Kentucky Books

Although this book was purchased as a Christmas gift for someone, I was advised that it is a GREAT book and would really be enjoyed by any Kentucky fan. Highly recommend.

The players' stories are interesting and spread out over the history of UK ball. Ralph Beard, Sam Bowie and Rajon Rondo are all here. Todd Svoboda even chips in.

Outstanding compilation of historical Kentucky players/legends sharing their thoughts regarding their most memorable game as a Wildcat. Their stories take on a fervor as they are being relayed to the reader through the hand of the gifted author, who is a true Big Blue fan. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in Kentucky basketball or just a fan of the college game.

I have found nearly every book in the "Little Colonel" series, some being first editions. I prefer the older editions, despite the numerous "racial slurs," because they are the product that the author intended to present. I have heard from various sources that the later editions have been revised, removing the colloquiallisms and unifying Lloyd's speech patterns and mannerisms with those of the other characters. I call this a shame. Obviously, no harm was meant by the author when she portrayed the African-American servants as she did, and reading Lloyd say, "...honah," rather than "honor" paints a lot more colorful picture of her character. In rating this series, I must declare it a "must read" for both boys and girls. The morals and lessons are invaluable, and would be a refreshing balm for the wounds today's youth are suffering from, even at the youngest age. I do believe if I had read the tale of "The Three Weavers," as told in "The Little Colonel At Boarding School," MY life would have been touched, sparing me much grief in later years. So, parents, grandparents, caring adults, find these literary jewels and READ them with a child. Their lives and yours will be the richer for it.

My mother was born in 1896, She read all the Little Colonel books and read them to me. I read them to my children and grandchildren and now have a greatgranddaughter who will get my old old and dearly loved copies.These books teach a love of classics as well as good moral values, plus,providing interesting stories.

I have a complete set of the Little Colonel books that my mother accumulated for me over a period of years in the 1940's, when they were already long out of print. A classic Shirley Temple movie of the late 1930's (I think) was based on the first book, but I enjoyed the later ones even more. I am delighted to see them reissued after all these years. Lloyd Sherman and the other characters introduced in the later books (The Little Colonel's House Party and succeeding titles) were almost as real to me, when I was 8 to 12 years old, as my own friends. My favorite character was not Lloyd herself, who seemed overprivileged and a little too perfect, but Elizabeth Lloyd Lewis (Betty), the daughter of one of Lloyd's mother's girlhood friends. The stories also provide fascinating insights into post-Civil War Southern society.

Few Americans, who lived in the 1960's, will ever forget the grotesque spectacle appearing on the evening television news as Vietnamese Buddhist monks (and nuns) regularly burned themselves to death in protest of government policies they believed were bringing about the destruction of their country. In The Lotus Unleashed, an absorbing account of those times, Dr. Robert J. Topmiller examines the complex political climate in then-South Vietnam during the years immediately leading up to the massive increase in U.S. ground troops there. The author provides a plethora of new information about this popular Buddhist led-movement which was intent on establishing a freely-elected government in South Vietnam; one free of American occupying forces. In addition to his meticulous research, Topmiller interviewed surviving leaders of the Buddhist Peace Movement; an often difficult and risky task, since many were at the time still under suspicion, or house arrest, by the current government.

The Lotus Unleashed makes sense of the chaos occurring within South Vietnam in the mid-1960's, as seen not only in the bitter dissension between, and within, South Vietnam's political, religious and military organizations, but also between the U.S. Army and Marine Corps forces stationed there.

Lessons, seemingly relevant to our current foreign policy, leap from the pages. Perhaps the most important of these derives from a consistent misinterpretation and mistrust by U.S. policymakers with regard to the motives of the Buddhist protesters, and other non-communist nationalist factions, who opposed the government in Saigon. This lesson, in its simplest form, might read: Because a faction does not support us, it does not necessarily mean it supports our enemy.

Topmiller sheds much new light on this crucial point in our history and presents a compelling argument that the Buddhist Peace Movement, far from being an inconsequential player in the larger struggle between the United States and Soviet Union for hegemony in the region, may well have been the last practical opportunity to avoid the ensuing tragedy that eventually cost the lives of over 58,000 Americans and nearly 3 million Vietnamese. As I finished this extraordinary book, the words of the American poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier came to mind:

"For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: It might have been!"

