Kentucky Books

Timely delivery. Beautiful pictures, interesting bits of information about lives of Kentucky's governors. Had glimpsed copy in bookstore, decided to buy online at cheaper price. Satisfied.

This is a very well conceived niche book on a subject I find quite interesting. The mansions profiled are each unique and beautiful in their own way. Personally I prefer the last and grandest mansion..it's a full on Beaux Art show stopper. It is what a governer's mansion should be, that is grand and refecting the prosperity of the state with which it serves. This book has insightful text and the images are very good. If you have any interest in this subject, I highy recommend it.

I took the class by the same name with Professor Kilillea this past semester. He is a wonderful, knowledgeable man who takes on a subject that many people tend to avoid and consider morbid to address. In a classroom setting, students felt that they may explore the reality of death and what implications it has in the political, as well as social, arenas. There was also a comfortable environment, enabled by the Professor, which encouraged students to explore their feelings with regard to the topic, as well as share their personal experiences with death and the meaning of life. I would recommend this book- preferably in conjunction with the class- to all who feel ready to delve into the abyss of a subject largely avoided yet highly interesting and fulfilling.

One life touches others and so on... In this slim tome, Killilea describes the drive behind all - immortality and how one reaches it through the simplest of efforts. Sometimes soul-searching and always thought-provoking, Killilea's examination of the driving forces behind the politics of mortality reveals the most simplistic of life's truths; that one small gesture, one ripple in the great pool, really does change all the world around it.

Written after the death of his child, Killilea probes the mind-set that causes the individual to excell in life, that causes one to erect statues and monuments, or to make great speeches; in recognizing within oneself mortality, one strives to leave some permanent mark on this world in order to prove that this life has not been in vain. And so, as the individual makes an impression on those around her, whether good or bad, that impression affects their lives which in turn, affects the lives of others. In so doing, man has his immortality.

A short book, but very worth the read.

For her first novel, Wyatt successfully proves herself as an up-and-coming writer of children's novels. It is 1930 during the Great Depression in rural Kentucky, and Artie is tired of being poor, hungry and working in the fields on the family farm. She daydreams of hopping the train to Louisville for a better life than what she has now. She realizes that determination, despite the odds against her, is the ticket to a better life. The characters are well-rounded and the interactions between the family members are realistic. A suspenseful twist keeps the novel from being too predictable.

Twelve-year-old Artie Wilson attends a one-room schoolhouse in Buck County, Kentucky during the Great Depression. She longs to attend high school, but is hindered by her father's lack of responsibility, her mother's illness, and her family's poverty. When the teacher in her one-room schoolhouse announces an essay contest on the topic of heritage that offers a $25.00 prize, Artie determines to win the money and use it to pay for her living expenses so she can attend high school.

Rich girl Sarah Jane Bratcher is Artie's chief rival. Sarah Jane has everything Artie does not: a rich family, cars, horses, nice clothes, and a family heritage she claims stretches all the way back to England.

Artie's older brother Ballard announces to the school that one of the Wilson ancestors buried a treasure in the woods, so Artie goes on a treasure hunt. Always practical, Artie digs for roots while in the woods so she can sell them to buy food for the family and save for high school. To her shock, she discovers Sarah Jane digging for treasure in the woods as well. Artie is furious. Why does a rich girl need to steal the poor Wilson family's heritage?

Artie's struggle structures this novel. She cares for her ailing mother and fights for the life of her newborn baby brother. Using whatever spare time she can wrest from her chores, she works on her essay and tries to find meaning in the struggles and failures of her ancestors. And she uncovers the mystery of her arch rival, Sarah Jane.

This first novel is rich in the family history of author Leslie J. Wyatt's own family story. Historical details are woven into the story with a light touch. Readers get a real feel for life in this backwoods community but the details never slow or stop the story.

This is a very satisfying read. I'm looking forward to more books by the author. The ending seemed a bit forced so I'm giving it four stars, but it is well worth reading!

