Kansas Books

Living in London in the early eighties I used to frequent a sort of leftie/anarchist bookshop near Campden Lock. There I discovered the world of the Whole Earth Review and The Whole Earth Catalogues. Just as well I did too or I would have ended only reading Soldier of Fortune and military books like the rest of my "squaddie" mates. I was in the Army at the time.

What really captivated me about the Whole Earth was the idea that there was an alternative to 9 to 5 go to work, to earn the money, to buy a house you can't afford and a car so you could sit in a traffic jam to get to that work. There were people out there pioneering new ways and new ideas.

A lot of the ideas such as alternative energy, environmentalism, Gaia Hypothesis, and personal computers are commonplace now.

Personally my bookshelves are full of authors (and ideas) I might never have come across without the Whole Earth.

This book is a readable account of the Whole Earth community and its impact on American/Global society.

I can't believe nobody has reviewed it.

I also recommend:

From Counterculture to Cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the Rise of Digital Utopianism

and of course:

The Last "Whole Earth" Catalogue

This book is primarily composed of country school reminiscences, with the focus on rural Kansas. This is pure meat and potatoes stuff. The reminiscences are very interesting, and allow the reader to really get a glimpse of the educational process two or three generations ago. Collectors of historian Dan Fitzgerald's materials will particularly enjoy the foreword, which was authored by him during the time period when he was most prolific. A very enjoyable book.

Cowboys and Kansas is a must for anyone interested in researching and/or reading just that: cowboys in Kanas. The book gives you a thorough look at the uniqueness of cowboying and cattle ranching in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. There are countless books covering the more "popular" Texan cowboy or the cowboy of the trail driving days. Along with some of his other books, Mr. Hoy provides much needed information regarding the Kansas Cattle business, particularly during the early 20th century.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST VITUPEROUS SPEECHES IN AMERICAN HISTORY, POSSIBLY THE MOST. IT IS THE PROBABLY JUSTIFIED TIRADE AHAINST A PROSLAVERY SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA [BUTLER] THAT RESULTED IN THE FAMOUS CANING OF CHARLES SUMNER. THIS CANING BY REPRESENTATIVE PRESTON BROOKS, A RELATIVE OF SENATOR ANDREW BUTLER, SPURRED INTEREST IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND INFACT HAS BEEN LISTED AS A MAIN ISSUE IN UNITING THE NORTH AGAINST THE SOUTH.

THIS SPEECH MAKES EXCITING READING BY THE INFAMOUS, VAIN, LIKEABLE, DESPISED MASSACHUSSETTS SENATOR. BEWARE READING AND MARVELING OVER THIS SPEECH. YOU MAY END UP A SUMNER-PHILE.

As an individual who has experienced crisis, I appreciate Crisis Manual for Christian Schools and Youth Workers: How to Prepare for and Handle Tragedy. Sandy Austin's book instructs one about how to prepare and handle an emergency. It is just as important to react well during an emergency as it is to handle the after-effects of the emergency. This crisis manual should be in every library, school, church, and home. When tragedy strikes, be ready: read Sandy Austin's crisis manual.

Written by the daughter about her fathers decent into Alzheimer's disease..as the expression goes 'welcome to my world' :(

Most academic books about Natives tend to look at a single tribe at a time, completely missing the extraordinary balances struck by tribes moving through each other's lands or competing in hunting or trading. Meredith (Longhair Clan Cherokee) illustrates that, while WAR is the metaphor for human relationships in Anglo-Saxon cultures, DANCE is the metaphor for tribes on the Southern Plains. Illuminating!

"Day Trips" is filled with enough historical material to keep a neophyte historian busy for a year. Many of the entries are tidbits of the past oft forgotten or never stored in the mental database. The book makes planning each trip an adventure and will help to fill up the weekends with local travel.

I am ashamed to say that I know a few of the people involved in this horrible case. This book is written in a journalistic style, the author depicts the facts with little emotion. She doesn't need to sensationalize the facts, they speak for themselves. I do think the book would've been more powerful if she'd included pictures of Joshua and his abusive father. And the social worker involved. I changed my opinion of some Supreme Court justices after reading this book. The fact that our local social worker's lack of action resulted in leaving an innocent child severely retarded (with half a brain) is so appalling. Someone should be accountable. No one was. Our local police and our local newspaper are also accountable for their support of the errant social worker. "Poor Joshua" and shame on you, the State of Wisconsin and it's social workers.

Designing And Building from the collective works of Kansas architectural firm of Rockhill and Associates is a truly incredible and conceptually impressive compendium of writings, photographs, blueprints, along with cogent analysis of many truly remarkable buildings. As awe-inspiring as a book on architecture may be, Designing And Building also offers its readers an artistic approach to the intricacies of what beauty may be presented in modern buildings and their architectural elements. as innate works of art in their own right. A welcome addition to professional and academic library Architectural Studies collections, Designing And Building is an intuitive and informative introduction to progressive and subversive modern design, very strongly recommended to all architectural designers, as well as photographers and students of the visual arts.