Minnesota Books

When the Hormel strike went down, I went to meetings, sent in money, and told my coworkers about it. Then we went right back figuring out how much overtime we could get on the job, and what we could buy with it. Today many of my friends are among the millions of airline workers who are wondering whether they will have a job tomorrow, and think they will have to take big cut backs and lose their job anyway to do that. The auto plants have laid off 100,000 workers quietly in dribs and drabs in the last year. Public workers like myself have no illusion that we wont be hit by the war-drive tax-cuts-for the rich cutbacks both Democrats and Republicans favor to one degree or another.

Hormel is no longer a bunch of heroes in a special situation. They were pioneers pointing out what millions of working people have to face. Their struggle shows if you fight you can win things, and if you fight you prepare for all the tommorrows. That why I enjoy this pamphlet now in a way I couldn't have back when it first came out. I think you will too.

I had the privilege to attend a strike rally in Austin, Minnesota, the scene of this remarkable pamphlet. The president of the striking local, Jim Guyette, and the head of the spouses auxiliary (the Family Support Group, anyone who had a relative on strike could join, as well as supporters of the strike with no relative on strike), Jan Butts, had just come back from the Labor Party conference in Blackpool, England. Guyette said what he learned at that conference " is that the struggle of workers, whether in South Africa, El Salvador, Nicaragua, or Austin, Minnesota, is indivisible." At the time, those fighting for freedom in South Africa and El Salvador were called terrorists and communists by the U.S. government, and as for the " communist" Sandinista government in Nicaragua Ronald Reagan and his Democratic Party allies were trying to overthrow it. Yet here was a guy straight from the kill floor talking about the struggle to overthrow apartheid, led by the "terrorist" Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress which he led, the war waged by guerillas (who were workers and farmers in arms) to topple the U.S.-backed dictatorship in El Salvador, the Nicaraguan workers and farmers defending their " Marxist" government--and a strike against the Hormel company as being the same fight, because he had met fighting workers from all those countries in England, who were there for the same reasons as he was: to give and get solidarity. I still remember Jan Butts speaking along the same lines, and her moving description of the strikers and their supporters-and the whole working class around the world-as one giant family. Much has changed in the meatpacking industry: the union is weaker, the wages are lower, it is now predominantly immigrant workers in the plants-yet once again packinghouse workers are at the cutting edge of labor resistance to the effects of the world depression we are entering into. And the cream of the crop is those fighting to get the union into their plants, Immigration and Naturalization Service raids be--whatever. What I learned from the Hormel strike-and from distributing this pamphlet in the plant where I worked at the time-is that the seeds of the new human being Che Guevara talked about are here in the U.S. working class. They come to fruit most often in strike action-where you find out you need solidarity to win, and to get solidarity you've got to give solidarity. As we enter into the future-as-present of wars and capitalist economic disaster, this pamphlet is and indispensable tool for fighters to learn about how the consciousness of millions in this country --as guide to action-- will be changed. Yes, right here in the belly of the Empire. Will be changed. Sooner than later.

I remember sitting at dinner with Hormel strikers in 1984 or 85, visiting, trying to gain solidarity not only for their strike, but for workers around the country. I remember what they told about what was happening in the meat packing industry in Minnesota, and why the workers in that union fought not just the company, but the union bureaucracy. What they faced then is more like too many workers, not just in the meat packing industry but especially there, face or know they will face soon. This book about the strike is not a sociological or journalistic analysis, but the analysis of a longtime working class leader, who was also one of the central leaders of the anti-Vietnam war movement. In this pamphlet we have the voices and struggle of the Hormel Strikers displayed so that workers of today, around the world, in and out of meat packing can learn from their successes and failures, and use this pamphlet as a weapon in their struggle.

As a camper at Camp Widjwagan (a YMCA camp outside of Ely, Minnesota) who has used Joe Seliga's canoes many times, I have to say that this is an excellent source of information about canoe making. He was a skilled artist who made magnificent canoes, and I'm honored to say I have used one of his own. So, thank you, Joe Seliga.

If you have any thought of building a canoe and want to stand beside a true artist in the field you should get this book. The photography is superb and you can't beat experience and Joe has that. The book shows a price sheet from 1946 when a 18 footer cost $178.00 so that gives you an idea of how experienced. A Beautiful Beautiful book.

I stopped by Joe's house in Ely to have him autograph my copy. We had never met before but he greeted me warmly, offered me cookies and a drink, showed me his shop, and added me to his list of people who want a canoe. This man is a national treasure and his canoes will be timeless heirlooms.

This book goes into great detail on how he crafts each of his beautiful, rustic, canvas-covered wooden canoes by hand and has given me a bold appreciation for how much work goes into just one canoe. I have no idea how he ever made a living charging only a couple thousand per canoe.

The author Jerry Stelmok did a fine job of breaking a complicated process down into simple text that anyone can enjoy. And National Geographic photographer Deborah Sussex filled the book with enticing photos.

The book sits on my office wall along with other non-fictional works about the woods of Northern Minnesota, and this one by far gets the most attention. It's a wonderful addition to anyone's library.

