Mississippi Books

This is a reprint of a well-written personal account by a SNCC member and Howard University student. I am glad to see this book back in print. It will give an insight to the young and not so young who, because of the media's almost exclusive focus on Dr. King, have been lead to believe that the only important aspect of the civil rights movement was the "I Have a Dream" speech.

Cleve Sellers gives us an up close andpersonal report on some of the key leaders of SNCC, especially Stokely Carmichael (now known as Kwame Ture), who later became, for a short time, the Prime Minister of the Black Panther Party and for many years the primary organizer of the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party.

Sellers outlines many of the behind the scenes relationships between SNCC and other organizations and details the tactical and ideological differences which engaged the energiesof the SNCC membership.

This book is wonderful for any age of reader. It describes events in his family's life that shaped him into the person that he is today. He is a person of great character and this book gives you a taste of his character. It tells how he remembers the unjustices of his life growing up in Mississippi. It gives you a plain view of what it was like to grow up that way, in the Jim Crow era. He has gone through many experiences, but still managed to come out on top regardless of the adversity that faced him.

This is the best book I have read in the U. of Mississippi series of interviews with filmmakers.

The first interview catches Aldrich just after the start of his career, so the interviews proceed with the career, as opposed to just having him reflect back on things from years later. We see what Aldrich is doing and hear him talk about projects that never come to pass.

A few fascinating things emerge. He apparently never got over getting fired from "The Garment Jungle." Even when he is a success after "The Dirty Dozen," he still is bitter/regretful about that. Also, his relationship with Burt Lancaster, which seemed okay on the outside (they made about four films together) is revealed as contentious and mistrustful.

If you like Aldrich's films, you need to read this book. It will tell you things you never knew and will add to your appreciation of this man.

I haven't read the book, however, I know from attending his classes when in the USA that Robert Alexander knows his subject! I would recommend learning something from this guy - I did!
Cheers

James Silver was a quiet historian at the University of Mississippi. He began teaching there in 1933 where he wrote books that would rankle any Confederacy-phile. When Emmett Till was murdered, Silver asked around and did the work of a true historian; when James Meredith entered the University of Mississippi, Silver was there and chronicled what he observed. "Running Scared" is about Silver's experiences through the years at this well-known school and he has some pretty fascinating stories to share, beginning in the early 30s and moving forward. Silver was finally chased away and ended up as a professor at Notre Dame. Not too bad for someone who was fired ...

Mary Gardner takes you on a journey to Eagle Grove, which would remind me of Lake Wobegon if it happened to have bikers, adulterous Lutheran ministers, gay couples, and chicken rolls. An intelligent story populated by imperfect people doing the best they can. The writing is spare and perceptive.

Sam Peckinpah became famous at a time when Hollywood, and American culture in general, was in crisis over the Vietnam War. Peckinpah became associated with violence in American film, and this label "violent filmmaker" allowed people to dismiss him.

This book gives the reader the flavor of Sam Peckinpah. He was both a serious artist and the prisoner of his reputation, and ultimately the reputation helped wreck his health and career. The interviews show how he never forgot a slight and always held a grudge, but despite everything he remained an interesting guy, far deeper than the image. Some of the later interviews are revealing for what was going on around Peckinpah as expressed in the circumstances of the interviews.

I got the impression that some interviews were not included in the book (as more are talked about in the introduction than appear in the finished book.) That is disappointing, but what is here reads like the skeleton of a novel about a talented artist being swallowed by a black hole of resentment, changing tastes, and booze.

Perhaps the last word should go to Dustin Hoffman, who said of Peckinpah: our society is going to the moon, and he's the last of the gunfighters.

Great book. The introduction is, along with Robin Wood's introduction to woods masterful book "Apu Trilogy", the best short introduction to the works of Satyajit Ray. The interviews ofcourse contain many repetitions, but all in all, a great insight into the mind of a peerless artist.

In the years before he became a Civil War general, Cook was on several expeditions across the American west. In 1827 he was in St. Louis, at about 18 years old. In the 1840's he was fighting in California during the Mexican war.

In this book, which he wrote from his journals he describes the west as it was before settlement began. This book is a reprint of the original book published in 1857. It reads just a trifle old fashioned, but clear and rich in detail from a time of which little has been written.

I just received my copy last night and I stayed up until I read it from cover to cover (64 pages). Then, I read it again, to savor every page. I use to live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, so this was a "trip home"; but even for someone who had never visited this part of the country, this will quickly engage them. It is bright, cheerful, whimsical and a fascinating insight into life on the Gulf Coast! For all those who have memories of visiting or living there ~ from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula ~ before Hurrican Katrina, this will be a Welcomed Return to a treasured 'place-in-the-heart'! Most moving is the positive, upbeat and hopeful message extended by the author's, Connie Heitzmann and Betty Stechmann, as they document the Resilience of the people living on the Mississippi Gulf Cost, in their process of rebuilding their lives, their towns and this dynamic section of our country. I am proud to give this book a home on my coffee table for a very long time to come. This book will be constant reminder, as Connie wrote, that the "welcome mat is always out" and Beckoning me Home, again.