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Barksdale, K.T. (2009). The Lost State of Franklin: America’s First Secession Barksdale, Kevin T. (2009). The Lost State of Franklin: America’s First Secession. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN: 9780813125213. Kevin T. Barksdale, PhD., assistant professor of history at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, states in his introduction that the Lost State of Franklin began as a doctoral dissertation. His project has yielded a scholarly monograph that is a worthy and substantial first effort. Barksdale make a strong case that the circumstances surrounding the attempted formation of the state of Franklin in 1784 involved many political and economic factors and was not simply a “grassroots expression of backcountry equalitarianism and passion for self governance” based on principals from the American Revolution (x). Barksdale relates that in the years prior to the American Revolution, hundreds of families settled land in the Tennessee Valley (20-1), which was part of North Carolina at the time. Many communities established profitable businesses, which lead to great economic growth and development in the area. The state of North Carolina was in great financial distress after the American Revolution and sold off much of its western lands (31). The sale of land brought about a great deal of land speculation, including the desire for territory that was occupied by the Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw tribes (31). During this time North Carolina was also unable to provide support for improvements to Tennessee Valley infrastructure, which was an impediment to economic growth (18). During the winter of 1784 a group of Tennessee Valley leaders and their supporters declared their intention to separate from the state of North Carolina and form their own state of Franklin in order to preserve their economic status, exert greater political influence than was allowed under the North Carolina state government, and defend land claims (53). One of the most interesting chapters in the Lost State of Franklin is “Where the Fire of Peace is Always Kept Burning”. In this chapter Barksdale relates in fascinating detail the sometimes vicious interaction between the citizens of Franklin and their Native American neighbors, as the Franklinites attempted to claim lands populated by Native American tribes. Some groups of Native Americans attempted to interact peacefully with the Franklinites, while others reacted violently to the settlers’ presence. Barksdale details that the citizens of Franklin often did not distinguish between the two groups, and executed terrible retaliation against some peaceable Native Americans. The statehood movement did not gain widespread support outside of the region and fell apart in 1788. In his concluding chapters, Barksdale addresses the regional effects of the Franklin separatist movement during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the time of the Civil War when Tennessee seceded from the Union. The Lost State of Franklin includes extensive notes on each chapter, as well as a lengthy bibliography and index. Barksdale’s language is scholarly, and his book, which possibly brings a differing viewpoint to regional history, would be appropriate for upper diversion and graduate academic collections.
Thomas Burton, professor emeritus of English at East Tennessee State University and noted Appalachian scholar, taped interviews with Ronda Hicks over a period of a year. Hicks lives in the Beech Mountain area of western North Carolina and comes from a family of storytellers, perhaps the most famous of which is his late cousin Ray Hicks. In the honest and candid storytelling of Ronda Hicks, the reader is given a glimpse of life in Appalachia, including some of the darker elements not often revealed in other works. Hicks is not a particularly good or bad person, but his life and escapades may have the reader wondering how Hicks managed to live to be an older man. The life that Hicks reveals was not an easy one and includes drunken adventures, violent fights, brushes with the law, attempts on his life, and two prison terms. His relationships with women and authority figures usually did not end well, but Hicks displays a resilient and practical nature, as well as a likeable and engaging personality. In this slim book - 133 pages including pictures and an index - Burton divides the narrative into seven chapters. At the beginning and within the chapters, Burton provides background comments and connecting statements that give structure to the narrative. He has also preserved Hicks’ speech, which may be challenging to those unfamiliar with Appalachian dialect. The black and white pictures of Hicks, his family members, and the surrounding countryside provide context to the story. Hicks’ story is not easy to read because of the circumstances of his life and actions. Hicks lives by a code of ethics and values that may appear quite alien to people in other geographical areas of the United States. For this reason, his life is a snapshot of a culture that seems frozen in time, where people take care of themselves and address actual and perceived wrongs to themselves, family, and friends. The reader will take away from this book with a better understanding of life in part of the Appalachian Mountains and of one very interesting character. Recommended for college and university libraries, and for public libraries with an interest in Appalachian life and culture.
In Lincoln on Trial, Burrus M. Carnahan provides an in depth and unique account of Abraham Lincoln's treatment of southern civilians during the bloodiest conflict in American history, the Civil War. The author paints an unusual portrait of the President, one that the reader often does not see in traditional works about Abraham Lincoln. Carnahan portrays Lincoln as a president torn between Lincoln the humanitarian vs. Lincoln the realist/pragmatist. Carnahan also points out that while concerned about the treatment of southern civilians, Lincoln did not want to give any credence to the Confederate States of America (CSA) or do anything that might legitimize the CSA as an independent nation in the eyes of the southern rebels or to other nations. However, the realities of war complicated this process. The results of these idiosyncrasies often resulted in tragic results. As the old adage goes, "War is Hell." Carnahan's book provides a plethora of examples of this. He details decisions and situations which illustrate the results of war on southern civilians: houses and outbuildings burned, crops destroyed, livestock slaughtered, raping and pillaging of the southern civilian population. Lincoln was faced with balancing between the needs of war and the compassion for civilians. Lincoln, ever the prudent leader, hesitated in making blanket decisions to cover all situations. The one way he dealt with this was to divide these incidents into categories: 1) acts of military necessity and 2) acts of malice or revenge. Lincoln was more understanding of the collateral damage affected by acts of military necessity but could not abide acts of malice or revenge. He was constantly challenged as to what constitutes acceptable losses (or what we would term collateral damage), both of Southern civilian life as well as damages to property. As the Civil War raged on, a war weary Lincoln diverted more of these decisions down to the military level. From the President's point of view, Lincoln seemed to deem more of these acts as those of military necessity and clung to the Lieber Code’s definition of “military necessity:” “’those measures which are indispensable for securing the ends of the war.’” (p. 119) The Lieber Code set the foundations for other international war conventions like the 1949 Geneva Convention. A retired United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps officer, lecturer at George Washington University Law School, and foreign affairs officer in the US Dept of State, Burris M. Carnahan approaches his subject in an understandably legalistic way. He uses his legal background to weave a story of the inconsistencies of war. A follow up to his book, Act of Justice: Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the Law of War, Carnahan packs so much in one small book -- a mere 128 pages. Through his extensive use of primary and secondary source material, Carnahan gives this work the sound historical and legal basis necessary for historian, student or history buff alike. This book would be a great addition to any academic library collection.
Dulemba, E. (2009). Soap, Soap, Soap!.McHenry, Illinois: Raven Tree Press. ISBN 1934960624. Award winning illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba has penned her first picture book as both author and illustrator, Soap, Soap, Soap!, a bilingual retelling of an Appalachian jack tale. Dulemba has previously illustrated seven children’s books and has had a prosperous career as a graphic design artist. Much of her work in graphic design included creating art for many child-related industries such as Buster Brown. While in college, she discovered the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN and was inspired to create series of storytelling posters for her exit show at the University of Georgia. While at her first festival, she heard the master of Jack tales himself- Ray Hicks and has henceforth loved Appalachian folk tales. Soap, Soap, Soap! comes to life through bold, vibrant colors and expressive language. Told in English with Spanish words sprinkled throughout, Hugo’s story begins in his mother’s bright kitchen where he is sent to the el Mercado (the market) for jabon (soap). Along his adventurous way, he keeps forgetting what he is supposed to get at the store as he encounters a mud puddle, a dropped grocery bag with broken eggs, a bully and dirty ditch. Yet- through each mishap, he is reminded he needs to buy soap, soap, soap or jabon, jabon, jabon! Told in simple, kid-friendly language, Soap, Soap, Soap! is a guaranteed crowd pleasing read aloud. Kids will easily anticipate the repeated words and join in with little prompting. The book is also just as entertaining read to oneself with interactive elements in the text such as Hugo’s path to the store drawn out throughout town, bars of soap on each page, and splashing mud. With a vocabulary list in the back, the book also lends itself to excellent classroom use. Soap, Soap, Soap is a banner first time author effort from award winning illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba and is highly recommended for school and public libraries as well as academic libraries with youth collections.
