Kentucky Books

The book is beautiful beyond words. I got fast shipping and the item arrived in perfect condition. I buy with confidence from Amazon.

The photos in this book are gorgeous. Frequently the verbiage in bridge books makes for pretty dry reading, but I found the words in this book to be as enjoyable as the photos & just the right length.

There seems to be no shortage of books about covered bridges these days. This one distinguishes itself by the quality of the descriptions of the bridges and Bill Miller's outstanding photography. It is in a class by itself! Judged by the photography alone it would appear to be at home on the "coffee table". However, to classify it as such would do the book a disservice. The quality of the text makes it much more worthy.

Ohio bridges are the centerpieces based on their numbers, although the other two states are done justice as well. Miriam Wood is the matriarch of Ohio covered bridges and has published an earlier more historically detailed book on this subject. David Simmons is author of several scholarly publications on historic bridges and is editor of Timeline, the spectacular color publication of the Ohio Historical Society. If you have just one book on the covered bridges of this region (or perhaps any region), this should be the one.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends DR. MAX as a fine collection of stories from the life & times of this veterinarian who more often than not, manages to escape the rigors of tending large animals, by the hair on his chin, although sometimes teeth & hoofs do find their mark.

You'll find yourself turning the pages & wincing at all the "gloved hands into orifices" tales, thrilled by this vet's adventures, & the fragments he offers of his domestic life.

Give this book to your vet & to anyone who loves & cares for animals -- great & small. It will make your hair stand on edge, & tickle your funny bone.

The collaborative effort of writer Marilyn Dungan and veterinarian Max Harding, Dr. Max: Adventures Of A Kentucky Vet is a charming memoir is laced with anecdotes and reminiscences drawn from the life of a country veterinarian in the central region of Kentucky. These true life stories are deftly written invocations of what it was like working with animals and their owners. Enthusiastically recommended reading and a welcome to any community library Biography/Memoir collection, Dr. Max engages the readers total attention and interest from first page to last.

I couldn't put it down! This book was great - from cover to cover! Entertaining, humorous and thoroughly enjoyable!

In photographs and words, Lucy Zeh captures the often beautiful monuments and sometimes the very simple graves of Thoroughbreds, some who are immortal & others who have been forgotten with the passage of many years.

There should be a special link between the breeder/owner of the racers who give so much in the oftentimes difficult life at the track. How the champions - and a runner did not have to be a graded stakes winner for the accolade - are treated in death speaks volumes about their handlers.

Etched In Stone reminds each reader that the Thoroughbred should be treated well in life and with dignity at death.

I just got my copy of Etched In Stone and thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful book. It is not the slightest bit morbid but rather a fond look back at those equines who have made an impact on racing. Seeing the graves and reading about (for many) forgotten Thoroughbreds brings these long-ago champions back to life. I hope to some day be able to visit these memorials myself. This is a must have book for the racing or horse fan!

This book, paying tribute to some of our nation's greatest athletes, has been long awaited and greatly overdue! Thoroughbreds, especially those from Kentucky (the horse capitol of the nation) have always been admired by all and this book only makes their legends live on more vivedly. With it's pictures and stories of the headstones and the great athletes that lie beneath, the author takes a vivid look at these magnificent beasts. I cannot wait to explore the graves highlighted!

In my short time studying with him, Al Tillson instilled in me a love of this fertile time in history, as well as a love for four pocket cuban shirts. The title may not grab you, but the gripping history and Tillson's flowing narrative style will. Less a book about a specific time in history than it is about all history, it speaks to us universally, and gives us a deeper understanding of what is it to be human.

Albert Tillson could have easily written this book solely for the "gentry" of historical society, but instead took the brilliant path of penning this award-winning tome for the rank and file multitude of history buffs who relish the simple, compelling tour of Virginia's colonial commorants. He scrawls out a story so enchanting that I can only describe it as enchanting. Yes, the endnotes get rather long, but if you're like me you'll bask in the hedonism of his note structure and devour eeach of his many sources in the order he so masterfully lists them. Brilliance!

Dr. Tillson so thoroughly researched Virginia's history for this book that when I finished reading it I felt I could be considered a scholar on Virginia's history. This may seem like a book for graduate students, professors of history, and history-philes, but I am a lowly undergraduate student with an interest in history and appreciated and enjoyed this book. Any questions, comments, or concerns I had about the material while reading the book were answered quickly and thoroughly. If you aren interested in this time period or are taking a class on early America, this is an excellent read.

