Indiana Books

Nicely illustrated by Quaker graphic designer, Susanna Peebles Combs, Mim and the KLAN contains twenty chapters of three to five pages each. Set in the author's home of Wabash County, Indiana in 1969, detailed descriptions of rural family farm life invoke memories of a radically different American life style. The teen-age main characters, Mim and her cousin Karen, are children of a Quaker farming family, and so their lives and conversations revolve around experience of farms, animals, extended family and their Quaker Meeting. The skeletal story of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana laced into the main story line creates a sharply conflicting value system to the rural Quakers. "I [Mim] told Karen what Grampa and Grams had told me. 'The Klan was here in Indiana - not just the South. And it was here in our county - even among our church members.' I thought we were past all that bigotry - prejudice." "Karen, I am ashamed to say this is a state that still [1969] harbors prejudice." (page 21). The story then moves smartly along, yet retains its integrity and homespun character.
Karen cans strawberries and Mim raises animals for show (4-H) at the Indiana State Fair while a parallel story finds the Klan, the Quaker Meeting and public institutions, both at county and state levels in mutual support of one another. Strange bedfellows indeed; William Penn's "Holy Experiment" failure in 17th century Pennsylvania illustrated the incongruity of Quaker values and the moral inversion of politics, but for the Klan to have gained credibility and support in a Quaker Meeting is truly remarkable. Mim does some library research about the Klan and uncovers rather embarrassing facts about their Quaker Meeting and a mob lynching of two black men a generation ago. But the Klan=s tentacles reach down through the generations, and a close family friend agonizing through serious self-examination in a context of typical Quaker sympathy, trust and cooperative association highlights the starkly contrasting values.
A new friend, Jonathan, a young African-American man and expert harness race driver, is introduced by scenes at the State Fair, while Mim and Karen challenge contemporary stereotypes and the harsh consequences of prejudicial thinking that dominate public thought. Quaker values, and Klan values which still permeate society today, conflict directly in the final chapters where Mim and Karen make assumptions about Jonathan radically different than the police.
Thematically, there are dimensions of value systems that make the book appealing to reflective people of any age. Quaker communities implicitly assume that we are spiritual beings on a human journey, and so embrace trust, sympathy and mutual support for one another. The Quaker commitment to living in community, caring for others and grounding their spiritual guidance in the form of questions (The Queries) make it natural to extend community to other people without judgment. The Ku Klux Klan on the other hand, prides itself on ethnic superiority, mindless antagonism and hatred expressed in intimidation and murder - the polar opposite of community (pages 88 - 92). Precedence for such moral inversion is as old as history itself (Isaiah 5:20), and remains with us in the form of 'market morality', 'growth and progress', 'ethnic cleansing' and other popular political and business euphemisms. The Quaker community in the story, and in reality, is in sharp contrast to political, 'market' values where mutual adversity and competition replace cooperative association; predatory economics replaces sympathy, and contractual penalty replaces trust.
Cynthia Stanley Russell's book is rich with implied questions for discussion among young people. It would work well in youth discussion groups in which each participant has read the book at least once, and enters the discussion with questions well prepared. It is also a suitable reading for university classes in ethics, Indiana history and sociology. Mim and the Klan has a nice flow, well integrated themes and is grounded in a fertile history. There are many questions elicited by this book, and thoughtful adults who look past the surface structure will find a deep, rich significance for their own lives.

Ruedy builds his history of modern Algeria the old-fashioned way, from the ground up, focusing on economic and social movements and the rise of the Algerian nationalist movement. He is especially strong on the disastrous economic and social effects of the 130-year French occupation and the way in which these disruptions paved the way for modern Algerian nationalism. Readers who are suspicious of state-based nationalisms will no doubt question the overarching narrative, with its focus on the inexorable rise of an Algerian nation-state; still, Ruedy makes a compelling case that the nationalist paradigm of Algerian history has a lot going for it. This book should be a standard reference for anyone interested in Algerian history or politics.