Finkelman, P. & Kennon, D (Eds.). (2008). Congress and The Emergence of Sectionalism: From the Missouri Compromise to the Age of Jackson. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University. ISBN 9780821418836. Congress and the Emergence of Sectionalism is a collection of papers presented at two conferences hosted by the United States Capitol Historical Society. The book contains 10 distinct chapter essays, which present over-lapping concerns of war, tariffs and trade, banking systems, nullification, states' rights, federalism, Indian removal act, and Jackson's role as political leader and president, as well as the interactions of contemporaries such as Adams, Clay and Calhoun. The essays are written by prolific scholars: all the essays show a high degree of erudition and require of their readers sustained attention to detail. The chapter authors provide important factual evidence and interpretation which serve to unify what might otherwise be disparate strands of history. The intended readership is clearly other scholars and historical professionals, but also could include university students, and avid readers of history and partisans specifically of the Nineteenth century. In particular, those essays on political economy, which discuss the gold standard, silver specie, bills of exchange and even the dueling practices of bankers make or break the dilettante reader. The chapters on federal and international banking systems, crises and panics find an authentic resonance with contemporary worries and concerns over monetary and fiscal policy. I found Tim Alan Garrison's chapter delineating the trajectory of Jacksonian scholarship--especially in regards to Jackson's reputation and personal and political relationships with Native Americans--most enlightening. Garrison's chapter is very rewarding read and compactly analyzes what seems like dozens of portrayals of the "real" Jackson. Readers desiring a short course in legal history, should read the chapter by Michael Les Benedict's "States' Rights, State Sovereignty and Nullification," which includes handy charts surveying "three main theories of federalism" and "nationalism and state sovereignty in the 1820's" and which is accompanied by enough footnotes to cases to make any lawyer happy. Even for such a slim volume, to engage in any searching inquiry into factual accuracy, I would probably need a dozen or more encyclopedias, dictionaries, case reporters and academic degrees to adequately convey any sense of the density of some of the material included in the chapter essays. As for indexing, Congress and the Emergence of Sectionalism uses a standard index and includes footnoting features. Intriguing footnotes reveal conflicts between personalities as well as rich bibliographic sources to further study and inquiry. The book also includes typical text-book style cartoons of Jackson such as "King Andrew" drawing and also some images of Senate Legislative journals from National Archives and Records Administration. The contributors section clearly lays out the excellent credentials of the authors. This book is very appropriate for college libraries, for public libraries yearning for more monographs on Jackson, states' rights and federalism, and would be appropriate for a course reader on Jacksonian era. The breadth of the expertise of the scholars is significant and will draw in serious readers from areas of history, law, economics, Native American studies, and political biography. Adria Olmi, Reference/Serials Librarian, Aquinas College Library
Flexner, M. (2010). Out of Kentucky Kitchens. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN: 9780813193489. Enthusiasts of local history or culinary history will find Out of Kentucky Kitchens by Marion Flexner delightful reading. First published by Franklin Watts in 1949, the book was reprinted by the University Press of Kentucky in 1989 with a new preface by the author. It has been reprinted in paperback format in 2010. Marion Flexner of Louisville, Kentucky has written several books, including Quick Cooking From the top of the Stove and Cooking the Smart Way. By far the best known is Out of Kentucky Kitchens, which has been referred to as a classic. Recipes from this book have frequently been featured in magazine and newspaper articles on Southern cooking. Out of Kentucky Kitchens is a comprehensive cookbook including the following chapters as listed: Notes Concerning the Recipes in this Book, Table of Measurements, About Gourmet Powder, MSG, For That Real Kentucky Flavor, Canapés, Hors D’oeuvres and Sandwich Spreads, “Sippages,” Soups, Breads, Cheese and Eggs, Fish, Game, Poultry, Meats and Meat Sauces, Vegetables, Salads and Salad Dressings, Fruits, Fresh and Cooked, Desserts and Dessert Sauces, Pie Crust and Miscellaneous Pastries, Cakes, Fruit Butters, Conserves, Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Catsup, Chutney, Pickles, Relishes, and Candies and Nuts. Admittedly, as a librarian, I would have preferred that the chapters, other than the helps, be arranged in alphabetical order. Missing is information on using the recipes with labor saving appliances such as the crock pot, microwave, and bread maker that we might expect to find in a modern cookbook. Also missing are recipes for such favorites as pizza, chocolate chip cookies, deviled eggs, and cold potato salad with mayonnaise. I found only a recipe for hot potato salad with a vinegar dressing. The reader must keep in mind that this book was written in 1949. The book is a sturdy 319 page paperback. Personally, I would have preferred to have a spiral binding with the chapters separated by index tab dividers like my copies of Betty Crocker’s Cookbook and Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. There are no illustrations of any kind, other than the picture on the front cover. As one would expect, a table of contents is provided. There is also a comprehensive index in the back of the book. Many chapters begin with helpful general advice. For example, in the chapter on Poultry Mrs. Flexner advises us that “All fowl should have been killed at least 24 hours, and thoroughly chilled before cooking. Place in a covered hydrator in icebox until ready to use.” Obviously, times have changed since the book was written in 1949. Each recipe has the same format. First, ingredients are listed in two columns. Detailed instructions follow. I found them excellent. Frequently, the history or source of the recipe and serving suggestions are included. While reading the book, I decided to first prepare a representative recipe from each chapter. My experience with representative recipes for soup, bread, meat, cakes, and cookies follows. Included among the soup recipes are such favorites as Alabama Chicken Gumbo, Tandy Ellis’s Burgoo, Carcass Soup, Cream of Mushroom Soup Superb, Ham-Bone Soup, and Kentucky Black Bean Soup. I prepared the Ham-Bone Soup. The author remarks that “You will want to know about this hearty soup, which dates from Colonial times in old Virginia. Serve it to your family after they have had an outing in the woods on a cold winter’s afternoon.” I’ll admit to some concern about cooking the cabbage for an hour, however she was proven correct. The soup was delicious. Mrs. Flexner recommends that the soup be served with Skillet Corn Bread. Breads are divided into Baking Powder and Soda Breads, Batter Breads, Waffles, Corn Breads, and Bread Doughs and Rolls. I chose to prepare the recipe for My Own biscuits. They were delicious–crisp on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside. The author’s recipe is somewhat different from mine, but following her directions exactly, I had no difficulty. Admittedly, I didn’t use my fingers to blend in the flour as Mrs. Flexner remarks is her habit. Her advice to break open a biscuit to test for doneness certainly worked well. I also prepared the All-Purpose Refrigerator Dough for Buttermilk Refrigerator Whole Wheat Bread. While the bread was soft and moist on the inside, the crust was more well done than I would have preferred. Admittedly, I had neglected to brush the dough with melted butter as the she advised. Next time I will experiment with reducing the temperature. Being a meat loaf connoisseur, I prepared Oscar Heims’ Meat Loaf, which the author claimed to be the best she had ever eaten. Oscar Heims was her husband’s barber. Lacking the roaster specified in the recipe, I used an 8 inch square pan and shortened the cooking time from 2 to 3 hours to 75 minutes. The meat loaf was delicious, very spicy, and even better when reheated. Cakes and cookies are included in the same chapter. I selected Carrie Byck’s Double Fudge Cake, which Mrs. Flexner described as “one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted.” Personally, I was somewhat disappointed; admittedly, I had reduced the cooking temperature from 375 degrees to 350 degrees. However, the accompanying Double Fudge Frosting was delicious. Rosa Flexner’s Butter Cookies, her mother-in-law’s recipe, were very tasty. My colleagues at the library thoroughly enjoyed them. I agree with Mrs. Flexner. The dough was very easy to handle. No cooking time was given so I experimented. Out of Kentucky Kitchens is very entertaining reading. A person need not prepare a single recipe to thoroughly enjoy it. This is a wonderful collection of tasty Southern recipes. Obviously, this book is not for the novice cook or for children. I frequently had occasion to question the oven temperature and the baking time. Ingredients have changed since 1949. Sifting dry ingredients 3 and 4 times is no longer necessary. These recipes are for an experienced cook who will feel comfortable making adjustments to adapt to modern ingredients and conditions in a modern kitchen. The book would have benefited from a new introduction comparing cooking equipment, ingredients, and methods in 1949 to those of today. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries as an addition to a collection of Southern cookbooks, historical cookbooks, or Kentucky culture.
