Missouri Books

...this is the book for you. On the other hand, if you want to read about a time "when teachers could change the world, when a stranger's help was graciously accepted and freely given, and a time when the promise of a bright future could capture the imagination and determination of any child." you may have to tolerate a little preachy-ness.

I gave this book only one star because of what I consider the devious way the book was presented. I expected a slice of Americana but got an excercise in feel-good faith reassurances instead. The way the story is presented isn't what the book is really about.

It is not often that I feel sad when a book ends. But I did when I finished reading "Long Train Passing". I felt like I really knew these people and they were genuine. The way that Steven Wise developed these charactors was wonderful. I wish there were more people in the world like Annabelle.Especially in a world where things like Columbine High happen. I reccomend this book to anyone with a heart, because it will definetly be touched!

Today, over thirty five years after it's debut on network television, The Andy Griffith Show remains extremely popular. I believe the major reason for it's continued popularity is the hidden desire for most of us to be able to return to a simpler time where problems were usually minor and always resolved in 30 minutes. Yet, some of us did grow up in our own versions of Mayberry USA, and while many of the things depicted on the program were fairly true to life, we also know that many of our problems were quite complex and rarely resolved quickly. Such is the town portrayed in the book "Long Train Passing" by Steven W. Wise. While the setting is 20 years before mythical Mayberry, it seems extremely familiar. For those of us who grew up in small Midwestern towns, "Long Train" hits close to home, and takes us quickly back to less complicated days. The characters depicted seem all too real, mainly because the author has taken them fairly faithfully from the real inhabitants of his hometown in rural Missouri. While the story is extremely entertaining, the real joy in reading this book is to see the characters come alive in print and to feel we would know them if we met them on the street. Here is a chance to go back to a time when many of the complexities of our modern society were not present, but the drama of life and the triumph of the human spirit coupled with love overcoming hate are as current as today. Spend a few hours and let the author spin his tale. You will be greatly rewarded for your investment.

Being an avid reader I often find it a challange to find a book that can hold my interest and touch my heart. This novel does both. Long Train Passing does a fantastic job of incorperating drama, suspense, and morality. It is the heart wrenching story of a kind hearted school teacher, who makes a great impact on everyone she comes in contact with. Everyone has, or should have, a memory of a special teacher who has made an impact on them. The person that inspired you, or changed you, in a way that made you a better person. For the people in this story, that person is Annabelle. She breaks down the emotional walls of a child that was deemed "unsaveable." She also makes the town that she is living in a better place for everyone. The amazing part, is that she does this in the midst of her own personal troubles and disapointments. She makes you realize that life is not worth living if you are the center of your own world. I have never read a novel that is so inspiring, and yet so full of action and suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat, but also moved me to tears more than once. I could say that teachers will love this book, or women, or kind hearted people. But I'm not going to, that would be closed minded. There is not ONE certain type of person that I would recomend this novel to. I recomend it to ANY human with a heart. There is something in it for everyone!

What a find this book is! Steven W. Wise writes a story that in lesser hands may be sappy or over-sentimental. Instead, he tells a story of healing, compassion and understanding. The protaganist is a teacher named Annabelle Allen who is stricken with a physical deformity but blessed with courage and compassion. When faced with a very difficult student named Jewell Cole, she meets him with understanding and breaks through his pained exterior. She helps Jewell, who dreams of some day being a soldier, with the many battles he must face including an abusive father, receiving an education his father tries to deny him and learning to forgive and live. Also, WWII and the Korean Wars are backdrops in this novel of battles and struggles that must be met head-on. Each character faces conflicts with eventual integrity, lead by the righteous Annabelle. For readers who enjoy stories of triumphs in the moral struggle of life, this is a must-read. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The above response by "a reader" who said there are mistakes in the book is wrong himself!! My husband was directly involved with two of those cases by being the responding officer to two of those cases and there is nothing "wrong" about anything in the book. I will vouch for the info as Mr. Dix has passed due to cancer so unable to fight these allegations from this person, "a reader" who says he is a professional...I have my doubts....great book by an intelligent, wonderful and professional person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is incredible. Very explicit and clear descriptions, full of details about the crimes. Well written too.

