Kentucky Books

This book confounded and amazed me. James Duane Bolin is a truly brilliant author, and based on the acknowledgements of the book, I can tell he has a wonderful family, particularly his son, Wesley. If you have a hunkerin' for great literature, this is it. Think Tolstoy and Dickens all rolled together, except at least twice as better. Make a good choice. BUY THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF, AND BUY IT FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE YOU ARE ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH!!!! MAKES A GREAT STOCKING STUFFER!!!!

In style and substance, James Duane Bolin's book represents a superb contribution to southern history--and to American history generally for that matter. Among other salient contributions, his book helps clarify the existence of a far more complex, nuanced southern history. Specifically, his closely, deeply researched study effectively introduces and explicates the significance of the South's urban past. Into the larger history of the city of Lexington, Kentucky, Bolin weaves the compelling story of Lexington's boss, Billy "King" Klair. As he skillfully traces the life and career of this remarkable, fascinating--and unlikely-- southern politician, Bolin draws the reader into the highly variegated cultural, political, and social history of the South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Brier Country catches the spirit of today's Appalachia. Palencia does not depend on historical nostalgia; rather she depicts the interweaving of traditions and the modern world, showing both their tensions ands their harmony. She has a talent for the exact word and rhythm of words. She can combine humor and horror in a character such as the college president in "Man on Horseback" or a situation as in "Briers". She writes memorable lines and creates scenes I shall never forget. Would that every reader could enjoy these stories.

Memorable stories; memorable characters. "Guard Your Man" is one of the best women's sports stories I've ever read. "The Three Graces" is one of the most moving father/daughter stories I've ever read. This writer seems deeply grounded in the best classical 19th century U.S. short story tradition and at the same time completely modern. Her prose is gorgeous. I love when a writer writes with respect and insight about characters and places often treated satirically by pseudosophistacated urban provincials. This is a really terrific book. If you like short stories, read it; if you are interested in Appalacia, read it; if you like good writing, read it. My congratulations to this author.

Bronner presents the life histories of four carvers from Indiana as resources for understanding woodcarving's appeal. The book is a detailed study of chain carving, and the description is so thick that a reader could actually learn to carve a wooden chain by reading this study of an popular folk art. What makes this book so interesting is the way in which Bronner connects the carvers' biography with woodcarving to ascertain important values within the carvers' lives. Throughout the book, Bronner uses folkore scholarship to provide important insights into ways in which an individual's early life experiences provide a base for creativity during the twilight years. At times, his analysis is speculative, but Bronner's interests are intriguing and provide interesting ways to think about creativity and aging.

This book shows the breadth and scope of meanings that are carved into wooden chains by Indiana craftsmen. Folklorist Simon Bronner begins his study with a simple question: Why would anyone spend hours and hours carving out wooden chains? The answers that he finds show that simple questions often have complex answers. Bronner provides a glimpse into the souls of the carvers as he reveals the significant aspects of the aesthetic and emotional dimensions of life history that are crafted into the art of the carvers.

A friend I know that teaches middle school age students said she had her students read this book. In over twenty years of teaching this is the ONLY book that every single boy in her classes loved! She says this is a must have title for anyone trying to target that group of readers.

Simply put, I was charmed by this book. The Cave, the Cabin & the Tattoo Man is a comfortable place you want to curl up with and retreat back to. The thoughts and delivery of the main character, nine-year-old Timmy, was utterly believeable. The events, credible. The pace, slow and steady like an endless childhood summer. Toward the end, the book got even better for me...riveting. Pick this one up--it feels like you're reading a true story or possibly your own childhood memories.

Oh, and I laughed out loud on the airplane as I was reading this book when little tongue-tied Timmy recited John 3:16 in front of the whole congregation!

This is truly an ageless book. Read it if you're 8 or 98.

Can't wait for the next installment of Kentucky Summers!

-- Nicole Seitz, author of The Spirit of Sweetgrass and Trouble the Water

Very clearly presents the organization of the Confederate armies and sorts out a lot of the confusion regarding regimental consolidations and duplicate naming. A great tool for genealogists and Civil War researchers

Mr. Sifakis has done an excellent job chronicling the Arkansas and Florida Confederate Armies, citing dates of organization, battles, commanders, mergers, and dispositions. I would highly recommend this book to any serious researcher.

