Kentucky Books

This is an excellent book that has been well researched. I am a decendant of Henry Rains on my mother's side and have been trying to find out a lot more about my mom's side of the family. This book saved me countless hours of research and I haven't found anything so far in my research that disagrees with what is written in this book.

Thanks David for writing this wonderful book!!!!!

This is an excellent book. I am a decendant of Solomon Carter and Elizabeth Gibson-Fuson-Carter. There daughter, Jane Carter married Milton Lane Rice Rains.

Thanks for the wonderful book.

Wayne Carter

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this well researched book written by David S. Rains. It is easy to follow the journey this family made. I am a Rains descendant who is searching for my roots, but alas I was not connected through Henry Rains lineage. I would recommend this book to anyone searching the Rains line and to those that are collectors of historical families.

I must say this book was very insightful and met all my expectations. Especially knowing my uncle David Rains wrote this
book. Comming from a hard working man who I know put 100% effort into obtaining all the historical facts, Must of dedicated all his time to research the information. I have no doubt in my mind that every thing in this book is accurate. It was so nice to sit back and read a book about my ancestors. I would have never known any these things if my uncle David Rains didn't write this book. I encourage all family members and non-family members as well to purshes this book.
Lisa Kapahua

I couldn't put this book down. It's a fascinating window into the times and I came away with a much better understanding of it. Some of it was shocking, to be honest. I highly recommend this book.

Canada's role relative to slavery in the United States - little-known by Americans - is excellently told through the life story of a couple born in slavery. The Blackburns' escape from slavery calls out for dramatization in a movie or at least on PBS' "American Experience." It would also make a fine children's book.

I cannot overstate the importance of this book. It is a moving, heart-wrenching story. Additionally the Kentucky material was of particular interest to me since my own ancestors were in Mason COunty, KY for a good portion of the story of Thornton Blackburn. I have not finished reading it as of this writing.

One would have to read this book several times to completely absorb its multifarious layers, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

First and foremost, it is the compelling life story of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn. They escaped from slavery boldly using forged documents to travel by steamboat to Cincinnati (appropriately arriving on July 4) then settled in Detroit and were subsequently incarcerated under the Fugitive Slave Law. The community (white and black) rose up in their defense, sparking what history records as "The Blackburn Riots of 1833." After their hair raising escape to Canada and subsequent incarceration while appealing extradition under provisions of the Fugitive Offenders Act, they finally settled in Toronto, where Blackburn established the first cab company. The couple acquired affluence and influence - though they always lived modestly - and assisted many other refugees escaping slavery and intolerance before, during and after the Civil War.

Equally fascinating is the process by which their life story was reconstructed. Both Thornton and Lucie remained illiterate, and no one recorded their memoirs. This book is the result of over 20 years of painstaking research and - as the author states in the introduction - no small amount of "historical coalescence." It perfectly illustrates the creative approach historians must take when attempting to break through what genealogists call "The Wall of Slavery." The author relies on everything from Bibles to court documents to glean information and put all the pieces together, and her extensive bibliography alone is worth the price of the book.

While detailing the Blackburn's encounters with the legal system of the time, the author explores the evolution of jurisprudence in both countries: to maintain the Peculiar Institution in the states, and to guarantee civil liberties (and in no small part, autonomy from the U.S.) in Canada. Some slave owners doggedly expended inordinate amounts of time and money to retrieve their "property" and to punish anyone who might have aided their escape. Consequently, there are voluminous court documents related to the Blackburns as their owners pursued them here and abroad, and legal precedents were set which still have impact today. For example, people are often surprised to learn the Ohio River is actually part of Kentucky - that boundary was established to ensure this particular "highway to freedom" remained "slave territory" and this decision was relevant in the lawsuit filed against the steamboat captain and his company.

For American readers, the fact that this book is written from a Canadian's perspective adds yet another interesting layer. (Oh, to see ourselves as others see us!) Yet while pointing out the obvious hypocrisy inherent in U.S. "freedom," Frost does not turn a blind eye to racism and hypocrisy among Canadians. She notes that while Toronto harbored fugitive slaves, it also welcomed slaveholders and Confederate soldiers seeking asylum during the Civil War. Doubly mind boggling is the fact that the Blackburns had personal connections with some of them...and a few of them probably rode in his cab.

In the standard American narrative, slaves escape to Canada and vanish from our story. While many - heartened by the promise of Reconstruction - returned to the United States to reunite with family after the war (only to migrate north again as Jim Crow and sharecropping reinstated the antebellum power structure) the Blackburns lived three-quarters of their highly productive lives as African-Canadians. This book and the work which went into creating it are welcome revelations. I hope they inspire further research into the lives of those who crossed over into Canaan Land.

NB The book describes the role played by the Blackburns in the development of the Elgin Settlement and Buxton Mission, a colony for fugitive slaves south of Chatham. The modern village of North Buxton is still home to about 200 descendants. Several years ago I visited the Buxton Historic Site and Museum and highly recommend it...plan to spend several hours! BuxtonMuseum dot com

This book really helped me explain Jane Austen to my husband. Now he watches the movies with me quite contentedly.