I bought this book because I am a forensic pathologist and wished to learn what another professional chose to write and how he wrote it. I could not have been more disappointed! While an average reader such as the one who wrote the review I read might not notice the inconsistencies, they ruined the book for me. I would have been quite willing to accept one or two, but when the number became much, much higher, I found myself wishing that Dr. Dix had chosen not to write a book at all. I have no knowledge of him, even though we are a relatively small group, perhaps 4-500, and over time we do get to know one another. He may be one of the best forensic pathologists in the country, but that did not come across in the book, in my opinion. I have chosen to use the word "inconsistencies" as it is kinder than "mistakes" but, actually, and sadly, both are present. I would never recommend this book to anyone who wanted to learn details of our profession.

This book is such a neat, fast read! I picked it up and didn't let go until the last page. The investigations are really interesting and it's a truly unique book. I love crime solving stories, especially when they're true, so if you're like me you'll LOVE it!

If you want to get an insider's look at real murder investigation, this book tells it all. Nothing fancy or made-up here, just the facts. Some aspects of the behind-the-scenes forensic work were surprising in their simplicity, other aspects of the murder cases were interesting to learn about how they were solved.

Anyone with an interest in death investigation or forensic science will enjoy these stories.

I have been absolutely thrilled with the new mysteries, especially the series that have started up in the last year or two, and Janis Harrison's Gardening Mystery series is just one example of theses great new series.

A Murder Sets Seed is the second of Janis Harrison's Gardening Mysteries. Widowed Bretta Solomon, owner of a flower shop, is our amateur sleuth. She is a fabulous, full-bodied character who holds up the story with her personal strength, humor, and wisdom. The entire of cast and the story line of A Murder Sets Seed are impressive and complete, so readers can expect to react, thank goodness. The mystery, with its developments and revelations, pulled together expertly.

Cameo Beauchamp-Sinclair, a rich socialite, has a couple of problems: she is being blackmailed and needs a surrogate daughter. After she meets Bretta Solomon, she sells the Beauchamp Mansion to her and turns to Bretta for help with the problems. During one of Bretta's formal dinners Cameo denounces her unknown blackmailer in front of the other guests, which causes a snowball effect into murder and mayhem.

In this second book of a series, Bretta Soloman has moved from the home she shared with late husband Carl (see Roots of Murder) and undertaken the renovation of a neglected mansion. Set during the busy Christmas season, Bretta is a busy and ambitious florist, hoping to cash in on the season of spending. However, the tale takes more of a Halloween turn when the former owner of the mansion is strangled with the cord of some Christmas lights. Fast paced, the timing seems off in this book, and too many different components come into play. The widowed Bretta has fallen off her diet, her long lost father has made contact, and the former owner of her new home has made some interesting demands, and Bretta has issues with the sheriff. A few red herrings are to be expected in a cozy mystery, but this one meandered past the point of plausibility on many counts. A baffling "flower" arrangement, with too many design elements?

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to many more in this series!!!!!! Terrific book for the holidays, or anytime!

Bretta Solomon has decided to begin putting her life back together after her husband's untimely death by buying the historic Beauchamp mansion and restoring it. Bretta and her flower shop staff have been working hard at decorating the house in time for the shop's annual Christmas open house. Unfortunately, a week before the event, the manipulative Cameo Beauchamp, erstwhile owner of the Beauchamp Mansion, persuades Bretta to hold a select dinner for a few friends (read River City's most upstanding citizens) so that they can have a sneak peek at the restorations.

Of course Cameo has an agenda of her own that she fails to appraise Bretta of! Just before dinner, Cameo drops a bombshell: someone at this ill-fated dinner party has attempted to blackmail her and she's not going to stand for it. And then dramatically, the lights go out and when they come back on, Cameo is found strangled. Bretta is all for staying out of this investigation but when the town's leading gossip columnist accuses her of the crime, Bretta goes all out to find out who did actually kill Cameo Beauchamp.

I enjoyed this mystery alot more than the first one ("Roots Of Murder"). Bretta Solomon is a charming and sympathetic woman, and I thought the other characters were developed well as well. But I really didn't understand the sheriff's attitude or hostility towards Brettta, especially as Bretta's husband had been a rather close friend. His antagonism seemed all out of proportion. Also, I had to read the last three chapters twice in order to make sense of who had committed the murder and why. And while I did understand it the second time around, I think the novel would have been stronger if there had been a few more clues strewn about in the preceding chapters.