This is a most worthy men-at-arms series; like the book's description says, it shows the much more colorful side to the uniforms of the Confederate Army. One man depicted in the color plates for Volume One that I found particularly interesting was a soldier in the Union Light Infantry, a SC unit based on the British Black Watch (42nd Royal Highlanders).
The plates are pretty much the highlight of this series, and show realistic looking soldiers surrounded by beautiful women and scenery, and baring all their various weapons. The text, nonetheless, reveals numerous interesting details. This is an excellent source on the uniforms and appearances of the soldiers of the Confederacy.

Osprey Publishing has issued Volume 5 of their popular book, The Confederate Army 1861-65. A part of their sprawling Men-at-Arms series (this is book #441 in that series), this one covers the uniforms and arms of troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. Written by Ron Field and lavishly illustrated with Richard Hook's watercolors, this book is a worthy addition to the Osprey family. Retailing for $15.95 here in the USA ($21 in Canada), the book has 48 pages, nearly all of them with period photographs or full color drawings.

The new book focuses on each state's antebellum militia and the hastily organized volunteer regiments that were pressed into Confederate service in the initial stages of the war. Using contemporary newspaper accounts, letters, state and local records, and early photographs, Ron Field presents an extensive array of early war military units, their uniforms and accoutrements, drawing heavily upon primary descriptions. He also takes a cursory, but interesting look at how the transition occurred from locally supplied clothing and equipment (which often varied widely from company to company) to state-issued regulation Confederate uniforms, particularly in North Carolina, where, by the end of the war, the term "ragged Rebel" would be made obsolete from the vast stores of supplies held by the state.



Field starts with Tennessee, looking at the outfitting of the militia and early volunteers in 1861, and examines the role various ladies aid societies played in clothing the soldiers of the Volunteer State. He then discusses the role of the state's Military and Financial Board in taking over the administration and logistics of supplying the troops. Field then shifts his focus to North Carolina, again discussing and characterizing the antebellum militia and contrasting them to how the state later took charge and made its forces appear more uniform in appearance. He also briefly compares winter clothing to summer issue for troops from both states.



The book includes a select bibliography for readers wanting to dive a little deeper into the outfitting of Confederate troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. The index is comprehensive, as is the discussion that accompanies the Richard Hook's illustrations. All in all, The Confederate Army 1861-85 (5) Tennessee and North Carolina (ISBN: 9781846031878) maintains the tradition of excellence we have come to expect from Osprey, and is well worth the modest investment.

This particular book in the series has some excellent lessons for Boys of today. There are some references to the middle ages. The boys are studying the middles ages through literature. This exposure to King Arthur & the Knights of old leads the boys to desire to exhibit the characteristics of the Knights of old, to LIVE PURE, RIGHT THE WRONG, etc. In our society where middleclass children have anything that they want, this story teaches the lessons of being generous to those that are not so fortunate. An Excellent story for Boys & Girls

Originals were handed down, mother to daughter in my family. I have even visited the home of the author outside of Louisville, KY Read the series!

John Bakeless's biography of Daniel Boone was published in 1939. Except for a brief study by Reuben Gold Thwaites published in 1902, it was the first biography of Boone that was historically significant; many at the time called it definitive. Later biographies of Boone have been published (most importantly John Faragher's LIFE AND LEGEND OF AN AMERICAN PIONEER in 1992), but Bakeless's book is still relevant if no longer definitive.

Daniel Boone, the icon of the American pioneer, was born in Pennsylvania (a museum marks the spot of the original cabin in which he was born in Birdsboro) in 1734. Driven by land speculation and problems with the Quaker church, the Boone family moved to the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina. Here Daniel attended "the College of the Wilderness," learning all there is to know about hunting and shooting and surviving in the wilds (he had very little formal education and could write barely anything more than his name).

After a hunting trip to Florida, Boone in 1769 went on what turned out to be a two-year exploring/hunting excursion to Kentucky via the Cumberland Gap. A few years later, remembering the Gap, he began laying the Wilderness Road through it and settled what became known as Fortress Boonesboro. Conflicts with the Indians were frequent and in 1778 he was captured by the Shawnees, with whom he was a prisoner for three months. He escaped, however, and was back in Boonesboro in time to help defend it from the British and Indians.