Frye, S. (2009). Understanding Cormac McCarthy. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 1570038392 Steven Frye’s Understanding Cormac McCarthy is a tightly written, concise overview of McCarthy’s works, influences, themes and major characters. In 179 pages, Frye discusses each of McCarthy’s major works and a few of his short stories and dramas. Grouping McCarthy’s works into the southern works, the border trilogy, and later works, Frye walks us through McCarthy’s beginning as a student writer at the University of Tennessee and his subsequent depictions of life in East Tennessee through his relocation to the West to his current work with the Santa Fe Institute. For each major work, Frye discusses the critics’ responses helping us to picture McCarthy’s development as a writer. He also gives consideration to major characters and themes. However, in a volume this short, Frye doesn’t have a chance to delve more than perfunctorily into each work. At times, Frye opens the door to a deep reading of McCarthy but instead moves quickly on to the next work. Frye firmly establishes McCarthy’s place in the American canon. Putting McCarthy alongside Melville, Faulkner, James Fennimore Cooper and Mark Twain, Frye discusses McCarthy’s place in the American romance tradition and how McCarthy, later in his career, extends the definition of the traditional American western, or frontier, romance. Frye situates McCarthy among his philosophical, literary and religious influences citing a list of influences from Kirkegaard and Nietzsche to Plato and the Gnostics, from Faulkner and Melville to Dosteyvsky and Poe, from the Old Testament to Jakob Bhome. With such a list of influences it’s no wonder that Frye often reads like a sommelier’s wine review –descriptive, intriguing and ultimately elusive, much like McCarthy’s writing itself. Lacking, perhaps in deference to a still-living author, is a discussion of McCarthy’s personal background. Except for the briefest of biographical notes, Frye does not explore what led McCarthy to his themes of avarice and darkness or his unique, ornate language. What Frye does very well is help us understand that ornate language. He shows how much ‘detective’ work goes into simply understanding McCarthy’s word choice let alone the interpretation of what arises from McCarthy’s probing the dark side of the human soul. In a tone accessible to beginning scholars and the well-read public, Frye’s writing is inviting and lacks the wordiness found in many analytical texts. Understanding Cormac McCarthy is a dependable addition to any academic collection, but its relaxed tone makes it a thoughtful addition to any public library’s 800 section. Part of the Understanding American Literature series from the University of South Carolina Press, Understanding Cormac McCarthy is helpful for students of literature, of course, but it is also a portal to McCarthy’s world from which book groups and writer’s group could benefit. Julie Forkner, Reference Librarian, E. G. Fisher Public Library
Gallagher, G. W. and Waugh,J. (Eds.). (2009).Wars within a War: Controversy and Conflict over the American Civil War. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807832758. A quick glance at the Civil War section at any bookstore or library typically reveals a large number of martial works catering to the public’s interest in heroism, sacrifice, and the Lost Cause. Naturally, most of these books overlook the lack of universal war support on either side. While scholars such as Frank Owsley and Ella Lonn wrote on these internal objections to war as early as the 1920s, the average American is unaware of their research. Recently, a number of new works illuminating opposition within both war efforts have rekindled scholarly interest in these topics. Wars with a War: Controversy and Conflict over the American Civil War, a collection of twelve essays edited by Joan Waugh, professor of history at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Gary W. Gallagher, the John K. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia, successfully aids in the further elucidation of these topics. Covering wartime issues such as dissent on the home front, military affairs, and wartime literature and visual arts, and a range of postwar topics including care of dead, veterans’ homes, and the memory/memorialization of veterans and heroes, the quality and accessibility of the articles varies greatly. Mentioning just a few of the articles, the works by James McPherson, “My Enemies Are Crushed: McClellan and Lincoln,” Gary W. Gallagher, “Hollywood Has it Both Ways: The Rise, Fall and Reappearance of the Lost Cause in American Film,” and Joseph T. Galatthaar, “Profile in Leadership: Generalship and Resistance in Robert E. Lee’s First Month in Command of the Army of Northern Virginia,” stand as well-researched and reader-friendly pieces accessible to the novice Civil War reader. The slightly more knowledgeable reader on the Civil War will enjoy the works of Stephanie McCurry, “Women Numerous and Armed: Gender and the Politics of Subsistence in the Civil War South,” and Harold Holzer, “With Malice Toward Both: Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis in Caricature.” While well documented, they require a little more background and general understanding of the nonmilitary topics to comprehend. Stephen Cushman’s “Walt Whitman’s Real Wars,” and William Blair’s “Friend or Foe: Treason and the Second Confiscation Act,” prove to be more difficult. Considering that the average Civil War reader lacks experience with Whitman’s works and wartime political history, these articles may be too dense for some. The variety of writing styles and topics within Wars with a War make this piece flexible. It fits well on the bookshelves of any academic or general library as well as the shelves of any Civil War aficionado. Due to a mixture of chapters, this piece could be wonderful fodder for classroom discussions and assignments. Civil War novices may struggle with some chapters, but this should not dissuade them attempting the text. Overall, this work is highly recommended for those interested in learning more about dissent during the American Civil War.