This is an excellent book not only for summarizing the presidency of Gerald Ford but also for understanding of how the 1970's changed America. For those who wish to understand 2008 and the problems facing the election and the country they only have to look back to this time in history where unbridled disgust of the government and economic woes were abound. As past reviewers have stated this book does an excellent job of looking at how the Ford presidency shaped the America and provides a necessary reevaluation of the times. While Truman got his mythical bounce during the Ford era it may be in the times of the 2008 election and George W Bush that Ford may see his redemption. Ford faced a challenge unlike many presidents and as the author states "Ford may have been elected at the most unlucky time in history" with a host of internal political strife, economic woes of inflation and soon to be rising unemployment, as well as falling world prestige. He approached these problems with honesty and common sense providing leadership that saved the Republican Party and possibly allowed the country to heal from the rifts. Despite not wining reelection Ford shaped the future by marshaling the economic forces of the time trying to give the Carter administration a policy to work with. As you read the energy policies in this book they smack of the very things being discussed in 2008 from CAFÉ standards to development of alternate energy standards. In all this is a fascinating book to read and I recommend it to all students of political history.

This is a very good book that looks back at the Ford presidency in an unbiased way and examines almost every aspect of Ford's term in office, including his foreign policy and leadership style. Ford actually understood economic policy better than any postwar president, having spent fourteen years on the House Appropriations Committee in Congress - his actual goal had been to be Speaker of the House. Facing unprecedented increases in inflation and the rate of unemployment, Ford insisted that controlling inflation would serve the country better in the long run than trying to reach full employment. Therefore, he fought hard to decrease government spending and deregulate industry rather than promoting jobs programs or accepting the price controls advocated by many in Congress, which his predecessor had attempted with disastrous results. Before he left office, inflation had been cut by more than one half and the number of Americans without jobs was declining. However, it was not enough to save him from defeat in the 1976 elections. Only after the disastrous Carter administration did the federal government and the nation actually have the political will to implement Ford's original suggestions more fully during the Reagan years - and they worked.

The book does a good job of detailing how the energy problems and inflation that plagued Ford were not of his making, and would have caused problems for any president. Also detailed are the unparalleled expectations of the American public at that time, having just finished exiting the unprecedented 25 year-long post-war boom as well as the radical nature of the Congress that Ford had to work with that was ushered in during the 1974 elections almost immediately post-Watergate. The author makes a good case that if you had members of this Congress trying to introduce legislation that would outlaw the spanking of children by their own parents, it is unlikely that Ford would be able to get this bunch to compromise on Congressional spending. The author's analysis also points to the need to consider Ford's presidency in the context of other threads of conservative thought, such as the rise of the religious right and the later growth of the GOP. I would recommend this well-written book to anyone wanting to understand Ford's presidency in the context of the unique decade of the 1970's. Recognize, however, that this is not a biography of President Ford. It's entire focus is his presidency.

An entertaining and historically necessary re-evaluation of one of our most underrated Presidents. Largely remembered for falling down, Mieczkowski shows how Ford's personal honesty, lack of arrogance or secrecy and willingness to let Congress, despite their largely successful attempt to thwart Ford's policy initiatives to regain their sense of power after four terms of an "Imperial Presidency" was exactly what America needed after the trauma of Watergate and Vietnam.

Ford never had any interest in seeking the Presidency. He was happy to stay in Congress, dreaming of being Speaker of the House. As Mieczkowski mentions, it takes a pretty big ego and a lot of ruthlessness to decide to run for President, make through the primaries and come out on top in November. As an "accidental" President who was never elected, Ford has perhaps the unique distinction of having smallest ego of any sitting President, an important bending of the stick after years of Nixon and Johnson.

Ironically despite being one of the most open Presidents when it came to press, he was mercilessly ridiculed by them, leading to his klutzy reputation. After Watergate and the 60's rebellion, no one was willing to trust anyone in authority and Ford had the bad luck to come into office when he did. Many who did attack him (even Chevy Chase as the book recounts) would latter regret it.