Over eighteen months ago, Bretta Solomon's beloved spouse, a deputy sheriff, died. Bretta still mourns her loss, but their love is so powerful that even death cannot keep them from conversing with one another. Bretta runs a River City floral shop, but that is inadequate to keep her mind off of her husband's death. So when Cameo Beauchamp-Sinclair offers to sell her family mansion to Bretta, the florist leaps at the opportunity.

Bretta performs a miracle restoring the mansion to much of its former glory. To celebrate her accomplishment, Bretta hosts a dinner to include Cameo and many of the elderly woman's friends and relatives. During the meal, Cameo announces that she has discovered the identity of the person trying to blackmail her. However, the lights go off and when illumination returns, Cameo is dead. Having successfully solved a murder before, Bretta begins investigating this homicide without yet realizing how close she comes to joining her husband in the afterlife.

The heroine of MURDER SETS SEED is a likable, understandable, and empathetic individual. However, the remainder of the cast seems two-dimensional, symbolizing a stereotype rather than a person. Though not enhancing the tale, that flaw fails to hurt the story line because the plot totally belongs to the brave Bretta. Janis Harrison writes an enjoyable amateur sleuth tale that sets the roots for a warm sad character starring in a gardening mystery series.

Harriet Klausner

this book came in a timely and ordely fashion, it is in great condition almost brand new and it is a great book. i will definetely keep the book for use in future college classes and hopefully will do exceptionally well in this Journalism class. Thanks

As a Missouri grad, I took classes with some of these dunderheads and was forced to buy their book. Ranly's great contribution to journalism is extolling the use of the word "that." Moen basically retired to Missouri at age 25. His goal was to brighten up newspapers after the "negativity" of the Watergate-era. Kennedy is a living ghost.

Just read the "humor" section. It's unintentionally funny.

This book is not fit to line bird cages. It one the reason so many newspapers are dull and lack substance.

A better book is Steve Weinberg's "The Reporter's Handbook." I'm told there is a recent edition. Weinberg is also a Missouri professor. Unlike the Kennedy, Moen, Ranly triumvarate, Weinberg actually is a great writer and journalist. He knows what he's talking about. Moen, et al are nothing more than witless windbags. (Read about alliteration in the cahpter on "creative" writing.)

Finally, I get my revenge on the dullards who make the Missouri School of Journalism the sham that it is.

With little effort, I have snatched the pebble from the so-called Master's hand.

I used "News Reporting and Writing" when I studied journalism in college. Upon returning to the college classroom to teach journalism, I introduced my students to the latest edition of this wonderful text. The book provides an excellent introduction to the various elements of good journalism and is perfect for a beginning or advanced course on reporting and writing. I recommend it highly!

While I can't actually comment on the current edition, I'd like to say that this is the same book I used 18 years ago in college and it was excellent. I still have my copy and refer to it occasionally when I'm covering an area that I don't handle often. The authors are from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, one of the top journalism schools in the country because most of the faculty have real-world, hands-on experience. This book today is used in hundreds of journalism classes around the country.

News Reporting and Writing is an excellent tool for aspiring journalists. It is very easy to read and right on the money, as far as content. It covers everything from writing a catchy lead for your stories to a step-by-step process for interviewing. The book also has sidebars that emphasize the important elements in each chapter. I would recommend this book to not only anyone interested in journalism, but to anyone interested in learning how to write better.

Having misplaced my earlier printing of this book (by the University of Nebraska Press) I ordered the Kessinger Publishing, LLC release of this title, only to be terribly disappointed. The Remington drawings are so poorly reproduced that some appear as blacked-out, scarcely discernable blobs, rather than the wonderful sketches they originally were. This printing appears to be a very poorly-reproduced copy of earlier ones, with much quality lost. Find a copy of the extremely attractive Nebraska (Bison) edition instead.

From someone who has lived this life on the great plains from cowboy to hunter, this book is in every detail right on. It is written in Teddy's classic modest style (who else could float the Missouri during spring break up chasing criminals with guns and describe it with as much excitement as buttering toast).

It also is a repeat of some of his earlier works as this seems to be a bit of transitional book of when he was about leaving the Elkhorn for the east.
The Wilderness Hunter is more poetic and Hunting Trips of a Ranchman is a better read, but the history in this book of how Montana and the Dakotas were made safe by lynch justice makes this one interesting too.