Fourteen essays written by various academics at both national and international educational institutions explore Oprah Winfrey’s influence on American culture. The book is divided into three parts, with the essays in each focusing on the topics of race, stage (including television), and page (the book club and magazine). The updated version of the original book, published in 2007, includes commentary in the preface on Winfrey’s endorsement of presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2009 and a chapter on her African Leadership Academy which was established in 2007. The substantial introduction gives a very brief background on Winfrey’s life and achievement in rising to power during the 1980s as an African American woman. It also introduces the essays which follow – essays that discuss Winfrey’s enormous influence, popularity, power, and presence in contemporary American life. Many people are influenced by Winfrey’s opinions, a situation which has not gone unnoticed by advertisers, politicians, and sociologists. For good or bad, Winfrey is an incredibly significant part of public opinion, popular culture, and consumerism. The scholarly essays ponder the complexity of Winfrey’s success and influence in an effort to better understand the “Oprah phenomenon”. The essays represent a variety of topics and opinions and were selected to encourage discussion of Winfrey’s place in American culture. The first part, “Oprah Winfrey and Race,” contains three essays which discuss Winfrey’s appeal based on her race and perceptions of race by African Americans and white. The second part, “Oprah Winfrey on the Stage,” contains five essays dealing with the response to the Winfrey’s public persona. Included are how Winfrey’s style influenced culture and broke down barriers for many previously taboo topics such as obesity, abuse, and spirituality. The third part, “Oprah Winfrey on the Page,” contains six essays, focusing on her extremely successful book club and O, the Oprah Magazine. The final essay, by editor Jennifer Harris, discusses the debate surrounding Winfrey’s funding and sponsorship of a leadership academy in Africa. All of the essays include notes/bibliographies, and there is a complete index, as well as a list of the contributors and their qualifications. Recommended for public and academic libraries, as Winfrey is a force that is not diminishing anytime in the foreseeable future and the discussions covered in these essays are helpful in understanding her role in media and popular culture. Virginia Salmon, Librarian, Northeast State Community College
Col. James R. Haun, a Tennessee pilot extraordinaire, offers readers a fascinating memoir that is sure to please readers interested in aviation. Comprised of dozens of flying stories with more than 200 accompanying photographs, Haun’s book is a cross between informal autobiography and an annotated scrapbook of aircraft history and his flying exploits. Haun traces his love of flying back to first grade. In 1917 his teacher heard an airplane circling overhead and dismissed the entire school “to see this strange thing.” Soon thereafter, when his father took him to a new Army training field just north of Memphis where he saw dozens of biplanes taking off and landing, he knew “fate was sealed for all time.” Just out of high school, Haun learned to fly in his own Waco 9 that he bought for $400. Now considered as an example of the “Golden Age” of early aircraft, the Waco 9 had fabric-covered wings and a front cockpit with a bench seat that could accommodate two passengers with the pilot taking the rear in an open cockpit. Then, at age 22, in 1933, Haun hopped a train to New Orleans where he signed on to worked as a cook’s helper aboard a freighter headed to Europe. Once there, he toured Paris, Rotterdam, and Brussels, returning home to Memphis, broke but well-traveled. Haun recounts his marriage and working life during the mid-1930’s depression years when he learned to barnstorm in a Curtis Junior "Pusher" and a Waco 10, as well as and his successful effort to get into the pre-war Army Air Corps Reserve where he flew 0-47, L-5 and Curtis O-52 “Owl” observation planes and the North American B-25 Mitchell, the Martin B-10, and A-20 Havoc bombers. With the outbreak of World War II, Haun transferred to England, where he flew missions in British-made Supermarine “Spitfires” followed – after D-Day – with a move to European bases where he flew the P-47 “Thunderbolt” and the P-51 “Mustang.” War’s end found him with his own P-47 while assigned to the Allied Forces Combined Operations Staff. Haun remained in the Army Air Corps, gaining rank while completing duty stations in India, China and the Far East. After transitioning into the U.S. Air Force, assumed more challenging assignments: participating in the famed “Berlin Airlift”; flying and commanding squadrons of C-74, C-54, and C-124 transport aircraft; flying the President and his staff in Lockheed Constellations out of Washington, D.C.’s National Airport; serving as Maintenance Group Commander for Japan during the mid-1950's; Deputy Wing Commander at Travis AFB; and, after an assignment with the Minnesota National Guard, wrapping up his career in Nashville with the Tennessee National Guard. After retiring, Col. Haun taught flying in Tennessee, dabbled in real estate, and enjoyed his family until passing away at age 89, in 2001. The scanned photographs are good quality and break up the wide-margins of text. Photos are clear, well-captioned and add enormous value to the book. In fact, one could say that there are two books here -- one a pictorial history of the aircraft and squadron mates of a great flyer's career and the other being a collection of fascinating, oral history “let-me-tell-you-about” stories. Highly recommended for public library collections and individuals who enjoy personal interest flying memoirs. R. Neil Scott, Professor & User Services Librarian, Walker Library / Middle Tennessee State University
Hess, Earl J. (2009). In the Trenches at Petersburg: Field Fortification & Confederate Defeat. Chapel Hill: U Press of North Carolina. ISBN 0807832820. In the Trenches is the final installment of Earl J Hess’s highly praised trilogy on the role of field fortifications in the eastern theatre. Hess is the Stewart W. McClelland Chair in History at Lincoln Memorial University. He picks up at the beginning of the Petersburg Campaign where the second volume, Trench Warfare Under Grant and Lee, left off. The Petersburg Campaign was a group of battles that occurred around the city of Petersburg, Virginia from June 9, 1864 until March 25, 1865. Grant initially attempted to assault Petersburg directly but after several unsuccessful attempts he constructed trenches and both sides dug in. Hess explains that the field fortifications at Petersburg were pivotal to both sides and after “292 days of contact, the trenches stretched for some thirty-five miles… crossing two rivers, two rail lines and several major roads” (xiii). Within the fields armies employed mining and countermining, wire entanglements, torpedo fields, and even underground shelters. After almost ten months the Union broke through and the Confederates surrendered the city on April 3rd. A meticulous and thorough researcher Hess relied on maps, earthwork systems, period photos, official engineering reports, modern sound imaging, both published and archival firsthand accounts, as well as a variety of other primary resources in crafting what is arguably the most detailed account of the Petersburg Campaign and the only work that puts the emphasis on the field fortifications and their role. In addition Hess is an excellent writer. Although very academic in tone In the Trenches is a pleasure to read. Much more than a mere dry account of troop movements, Hess skillfully portrays daily life in the trenches, thus giving the reader a sense of what the soldiers endured. For instance, Hess explains that the mass destruction of plant life created a barren and desolate landscape and a fine dust that covered everything giving the soldiers were covered in a “heavy frost” (65). The situation worsened with rain that turned the trenches into muddy ditches. Adding to the work are numerous photos, sketches, maps, and diagrams as well as endnotes, a bibliography, and index. This trilogy is recommended for all libraries and is a must have for academic history collections and large public libraries. Lisa A Ennis, Systems Librarian, University of Alabama at Birmingham Inscoe, J.C. (2009). Race, War, and Remembrance in the Appalachian South. Lexington: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0813193001. John C. Inscoe is a professor of history at the University of Georgia who focuses on the 19th century South, Appalachia and the American Civil War. Inscoe has published numerous works on the subject including Appalachians and Race, Mountain Masters and The Heart of Confederate Appalachia. The reviewed work is intended for a collegiate or scholarly audience. It includes a table of contents, Index, and annotated bibliography. Its accuracy is difficult to gauge given the great time and effort needed to access the numerous primary source materials used. John C. Inscoe’s Race, War, and Remembrance in the Appalachian South collects essays exposing the complex history of this misunderstood and often maligned region of the United States. Inscoe’s writings focus on the mid-19th century, particularly on the Civil War and its effects on the Appalachian peoples. The author dispels myths of isolationism, racial purity, and Confederate solidarity using an impressive cache of primary sources. Those sources include: correspondence, publications, diaries in addition to biographies, historical publications, and scholarly writings. Each of Inscoe’s essays provides cogent, thoughtful arguments peppered with compelling accounts of love, jealousy, betrayal, bravery, escape and capture. But, the book as a whole suffers from a lack of cohesion between the treatises. Essays are grouped according to subject (Race, Place, Remembrance) but the rationale for some of these groupings is elusive. Despite its flaws, Race War, and Remembrance makes a fine addition to any library with a Southern history or Civil War collection. Inscoe’s biographical citations, authoritative arguments and scholarly research are excellent resources for historians or scholars of the South. But most importantly, Inscoe’s essays gives voice to the Appalachian peoples, whose stories are all too often silenced. Nancy Williams, Candidate for Master's Degree Information Sciences/ Vice President, SAA Student Chapter at UTK