Land troubles and ever the wanderlust compelled Boone to move from Kentucky with his family to Missouri, near La Charette. Here he farmed and dealt with the Indians and probably thought it too was becoming too tame and "crowded," but before he could move further west, he died in 1820.

Bakeless is an old-fashioned narrative historian who paints a large, colorful portrait of his subject and the world he inhabited. He is interested in the STORY of Boone's life and relates events in a narrative context. He doesn't neglect facts (indeed, many later Boone biographers have found little reason to alter his chronology or factual details), but stays away from political, psychological, and sociological analyses. He debunks legends where he can. Bakeless takes his subject seriously and relates his life in an interesting way. Still a joy to read.

This is one of the great biographies. It remains interesting and entertaining - and scholarly! - from first to last. It is one of those excellent reads that takes you back 200 years so that you can feel the autumn leaves under your feet as you slip silently through the great forests. If only the majority of biographies could be as well-written, well-researched and well-paced as this one. One of the best biographies of anyone that I have had the pleasure of reading. Highly recommended, even in the light of recent biographies of Boone.

This is a great place to start for anybody interested in the influence of alchemical symbolism on english literature. The alchemists (and especially those who produced alchemical texts) did all kinds of strange, obscure, difficult, puzzling, and therefore fascinating things with language. This fact was not lost on the many important literary figures who never got their hands dirty but found alchemy useful as a theme or symbol in their work, and as this book demonstrates they had many good reasons to take an interest. So will you. Alchemy has been too long neglected as a key element in the religious life of the renaissance and after, and the texts of literary authors dealing with alchemy are an important source for our understanding of this--which still has yet to be fully researched and explained. This book is an important first step, and hopefully will inspire many future studies.

Occultists and spiritual alchemists with an interest in literature and the history of alchemy will find much of value here, although it does not speak to the post-19th century occultist reading of alchemy as much as the renaissance and medieval tradition.

Linden is probably one of the few serious scholars to have taken into consideration the importance of the use of alchemical registers in various central works of late medieval and early modern English literature. Together with an impressive knowledge of the fundamental and less known works of sixteenth century English alchemy, Linden provides his readers with a fisheye view on the idiosyncratic uses authors like Chaucer, Donne, Herbert and others, have made of basic alchemic concepts. The text is important for those scholars and amateurs of the field who still think that alchemy occupies a central position in the "languages", in Pocock's words, spoken in Early Modern England. A work of admirable seriousness and impressive documentation.

The author uses evolutionary theory to develop ultimate explanations for common phenomena (warfare, ethnic conflict) that have largely eluded other international relations scholars. The basic argument is that warfare is an adaptation like other social behaviors. For our ancestors, on average, the benefits for participants in terms of the evolutionary currency of genes (or inclusive fitness) exceeded the costs. These benefits were mainly protection of kin and resources. In-group out-group distinctions, xenophobia, and ethnocentrism are also adaptations, and now supply the raw material for ethnic conflict.

The author acknowledges the contributions of international relations scholars using the standard social science model, including realists and rational choice scholars, but argues that their theories and explanations focus mainly on proximate causes and, problematically, are often not consilent with knowledge in the life sciences.

The author does an excellent job of reviewing the research conducted on intergroup aggression in animals, warfare among ants, and intraspecific killing among chimpanzees. There are able reviews of the literature on primitive warfare and the motivation/emotions of warriors. The little discussed by pivotal role of disease in facilitating and inhibiting Western expansion is discussed. Current theories of ethnic conflict--primordialism and modernism--are compared and their strengths and weaknesses identified.

This book should be read widely by anybody who wants a deeper, well-grounded, scientific understanding of the roots of warfare and ethnic conflict

Bradley Thayer's book demonstrates an encyclopedic command of the literature. The volume lays out the relevance for the relevance of evolutionary theory for our understanding of international relations. Given the political furor over creationism, intelligent design, and neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory, this work serves an important purpose. Thayer demonstrates the power of evolutionary theory in explaining many of the political phenomena associated with international politics. Readers interested in the implications of evolutionary theory for international politics would be well-advised to examine this volume.