the early pistols to the tommy guns of the prohibition era.  I couldn’t even begin to point out some of the weapons that were most interesting to me because regularly, as I turned each page, I came across something that was new and interesting to me.  This book is as much an evolution of the handgun, from the 1800’s to the middle of the 20th century.

There are sidebars provided liberally throughout the book, with sidebars sometimes running two or three pages in themselves, such as “Primer, Powder, and Bullet: An Ammunition Evolution” or “The Gun that Never Was: Stuart Lake’s Gift to Western Fiction.”  These are nice little side essays on a related topic, connecting in some way to the particular chapter in the book.

The writing here could so easily be dry and so factual that it is dull.  Fortunately this is not the case.  The Souters make the history come alive and bring vivid excitement to each page.  All history books should be written with such enthusiasm!

I came to this book, interested in the historical aspect, and got so much more than I was expecting (pleasantly so).  I did wonder if I would enjoy it as I’m not a fan of romanticizing criminals or criminal behavior, but I don’t think that happens here (there are a few photos of the outlaws herein after meeting a violent end).

I would definitely encourage anyone with an interest in history, weapons or weapon history, or even interested in reading about outlaws from days gone by, then I can’t recommend this highly enough.  I’ve poured over my digital edition more than once, zooming in on some of the wonderful photos, and I’d really like to hold a hard copy in my hands because this is precisely the sort of book you want to hold in your hands and flip through just to look at the pictures after you’ve read it cover to cover.

Looking for a good book?  Guns of Outlaws by Gerry and Janet Souter is book full of history and captures the thrilling events of a variety of outlaws with great excitement.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Guns of Outlaws: Weapons of the American Bad Man

authors: Gerry and Janet Souter

publisher: Zenith Press

ISBN: 0760346453

hardcover, 272 pages

NOTHING BUT THE CLOUDS UNCHANGED – Gordon Hughes and Philipp Blom, editors

Posted by Daniel on March 14, 2015
Posted in: NON-FICTION, OTHER, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I believe that time and time again, artists have created some of the most thought-provoking, moving art during times of war.  Not just art as in paintings and drawings and sculpture, but all the arts … music, theatre, dance, etc.  This is not a call for war so that we can produce significant works of art.

In conjunction with an exhibit, the Getty Research Institute has produced this book, Nothing but the Clouds Unchanged: Artist in World War I,  which takes a look at the physical and psychological effects war has had on a variety of artists.  The “war to end all wars” changed hundreds of thousands of lives and brought a whole new horror to the world, and the artists represented here shared that horror in the only way that each could.

Editors Gordon Hughes and Philipp Blom have separated the book into two parts so that we can experience the war through the eyes of the artists from both the Allied Powers and the Central Powers points of view.  Each article is written by a different person and draws from the artists’ notes, letters, drawings, paintings, and comments from fellow soldiers.  We learn (as much as is possible) how the war impacted these people and we get the bonus of seeing how they interpreted these reactions in their art.  It’s a truly fascinating look at our society and our abominations.

Surprisingly, and somewhat embarrassingly, I was not familiar with most of these artists.  In general, I think that I found the Central Powers artists to be the most moving, and typically dark and bleak.  However, two artists with whom I was slightly familiar but couldn’t have told you much about were Georges Braque and Wyndham Lewis, part of the Allied Powers.  They both caught my eye with their work and their stories.

There is a nice variety to the art and artists represented.

I have, for a very long time, been a fan of the dadaist/surrealist art movement (which came about as a result of WWI), and as such, have also been quite a fan of artist Max Ernst.  Ernst is represented here, but I found it strange that, rather than some of his remarkable paintings, it is his collage/sculptures that are displayed (there is one painting [Towers] and three sculpture/collages included).  Had I not already been familiar with Ernst, this book would have given me a completely different impression of him and his work.  Which makes me wonder about some of the other artists.  Does this book accurately reflect their work?

All in all, this is a wonderful look at history and war through the eyes of artists who are able to convey their concerns and fears through art.

The book is made up of the following:

Introduction by Thomas W. Gaehtgens
“Forces Unbound: Art, Bodies, and Machines After 1914” by Philipp Blom
“‘In Dead Men Breath’: The Afterlife of World Way I” by Gordon Hughes
“André Masson: Into the ‘Humus Humaine'” by Charles Palermo
“Fernand Léger: Objects, Abstraction, and The Aesthetics of Mud” by Daniel Marcus
“Georges Braque: Artilleryman” by Karen K. Butler
“Wyndham Lewis: ‘Art-War-Art'” by Leo Costello
“‘In the Midst of the Strange Country’: Paul Nash’s War Landscapes” by Anja Foerschner
“Carlo Carrà’s Conscience” by David Mather
“Otto Dix: War and Representation” by Matthew Biro
“Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: An Inner War” by Thomas W. Gaehtgens
“Killing ‘Max Ernst'” by Todd Cronan
“George Grosz and World War I” by Timothy O. Benson
“Käthe Kollwitz, The First World War, and Sacrifice” by Joan Weinstein
“László Moholy-Nagy: Reconfiguring the Eye” by Joyce Tsai
“Oskar Kokoschka: The Great War and Love Lost” by Beatrice von Borman
“Oskar Schlemmer’s Triadic Ballet and the Trauma of War” by Paul Monty Paret
Appendix: Selected Cultural Figures Who Served in World War I by Hannah Fullgraf with Betsy Stepina Zinn

Looking for a good book?  Nothing But the Clouds Unchanged is a book that will appeal to art and history students.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Nothing but the Clouds Unchanged: Artists in World War I

editors: Gordon Hughes and Philipp Blom

publisher: Getty Research Institute

ISBN: 1606064312

hardcover, 192 pages