I'm a big fan of Jane Austen in all forms. I've always thought that a mediocre Austen film is better than none at all. This book takes a fascinating scholarly look at Austen's film treatment. The authors say everything all true Austen fans have muttered about the films ("where's THAT in the book?!") and explains why it was done in such a way (for example, modern filmgoers won't appreciate an ugly, boring Edward Ferrers). Contains amusing critique of Thompsons S&S--that Austen's originial may have been more "feminist" than Thompson! If you enjoy the original written Austen and/or the recent film versions, you'll love this book.

Easy and accessible reading on a great writer. One of the best things about this book is the lack of critical consensus on so many important Austen issues (especially concerning her ostensible feminism and her indisputable irony)--it's always amusing (and enlightening) to listen in on a civilised, academic brawl! Do make sure to get the 2nd edition with 14 essays including the new one, "The Mouse that Roared."

The second edition (available only in paperback) contains a new essay, "The Mouse that Roared," about Patricial Rozema's film of Mansfield Park.

Delorme Gazetteers open up another world for people who like to just "cruise around" and not get lost.

Looking for an adventure? Then look no further that the Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer. These easy to use maps provide excellent political and some geographical detail of the roadways and byways in the state. Get off the interstate and explore!

Have done alot of biking in Western Kentucky and this atlas is a lifesaver when it comes to looking for riding routes. Also very useful when looking for addresses in the country.

I love these DeLorme "Atlas and Gazetteer" maps. We have one for Texas and found it very useful. We hope the Kentucky one will be just as informative. Includes all the little known roads not shown on standard highway maps...a true asset.

Accurately depicts our fallen and beloved hero! A testamount to his accomplishments!

This is a must have for Barbaro fans. It is all about him. If you are looking for pictures and info on the other horses in the 2006 Derby you won't get it. But the pictures are beautiful and the comments are nice. The book is well made and worth the price.

This book is full of amazing pictures that capture not only the tradition of the Kentucky Derby but the Spirit of Barbaro. A beloved way to remember the Derby winner, flying on all fours. Some of the pictures make it seem as if you could reach out and touch this courageous horse. Having Barbaro first in this new series of books from Churchill couldn't have been more fitting for this Champion who truely did capture America's heart.

The photograghy in this book is fantastic and gives you the complete scenerio in pitures. You feel like you are right there at this moment and it will definitely bring many tears to your eyes as you watch Barbaro race thru the pictures. My personal favorite was the picture of him in complete suspension. Great momento of an big hearted horse.

When I was a little girl, I never tired of gazing at James Archambault's amazing photographs of Kentucky in my dad's copy of the original "Kentucky." When I grew up, moved away from home to Arizona, and realized how much of Kentucky was a part of me, my mother presented me with the updated version one Christmas. Now that she has retired to Florida and is homesick for her first Christmas away from the Bluegrass, I'm giving her a copy of her own...although I do fear that it may make her even more homesick for the rolling hills and changing seasons of our native home. At any rate, I wouldn't dream of giving her any other book of Kentucky. We Kentuckians know that this series is the one to have and to give.

It is also hard for me living way from Kentucky - as I attend Auburn University. When I do get homesick, I get out Kentucky II and it takes me there. It takes me back to the times of working on the farm, enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the being with a brand of people like no where else. If you are a native Kentuckian or just want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of our state - from the Western Kentucky tobacco farms, to the Bluegrass, to the rugged mountains and forests of Eastern Kentucky - buy this book! As a amateur photographer, I can say James Archambeault is a hero!

It is also hard for me living way from Kentucky - as I attend Auburn University. When I do get homesick, I get out Kentucky II and it takes me there. It takes me back to the times of working on the farm, enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the being with a brand of people like no where else. If you are a native Kentuckian or just want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of our state - from the Western Kentucky tobacco farms, to the Bluegrass, to the rugged mountains and forests of Eastern Kentucky - buy this book! As a amateur photographer, I can say James Archambeault is a hero!

It is difficult living far from "my old Kentucky home" so to speak. However, a quick trip to the bookshelf for James Archambeault and Thomas Clark's Kentucky II quickly brings me home again. Kentucky II is predominantly a picture book that focuses on the natural beauty of Kentucky. Oh, and what wonderful pictures they are! The plunging cliffs of Red River Gorge seem almost within reach. The endless miles of streams and rivers look close enough for a swim. Kentucky II captures magnificently the beauty and serenity that is Kentucky. On the other hand, the book does focus too much on the natural side. Kentucky II is primarily devoted to nature, rural culture, and horse racing. There are very few pictures of city or town life. The book itself says "the cities, towns, and villages that today hold slightly more than half of Kentucky's population" (17). This half was nearly snubbed by this book. Louisville, Kentucky's first class city, gets one picture outside of the Churchill Downs horse racing track, while Kentucky's numerous second-class cities get two pictures total, one of Lexington and one of Covington. Kentucky II fails to deliver a complete picture of Kentucky. However, the pictures that are there are so wonderful that this book deserves at least a four star rating. If this book had been named Natural Kentucky, then it might seem less unsure of its mission. This book is a must have for those who wish to have the natural beauty of Kentucky at their fingertips.