Lavery, D. (Ed.). (2010). The Essential Cult TV Reader. Essential Readers in Contemporary Media. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813125685. The Essential Cult TV Reader is a collection of short essays on over forty British and American television shows that have had a cult television following. David Lavery , the book’s editor, points out in his introductory essay that it is difficult to define what cult TV is, as one show might gain a cult following for one reason while another show may be cultish for another reason entirely. Also obscuring the definition of what is a cult television show, Lavery explains that the lines between cult and mainstream programming are not as distinct as they once were. For example, Jonathan Gray, author of the essay “The Simpsons”, argues that although The Simpsons appears to be a mainstream program, it can be considered a cult show in part because of its continuing counterculture message. Despite the difficulties in agreeing to an exact definition of what a cult show is, the authors of these essays explore plot, themes, characterizations, historical background, and legacy to explain why they believe these and other shows are cult classics. The editor and authors are experts in television and media studies and have diverse backgrounds that range from television critics to professors of media, film, television, and/or popular culture. Since this is a collection of writings of multiple authors, there is some overlap and repetition of concepts in the essays. Likewise, the depth and breadth of explication of plots and characters of television shows varied accordingly. Each essay’s main theme is one television show, and the essays are arranged alphabetically by the title of the show. Some black and white photos accompany a selection of the essays. Also included at the back of the book is an appendix that lists the nationality and the genre(s) of the shows, and a TV and filmography that details every show or film that mentioned in the collection. The index is comprehensive and includes the names of actors that were referenced in the essays. I enjoyed the Essential Cult TV Reader because I liked the selection of essays, and its critical interpretation of cult television programming. This book contains a variety of older shows, some of which are very obscure, and shows that are still in production and are very familiar. Valuable questions about television programs and their audience were raised in these essays, such as the length inspired fans will go to keep certain shows on the air and the network’s response to the fans. Also, it was interesting to learn about the legacy of these cult television shows and the changing nature of television and its context in society. Libraries that support a collection in television, film, or popular culture should purchase this book. Maya Berry, Acquisitions /Public Services Librarian, Christian Brothers University
The overall content and purpose of the book is to share a revealing autobiographical account of a Southern lady’s perils in the Civil War. Editors Anne Mackall Sasscer and Mary L. Mackall are cousins to Benjamin Weems Dulany. Ida Powell Dulany is the great grandmother of Benjamin Weems Dulany. Editor Steven Meserve, a Civil War scholar, published The Civil War in Loudon County and Virginia: a History of Hard Times. His research was published in North and South, Civil War Magazine, and Civil War News as well. Virginia resident, Mackall, has explored Virginia since birth and Sasscer was raised in the same area as one of the daughters of Ida Powell Dulany. Sasscer is a recorder of the roots of her family. The narrative is excellent since Ida individually documented each predicament at her mansion, Oakley, as well as her observations of the Civil War. The outline became her three children’s possession upon Ida’s death in 1897. The content includes twenty-nine photographs of the family and their beautiful mansions. Also included are a contents page, an illustrations page, a foreword, acknowledgments, an introduction, Ida’s log, an epilogue, appendices A-E, thirty-eight pages of notes, and the index. The five chapters are titled from their corresponding year such as 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1865. Each chapter is sectioned by the month by bolded font. A timeline of the war for every month, also included in the book, is handy for readers who wish to place Dulany’s experiences within the greater context of the time. The journal contributes another voice and perspective to the body of home front experiences of the Civil War. Dulany’s descriptions offer examples of Union brutality. For example, the Union Army arrived at Oakley to imprison Hal, yet took her instead since he was absent. A Union militia eventually liberated Dulany. Her journal provides evidence of the Union killing Southerners in their homes, as well as the Army’s pillaging of farm animals and horses, entering of dwellings and insisting on food and treatment of the hurt, ransacking building interiors, and setting blazes. Oakley was plundered during the final days of the war; Mr. Dulany hid behind Oakley’s tank of water on December 26, 1864 as the drama unfolded. Dulany noted that life was tranquil January 1865. After the war the Dulanys owned their residence, cows and three horses. In 1860, Mr. Dulany’s cash assessment was $60, 820 and in 1870 $2,550. The family never financially recovered. Mr. Dulany focused his business interests on horse breeding and lived to 54. The Dulany’s son Rozier Dulany continued Oakley’s breeding program after the death of his parents. The Virginia Historical Society in Richmond Virginia houses Ida Powell Dulany’s narrative. Civil War specialists, historians, and people interested in the Civil War are the intended audience the published journal. This volume is of particular interest to Virginia archival libraries and academic collections strong in Civil War history, autobiography, and women’s studies. Melinda F. Matthews, Interlibrary Loan/Reference Librarian, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Contributors, from the University of Tennessee and other universities and the military, offer multidisciplinary perspectives to answer two key questions. First they address how the bomb shaped United States foreign policy, affected the community of workers who produced it, and influenced society as a whole. Second, they examine how American society’s perception of the bomb as the ultimate deterrent and weapon of mass destruction changed under the influence of media, scientists, and other investigators. The book’s five parts include Context of American Culture and the Bomb, Creating and Confronting the Bomb, Containing and Coping with the Bomb, Culture and the Bomb, and Commemorating the Bomb. Dr. Peihler includes a thorough annotated Bibliographical Essay that complements end of chapter bibliographies. The list of Contributors demonstrates the academic credentials of chapter authors. The Index, although not cross-referenced, is thorough and includes titles of movies and books in popular culture. A list of Illustrations is provided after the Preface and Introduction. Unique aspects surrounding the bomb are well documented. Authors thoroughly examine such issues as how American science was drafted into wartime service, local media coverage of the nuclear facilities prior to 1945, roles of women in Los Alamos and war reporting, the impact of the bomb on rural communities, nuclear terrorism in 1950’s films, life and culture aboard nuclear submarines, the transformation of nuclear physicists into public intellectuals, explosion of the Strangelove myth related to William Ogle, the Oak Ridge International Friendship Bell, and the challenge of preserving America’s nuclear weapons complex. Writers also raise the unanswered questions still relevant to the impact of the bomb. Certainly, this book is recommended for academic libraries, for larger public libraries who serve historical researchers, and for special libraries related to the nuclear industry. The primary readership is academic. In addition, readers interested in history of the cold war will be pleased with the new perspectives offered. Martha Earl, Assistant Director, Preston Medical Library, University of Tennessee