Mieczkowski also does a good job of reminding readers was a state of crisis America was in the mid- 1970's. Rampart inflation, out of control energy prices and a generalized lack of confidence in the future and our leaders were all problems Ford inherited and tried his best to confront. A combative Democratic controlled Congress, with a high percentage of "new Democrat" freshmen made sure that Ford spent more time in veto wars with the House and Senate instead signing his name to bills, so in terms of policy he accomplished little, but he did succeed in bringing back some sense of trust to the White House. In the end Ford was a man who never labored to sit in the White House, but when called upon to try to rebuild the broken trust America had in the Executive branch after the lies of Johnson and Nixon, Mieczkowski shows how Ford stepped into one of the more difficult positions any President has ever faced and left an important mark. His pardon of Nixon largely killed his chances to be re-elected, but Mieczkowski makes a well-argued defense of Ford's decision *whether you agree with it or not) and that Ford did it out of a need to move America onto issues beyond Watergate; not becuase of any "secret deal" with Nixon as some had rumoured. Even then, during his re-election campaign, he managed to cut Carter's intial dominating lead to mere points making the 76 election one of the closest in the 20th century. His openness, moderation and dialogue when dealing with opponents and scrupulous honesty are characteristics that I'm sure many of would like to see make a comeback in Washington.

Peter Narvez has written a book for those of us who are Celtic and for those of us who wish to see the Other, be it fairy or alien, in a different, perhaps more complete, way. The book is comprehensive to the date of its publication. It offers a number of points for consideration or additonal study. While some essays are stronger than others, and some are clearer than others, in the main, "The Good People" is a wonderful treatment of the Otherworld as it is known in the non-UFO community. Along with folkloric treatments of the Other, Vallee's "Passport to Magonia" and Thompson's "Angels and Aliens," it should be mandatory reading for all of us who are concerned that the debate on extraordinary experiences and alien encounters is too narrow, too full of heat with little light, and too parochial.

Little serious work on the fairy faith has been done in recent times, but this collection of scholarly essays makes up for the lack. As is often the case in this fascinating area of folklore, a few of the essays make you marvel at the enduring and oddly consistent character of the accounts. It gives me a wee chill to read recordings of interviews with Scottish schoolchildren done in the 1970s, and realize that they repeat notions noted among Welshmen by Sir John Rhys fully three-quarters of a century before. An excellent, entertaining and scholarly book that should be in the collection of any folklorist interested in the fairy faith.

Most books on fairylore are collections first published in the nineteenth century or draw primarily from the author's imagination. Those wishing to know more must fall back on scholarly journals that may not be readily available to most readers. This book makes such studies available in an affordable form that you will reread many times. The studies in this book reflect beliefs and attitudes among people of the late twentieth century in communities of maritime Canada as well as Celtic countries. What is most illuminating is the consistency between recent attitudes and those collected earlier.

Fron the first opening page to the last one in the book, this is definitely a must-read!! Joy Shannon Balmer captures the exact touch of despair, frustration, helplesness, anger, hatred-all feelings you will experience as you read this book! Sorrow, sadness and hidden ghosts are all a part of the saga of this family, and you will actually feel as if you are a part of this family as you delve into their lives. Joy Shannon Balmer-a great author!! I will be eagerly waiitng for another one of her books!!

I always enjoy reading a book by an author I have never read before. Its nice not to have any expectations based on previous work, nothing to compare it to, so when I sat down to read Hand Me Downs, The Secrets I was very eager to get to "know" this author, through her words and character construction. From the first chapter I was not disappointed, the opening scene with Daniel and the Doctor just made my heart ache. Ms. Balmer's style of writing flows like a steady stream with only the situations in the story itself to change the direction of the current but not disrupt the flow itself.

If it was the author's intention to make you feel strong hate, compassion, exasperation, and hopelessness she did a fantastic job. I have to admit that this was not a book I could sit down and read in one sitting, although normally a book of this size would be finished in a day. I kept having to stop either because I was very angry or bordering on depressed. The fullness of the characters made me feel as if I were actually there, watching what was going on and I just wanted to shout.....Wake up Daniel!! Get a grip Hildy!!! I cannot recall a book character I have hated more than Bobby Ray, and I have read a LOT of books in my life. I wanted to castrate the man with a rusty knife.

Though my sense of humor may be different from a lot of other people, there were spots of humor that gave my anger a break and for that I'm most appreciative to Ms. Balmer. A person can only take so much heartache and despair and she certainly put humor in, in most needed places to help me be able to momentarily forget my hatred of Bobby Ray (I believe I have mentioned that she wrote him so profoundly well that I abhor him, but did I mention I wanted to castrate the man with a rusty knife more than I did John Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility, or more than Black Jack Randall from Outlander.)