For many years as a Freshman English instructor, I assigned this book to students from all over the country. Though many of them groaned at the thought of reading a book "about hillbillies" when they first heard the title, Gurney Norman's wonderful comedic touch and unique, likeable, well-rounded characters never failed to win them over. Though Norman's book, in the best tradition of Southern fiction, is strongly rooted in "place," the author succeeds in transcending his stories' locales, making Wilgus and his family seem like people any of us might know and many of us would wish to know. You don't have to be from Kentucky coal-mining country to enjoy this book. You only have to love fine writing, powerful characterization, and sharply-honed humor in the best tradition of Faulkner, O'Connor, and Norman's friend and fellow Kentucky author Ed McClanahan.

Gurney Norman spins yarns as well as any of the authors of this genre. He is able to add classical elements to his stories. You will find well-developed characters and some of them even have tragic flaws. This is fantastic reading beginning to end. Great book.

Norman spins his story telling magic again. He returns to his roots in eastern Kentucky and beautifully tells the tale of Wilgus and his struggle to grow and search for meaning. The characters are teeming with life and the prose is fluid enabling one to travel along with Wilgus. If you have read Divine Right's Trip and yearn for more Norman this is it.

This unique, realistic collection of short stories presents the reader with psychologically complex characters threaded throughout one Appalachian family. Norman's greatest success is that he is able to access Applachian life with an unflinching eye and yet treat it with a tenderness that is neither maudlin nor overdone. This short book puts certain more popular Kentucky writers to shame, for it adamantly refuses to fall into Appalachian stereotypes and treats its characters as the complex, often flawed, but dignified people that they are. Say what you will about Mason and Offut; Norman represents the finest short story writing in the region and remains one of Kentucky's best known secrets

Published in 1996 as a follow-up to "Tragedy at Devil's Hollow and Other Kentucky Ghost Stories," this volume of macabre delights is perhaps even better than its predecessor, and almost certainly scarier. There seems to be no end to the supernatural history of Kentucky life, nor to peoples' curiosity about it. Michael Paul Henson has done Kentuckians and folklorists all across the nation a great service in compiling these dark, engaging tales. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls and witches all come to life inside this book, and once you've read it you may never look at Kentucky in quite the same way. Highly recommended.

This book left you wanting to read more about Kentucky Ghosts. I always hear about the Bell Witch because she is only 30 miles away, but to hear true Kentucky Ghost stories just makes your skin crawl. I have even tried to locate the farm where the money is still buried. I believe there is a force out there, whether it be ghosts, goblins, or witches there is something out there. For those who do not believe in the supernatural just read this book and it will make you think twice.

When I first read this book I couldn;t believe that all of this had happend all in Kentucky. There was one story about a witches grave that intrested me so much that my boyfriend and I are looking for the exact cemetery that she was buried in, in Pulaski county Kentucky. I was a good book, and I think anyone who is interested in gohst stories and lives in Kentucky ought to buy this book! It was just so good.

I loved this book. This book contained stories that my Grandfather told me when I was a little girl. It was also cool that several of the stories took place in my home town of Hyden, Kentucky. I would recommend this book to anyone who lives in Kentucky or just likes ghost stories.

I read these books as a teenager and loved them. They dealt with real life and covered a spectrum of emotions. Reading these books actually helped me deal with issues in my own life. I highly recommend the whole series!

The Golden Filly series was absolutely fantastic! I would highly recommend this series. You will be blessed in a very special way and inspired by these books whether you're a Christian or not. I will definitely reread and save these books for the rest of my life. I've read a lot of books, but none have touched me in the same way as this series has. If you love horses and enjoy reading about a person's life, even if it is fiction, you'll love these books.

I have read all 10 books in this series. They are great! I would not put a book down once I started reading it! THe longest it took me too read one book was 3 days! I wish there was 10 more books! I encourage everyone too read this series!I put my books up in my hope chest to save for my kids. If i ever have kids that is!

Started reading this series in 5th grade and I am now in college but I will never forget this series. You will laugh and you will cry but you will definetly be impacted by Trish's story.

This book was fascinating from the first page until the last. Mr.Kunen has a way with words that will grip the reader as he did me. The intimate details of the crash and the lives of the young victims will bring a tear to your eye. And how Ford Motors was defeated in the end will have you cheering in a bittersweet way. A masterpiece. I have read hundreds of books and this book tops my list to this day even though I first read it 6 years ago.

I happen to know the grandparents (both sets) of one of the students killed in this crash. The book has a big impact on me, not only for the tragedy itself, but that it has a personal meaning also. I had a hardcopy of this book in the library in which I worked and now I want my own copy.

My math teacher was on the bus when it crashed and allowed me to read one of his two copies of this book, 3 of his friends were killed and if it was n't for his other friend he would have died too for he was sitting 3 rows from the front and saw the youth director get blown up when the explosion occured.

I had seen a road sign in Kentucky referring to a bus crash, but didn't know anything about it. One day I saw Mr. Kunen's book at a local bookstore and realized it was the same thing. When I started reading the book I couldn't put it down. Up until that day it was a road sign; afterwards it was a tragic memorial to the death of the innocent.