This new book on the American-Vietnam War, writes Robert J. Topmiller, "contains few American heroes but focuses instead on the enormous sacrifices of Vietnamese Buddhists to halt the conflict." In the end, the conflict caused 58,000 American and 3 million South and North Vietnamese deaths.

"The Lotus Unleashed: The Buddhist Peace Movement in South Vietnam, 1964-1966" marks the culmination of one historian's decade-long endeavor to tell the story of America's longest war from the perspective of those South Vietnamese Buddhists "who risked everything for peace." The author, an alumnus of Central Washington University, is a Vietnam War veteran and a history professor at Eastern Kentucky University.

Topmiller asserts that America's defeat in Vietnam ultimately resulted from the illegitimacy and unpopularity of successive South Vietnamese governments, which aside from being dictatorial were dependent on and subservient to a warring foreign power, the United States. Above all, he writes, most South Vietnamese wanted peace and independence.

Examination of the Buddhist Peace Movement, Topmiller argues, typifies both "the ambiguity felt by Vietnamese over the American [Cold War] crusade" and "America's frustration over its inability to influence events in South Vietnam." The Buddhists, who hoped to establish peace and democracy and to eradicate poverty and injustice, represented the most significant non-communist group that challenged the South Vietnamese government.

The Buddhist Movement's first defining moment came in June 1963 when an elderly monk protested his government's religious persecution by setting himself on fire. Photographs of the self-immolation and the government's repression of Buddhist protesters galvanized American and world opinion against South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, who was assassinated in a November coup.

As Topmiller emphasizes, the toppling of Diem did not work in favor of the Buddhists' drive for peace and nationalism. Instead, it created a political power vacuum filled by South Vietnamese generals, who permitted increased American intervention and an expansion of the war against communist North Vietnam. Washington secretly opposed the Buddhist objective of a populist government because it risked instability and possible cooperation with local communists, and at best, such a course would lead to a "neutralist" approach to the Cold War.

The United States found it increasingly difficult to maintain stability in South Vietnam, a country plagued by interest group factionalism and regional divisions.

Topmiller illustrates this vividly by reconstructing the 1966 Buddhist Crisis in Danang, where U.S. Marines attempted to prevent fighting between their military ally, the South Vietnamese Marines and Air Force, and Buddhist and student protesters, who were aided by dissident South Vietnamese army units. At one point, South Vietnamese fighter planes "accidentally" strafed and injured eight U.S. marines in Danang. A livid U.S. Marine general ordered American fighters to fly over the Vietnamese planes to forestall further strafing. Upset with this adverse action, the South Vietnamese launched additional planes to fly over the American jets. This retaliation only caused more U.S. planes to take to the air. Finally, "after more stern warnings" from the Americans, the Vietnamese Air Force "backed down."

Nevertheless, by the end of 1966, the U.S-backed government in South Vietnam forcefully subjugated the Buddhist Peace Movement. Topmiller suggests that the Buddhist Crisis may have represented a missed of opportunity for peace and a chance for the United States to avoid a humiliating and tragic defeat.

His well-written narrative and nuanced understanding of South Vietnamese and American motives and actions are the result of painstaking research in the United States and Vietnam, including interviews and correspondence with key actors.

With the United States at war in the Middle East, Topmiller's book serves to remind us of the challenges and pitfalls of American involvement in far-flung conflicts.

Dr. Topmiller examines the Vietnam War and the subsquent US involvement not solely from the stance of a proxy US vs. Communism war, but allows for the agency of the Vietnamese people in respect to their own history.

His illustration of the Buddhist movement in Vietnam, not as a sideshow, but as a legitamite third force in the struggle allows Americans today a deeper understanding of this very emotional episode in our history.

Dr. Topmiller's study of the conflict between USMC and US Army leadership throughout the conduct of the American military action adds a further vital lesson for the American people in our current age of increased military intervention. The most notable praise this book received was from Daniel Ellsburg who noted that Dr. Topmiller was able to find material about the war that Ellsburg himself was unaware of.