The book gives me a whole different view of the time period my grandparents grew up in. I've always known the depression existed, I've known the things my grandparents did without and had to make do with....but this brought a lot of it home for me, someone that has never "wanted" for anything that was "needed" in her life. As a genealogist, it gives me a much more fuller picture of the statistics and facts I see on census pages and court documents.

I can honestly say that the ending definitely gives the much needed hope for healing and closure that I, as a reader, searched for, and leaves you wanting more, in a good way.

Joy Shannon Balmer captures the subtle nuances of a troubled Southern family; a group connected by love and tragedy. The family saga spans three generations,miggled with the flow of dark,hidden secrets lurking just below the surface. To read this book is to delve into the complexity of human emotions and drives. Joy Shannon Balmer is an author whose work I will follow. A rich, rewarding read!

Rhett DeVane, author of "The Madhatter's Guide to Chocolate" and "Up the Devil's Belly"

This book is a classic of Kentucky history. It is the first book I know of that methodically uses folklore sources to write history, rather than the usual method of being tied to written documents like a dog on a string.

If you are interested in going beyond the book, and of finding out how people in Kentucky actually thought about themselves and the world around them here is a good place to start.

This is excellent reading and will show you some interesting possibilities for historical research and writing you may have never thought about before.

Montell's book The Saga of Coe Ridge, A Study in Oral History, highlights local Kentucky and Appalachian history, telling a fascinating story about a 90 year old African American settlement in SW Kentucky. Montel uses oral histories and local folklore to integrate and document actual commmunity and historical sources and events, providing an intriquing story as well as an excellent example of how to incorporate qualitative interviews into both an entertaining and academic text.

Montel uses the art of oral history to entertain and educate within a historically accurate framework, showing the often overlooked history of Black Appalachians and their history after the Civil War to the present.

Montell uses oral sources and folklore to reconstruct the history of a small African-American community in Kentucky. The book provides a permanent record of a vanished town, and it is an important foundation for contemporary interest in rural black communities. The book includes interesting discussions of ways to use oral sources when doing historical research, and the author provides useful ways to ascertain the validity and usefulness of these types of resources. His methodology includes ways to assess the historical accuracy of various stories, and the book also demonstrates how to interpret less verifiable stories to gain an understanding of social attitudes and cultural values that emerge in storytelling traditions. This is an especially interesting resource for discovering ways to integrate oral history with folklore study. (But it isn't about Appalachia.)

Truly an uncovered treasure that is dedicated to the men who so bravely fought with the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. My Great Grandfather, Henry Altfeltis was one of those infantry soldiers, wounded at the Battle of Stones River. This book not only pays tribute to him but all of the men who were wounded or killed, paying the ultimate sacrifice with their lives, to perserve the freedoms that our nation enjoys today. Because of this book, "their heroic deeds will never be forgotten."

Joe Reinhart has done the boys of the 6th Kentucky Infantry the greatest service possible by memorializing their story. If the reader is unmoved by the courage and sacrifice of these Kentuckians and immigrants after reading about their patriotism, then I cannot recommend anything which would suffice. These men were as adept at fighting and as courageous as those in any Eastern regiment. All regimental histories should emulate this one.

Joseph Reinhart's history of the valiant 6th Ky Volteers
is a wonderful and comprehensive story extensively researched.
He follows the unit from it's initial formation in northern Ky
through camps, marches, battles until the unit is mustered out
after Atlanta.

It is full of wonderful first hand accounts with some pictures and maps. This history is valuable addition to a reader's Cival War collection. It even has a roster of each company with
muster in and muster out information. It is a precious account
of those tragic times. A reader having an ancestor or family
member in the regiment will find this history a great treasure

While many of us remember our own families' vicisitudes during the Depression, Summers gives us so much more...insights into the characters of different family members and friends, their virtues and faults, the deprivations suffered and overcome. This is a striking and memorable account of people facing difficult economic times and with their own courage, ingenuity and help from outsiders, winning through to productive lives.

U.T. Summers eloquently details the moving story of hard-working people in Depression-era America, when opportunities were few but failures were still condemned. Today, when cuts in government support systems proceed even as many two-income families struggle to meet mounting health, housing, and education costs, it is important to remember how harsh life can be in a country that turns its back on its poor.

I loved this bittersweet memoir of a family struggling to get by in the 1920s and 1930s. Summers has a wonderful memory for details that perfectly evoke the era and the personalities of her parents, grandparents and siblings. Alternately heartbreaking and filled with joy. A fascinating look at the life of the rural poor during the Great Depression.