The sketches by Remington are wonderfully historic to study and add a great deal to this book.
This book though is like all of Teddy's in settling down with a friend and always looking for his next book to find a campfire with him again.
Thank God Mr. Roosevelt wrote so many wonderful books.

"Ranch Life And The Hunting Trail" is Theodore Roosevelt's narrative of his life and experiences during his time in the Dakota Territory of the 1880s. Published in 1888, it displays Roosevelt's writing at this finest. His picture words make the scenes come alive in all their splendor. This is a TR I never knew existed. For anyone with a love of western adventure, this book is it!

Besides providing the sheer enjoyment of reading, this book actually teaches the reader much about the life and economy of the era. I had always heard about the open range and the roundup, but this book makes the concepts clear. Cattle and horses were left to feed on the open range. The herds were divided during the roundup, with the calves given the brands of their mothers, as the way to assert property rights in the cattle. The devastation of a severe winter cannot be imagined until you read an eyewitness account, and few are written as well as this. The challenges of the hunt and the unique characters of the West can be experienced vicariously through the pages of this book.

Frederic Remington's illustrations add visual images to the written word.

This book is an excellent choice for anyone with longing for the lure of the Old West or a window into the world of Theodore Roosevelt.

"Ranch Life And The Hunting Trail" is Theodore Roosevelt's narrative of his life and experiences during his time in the Dakota Territory of the 1880s. Published in 1888, it displays Roosevelt's writing at this finest. His picture words make the scenes come alive in all their splendor. This is a TR I never knew existed. For anyone with a love of western adventure, this book is it!

Besides providing the sheer enjoyment of reading, this book actually teaches the reader much about the life and economy of the era. I had always heard about the open range and the roundup, but this book makes the concepts clear. Cattle and horses were left to feed on the open range. The herds were divided during the roundup, with the calves given the brands of their mothers, as the way to assert property rights in the cattle. The devastation of a severe winter cannot be imagined until you read an eyewitness account, and few are written as well as this. The challenges of the hunt and the unique characters of the West can be experienced vicariously through the pages of this book.

Frederic Remington's illustrations add visual images to the written word.

This book is an excellent choice for anyone with longing for the lure of the Old West or a window into the world of Theodore Roosevelt.

I have an original copy of this classic. Not a photo-copy. NOT much else of Americana as spectacular.

I have a boy in my class who would never finish a book. He just wasn't interested in any of the typical novels that third graders read. One day he picked up Tom Sawyer and he read it every day until he had finished the book. Now he's reading it a second time. Something about this story really appealed to him in a way that no other book could. The text level is typical for third grade. The print size is large. There are lots of black and white pictures. It tells the story of Tom Sawyer in a way that a third grader will understand.

the book was ok because it is so hard and it has some long parts in it! so i would not let kids under 8 read this unless they are real good! and other then that it was GREAT!!! then i would give it 50 thumbs up!!

My 9-year old son picked up the book and could not put it down! This is not typical for my very active son... it usually takes three weeks to finish a book - not the three days it took for this edition of Tom Sawyer. It was exciting to see him read a classic and enjoy it so much. Now he is asking for Huckleberry Finn...

Just to alert the prospective buyer- this volume is an adaptation by Deidre S. Laiken - not the unabridged version

Mr. Cosmas has put together some fascinating details about the Spanish American War and the campaigns in Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and even on Guam. His attention to detail is excellent and covers (although not in as much depth as it could have) the various factors involved in this unique conflict. He points out the weakness of the military, the lack of proper medical, supply and weaponry, but he does explain the courage and determination of the common soldier and the terrible problems they faced. The fight for San Juan Hill was done a bit too quickly, but covered the basics. The book is broken down into compact chapters that lets the reader learn about the war in digestible segments. All together, a most readable book for the novice and experienced history buff, but could have been much longer and filled with more information about the various units and relative personalties. In fact, Frederick Funston is only mentioned once and General Henry Lawton needed more ink. A good book to round out one's collection on the dawning of the American colonial period.