This is a wonderful selection of modern arabic drama...so different from western drama and really shows the arab point of view. Very moving. especially piece like Darkness, The CHina Tree, and Night Traveller.

If you are a fan of the old Monon line or are a model railroader and/or railroad enthusiast, I highly recommend this book. MONON: The Hoosier Line, was written by Gary W. & Stephen F Dolzall. They grew up near the Monon line in Southern Indiana and their love & devotion they developed for this railroad growing up as young brothers brought them together to write this fantastic book. From it's early beginnings in 1847 to the completion of the L&N merger in 1971 is all here including maps, pictures, equipment rosters and passenger car diagrams and much more! I grew up in Michigan City in Indiana during the 60's and is a place that Monon well served. This book bought back great memories of "The Hoosier Line" and has educated me a lot about the railroad that I didn't know about during that time when I was growing up there. From the Red & Gray passenger trains to the Black & Gold freight trains.......This was Indiana's own railroad and a mighty fine one at that too!

Morgante stands with Orlando Furioso (Ariosto) and Orlando Innamorato (Boiardo) as one of the great Italian Renaissance romance epics. Morgante, however, is often overlooked, and has only recently been made available in English. Pulci's work has all of the elements that made the genre so popular: romance, action, chivalry, rivalry, magic, and intrigue. Pulci mixes the tragic and the comedic, the epic and the burlesque, and the reverent and the sacrilegious to give the reader a story that is extremely beautiful and always entertaining. Although he lacks some of the subtlety of Ariosto, he has nonetheless created a masterpiece in twenty-eight cantos. We follow Orlando, Rinaldo, Astolfo, Ogier the Dane and the other paladins of King Charlemagne's court through countless adventures in Saracen lands with beautiful women, wicked leaders, grotesque giants, and mythical beasts. It seems that the characters almost inevitably engage in sword fights, convert the Muslims and fall in love. The stories are similar to those of the Arthurian legends, only with the addition of Pulci's grand sense of humor. It all culminates in the Battle of Roncesvalles, where the Christians (betrayed by the wicked Gano) are treacherously attacked by Marsilius and his pagans. This is the story narrated in the Song of Roland, but it comes alive through Pulci's creativity.

The translation by Joseph Tusiani is in verse and has been rendered in dignified and eloquent English. Still, it is easy to read and remains lively and never pedantic. Perhaps the greatest feature of this edition is the many annotations provided for each chapter and the scholarly introduction (all by Edoardo Lebano) on the life and works of Luigi Pulci. There are over 200 pages of annotations that help illuminate passages in each canto. This makes the book ideal for students and scholars of both Pulci and the Renaissance.

I highly recommend this book. For readers who are unacquinated with Furioso or Innamorato, perhaps you should read those works first to get an idea of the genre, especially since this edition of Morgante is rather pricey. Also, chronologically, Morgante contains stories relating to the end of Orlando's life. However, for those (like me) who have read Furioso and Innamorato and found them to be splendid works, Morgante will be a fine investment.

Jean McMahon Humez stands in all probability as the greatest expert on the fascinating, extinct sect known to the world as The Shakers. Her ability to compile the writings of Rebecca Jackson, one of the most famous converts to Shakerism, in such an effective manner as she did was remarkable. In that work, Humez showed a true mastery of what ought to be seen as a difficult topic.

Although a failed postage has meant I have not been able to receive the book, "Mother's First-Born Daughters: Early Shaker Writings on Women and Religion" appears to be as good as Humez' previous work on the topic. Though it meant nothing to me when I first read it, it is fair to say that since that time I have become better able to understand the mysteries that lie at the core of Shaker life. The fact that Shakers had a quite complicated system (as Humez makes us aware) meant that their writings on spiritual topics have not been as available to a reader like me as books dealing with, say, Shaker furniture or cooking.