Artie is a warm character who will win your heart with her sheer pluck and determination. The publisher aims this book at readers 11 and older, but younger readers who are interested in history will enjoy reading it for themselves or having it read aloud. Teachers will find it useful for showing rural aspects of the Depression years - parts of chapter 3 (plowing) or chapter 5 (driving to the 'May meeting' could be read aloud as stand-alones to show aspects of rural life.)

I had searched through a lot of website information for Morgan's Raiders and was looking for a "beginning to end" book on this story. This book surpassed my expectations in getting the historical information along with the overall mood of the time. General Morgan was a very dashing figure and this helps to sort out the truth of many tales of the time. I would recommend this book highly to anyone who wants the whole story.

John Hunt Morgan....This name stirred up the passion of both Northerners and Southerners, and in his biography of the General, James Ramage does an excellent job in telling us why. The Morgan in Ramage's biography comes across to us the readers, as not very religious...deeply rooted in the Southern lifestyle of the times, and as a careful soldier. I found two Morgan's in the book...The Morgan who was at his most successful after the period of his first wife's death, and

the Morgan who seems to lose interest in the war after his second marriage, when failure would always seem to bear its ugly head whenever the General attempted to do anything. Ramage has done a good deal of research, rooting out letters to and from the General, with special emphasis on Morgan's relationship with his second wife. This research helps us to understand the transformation of Morgan as the war went on, and helps the reader to ultimately understand this diverse per! sonality of our great internal conflict. The chapter on the death of Morgan is probably the best in the book, as Ramage tries to put down the various stories and myths that have cropped up over the years. All in all, I found Ramage's work a good read, and I recommend it to all Civil War enthusiasts.

All the books I have read from Annie Jones have been good, humorus and clean. I do recommend them.

Sadie is feeling kinda glum. She's living in a small town, just got appointed graveyard superintendent (who really wants that job?), and she's having trouble raising her two teens. Plus she's suspecting her husband of an affair and her eccentric dad is driving her and her sisters, April and Hannah, absolutely nuts. The sisters are close but Sadie is given the most responsibility over their father, who took care of them after their mother left them when they were little. Since they are never allowed to discuss their mother, the sisters are kept in the dark as to why she left them long ago. One day when their dad leaves to go find their mother, Sadie and her sisters go to track him down. On their road trip they discover things about themselves they didn't know and learn to strengthen their relationship with each other and with their families back home.

I liked that there were 3 sisters in this book, just like in my family. You see how each sister fit their role as youngest, middle, and oldest perfectly. I'm glad finally took charge and stood up for herself against her daughter, her husband, her sisters, and the townspeople. Small town settings where everyone always knows each other are always interesting to me because I live in largely populated area. It's always refreshing to read about simpler lifestyles. I also liked how the sisters grew closer together as they find out the truth about their mother. A very touching and moving scene. Family is the most important thing in the world. I felt that this book wasn't really chick lit or mom lit. It was more a women's fiction type of book. Still I enjoyed it and am ready to read about Hannah's story in "Mom Over Miami."

This is the first Colin Gray book I have read, but I plan that it won't be the last. As one of the leading strategists of our age he takes a very fundamental and realist approach to America in the modern world. However this book is not so much a prescriptive strategy for America as it is a description of the role that America must assume for now and for the foreseeable future, that of the "Sheriff" to protect world order (a role less than a full on global policeman) and one from which any number of appropriate strategies can correctly flow based on temporal conditions.

In a short 150 pages of so or text he lays out that America is already fulfilling this role, is the only nation or institution that can fulfill this role, and depicts the need for the role. His argument is more centered on trying to make people, and particularly American statesman, explicitly recognize this fact and knowingly act within its confines, as opposed to pursue mere opportunistic action that is afforded by our military pre-eminence.