Any serious student of the history of Vietnam, the American War in Vietnam or American History needs to read this book.

The worldwide popularity of the Harry Potter books has been seen as a boon not just for publishers, but for children who are getting excited about reading and are looking forward to reading the next one. But a large segment of American society does not see this as good news. The books are seen by some Christian fundamentalists as spiritually dangerous to children, since they introduce concepts of the occult in attractive ways. Certainly not all Christians feel this way, recognizing the books as belonging to the type of fantasies written by Christians like C. S. Lewis and others. If fundamentalists feel that the Harry Potter books are the works of the devil, however, they are in good historical company. In _Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture_ (University Press of Kentucky), Bill Ellis has continued an academic query which he described in his previous _Raising the Devil_. While his current book is not an analysis of Harry Potter books and the movement against them, J. K. Rowling's works are shown to be just a contemporary part of folklore beliefs that have gone back for centuries.

Witchcraft was (and is) practiced in opposition to an increasingly rationalistic theology. The practices allow marginalized groups to use traditions to give themselves a sense of degree of control over their lives, but can also be employed by those who have no particular conflict with society. Ellis examines such hardware of the occult as the "grimoire" or magic book, chain letters (!), and even the rabbit's foot. He shows how young people are especially prone to old-time occult activity. Since medieval times, people have made special trips to, say, Neolithic monuments. Folklorists call this "legend-tripping," and teenagers have kept up the tradition. The trip, often to a forbidden house or a graveyard, is made in a cultivated atmosphere of fear; stories of previous trippers who suffered the penalty for violating the taboo get passed along and keep the tripping alive rather than restraining it. Ellis shows that teens calling upon spirits by means of the Ouija board is quite similar to calling spirits out during exorcisms, an illustration of how belief in the occult actually compliments and supports orthodox belief. Frightened fundamentalists may be taking the Ouija threat too seriously; one student user says, "You really don't get any answers that mean anything. We just get drunk and have a good time."

Ellis, himself an active Lutheran, makes clear that he is not advocating for the folklore practices described here, or even apologizing for them. He admits that while many of the practices might be harmless, spooky fun for teens, there may be bad consequences as well. He gives such concrete examples as vandalism resulting from a graveyard visit, rather than the possibility that Satan might take over the souls doing the trip. His is an academic work, but even so, with its unusual themes, it is an entertaining one. He is especially amused by the famous spoof article in the satirical paper _The Onion_, telling about how satanic groups were being overwhelmed by Harry Potter readers trying to join up. The article was ridiculous, but was sent as a chain letter by many Christian youth counselors as a bona fide warning about the danger Harry poses. Their more Internet-savvy students were embarrassed that their elders could not tell reality from a joke. _The Onion_ just gave the elders an opportunity to overreact, but Ellis's book shows that the pattern of overreaction, giving definition to both orthodoxy and the occult, has been going on for centuries.

Bill Ellis, associate professor of English and American Studies at Penn State Hazleton, published in the year 2000 the book Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media. That was a great read indeed, and so is its companion Lucifer Ascending, where Ellis continues his studies and research of Satanism, the occult, and alternative worldviews and what they mean to the people involved.

But first a few words about the author. It should be stated that Ellis is a Christian, a fact that many Satanists or other non-Christians will claim makes him much too subjective to be able to explore the left-hand path. Yeah, well, one shouldn't forget that he's also a scholar. And a damn good one, too. Ellis, an active member of The Evangelical Lutheran Church, makes it clear from the very start that he believes in God, that he's taught in Sunday School, that his daughter went to a catholic church during her childhood, and so on. But despite all this he's still lightyears away from a stereotype American fundamentalist who despises and loathes everything that happens not to be Christian.

Because, as I said, Ellis is a scholar. And he's written another book that cannot, and should not, be missed.

A common theme that appears throughout the book is Harry Potter. Many fundamental Christian groups in America fully believe that J.K. Rowling's stories about the spectacled wizard are indeed propaganda in order to promote "traditional" (whatever that means) satanic and occult teachings, and this debate, which is still pretty heated from place to place, has received a lot of attention in American media. Ellis dissociates himself from this craziness and flatly admits that the adventures of Harry Potter are both well-written and makes a great read. The notion that children who read them will become Satanists or something equally horrible is something Ellis denies. With a passion.

