Kentucky Books

During World War I (WWI), frequent confrontations occurred between the American government with its idealistic American President, Woodrow Wilson, and the British government with its imperialist minded prime minister, David Lloyd George. From 1916 through 1918, critical diplomatic skirmishes over war strategy between the United States and Britain took place. Prior to 1917, Wilson pursued a policy of "peace without victory" while the British wanted direct American involvement. When the United States entered the war in April 1917, the military situation of the western allies was critical: France's army was exhausted and ready to mutiny; Britain was incurring a substantial economic burden while its army faced critical manpower shortages; and Russia on the eastern front was collapsing with the Bolsheviks taking over and suing for peace with Germany. Britain wanted American infantry to serve directly in the British lines as combat replacements under British command. American General Pershing and a small staff rushed to France in May 1917 where "Pershing and his staff sought the creation of an independent American army..." as the build up and training of American Expeditionary Force began. Wilson concurred in Pershing's strategy.

Professor Woodward, the author, presents a comprehensive study of Anglo-American relations during the WW I as mutual distrust and political maneuvering resulted in a deterioration of the relationship between the two countries. Wilson sought to have a strong or dominant America when formulating postwar peace terms while Lloyd George was concerned about maintaining a strong postwar diplomatic and military position for the British Empire. The text concentrates on diplomatic and war strategy issues during WWI referring to the battlefield only as background for the situations being narrated. Most interesting is the account of Lloyd George's attempts to move infantry from the western front to the Middle East to insure protection of the Empire's Asian interests. Woodward's description of Britain's unsuccessful efforts to get Japan to invade eastern Siberia to prevent Germany from overrunning Russia, after its military collapse, is fascinating.

The author notes "The war's unexpected conclusion in November" 1918] " could not have been more advantageous to the British Empire's geopolitical goals." President Wilson "planned to force the Allies to discuss peace on his terms" i.e. Wilson's Fourteen Points which the Allies accepted with reservations. The text concludes with the statement "Despite America's and Britain's common struggle against Germany, Wilson's substitution of moral for traditional diplomacy and his self-appointed role as the Peoples' spokesman militated against the creation of a postwar Anglo-American partnership to maintain the future peace and stability of the world....He placed the maintenance of American freedom of action second only to the defeat of Germany." Woodward further states "The failure to achieve a true Anglo-American partnership during and after the war thus represented a great setback to world stability...."

An appendix listing a cast of characters in alphabetical order with one or two sentences given for each would be most helpful. However, this is an excellent work and is a must read work to gain a full understanding of a critical phase of twentieth century history.

This is an excellent account of the diplomacy conducted by both Germany and Austro-Hungary in the Balkans during the period 1914 to 1917. There are three main themes; 1) the effort to induce Turkey to join the Central Powers, 2) the effort to get Bulgaria to join the Central Powers, and 3) the effort to get Romania at first to join and later to remain a neutral. Underlying these three areas is the conflict between the two powers goals in the region. The book is a first class piece of scholarship and ranks alongside Langer's work European Alliances and Alignments in my opinion.

My ancestors went into KY in 1780 to help build Phillip's Fort which later became Hodgensville, KY. I have found out more about my family in this book than from any other source.

Vincent Carretta's _Unchained Voices_ is a masterful anthology of black writers of the 18th century. This compilation--which includes well-known authors such as Phillis Wheatly and Olaudah Equiano, as well as more obscure writers like George Liele and Belinda--is invaluable to scholars of early American, African, and African-American literature. From criminals to Indian captives, the writers in Carretta's anthology illustrate the diversity of the African experience in the English-speaking world of the 18th century. Carretta's introduction and notes are brilliant, his attention to detail and tireless scholarship a model for other academics. While an excellent book for classroom use (I assign it in my survey courses of African-American literature), this anthology will also appeal to readers interested in beginnings of African-American literature.

This held the attention of three of our children 8 and under for some time, and we are looking forward to the rest of the series. A good even-paced, gentle read for everyone.

This is an excellant calendar for nature lovers. There are 12 stunning scenes from different areas of Kentucky.

This book was purchased as an addition to my extensive Vampire reference collection. I was not disappointed. It covers all genres of the modern Vampire myth, and attempts to explain why we are drawn to them.

The photographs in this book are well chosen and the text that accompanies the pictures is interesting and informative.
I grew up in West Van Lear, KY, so I remember many of the places shown in the photographs. My parents were graduates of Van Lear High School.
It's great that someone is working to preserve the history of one of the most productive coal towns in Eastern Kentucky.

My grandparents owned land there: Charles & Carrie Hudson, my aunt & uncle still live there: Bush & Mayme Hudson. The stories are so wonderful, they bring back so many good momeries. I feel that I am still taking a stroll down Plum Lick.

A small group of men find themselves in a position with no choice but to challenge the conditions of the Kentucky prison system, even though the risks of an open challenge are not minimal. Oral histories introduce the characters of this legal battle, creating empathy for the prisoners, the administration, the court, and the counsel. The author skillfully introduces legal maneuvering from the point of view of the participants in an easy-to-understand manner. The lives of the men, the legal maneuvering, and the stark conditions of the prisons, all flow together in a manner that will keep one from putting down this one.