Murfree, M. N. (2009). In The Tennessee Mountains. Ed. Bill Hardwig. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. ISBN 1572336609. This publication is a reprint of the 1884 edition published under the name Charles Egbert Craddock, Mary Noailles Murfree’s pseudonym. The original collection of eight stories was so popular that the book went through seventeen editions in the first two years of publication. Editor Bill Hardwig, an assistant professor in the English department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, presents an interesting and informative introduction that discusses life of Murfree and her contribution to the literature of Appalachia. Hardwig includes notes, works cited, and a selected bibliography at the end of the introduction, as well as a few pictures of Murfree and Beersheba Springs in the Cumberland Mountains. Murfree’s work was published in the 1870s and 1880s, a time when “local color”, or regional, stories were very popular with the reading public. The stories also won enthusiastic critical acclaim because of their powerful impact and the skill of the writing. The stories included in this collection originally appeared in the prestigious Atlantic Monthly between 1878 and 1884. Hardwig provides a brief note at the beginning of each story indicating when it was originally published and a short description of the subject matter. Although Murfree wrote with great feeling and depth about the rugged mountains and the hardy people who lived there, she never spent time in the Appalachian Mountains. Murfree was born into a wealthy family and enjoyed a privileged life. As a girl, she spent time in the summers on vacation with her family at the Beersheba Springs resort, where she interacted with local residents. Her stories and characters were probably influenced by the people she met there. Murfree’s writing reflects a keen eye for detail and an ear for dialect. That Murfree had high regard and respect for her subjects is obvious, and she tried to depict the people as honestly as she could. The stories are beautifully written, memorable, and complex in terms of the underlying issues presented. The narrator’s voice is educated and polished, which contrasts greatly with the speech of the characters. The descriptions of the mountains, locales, homes, and characters are very vivid. The one difficulty with the stories is that the characters’ speech is written in the mountain dialect, and it does take the reader a few moments to get used to spelling and word choices. This book is highly recommended for public and academic libraries, especially those with an Appalachian literature emphasis or interest. Virginia Salmon, Librarian, Northeast State Community College
Attached at the Heart is the next step in parenting books from an attachment perspective. It not only explains attachment principles, but it also provides a scientific and historical context for this evolution in childrearing, which encourages parents to constantly ask themselves, “Will this strengthen my connection with my baby?” In addition, Attached at the Heart is instructive, offering solutions to some of the most common parenting challenges for children up to the age of five. The book is organized by the eight “principles” of attachment parenting, which constitute the first eight chapters: Prepare Yourself for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting (with emphasis on gentle birthing); Feeding with Love and Respect (breastfeeding); Responding with Sensitivity (not allowing a baby to “cry it out”); Use Nurturing Touch (babywearing and massage); Ensure Safe Sleep—Physically and Emotionally (with emphasis on cosleeping); Provide Consistent, Loving Care; Practice Positive Discipline; and Strive for Balance in your personal and family life. Where Attached at the Heart is different from other similar books is in its studied approach to the information given. Footnotes and chapter bibliographies point to references and additional resources. However, it maintains an easy readability, as summaries of scientific studies are interwoven with personal narratives. Author Barbara Nicholson has a master’s degree in education, has taught children with learning disabilities, and is cofounder of Attachment Parenting International. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Lysa Parker has a master’s degree in human development and family studies, is a former special education teacher, and is also a cofounder of Attachment Parenting International. The foreword was written by Dr. William and Martha Sears, highly esteemed forerunners in the attachment parenting movement. This book is highly recommended for public libraries as an alternative to mainstream parenting books. It is also recommended for college and university libraries that support programs in early childhood education and family studies. Amy York, Distance Learning Librarian, Middle Tennessee State University
This is the third compilation of Alexander Posey’s works that Matthew Sivils has published. Alexander Posey (1873-1908) has become as important to modern readers as he was to his readers during his short life time. Posey was raised in rural Oklahoma. His mother was Muscogee and his father was a white orphan who had been raised by a Muscogee family. Posey did not speak English until he was 14 years old but was literate in both Muscogee and English by the time he became an adult. He was a scholar, a humorist, a journalist, an educator, a tribal official, and acknowledged, during his lifetime, as the most influential Native American literary figure of his time during his lifetime. Silvis's chronological organization of these eight short pieces places Posey's life and thoughts in historical perspective. Prior to this publication, only six had been previously published. “Biographical,” “The Cruise of the Good Vrouw: From a Diary by one of the Crew,” and “Lost to His Tribe for Many Years” were last published in the early 20th century. “Journal of the Creek Orphan Asylum,” “Notes Afield,” and “Journal of the Creek Enrollment Field Party” were published in 1968 but poorly edited. These publications were marred by inaccurate translation (from the original Muscogee texts) and omissions of entire paragraphs. The two remaining pieces, “The Hains Letters” and “The River Journal: The Barde Typescript” are offered for the first time. Silvis has written a short biography which precedes the introduction that puts Posey’s pieces into historical perspective. For even further edification, he has added an appendix of “A Catalog of Alexander Posey’s Personal Library,” extensive notes, bibliography, and indexed. This book is recommended for any Native American collection in either an academic or public library. The two other volumes of Alexander Posey’s work that Silvis had edited are Chinnubbie and the Owl: Muscogee (Creek) Stories, Orations, and Oral Traditions and Song of the Oktahuche: Collected Poems. Philenese Slaughter, Instructional Services Coordinator, Felix G. Woodward Library, Austin Peay State University
The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book is sized appropriately for a home bar. The book is very sturdy and the pages of the book could probably withstand a few spills, should they occur. The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book offers very few pictures of the recipes. The picture on the front of the book of the Bourbonball with a strawberry is very appealing. However, the book lacks many more images. The book is organized similarly to other bartender guides. It lists the tools needed to stock the bar with descriptions of their purposes. There is also a chapter listing ingredients needed for mixed drinks. The authors provide recipes to create infusions for the bourbon. My excitement diminished as I looked through the recipes. The recipes are meant for the persons owning a well stocked bar. The majority of the recipes may involve trips to the grocery and liquor stores for the novice mixologist due to each recipe’s complex ingredients. The “simple” recipes were unimaginative. One of the authors, Joy Perrine is a bartender and mixologist. Perrine shares recipes created for her customers with access to a full bar. However, for someone new to creating mixed bourbon drinks, more recipes incorporating everyday items would have been welcomed. On a positive note, the authors highlight various brands of bourbon in different recipes. As I purchased the bourbon for the recipes, the store clerk pointed out of the qualities of the various brands. This information helped me understand why the authors recommended specific bourbons by name. This book is clearly for the bourbon connoisseur. If you do not like bourbon, this book will not change your mind. But for those that like a good and hardy liquor, the recipes offer different options for enjoying the bourbon. I suggest this book for tried and true bourbon drinkers. It would be a great edition for a home bar and public libraries may wish to complement their cookbook collections with this title. Robyn R. Stone, Memphis Public Library & Information Center
Rafuse, Ethan S.(2008). Antietam, South Mountain, and Harpers Ferry: A Battlefield Guide. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. 263 pages. ISBN 978-0-8032-3970-8. The American Civil War was defined by many factors, including the decisive battles that brought changes to the war’s efforts. Rafuse has successfully combined masterful narrative with on site directions and field orientation, analysis, and vignettes, to draw the reader and battlefield visitor into the actions of Antietam, South Mountain, and Harpers Ferry during September 1862. The chronological order of this battlefield guide book is especially helpful for visualizing the unfolding of the day’s events in each battle site. Novices and seasoned Civil War enthusiasts alike can easily absorb comprehensive information about the events leading to the battle at Antietam and the consequent events of the war that followed. The illustrations in the book are borrowed from The Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, edited by Robert Underwood Johnson and Clarence Clough Buel (New York: Century, 1887-88). These etchings of the battles and military personnel add interest and context to the informative text. The Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center serves as the first point of interest from which the visitor can survey the overall field of battle and become oriented to the region. Following the clear directions and maps in the guide book, the visitor follows the events, troop movements, skirmishes, and battles that happened over a course of a few days in 1862. The “What Happened” narratives for each map position are fluently written details of the military personnel, the situation at hand, and the events that transpired. The “Analysis” gives insight into the contributing factors for decisions made at that point, and how they affected the outcome of Antietam. “Vignettes” provide firsthand accounts in the form of quotes from military officers and witnesses. Separate sections of the book are devoted to the three battle sites so that the visitor may choose to devote extra exploration time to the surrounding sites of interest, as in Harpers Ferry. The Appendixes offer a listing of the Orders of Battle for various Divisions, the description of duties of the officers, and weapons and tactics definitions. Sources and Further Reading sections are concise. The readability of Rafuse’s field guide makes it difficult to put the book down, as an onsite guide, or as a history coming to life. This book would be useful to academic and public libraries as a resource for travel guides and for Civil War historical research. Ethan S. Rafuse is an associate professor of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Among his published works as author, editor, and co-editor are McClellan’s War: The Failure of Moderation in the War for the Union; Antietam, South Mountain, and Harpers Ferry: A Battlefield Guide; Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy; The Ongoing Civil War: New Versions and Old Stories; and A Single Grand Victory: The First Campaign and Battle of Manassas. Jean Closz, Children’s Librarian, Blount County Public Library, Maryville, TN