However, the debate itself is definitely worth studying, and each chapter in Lucifer Ascending deals with something from this debate, or the books themselves, that can be analyzed and questioned using different religious and sociological perspectives. Ellis makes clear that young people's fascination with the forbidden, mystical, paranormal and (at least according to some) anti-Christian is nothing new, and he refutes the somewhat paranoid ideas about how Ouija boards are a serious threat to the Christian faith, a claim made by several different organizations with an anti-occult agenda.

Beware, though. Lucifer Ascending is not an easy book to read, and if you're unfamiliar with scholarly books this one will turn out to be quite a challenge. The witch-hunts during the 17th and 18th centuries are thoroughly described, and Ellis isn't afraid to criticize what "his" faith has done to numerous innocent people through the centuries. Furthermore, he's not, and in this he's differing from many other American Christians, convinced that some sort of satanic conspiracy is responsible for the abduction of infants and drinking of virgins' blood.

"(...) we should not be so naïve as to assume that `there were no witches' or `there are no satanists'. Occult practices have existed for many centuries, and they provide a ground for the more sensational claims that emerge from time to time. But crusades have always exaggerated the number and seriousness of crimes committed by witches and Satanists, as well as the numbers said to be involved."

No one is perfect. We all have our flaws, and Ellis believes his task to be to ANALYZE, not CRITICIZE. There's a great difference between the two attitudes, but not everybody are willing to accept that.

Both Anton LaVey and Michael Aquino receive acknowledgement in the beginning of the book, and the chapter about LaVey's Church of Satan is both balanced and interesting. He's even found a typo in The Satanic Bible (Avon's paperback edition) where the black mass is described. On page 109 it says "...he is careful not to choose one that is not in vogue to parody." However, and which LaVey himself confirmed to Ellis, "not" is a typo. The correct word should be "now".

And believe it or not, this book's also got a dose of humor and self-irony. For instance, the chapter about Ouija boards, with the great name "The @#$%&! Ouija Board", has a section named - and this is sure to make many Christians mad with anger - something as controversial as "Suck the Greasy Cock of the Dark Lord!".

That last one almost made me fall of my chair from uncontrollable bursts of laughter. And how often does that happen when you read a non-fiction book about religion?

Lucifer Ascending is an interesting study of occult traditions throughout the centuries and the only thing I can do is to fully recommend it. Bill Ellis is living proof that narrow-minded self-appointed Satanists who claim to "hate all Christians" (and by all means their Christian counterparts) really should do some serious research before they start arguing about something as complex as religious beliefs.

This book is an excellent read, especially for mainstream, conservative Christians who become a bit paranoid, or overly concerned about "demonic" influences. This book gives a balanced perspective in understanding the underlying social and religious influences that brought about the practice of folk magic. Subjects discussed are the origins of chain-letters, the "lucky" rabbit's foot, Ouija Boards, Root Doctors, Mirror-Gazing, scary graveyard legends, and many other related folklore topics. While reading this book, most people will recall the use of some sort of folk magic or practice within their own family history or from their own personal experiences. It is very interesting to read how and why these practices came about.Of particular interest is the chapter that addresses Evangelical Christianity and the roots of its beginning...a real eye-opener for Christians who want to "cast the first stone" at anything that even remotely has the "appearance of evil".This is a great read, and I highly recommend it.

"Miss Willie" is my favorite of all the JH Giles books. The characters are real and alive, and life is portrayed in her writing in a very realistic way. Her style of words and descriptive phrases are beautiful, but what keeps me coming back for more is her realism. I could only give this book five stars as a rating. It deserves more. It is superior.

I grew up in the city, I was very moved by the explanation and discription of the Appalachian mountains, life styles, and cultures. This was a very moving story about excepting and loving other persons and their differences.