As the world's sole superpower it basically falls on America as the only nation that can protect some semblance of world order, which can maximize peace and prosperity beneficial for all (and particular the US, but should not be confused with an oppressive freezing of the world condition.) The UN, NATO, and G-8 are at best mere figureheads for none can practically act to take on threats such as terrorism or rogue states without the overwhelming influence (and thus overwhelming control) of American military might. This leaves the job to act, or not to act as the case may be, heavily on our shoulders and the author argues that it is one we should adopt with alacrity and dedication. Written largely in response to the RMA (Revolution in Military Affairs) in the harsh afterlight of the Iraq campaign of 2003 the author is urging for an increased appreciation of strategic thought to link and subordinate American military action and developments to foreign policies appropriate to our unique position and opportunity in history.

He provides far too much advice, and pointers, and warnings about how America should act as the world Sheriff to bear repeating here, but to make the book very worthwhile to read, especially for people involved in military or foreign policy matters.

Although overall highly recommended I have to take away a star for the fact that the author is highly repetitive to the point of being slightly annoying sometimes. On a positive note the book is heavily footnoted and the bibliography provides a huge reference library of excellent books to read to understand strategy and the full import of the author's argument.

I feel monumentally ignorant not to have known of Gray, or,
at least, not to have registered his work more securely in the
thoughts. As an admirer of George Kennan and his several
tours d'horizon, as well as of Robert D Kaplan's fantastic
journalism, I kept trying to find an approach that would tie
such work together. I have always heard the word "strategic"
kicked about, but this uncluttered gem makes it clear what
it means, means for the United States, and means for world
stability, all the while admitting that strategy is not easy.
I suggest that you dip into this book, and when you emerge,
you shall need to own it.

Zane Gray's books were the first westerns I ever read. I loved them then and I love them now. "The Spirit Of The Border" takes place in the Ohio River Valley. This is very close to home for me. Zane Gray mixes historical events into his stories. It is fast moving and one you don't want to put down until you complete that last page. If you have not read this, read it you will enjoy the adventure. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River" Natchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarQualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelTravelersSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelWriting as a Small BusinessThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early Settlers

Drawing upon ancestors notes, Zane Gray reconstructs the agony of America's initial transmontane western movement of the frontier away from the original colonies into the OHIO Valley where Indians and Whites contest for souls and Wetzel, and Indian hunter, pursues his cause in a most dramatic fashion. The book is a riveting account of true adventure the veiled backdrop of which is the continued occupation of the teritory occupied by British and Americans. An excellent introduction to further study of the the then misunderstood goal of Manifest Destiny.

It seems that too few have read this well-written book. Sherman has been working with all the great actors and actresses of the 40's and 50's. He seems to have been quite a ladies' man! He has a lot of good stories about famous film personalities. It has not been easy to be a company man for a person who knows what he wants. This memoir belongs to the best ones written about those golden years of Hollywood.

A cineaste may not treat Vincent Sherman with the same regard usually reserved for Welles, Ford, Fellini, or Godard, but a movie buff remembers and appreciates the underrated Sherman's quiet craftsmanship on many popular Hollywood features. Sherman has been an actor, writer, producer, and director -- an all-around "fixer" who could take a bad project and make it saleable, and a promising project and make it successful. He brings the same practicality, insight, and honesty to this fascinating autobiography.

"Studio Affairs" gives the reader an insider's look at the Hollywood studio system, with its stepping stones and setbacks. Vincent Sherman worked with such luminaries as Jack Warner, Harry Cohn, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Rita Hayworth, Claude Rains, even The Dead End Kids. Sherman wore many hats, and he details his varied dealings with actors and colleagues with remarkable candor. His personal life is as compelling as his professional career.

"Studio Affairs" is engrossing reading. On more than one occasion this reviewer intended to spend a few minutes with the book, and was hooked for more than an hour at a time. Vincent Sherman deserves a standing ovation for his work, and for this book. Movie fans should enjoy this book very much indeed.