Throughout American military history, the interactions and tensions between the regular Army, militia (National Guard) and the civilian politicians in Washington have plagued efficiency in time of war. Nowhere are these tensions more apparent than in Graham A. Cosmas's seminal study. Do not let the title of this book mislead you, however. This is not a beginning-to-end narrative of the Spanish-American War in the conventional sense. Instead, this is an institutional, administrative, and organizational treatise on military policy, that utilises the Spanish-American War as a case study. Cosmas presents a perspective of the Spanish-American War as viewed from the War Department and never deviates far from that standpoint. Only one chapter tells of the land and naval engagements in the Caribbean and the Philippines. Even here, Cosmas prefers to concentrate more on logistics, than battles. Shortages of everything besides manpower, especially equipment and supplies resinates throughout these pages. The chapter "Sickness and Scandal" tells of the malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery epidemics that ravaged the American Army in Cuba, and the shortage of medical personnel and supplies to treat them. Yet, it is Cosmas's handling of all these crucial themes, at a critical turning point not only in American history, but also the shaping and reforming of American military policy, that makes this book a true classic. Briefly, Cosmas concludes the War Department's conduct of the war was not all mismanagement, negligence and corruption as commonly asserted by previous historians. Rather, the War Department's successes far outweigh its failures. The author weaves grand strategy, civil-military in-fighting, and the age-old debate concerning a regular standing versus citizen army beautifully. Cosmas states that the War Department had a good plan for carrying out the war, however, President William McKinley's meddling fouled it up. McKinley undermined the War Department's contingency plans, argues Cosmas, by expanding the Army twice, and bowing to the pressure of the states to call up the National Guard. The author asserts that had McKinley resisted the political sway of the National Guard proponents, the War Department would have been better able to train and equip a small regular force, thus alleviating chaotic logistical nightmares. In short, military strategy should be conducted my generals, not civilians; even if that civilian happens to be the commander-in chief [first published in 1973, this argument could certainly have mirrored current events in Southeast Asia]. This book is indispensable in gaining a perspective to a crucial period in American military policy. The less inclined may want to digest David Trask's _The War With Spain in 1898_ first though.

"An Army For Empire" is proof of the saying that, in military matters, amateurs speak of tactics while professionals speak of logistics. Much of this book deals with the history of the organization and supply of the U. S. Army during the Spanish American War. Relatively few pages are devoted to narration of the actual combat.

Much of the story of the preparation of the Army dealt with the sometimes stormy relationships between President McKinley, Secretary of War Alger, Commanding General Of The Army Miles, Adjutant General Corbin, General Shafter, Commander in Cuba, and more minor characters. Cosmas points out the challenges confronting the administration which contributed to the disorganization and poor food for which it was criticized. Legal restrictions on the deployment of National Guard units complicated the recruitment of volunteer troops. Problems arose out of the incompatibility of equipment among the state militias. Political tugs of war between regular and state forces complicated staffing. Limited ordnance production capabilities constrained material accumulation. Shifting war aims introduced inefficiencies into the deployment of troops. The post hostility problems with tropical diseases and their stateside ramifications receive in depth analysis. All in all, Cosmas concludes that the War Department succeeded, by war's end, in developing a suitable Army for Empire.

Cosmas does a good job in explaining how the shifting war aims drove changes in invasion plans. Whereas original debate centered over attacks on Havana or Puerto Rico, the discovery of Adm. Cervera's fleet in Santiago Harbor compelled a landing near Santiago. The reader learns that the seemingly irrational departure of the Spanish fleet from Santiago was done under orders. The resulting destruction of the Spanish fleet cut the army off from its sources of supply and condemned it to either starvation or surrender.

Cosmas show how inefficiencies turned up in unexpected places. Despite the longer trip, the expedition to the Philippines was better organized than the one to Cuba. As things turned out, the Army raised about twice as many volunteer troops as it used.

Having read other books about the Spanish American War, "An Army For Empire" supplemented what I already knew. It tied things together and showed the "whys" behind the "whats". For this it was worthwhile. I thought that the extensive verbage about supply and organization may prove boring, but it never did. I would not recommend this as a first book about the Spanish American war. I do recommend it to deepen the understanding of the mature reader.

For the student of military logistics this work is essential reading. As a history of the Spanish-American War, it is merely adequate. It is the primary objective of the book to cover the U.S. military's preparedness for, and response to, the Spanish-American War. The ebb and flow of battles are secondary to this logistical leitmotif, and are covered with little detail. Accordingly, there is almost more written on military uniform subcontracting than on the battle of San Juan Hill.