"Miss Willie" is a delightful story about a school teacher who moves from a big city to a very small community in the hills of Kentucky. Easy to read, this book kept me spell bound until I finished it. A real treat for readers of all ages

Who said history was boring? Well, they apparently haven't read this book. McQueen tells stories of Kentuckians who made life a litte more interesting and were sometimes challenged by reality. McQueen has you walking down memory lane of your own hometowns peculiar folk. This should be at the top of any history lovers list of must read.

The Richmond Register...."Teachers and librarians are buying the books for their students and using it to make history interesting again."

The Paducah Sun...."The book tells the story of 23 people, ranging from internationally known militant prohibitionist Carry Nation and Hopkinsville psychic Edgar Cayce to folksy legends such as Anderson County's Wandering Ben Wilson."

If you are a Kentuckian, this should be required reading. If you are not a Kentuckian, read it anyway; it is one of the most interesting collection of people you'll ever read about. If nonfiction is your cup of tea, take a long swallow of this fascinating tome.

The editor of this book, Steven M. Sanders, is Prof. Emeritus of Philosophy at Bridgewater State College, Mass.

This book breathes new life into some old doctrines. It is part of a series on the Philosophy of Popular Culture which takes a deeper look at some of the things we watch and enjoy.

Science fiction has always intrigued audiences, whether it predicts a titillating future or a dark one, and here the editor has collected essays from 13 other noted scholars, who look into popular films like "Blade Runner" and "Dark City," You'll recognize science fiction films new and old in here: "Total Recall, Metropolis," "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Terminator"--to name a few.

The discussions range from searching the films with questions about what it means to be human, and what is the self and how do we identify ourselves as individuals?- to technology and ethics, and even paradoxes of time travel, in such films as "The Terminator" and "12 Monkeys." These classic questions of ancient philosophy are wood for the fires of the new philosophies like existentialism and nihilism--which find science fiction film a great source for speculation.

That this book exists at all is a joy to me, who has heard the science fiction genre dismissed as irrelevant and not applicable to modern life--even when it was most of modern life which the genre predicted! I know a few critics who could stand to read it immediately.

I can recommend this book to philosophy students and their teachers, along with the rest of us who are still searching to answers to the mystery of humanity and its place in the cosmos.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

Expertly compiled and edited by Steven M. Sanders (emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Bridgewater State College, Massachusetts), "The Philosophy Of Science Fiction Film" focuses upon science fiction films in terms of their philosophical implications and issues including 'Engimas of Identity and Agency'; 'Extraterrestrial Visitation, Time Travel, and Artificial Intelligence; and Brave Newer World: Science Fiction Futurism. From Deborah Knight and George McKnight's 'What Is It to Be Human? Blade Runner and Dark City'; to Aeon J. Skoble's 'Technology and Ethics in The Day the Earth Stood Still'; to Jerold J. Abrams' 'The Dialectic of Enlightenment in Metropolis, "The Philosophy Of Science Fiction Film" offers erudite insights that are thoughtful and thought-provoking, superb examples of scholarship, and a seminal contribution to the study of science fiction films. "The Philosophy Of Science Fiction Film" is highly recommended for academic library collections, as well as the supplemental reading lists for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Cinematic Studies, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Philosophy.

When I began reading this book, I must admit that I was a bit hesitant about my own ability to be able to understand and appreciate its many nuances. And frankly, I was also a little suspicious of its intent, given the plethora of "Philosophy of ...[you name it]" books that have been appearing on the philosophy and popular culture shelves of bookstores everywhere in the last few years.

However, I plunged ahead. What I found was a tremendously varied and insightful volume that turned out to be both stimulating and enjoyable. Best of all, one does not have to be a philosopher or a hard-core science-fiction film buff to find Steven M. Sanders' volume so fulfilling.

Also, what sets this volume apart from other philosophy and popular culture texts I've perused is its immense readability. Editor/author Sanders has compiled a roster of contributors that present new and stimulating ideas about the relationship of philosophy and the science fiction film, in the most enlivening and comprehensible ways. The writing here is clear and insightful. Sanders' own introduction, as well as his essay on interpreting the concept of paranoia in the 1956 film, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," is both illuminating and memorable.

Each essay takes a different science fiction film and holds it under a philosophical looking glass. After reading this book, I rented some of the films being discussed, and sure enough, I was afforded some new ways of looking at each film, even those I've seen many times over the years.

