Oklahoma Books

Just placed my order for two copies of this book -- I have, however, had the privilege of previewing several chapters as they were written over the years.

Grady Walker was one of my English professors at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The colorful and "almost" unbelievable tales he tells in this collection are delightful, hilarious, shocking, and poignant reflections in and around the West Oklahoma town of Sayre. Oh, and did I mention grotesque?

Many, many people in Dr. Walker's circle of friends, colleagues, and students have waited many, many years for the completion and publication of this novel. I hope that many, many more will discover it and be enriched (or disturbed) as they immerse themselves in the stories of deepest, darkest, Oklahoma.

When it comes right down to it there is just nothing better than Saturdays in the Fall and settling in to watch a day full of college football. The spectacle...the tradition...it is unlike any other sport. One university that just screams tradition is Oklahoma. The Sooners have been one of those perennial powerhouses for decades and Triumph Books gives them their just tribute in Game Day: Oklahoma Football, another in their fantastic line of books spotlighting college footballs most famous programs. The book highlights OU's rich tradition and pageantry, it's great games, coaches, players, and moments, not to mention the Sooner Schooner, first introduced in 1964. Read all the lyrics to"Boomer Sooner" and "Oklahoma"!

Oklahoma boasts four Heisman Trophy winners and over a hundred and forty All-Americans, OU has been blessed with some of college footballs greatest players including Brian Bosworth, Keith Jackson, Steve Owens, Greg Pruitt, Lee Roy Selmon, Billy Sims, and my favorite Sooner Joe Washington. It was Washington who inspired me to spray paint my cleats purple when I was in high school as he had painted his silver.

When you talk OU coaches you have to start with the great Bud Wilkinson who won over 80% of his games and amassed an NCAA 47 game winning streak and three national championships. Barry Switzer would equal Wilkinson with three championships of his own in 1974, 1975, and 1985. The OU program struggled in the 1990's until Bob Stoops arrive and restored the glory in 1999, winning the national title in 2000. The book takes you on a journey through all of Oklahoma's championship seasons.

Relive some of the Sooners' greatest games including the 1971 "game of the century" against archrival Nebraska, the 1993 thrashing of Texas, the 25 - 10 pasting of Penn State in the 1986 Orange Bowl, and the 1977 last second win over Ohio State in 1977.

This beautiful hardcover book features stunning phtography that puts you right on the field of play! The great rivalries against Nebraska, Tesas, and Oklahoma State and comments from former players round out another enjoyable edition from Triumph Books. A true testament to the greatness that is Oklahoma football!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Students of Native American genealogy will welcome the re-publication of Henry Gannett's Gazetteer of Indian Territory, first published in 1905. Gannett, geographer for the U.S. Geological Survey, oversaw the publication of the Gazetteer between the Oklahoma Land Rushes of 1889 to 1895 and Oklahoma's admission as the 46th state in 1907. Indian Territory refers to those remaining southwest lands that had become home, primarily, to the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chocktaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole) following their removal from the southeastern states in 1833. (Small reservations of Quapaw, Peoria, Modoc, Ottawa, Wyandot, and Shawnee dotted the northwestern corner of the territory.)

Indian Territory is bounded on the north by Kansas, on the east by Arkansas, on the south by Texas, and on the west by Oklahoma. Readers will find a valuable description of the region's geological, geographical, demographic, and economic characteristics in Mr. Gannett's Introduction. The bulk of the book, of course, consists of an alphabetical list of 2,100 place names, scattered through Indian Territory. The place names range from villages, to railway stations, to bodies of water, and to other natural formations. Each place name is identified in relation to the Indian nation on whose reservation it could be found and with reference to Indian Nation atlas sheets published separately by the U.S. Geological Survey. All in all, this is a great tool for researchers with ancestors among the Five Civilized Tribes and other Indian nations.

From the Long Expedition of 1820 through the Black Hawk War of 1832, General Henry Atkinson was the most conspicuous governmental figure in the West. Entering the army in 1808 and making his way rapidly through the ranks, he commanded the John C. Calhoun-sponsored expedition to the Yellowstone country in 1819 (sort of a "We are here" wake-up call to the British traders in that region); because of poor planning and non-support, it never got farther than Council Bluffs. It was from here the following year that Gen. Stephen H. Long set out for the central Rockies on his famous exploring venture there.