One disquieting aspect of the book is the impression Cosmas gives of his utter determination to absolve the U.S. Army of any wrong doing in its preparation for the war. In a number of areas, such as the performance of the Krag-Jorgensen rifle, Cosmas fails to convince. He too easily dismisses complaints about the military establishment as the products of political jealousies and yellow journalism.

Nonetheless, Cosmas' mastery of logistical detail is exceptional, and will make this book required reading for any historian of the war. However, it is not itself a full history of the war.

This book was good from a historical perspective, and gives some very interesting aspects about baseball in ST.L and durring WWII, but like the other reviewers have mentioned, there are several "baseball things" that are mis-stated or incorrect. Things like "RBI average" etc are annoying, and quite honestly would have been fixed by an editor who has watched some baseball - but did not ruin the whole book for me.

why this hasn't been made into a movie yet is puzzling to me

Hey, I had to love this book -- and I did. It's the story of the 1944 wartime World Series between the formidable St. Louis Cardinals and the chronic joke called the St. Louis Browns. I was a ten-year-old St. Louis kid, an avid sports fan, and the reality of a city series in my home town on the then western fringe of the major leagues was some kind of Nirvana. It was sheer pleasure for me to live all that again.

"The Boys Who Were Left Behind" brought back a lot of memories and excitement, reminding me of things I'd forgotten, but it also expanded my knowledge and understanding of what the game was like during the hard days of World War II. Most importantly, the pool of talent was depleted by the draft to the point that in 1945 (but not 1944), as the military scraped deeper and deeper into the ranks of the possibly eligible, the Browns actually used a one-armed player, Pete Gray. Some of the players were 4-Fs, physical rejects whose defects precluded duty in the trenches but not limping around the bases of ballparks. Others divided their time between factory work in defense industries and baseball, some being able to play ball only on weekends. Some just plain got lucky.

Stan Musial was one. If a player came from a draft board with a disproportionate number of eligible men and had good fortune with the lottery, he could slide through unscathed, and the Cardinals were particularly blessed in this regard. Musial, enlisting in early 1945 but never called, was able to stay with them throughout the war. The Browns, on the other hand, were not so fortunate, and their 1944 team was a patched together fabric of virtual misfits, alcoholics and retreads who somehow managed to win games.

They won a lot of games, as a matter of fact, including their notable pennant drive in which they won eleven out of their final twelve, including the last four in a row over the New York Yankees. I remember that last day. I was taking an October walk with my parents through the countryside outside the city, carrying a portable radio, and can visually recall our whereabouts at the moment when Chet Laabs hit his critical home run.

The Browns gave the high-powered Cards all they could handle in the Series, much to the delight of the many underdog-lovers in my home town but not this boy. I was a red-dyed Redbird fan even in that time of split loyalties.

The book is not without defects. A Browns rally in a home game is described as occurring "in the top of the fourth". Vernon Stephens is recalled as "one of the best outfielders" when he actually played shortstop. Some names are messed up -- "Roy" Sanders for "Ray", "Jack Jagucki for "Sig", and "Bill" Verban for "Emil". A hit off the right field screen in Sportsman's Park is called "an automatic double", which it was not -- a ball remained in play after it hit the screen. A run is described as scoring on an infield double play -- such would not count. A hit sending Walker Cooper to third is represented as advancing "the Cardinal pitcher" -- Walker was a Cards' catcher, his brother, Mort, a pitcher. Etc. But that's nitpicking, a small detraction from a delightful overall effort.

In short, John Heidenry and Brett Topel bring the wartime era in American history and sport to life in "The Boys Who Were Left Behind", and they do so in 152 succinct but heartfelt pages. They succeed in creating a feeling of the times in general and baseball in particular, touching on the difficulties with travel, supplies, and rationed items and the very real possibility that professional baseball might disappear for the duration. That it did not was a measure of the determination of fans, players and owners but also of the national perception that baseball had importance beyond being simply entertainment. It was our national sport, and no one, including the service people overseas who followed it closely, carped seriously about its continuation. Baseball represented a continuing thread of normalcy in a time of national emergency and in doing so held out the image of placid summer days, relaxed people and better times to come.