The University of Kentucky Press has given us a sure-fire winner of a book, and I recommend it without hesitation.

I've just recently begun studying Shaker furniture and I am very pleased with this book. It covers a wide range of pieces from the Pleasant Hill community and it provides some good background on each piece. The photographs accompanying each piece are also excellent. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in learning about Shaker furniture.

I have read the book through twice now and it just keeps getting better and better. I have read extensivly of the eastern settlements but knew very little about the western groups. I enjoyed seeing the differences as well as the similarities in the way of life and the furniture. The book was a nice balance of how life was day to day and the furniture they created. This is the second book I am aware of written by an experienced woodworker so the insights are of more interest than the usual picture/history book we see so many of. The other is by Chris Becksvoort, which I have equally enjoyed.

I also enjoyed the drawings by Kerry's brother. I think those added greatly to the book. I know when I look at an old piece of woodworking I am some time before I can see the structure in the design. The drawings help me to see this much cleared and sooner.

All in all, I highly reccomend this book be added to the libraries of the serious funiture builder or collector as well as those interested in history. It gives an overall view of what was going on in that part of the country at that time and how the Shakers reacted to it.

This is a good book with amazing photos. The background story is very informative.

Shaker furntiture has always appealled to me and seeing the pieces in a traditional setting is an extra.

I would recommend this book.

Jim Bolus offers yet another memorable book filled with vivid recollections and Derby stories. Highly recommend. You don't have to be a horse racing aficionado to enjoy this book, but Thoroughbred enthusiasts will find it of particular interest.

REMEMBERING THE DERBY is the second book in the five-book series written by the late Jim Bolus, the man who knew all the stories and all the trivia of the great race. Like the other books, this is a must-have for racing fans.

Included in this volume is a chapter on Flip Sal, a horse who was injured in the centennial running of the Derby in 1974, another on Sir Barton, the first Triple Winner, one on Northern Dancer (1964), a chapter on the 1957 Kentucky Derby in which Bill Shoemaker misjudged the finish line, and who could forget to read about Silky Sullivan?

Your racing library would be incomplete without the Bolus series.

This book explores the stories that come with a race as big as the Derby. The author writes of horses, people, and their experiences at the Derby; wether they won or not. A must for racing fans.

Growing up, I always wanted to go to Europe, after all that was the center of history and art in my school books...nowhere was there the idea of exploring the areas around home and across the US. I now realize that we have a lot to see and do right here in our back yard. This is the kind of book that opens doors to things you never knew were there. If you want to plan a Kentucky getaway for two, this is the book for you.

Disclaimer - Moonlite is mentioned in this book. Moonlite is an authority on Southern Food and Barbecue.


Patrick Bosley of the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn
Author/Editor - Family Favorites From Moonlite
Recipes That Founded A Kentucky Tradition
ISBN: 0-9766896-0-x

What my Review Stars mean to me at a glance:

5 stars = A Must have for your Book Shelf - perfect for cooking or a guide for traveling! Worth Full Price

4 stars = A great read - may fit special interests - I recommend you to buy it if the subject appeals to you. Worth Full Price

3 stars = Interesting material - read it if you have time; buy it if the subject appeals to you. Look for it used at a discount. Also, it is worth looking for it at your local library (if not available, try interlibrary loan).

2 stars = It is worth a look at your library if the subject interests you

1 star = Look at it if you come across it, or try another title on the same subject

As a displaced Kentuckian limited to visiting once or twice a year, I was looking forward to this book to enhance my wife and mine's experiences. Although I am intimately familiar with the Lexington area, I was nonetheless delighted to find many central Kentucky locales that were new to me. The authors have obviously done their research, and have represented all regions of the state well. Most satisfying to me personally was the inclusion of Joseph-Beth Booksellers of Lexington. It is indeed a wonderful place for romance. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a romantic experience, and hopefully it will encourage more people to recognize Kentucky as the special place that it is.

I've visited many of the places in this book and the authors are right on target with their recommendations. I'll be planning other romantic getaways with my significant other with the help of this book. A must for anyone who is thinking of visiting Kentucky, as well as those of us fortunate to live here!