In 1820 Atkinson took command of the Western Department in St. Louis; five years later a second expedition to the Yellowstone took place, this one successful. He met William Ashley near the mouth of the Yellowstone River on his way back from the first rendezvous with his trappers; both parties returned to St. Louis together. In 1827, after establishing Jefferson Barracks south of St. Louis as his base of operations, Atkinson sent Col. Henry Leavenworth on a mission to establish a post on the Kansas frontier - the site becoming Fort Leavenworth. During the Black Hawk War Atkinson commanded troops and was victorious against the Sauk at Bad Axe in August 1832. In 1840 he led the removal of the Winnebago Indians from Wisconsin to Iowa, where Fort Atkinson was established. He died at Jefferson Barracks two years later.

Nichols's biography is still the definitive account of Atkinson's life 40 years after it was written. He is scholarly, but is not writing to just a small coterie of fellow historians. The book is interesting and comprehensive. Highly recommended.

Thornthwaite "Climatic Water Budget Analysis" is rational, systematic and quantitative, based on measured data. Unlike Köppen which attempts to use vegetation to predict large general climate areas, Thornthwaite uses temperature, precipitation, latitude, day length and soil water-holding capacity for an objective perspective of climate. Model enhancements include net primary productivity in grams per square meter per year, continentality (continental vs. oceanic influence), aspect, an Index of Moisture that accounts for precipitation (income), potential and actual evapotranspiration (spending), soil water-holding capacity (storage or withdrawal), indices of moisture in arid and humid climates. While Köppen lumps mountains into "Highlands", Thornthwaite reflects objective conditions - over a 30-year period. Climate constraints (maximums, minimums, ranges) are comparable world wide. Agriculture, urban residents, water, soil and ecosystem managers find Thornthwaite logical, rational and useful (vs. Köppen, a "memorized" system of map areas).

Historical perspectives of Thornthwaite's time and teaching in Oklahoma, working with Birdseye, doing regional geography in Kentucky, heading the Soil Conservation Service, and applying the tools of weather and climate worldwide make his life and biography long-term valuable. Understand Thornthwaite and you realize just how much "fluff" and spin current Natl Weather Service and media weather-climate reports are. This biography is defensible, robust, rational and reveals hard work and a fresh perspective.

Thanks to Robert K. Dearment a little recognised brave Lawman comes to life. George Scarborough was my Grandmothers uncle and as an expat American with little knowledge of my family this book has been a wonderful experience and a great help to me.
Robert Dearment explains life and times in New Mexico and surrounding areas in such a way that you are transported back to that time. Many of the incidents which are only alluded to other Wild West biographies and stories have been investigated

and researched and written about in detail. As there are always two sides to every story both explanations are given in an unbiased way.
Anyone who is interested in Frontier and Wild West should make sure that they have a copy of this book in their library. The book also explains and tidies up loose ends on other stories which have done the rounds over the years.

Though Linzer could have written a scathing historical commentary on the ridiculous treatment of Native Americans, she has instead chosen to write a novel about the amazing strength of three young Indian men. Their lives split between Oklahoma and Washington state reservations, these men are still able to find laughter and the sacred beauty their great-great-grandmother taught them sternly about. Unbroken spirits in broken down Chevys....read it, you'll enjoy it.

A must have for anyone interested in Native culture. Each rite is carefully described with a sincere reverence and enhanced with beautifully detailed illustrations. I wish that American schools would use this book as a part of their American History curriculum. Highly recomended!

This reprint of a 1972 book is the best (and only) source of information on 35mm cameras and photography (which was called 'miniature' format back when most cameras used glass plates and/or large sheets of film). There is a short history lesson of photography from just before 35mm cameras became popular through the 1960s, then information about the cameras forms the bulk of the text.
Information on American 35mm cameras from this time period (~1920 - 1960s) is hard to find. This book describes the companies and their products. There are many photos, but they are of low quality (copies of copies), but when you are the only source who can complain? And at almost 350 pages this is a lot of information for the money.
A great book about a neglected subject. Highly recommended, despite the poor quality illustrations.