As another reviewer put it about some of the items in this book, "it may be nit-picking, but"...with this book, there is a lot of nit to pick. In spite of the impressive resources links at the end of the book, there is a bundle of inaccuracies all through the pages. Just to mention a few more than he did: Vern Stephens became one of the best outfielders (he wasn't an outfielder); Dodger outfielder Billy Herman (Babe Herman maybe); some old codger at the '44 Series was a Browns fan since 1869 (give me a break!); Danny Litwhiler had an RBI average of 82; Stan Musial was to play in the Mountain League (it was the Mountain States League); Sanders was the lead-off hitter for the Browns and batted in 102 runs (nobody ever did that before); plus a bunch of undoubtedly made-up conversations between players and batboys, etc. So, in spite of the many interesting things in the book, it became somewhat of a tedious read.

This was an excellent text, rivaling the great "Founding Brothers - The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis. It addresses the fundamental question I have always had; how could slavery continue (thrive) in a "free" nation? I have been reading a lot about the Founding Fathers with the central purpose of answering this very question. This book "George Washington & Slavery" includes many quotes and letters from the general that specifically addresses the slavery issue. It uses Washington and his contemporaries own letters to paint a story of our most famous founding father and his viewpoint on Blacks and slavery.

It begins by discussing how Washington obtained his large slave population through his marriage with Martha. It tells us that Washington was your typical (although meticulous) plantation owner. The Mount Vernon Estate was the most envied in the land. This was due to not only Washington's management but also slave labor. You get a strong since of how important slavery was to the every day needs of our most esteemed founding father.

However, Washington changed his views about Blacks during the Revolutionary War when he initiated enlisting Blacks into the Army (in the North not the South). Unfortunately, this was only done as a last resort after British Lord Cornwallis had announced that Black slaves could seek freedom if they took up arms with the British. It was then that Washington, faced with a mounting slave force with weapons, decided it was a smart strategy to allow Blacks to serve for the colonies.

What was most disappointing about Washington is that he was well aware of several Blacks with courage, intelligence and character. This book tells us about the Black poetess Phyllis Wheatley who was highly regarded for her literature (Washington once wrote her and he did addressed her with respect). There were several slaves that fought valiantly in the Revolutionary War and won recognition from Washington and other generals. He was always known to be fair on the battlefield with both his White and Black soldiers. There are several notably slaves such as his own Billy Lee that stood side by side with Washington through even his military battles. Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette often wrote Washington about the abolition of slavery? In fact, Lafayette wrote Washington about the large-scale emancipation of slaves in the French colony of Cayenne, the capital city of what is now known as Guiana. Therefore, Washington not only had first hand knowledge that Blacks were capable individuals, but also that slavery could and had been abolished in another part of the world. Washington still was willing to sit idle while hundreds of thousands were destined to a life of bondage.

At one time the Washington estate housed over 400 slaves (including children). They catered to the every needs of the Washingtons. Martha Washington had personally eleven slaves to perform her cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. This book was full of letters by the Washington's regarding their slaves. It indicated that the Washingtons were fair and reasonable with their slave labor. In fact, the only time George revolted punitively was in regard to runaways.

The last will and testament of George Washington was to free his slaves. This is good, but in my opinion is not enough to remove the stain of slavery in his life. Even though he was fair to his slaves, he could have set in motion (or at least continued the existing momentum) emancipation in this country. The original impression I had before was that Whites during our revolutionary time lived in an environment where slavery was an unchallenged institution. This book and others indicate that there was a growing abolition movement in this country that began at the nations' founding.

I get the impression from Washington and the other Founding Fathers that they realized slavery was wrong. Of course it would have been hard to move towards abolition. It is always difficult to give up status and an economic advantage. Power and privilege are always difficult to give up. And even if Washington could give up the Presidency of the United States he could not find himself to give up the comforts of slavery while he was living. This was a question about power and the need to feel superior to others. Emancipation would have been challenged by his fellow southern plantation owners. Of course it would have been challenged and certainly unpopular, but many ideas are challenged. The Founders including Washington could have provided freedom for slaves after they reach an appropriate age. This was a strategy employed by the northern states. He could have been more outspoken and introduced a plan to gradually rid the country of this egregious sin. The question is whether this is worth fighting for. There are many examples where Washington put his life on the line for ideas he felt were worth the fight. Was the fight was worth it? Fighting a war against the world's largest Army was hard and many thought suicidal. But you fight for things that you believe in and ideas that are worth it. That was one of the themes of the revolution. In Washington's opinion (and most other key leaders of our nation at that time), the plight, hopes, dreams, viewpoints, feelings and freedom of Blacks were not worth the fight.