Hence, this collection, when and if I get a chance to read it thoroughly, should be a revelation. The findings I have so far had about it show clearly that Humez is able to "get inside" the lives of Shaker women in a way more general studies of Shakerism never even attempt to do. She seems to be able to show more than just events within communes from 170-210 years ago in a manner that is rare even among the best-researched histories, especially in the early and late parts of the book. This appears to be very well balanced with commentaries that give the general reader some hop of understanding the text, so that in no way can it be as unreadable as I found it several years back.

We really see and feel the religious inspiriation of the Shaker mediums, even understanding where they felt it was coming from, when we read Humez' well-edited texts. The feelings and dreams of being possessed by spirits normally seems far removed, yet here it seems totally familiar, as do other aspects of Shaker spirituality discussed in the book.

On the whole, these texts cement Jean McMahon-Humez' status as the greatest Shaker historian. Strongly recommended, especially as none of the texts can be found in the equally impressive The Shakers: Two Centuries Of Spiritual Reflection. Together, they give a mountain of writings for a modern reader to reflect upon.

This set of books classify all known myths and folk tales, in terms of both story and motif. Invariably, any book analyzing myths will simply use Thompson's notation (Aa ###) whenever placing the myths discussed in a multi-cultural or syncretic context. For an understanding of Thompson's work rather than referencing the literally encyclopedic result, see _Types_of_the_Folktale_.

This set of books classify all known myths and folk tales, in terms of both story and motif. Invariably, any book analyzing myths will simply use Thompson's notation (Aa ###) whenever placing the myths discussed in a multi-cultural or syncretic context. For an understanding of Thompson's work rather than referencing the literally encyclopedic result, see _Types_of_the_Folktale_.

Mountain Bike!: The Midwest is a comprehensive guide to classic biking trails throughout the American midwest. Authors Richard Ries and Dave Shepard introduce the cyclist to the sheer physical beauty and easy riding routes Ohio; the Scioto Trail State Forest; Wayne National Forest; Indiana; throughout Illinois (including the Chicago/Rockford area); the Shawnee National Forest; and much, much more. Each route is profiled with at-a-glance key information, a thorough ride description, a detailed trail map, helpful sources of information, proximity of important services, valuable commentary on elevation changes and possible hazards, and a rescue index. Enhanced with candid and evocative photographs, vivid descriptions of native flora and fauna, a glossary of mountain biking terms, and tips on mountain biking etiquette, Mountain Bike!: The Midwest is a "must" for dedicated cyclists exploring the biking trails of the American midwest.

The three best things about this book are the extensive primary research, the author's clarity, and his unrelenting fairness to all his subjects. Every time Owens describes any peculiar behavior--whether by William Henry Harrison, other American politicians or by Native Americans leaders--he explains it in its context and then goes on to point out if it fits with the circumstances or if the actors are being inconsistent or hypocritical. While most historians work to understand the nuances and characters of their subjects, Owens is unique in explicitly laying these out along with the logic of his assertions. This helps the reader to really understand the motivations of these frontier people instead of just having to accept an author's implicit assumptions. To paraphrase a line from The Razor's Edge, Owens gives the reason and the intent--most historians just give the reason.

Besides the historical quality and the impressive research, Mr. Jefferson's Hammer is just a highly enjoyable read. Owens writes very vividly and uses lots of colorful language. The last two chapters, which describe Harrison wheeling and dealing for land and build up to the death of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, have the pacing of a novel or at least a popular history. The author also has a snappy way of characterizing people and actions that make the book a lot of fun to read.

One somewhat noteworthy omission is that the section entitled "Everyday Life in Early Indiana" hardly mentions farming (except a couple of lines in passing), which one would suspect would be the most sizeable component of everyday life. He discusses ideological and cultural issues that are more related to the narrative, but it just seems that he could have included more about farming in that part or renamed the section.

That, however, is a small complaint about an issue that does nothing to detract from the author's intent to explore the rationale behind and the unfolding of U.S. and Indian relations on the frontier. I really love this book and think anyone interested in U.S. history would do much to clarify and add depth to their understanding of this period by reading it.