'Subversive Southerner' is a must-read for anyone interested in southern history or in the social and cultural upheavals of the 50s and 60s. It's a riveting story of personal transformation and courage in the face of unrelenting persecution by authorities, and a reminder of how fragile and how precious are our civil liberties. Anne Braden is a heroine-- dedicated, single-minded in her pursuit of civil rights, but compassionate and always interested in individuals. There's plenty of bombings, arrests, and HUAC subpoenas to keep you turning pages,and lots of quotes, oral-history style, from major figures from the 50s and 60s. It's well-written--Fosl is an expert interviewer and very good writer.

Anne Braden courageously opposed the Dixie segregationist establishment. She was born Anne McCarty in 1924 in "Louisville where white folks lived." Her earlier concerns were conventional and non threatening to the social mores of her Jim Crow society. Anne mostly worried about being attractive to boys during her high school years and was even willing to play dumb so as not to alienate them. She underwent a dramatic change in her early adult years while attending college and earning a living as a journalist. The Southern newspapers of that era barely considered a murdered black person worthy of mention. Blacks could fight and die in our wars, but were refused entrance to the voting booth. White criminals were afforded more respect than virtuous and law abiding Afro-Americans. The usual definition of a liberal Southern politician was someone who dared speak out against lynching while remaining firmly loyal to the principle of segregation. Anne ultimately could not make peace with the prevailing zeitgeist. She marries Carl Braden, a man named after Karl Marx. The Bradens soon partner with such luminaries like James Dombrowski, Bob Zellner and Martin Luther King. The latter remarked upon her dedication in his famous "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." Heroic self sacrifice and the constant risk of violence became an everyday reality. The odds were probably no better than fifty-fifty that the Bradens could escape being murdered.

What does the Cold War have to with Anne Braden? Why did the author choose the title "Subversive Southerner?" Catherine Fosl points out the insane eagerness of the segregationists to brand those advocating civil rights as traitors to the United States. In their peculiar way of looking at the world, combatting Jim Crow was the same thing as aligning oneself with our nation's enemies. The Bradens, however, did flirt with Communism and this made it easier for their foes to justify harassing them. A number of prosecutors seeking political power relished the opportunity to put them behind bars for alleged acts of sedition. Anne's relationship with avowed Communists extends to the point where the well known radical Angela Davis even writes the forward for this book. Should we therefore condemn her? Not in the least. Fosl presents a persuasively well put together argument that Anne Braden deserves to be cut some slack. There is no evidence whatsoever hinting that the still living Ms. Braden ever adhered to any orthodox interpretation of Communist doctrine. She seems naively oblivious to the logical consequences of these horrifying set of beliefs. Sadly, mainstream political conservatives did virtually nothing to combat racism in the Old South. Anne Braden was therefore compelled to cooperate with those willing to fight along side of her. She and her late husband were primarily activists and not armchair philosophers. One also does not have to agree with all of Anne Braden's more recent political proposals. Some of these efforts might indeed leave something to be desired. That is beside the point. Ms. Braden definitely has done far more good than inadvertent harm. Catherine Fosl is to be congratulated for making sure that Americans don't overlook her enormous accomplishments. It would be shameful not to honor Anne Braden while she is still alive. I strongly urge you to read this superb biography of one of our greatest American heroes.

I thought this book was very good. Lots of nice, short stories of UK basketball (players, coaches, etc.). A great read for any UK fan.

I got this for my dad on his birthday in October and he recently finished it and told me how much he enjoyed reading it, SOOO, I can conclude it makes a nice gift for a Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan. (Although `fanatic' better describes my dad every March.) The stories in Tales from the Kentucky Hardwood ranged from thrilling recountings of games where microseconds counted, to tales of the colorful coaches, Adolph Rupp to Tubby Smith, who led the Wildcats to so many successful seasons down thru the years. This is a well-written, respectful trip into the distant and not so distant past of one of the most storied athletic programs in the NCAA, and what makes it so special and separates it from the dry, praising look back it could have been is the extent to which players, staff and coaches from a half-century of teams stepped forward to lend their support in the creation of this book. Their input was invaluable and went a long way toward elevating Tales to a work of cultural importance in a region where basketball outranks perhaps even horse racing as the state's most cherished institution.