Rushing, Wanda. Memphis and the Paradox of Place : Globalization in the American South. New Directions in Southern Studies. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009. 259 pages. ISBN 9780807859520. Rushing is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Memphis. She profiled Memphis in Memphis and the Paradox of Place, not only because she lives in Memphis, but also because she states that Memphis is typically ignored by other scholars. By examining the concept of place and the effect of globalization, Rushing argues that globalization does not make Memphis seem like every other city in the world. Instead, Memphis is assisted by globalizing forces to keep and maintain its unique identity because its history, culture, traditions, and economic development influence the rest of the world. Rushing describes Memphis through a number of both historical and modern events, such as the efforts to preserve Overton Park, Carnival Memphis, yellow fever epidemics, Forrest Park, the Civil Rights movement, and the influence of the Memphis musical scene. She asserts that Memphis is exporting its culture worldwide through such avenues as music, tourism, transportation and distribution of goods, business ventures, and cultural exchanges, like the partnership between the University of Memphis and Hubei University in China. Rushing uses both primary and secondary source material in this work, including sources housed at the Memphis and Shelby County Room at the Memphis Public Library and the Mississippi Valley Collection at the University of Memphis. She intersperses quotes from some of her sources at the beginning of each chapter. This book also includes a bibliography and an index. Memphis and the Paradox of Place is an asset to both Memphis and sociological scholarship, as it offers both a unique perspective on Memphis and on the nature of globalization. This book is recommended primarily for academic libraries, especially those in the Memphis area, but it is also recommended for all libraries that have a robust Memphis or Tennessee collection. Maya Berry, Acquisitions/Public Services Librarian,Plough Library, Christian Brothers University
Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, set in Cades Cove in 1934, tells the story of the upheaval of a mountain girl and her family during the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Autumn, who was raised in the Cove and doesn’t see much remarkable about it, can’t wait to move away to Knoxville. However, when she sees her community and way of life crumbling around her as the Park progresses, she finds she’s attached to the place and starts to resist these changes every way she can. Meanwhile, she struggles to connect with her somewhat crotchety old grandfather, who initially is in complete support of the Park (he expects to make money from the tourists it will attract) but soon becomes disillusioned and begins to fight it alongside their neighbors. While the characters cannot stop the Park from taking over their land, they do finally come to terms with the changes and learn to find beauty in what remains. Written in dialect and peppered with references to mountain customs and traditions, this novel makes a clear attempt to educate its audience about Appalachian life. It sheds light on a lesser-known piece of American history in a way that is accessible to younger readers, with a good discussion of some of the complex conflicts that faced Cove residents during this time, as well as aspects of daily life such as games, food, travel times, communications, superstitions, schools, and church activities. Thoroughly-researched, the book manages to pack a good bit of historical information without getting in the way of the story. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb’s writing is friendly and enjoyable in this first novel, though she falters just a bit on a few points. Her efforts to dispel the stereotypes against mountaineers are admirable, showing these people as smart, savvy, and much more modern than popular belief would have them; but in portraying them thus, she also ends up labeling the Ignorant Wealthy Tourists and Snooty Yankee CCC Workers with stereotypes nearly as negative as the ones she is attempting to shed. As with other books that use “authentic” dialect, some of the language teeters on the edge of becoming entirely too folksy, but Tubb always manages to keep inside the boundary of good taste. Overall, this is a very good book that feels fresh, lively, and enjoyable to read. Its vibrant characters and interesting local context help it avoid the old-fashioned aesthetic that so frequently makes historical fiction difficult for young readers to latch onto. Its themes of the meaning of home, the strength of family, the clash between beautiful old traditions and attractive modernity, and the classic coming-of-age struggles make this an excellent choice for discussion in a class or book club. The fact that it deals with local history makes this a great book to hand to the Tennessee or North Carolina student who asks, “Why aren’t books ever written about where I live?” Recommended for grades 4-8. Sarah Culp Searles, Library Media Specialist, West High School, Knoxville
Vann, Barry Aron. In Search of Ulster-Scots Land: The Birth and Geotheological Imagings of a Transatlantic People, 1603-1703. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2008. 252 pp. ISBN 9781570037085. In Search of Ulster-Scots Land examines the Scots who moved to Ulster because of their religious beliefs. The author connects the Irish Sea and other geographical features such as the Highlands to the spread of Presbyterianism among this ethnic group. He uses the works of seventeenth century leaders in the Kirk to show the doctrines believed and espoused during that period. As he moves the groups across the Atlantic and into Appalachia, he illustrates his thesis with examples from popular culture. The book’s strongest section describes the theological beliefs of the Ulster-Scots. The beliefs described are those held by the clergy. There is no attempt to demonstrate how the beliefs played out in the lives of the common people living in Ulster. The author criticizes several well-known works on the Scots-Irish in his introduction, yet he relies on those same sources--rather than using primary sources--to document certain things such as statistical information presented in the opening chapters of the book. Little time is spent in discussing migration from Ulster to America. A single chapter moves them across the ocean, settles them in Appalachia and the Ozarks, and discusses their influence in popular culture, particularly in country music. He argues that these areas became known as the Bible Belt because of the importance of theology to this demographic. Barry Aron Vann is a professor of geography at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. He is interested in the study of Appalachia and its people. He chairs the university’s Appalachian Studies program. This book is written for an educated audience. It should be studied along with other works on the Scots-Irish peoples. Persons looking for a more comprehensive social history of this group are better served by James G. Leyburn’s The Scotch-Irish: A Social History. Those looking for a more comprehensive explanation of their influence on popular culture should consult James H. Webb’s Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America. It is recommended for academic libraries supporting upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in Appalachian Studies and for large public libraries with an interest in the Scots-Irish. Lori Thornton, Technical Services Librarian, Carson-Newman College
Barbara Wildemuth, a professor at the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, teaches research methods to graduate students. Twelve doctoral students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill contributed by co-writing individual chapters with Dr. Wildemuth. Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science is a compilation of research methods used frequently in information and library science research with the exception of bibliometric and similar methods. These familiar methods are excluded since they are frequently discussed in other books. As Dr. Wildemuth states in her introduction her goal is to create a guide to research methods that cover a variety of evaluation and research studies. This book may become the reference on research methods applicable to the special needs of the library and information science field. Each research method is introduced so the reader may determine if it fits the research problem. The method is then analyzed and at the conclusion the reader is presented with examples of research utilizing the method. The research examples are the strength of Wildemuth’s book. The arrangement of Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science primarily follows the evolution of a research study. After introducing the purpose and structure of the book the author presents a potential researcher with five sections on conducting research. Wildemuth begins her introduction to the research process with a look at research questions followed by sections on research designs and sampling, data collection methods, data analysis methods, and a conclusion that “puts it all together.” The arrangement is logical and makes the guide useful. In addition to the typical subject index an index of authors whose research is used as examples is included. This additional index provides the user with the opportunity to easily find a familiar study and discover how to utilize the research method for a research study. Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science is recommended for professionals and libraries that support their librarians’ research efforts. Livy Simpson, Instruction Librarian/Assistant Professor Thigpen Library, Volunteer State Community College