This was a very well research historical view of George Washington that is not presented in normal history classes. While it is known that he owned slaves, this book provides a gateway to allow the reader to step back through time to get a true sense of what it was like to be "owned" by General Washington.

The photocopies of actual hand written letters about recapturing his runaway slaves shows him to be a vindictive person who had no conflict over being a staunch freedom fighter while owning slaves at the same time. Duh!

While some apologists for him say that he was a benevolent owner, the fact remains that his "employees" worked over 12 hours each day, seven days a week with neither a salary nor a 401k.

The book also points out a very clever concealment of the "fugutive slave law" in the constitution. (Section 2 article 4) that George spearheaded.

After reading this work one can see that his slave plantation was every bit as horrific as anything to be found in Treblenka, Bergen-Belsen or Dauchau.

Mr. Hirschfeld has put a lot of time and research into this work and has turned out a good look at Washington the slave owner. He like the writers of recent attacks on T. Jefferson however forget to tell the whole story. Early in the 21st century it is easy to look back and see what an evil slavery was. The fact that we weren't raised being told that slavery was not only acceptable but a positive good makes our viewpoint much eaiser. Washington like Jefferson was raised by people who told him slavery was indeed a good thing. The society he grew up in and probably even his ministers told him the same thing. Hirschfeld's work is lacking in that he doesn't point out that by ever beginning to see the wrongs of the slave system Washington had shown a great deal of moral growth. Otherwise this is a fine book that examines an area of Washington's life that does deserve attention.

The author's work is certainly exhaustively researched, and thus has much to offer to any student of Washington, and of slavery itself. However, I take umbrage to the notion of conducting a limited analysis on the character of Washington, as inferred solely from his reluctant acceptance of the institution of slavery. Had the author been born into a southern plantation family in the late eighteenth century, I wonder if his intractable views on slavery would have been quite as pronounced.

Francis Grierson gives a vivid account of his days in central Illinois near the Sangamon river. The characters and their earthy wisdom, the folks on the underground railroad and the camp meeting were told so well, I swear that I was there. I recommend it highly to those readers who enjoy nineteenth century pioneer days reading

This book was mind numbing. I believe historical books are supposed to have facts and information that is easy enough to comprehend. All that this book provided was the ramblings of colloquial dialog. This should be a book on tape not a book of historical text. The Valley of Shadows was to be a source of information for a conference on Lincoln's Antebellum America, I wonder how many of my colleagues did as I did with this work, SKIM.

Herbert Agar, in his seminal work THE PRICE OF UNION, touts Grierson's little book. Fifteen years after reading Agar, I finally found THE VALLEY OF SHADOWS at a used bookstore in Denver. I had begun work on a screenplay about General Nathaniel Lyon (who held Missouri for the Union during the Civil War). Grierson's book and A BORDER CITY DURING THE CIVIL WAR by Galusha Anderson were priceless sources describing St. Louis as the city began to split apart in 1861. Both books were published more than four decades after the War, but the events are described vividly.

I had never heard of Francis Grierson's "The Valley of Shadows" until I read Edmund Wilson's enthusiastic praise of it in "Patriotic Gore." Still, I was unprepared for the book's enormous effect. I have never read anything like "The Valley of Shadows." It has some of the most evocative writing I have ever encountered, and, in this edition, ranks as one of the best short novels of 19th century America. (Prof. Bray has wisely excised the latter chapters of Francis Grierson's "memoir," and what remains is a compelling and very memorable work.) Grierson's descriptions of pre-Civil-War-Sangamon County, Illinois, the omens of war and suffering preceding Lincoln's election in 1860, and the religious hysteria of the times are unforgettable. His prose style is, to put it mildly, lyrical, but it is not in the least mannered or fussy. I think this book, more than any other except "Huckleberry Finn," shows what the American Midwest was like in mid-19th century. Like "Huck Finn," "The Valley of Shadows" is told from a child's point of view, and the feeling of wonder and confusion that comes from this choice of narrator is central to the book's charm. Perhaps best of all, the novel's characters, all beautifully differentiated and running a huge range from the comic to the deeply spiritual, are as unforgettable as any characters I have encountered. New readers of "The Valley of Shadows" are in for a big treat.