Walker presents a scholarly work dealing with the educational system in place during the 1950s and 1960s, focusing specifically on how black principals--respectfully called as “professors” by their communities--struggled to provide quality educational experiences for their students. Using Byas’s life and experiences as a foundation, and relying on his extensive paper records and memories, Walker describes the formal and informal structures in place to cultivate and nurture the professional development of black principals during segregation. Although a book just on Byas would be interesting and inspiring, the scope of this book is much broader than one specific individual, and the reader benefits from the vast amount of information the author presents. Walker’s book illuminates a little known aspect of educational leadership, one that was basically ignored during the decades of segregation and widely forgotten afterwards. She discusses the extremely important role of the principal in the community, where the professor served to disseminate ideas, knowledge and resources. Participation in local, regional and national organizations helped build important networks to support the development and sharing of ideas amongst the principals. Walker also details the difficulties the black principals faced and the creative ways to gain funding that they used when dealing with white school boards and superintendents. Walker is a professor at Emory University’s Division of Educational Studies. She also authored Their Highest Potential: An African American School Community in the Segregated South. Byas is a retired principal from Gainesville, Georgia. This extremely informative book is written for anyone interested in the role of Southern black principals, educational associations, and community involvement in education during segregation. Byas’s life and struggles resulted in an admirable, talented, and dedicated individual who fought for educational opportunities for his students. Walker includes some pictures and substantial notes, bibliography, and index. It is recommended for academic libraries with programs in educational leadership and U.S. History. Virginia L. Salmon, Librarian, Northeast State Community College
Tennessee Women: Their Lives and Times is a compilation of biographical essays on eighteen Tennessee women. The chapters, arranged in chronological order by the women’s birthdates, are written by university faculty who are leading historians of women. The life of each woman is described within the geographical and political context in which she lived. Some of the women are well-known, while others are less familiar; some lived in isolated locations, and others influenced national and international affairs. Yet, each woman’s contribution to her world is important and reveals the impact that individuals can make in their environs. The opening chapter on Nan-ye-hi (Nancy Ward), Beloved Woman of the Cherokee people, counters the popular image of Nancy Ward as a visionary woman of peace and portrays her as a powerful Cherokee woman who used her kinship ties to promote trade and equality between white settlers and the indigenous people. Although this collection does not include biographies of any slaves, one of the most interesting essays was constructed entirely from census, tax, court, and other public records. Milly Swan Price was a free black woman, indentured to planter Nelly Newman. Her life illustrates the convergence of property, race, and gender in the post-Civil War South. The editors have collected several biographies that reflect the long struggle of Tennessee women with inequality in both race relations and gender issues. In the 1820s, Fanny Wright established Nashoba, a commune near Memphis, where she hoped to see slaves and whites live and work together in harmony. As a young woman in the 1880s, Mary Church Terrell frequently passed herself off as white when traveling but later became the first president of the National Association of Colored Women. Sue Shelton White was active in the Suffrage Movement and helped draft the ERA. Charl Ormond Williams became the Democratic Party’s first female vice-chair in 1920, before she had the right to vote. In 1921-22, she was elected president of the National Education Association (NEA). During the Depression, Martha Ragland became active in the birth control movement, worked in the League of Women Voters, fought to repeal the poll tax and for Tennessee constitutional revision. As a Fisk University student, Diane Judith Nash began attending workshops on nonviolent confrontation and participated in lunch counter demonstrations. She became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement but experienced gender discrimination within her own peer group. After the Memphis sanitation strike and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jocelyn Dan Wurzburg became interested in civil rights. She formed the ethnically and class diverse Panel of American Women (PAW), who took sensitivity training and learned to speak to groups. Lucille Thornburgh worked in Knoxville’s Cherokee Mills and became an active union organizer. She served on the board of the Highlander Research and Education Center and was a founding member of Knoxville’s Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Thornburgh participated in the Civil Rights Movement, working to integrate Knoxville’s restaurants, lunch counters, and theatres. After retirement, Thornburgh lobbied for senior adults in the areas of health care and the Knoxville Community Action Committee. Many Tennessee women have been active in the music industry. Alberta Hunter grew up in poverty in Memphis, ran away to Chicago to become a blues singer, moved to New York to pursue her career, and achieved international fame in Europe. Sarah Colley Cannon (Minnie Pearl) pursued theatrical training at Nashville’s Ward-Belmont College. Sarah’s shyness when performing caused her to create the character of Minnie Pearl, which she perfected at the Grand Ole Opry. Although she knew nothing about country music and professed to be tone deaf, Jo Walker-Meador was offered a secretarial position in the Country Music Association and eventually became director of the CMA. Bettye Berger was hired to sell ads for an all female disc jockey radio station and later formed her own booking agency. The physical accomplishments of Tennessee’s women are also celebrated. Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie, an aviatrix who was a friend of Amelia Earhart, campaigned for Franklin D. Roosevelt and was the first woman appointed to a federal post related to aviation. Wilma Rudolph was the winner of three gold medals in track at the 1960 Olympic Games. Within the context of community, class, and race, some women have become passionate about environmental issues. Wilma Dykeman balanced life as a wife and mother with her writing. Her first book, The French Broad, was her most environmentalist work. In her second book, Neither Black nor White, she explored the topic of race relations. Doris Bradshaw fought racial segregation, and later, environmental racism—the unequal distribution of toxic waste or environmental hazards in communities of color. Researchers will appreciate the map of places referenced and the individual bibliographies included for each essay. Students of history, southern studies, multicultural studies, the Civil Rights Movement, the Suffrage Movement, and Women’s studies will find Tennessee Women both instructive and enjoyable. Academic, public, and school libraries with collections on Tennessee history should own this resource because the important roles Tennessee women have played are often omitted from traditional history books. Tennessee Women should certainly be prominently featured in celebrations of Black History Month and Tennessee History Month. One caution is that there is a heavy emphasis on women from West Tennessee in the first volume and it is hoped that the editors, who are from Memphis and Arkansas, will include additional biographies of women from the other two Grand Divisions of Tennessee in subsequent volumes. Sarah Wilkerson Freeman is an associate professor of history at Arkansas State University. She is a contributor to Southern Women at the Millennium and Mississippi Women and is currently working on a study of southern women and the transformation of U.S. politics since the 1880s. Beverly Greene Bond is an associate professor of history and director of African and African American Studies at the University of Memphis. She is the co-author of Memphis in Black and White and Images of America: Beale Street and is currently at work on a book on African-American women in Memphis between 1820 and 1905. Becky Smeltzer, Technical Services Librarian, Municipal Technical Advisory Service Library, The University of Tennessee |
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