Enjoy!

I received the book very quickly, even though it was ordered over the holidays.

I enjoyed this book very much because it's a part of our history many Americans are unaware of. I was a child during World WarII and I seen the POW's working on the farms. My Grandchildren took the book to school to share with the History class and even the teacher was amazed. It's a book you will keep and re-read.

This is a book about a little known or less remembered phase of World War II history as it relates to Minnesota. It suggets the success of the Geneva Convention regarding treatment of prisoners of war in the United States. In the simple presentation of factual information, the author allows us to feel something of the fears, the loneliness, and concerns of prisoners and their willingness to work rather than be idle. The concerns of citizens are also presented clearly concerning escapes, those of labor unions interested in protecting American labor, as well as the general concern about work necessary to pursue the war. It is a facet of the war that most histories neglect.

These books are amazing. that's almost all there is to say. The characters are great, the plot is great. I can't believe it was all real. I daydream about being Betsy almost every day. If you are looking for a series to read, read these. It doesn't matter how old you are, they're for everyone.

As a child growing up, I was an avid reader. I began reading the "Betsy-Tacy" books when the school librarian introduced me to the series. This is a wonderful series showing the life of the main chracter, Betsy. I can remember devouring each of the books. Now that I am a teacher and a mother, I can't wait to find and purchase the books for my daughter and my classroom library. In today's society of technology and media, this is a wonderful collection of old fashioned, classic stories.

as a young girl i loved the "betsy" books and it was a pleasure to pass them along to my daughter. only last night we discussed the books - she's introducing her fourth grade daughter to them this spring. the series is timeless and i love every book !

I borrowed this from my Dad, who also grew up in Minnesota. I couldn't wait to read another chapter every night to see what these 14-year old scalawags would do next. This is a 20th century Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer, unsentimental, but full of love while telling stories that made me laugh out loud. The unfolding story of Bill Bockus (Billy Billy Beaner, Backhouse Cleaner) and his group of pals is something that would be a great gift for a youngster of 12, a Mom or Dad with a young teenager, or someone like myself, a middle-aged gal who had almost forgetten how charming, and maddening, 14-year old boys can be.

This book is a glimpse into the life of a young boy growing up in a small midwestern town in the late 1920's. Billy and his friends romp through childhood having one adventure after another. This author transports the reader back into time and into his his escapades. This is a must read for girls and boys of all ages!

What a great escape to the days when life was simpler, more carefree, and seemingly without worry. A great book for an afternoon when you just want to be entertained and chuckle a lot. Would be wonderful for young people in today's world to get a feel for the early 1900s.

This book honors the struggle of St Louis Chinese in the past 150 years for the hardship, struggle, discrimination and harassment, whether in the laundry or restaurant busines. However, the past 25 years, the old Hop Alley Chinatown image being long gone, there arises a group of Chinese-Americans in the main stream as lawyers, doctors, professors, engineers, architects, accountants, bankers, entrepreneurs, insurance agents, real estate agents, librarians and TV reporters in the cultural Chinatown. There were two Community Service Commissioners appointed by Governor Holden since 2001. Prof. Ling did a fine job in bringing forth this wonderful book even with a section on cemetry Chinatown of Vahalla. She shows Chinese-Americans contributing in society culturally, politically, economically and religiously, make St Louis our home.

For those interested in the immigration of Chinese to America should definitely take a look at this book. It gives much information on situations that many Chinese immigrants faced. The depth interviews give an interesting perspective about immigrating to a new country. It is good to be able to know about the Chinese immigration experience from those that went through it. I liked the focus of the book just on the Chinese of St. Louis. You learn a lot more intimate details when targeting a specific group in a specific area rather than a Chinese immigrants in general.
The book even mentions the development of certain areas of downtown including the building of Busch Stadium.

The author, Huping Ling, did a really good job with her research and her analysis of the growth of the Chinese Cultural Community in St. Louis. The book is very well written and sheds a lot of insight in the evolving role of Chinese Americans in the U.S., both from a social and political standpoint. For anyone seeking more knowledge or is curious about how Chinese Americans have adapted their culture and way of life in America, I would recommend this book

The above review of this book does a great job already, so I will try to complement it as best I can. Deleuze is a difficult thinker for newcomers. His ideas tend to refer to one another and have developed into a complex network of concepts over the course of his writings. The good news is that Deleuze is drawing an immense amount of interest in the US and UK now.
Deleuze sets out in the cinema books to create a theory of film and the image that stands in sharp contrast to the film theory we're most accustomed to. Deleuze does not accept that narrativity is a given in film. In fact, he wants to find a way of appreciating and describing what distinguishes film from language and narrative systems. For Deleuze, the moving image is not a system of reference. One doesn't refer to something through a segment of film. The filmic medium is direct, not referential.
Cinema 1 is thus a look at how the early cinema learned to produce the "movement image." It's a review of "auteur" film-makers and their experiments with the medium (in addition to those mentioned above are Welles, Godard, Eisenstein, Lang, Resnais, Hitchock...) to produce perception, affect, and action.
He contrasts montage with mise-en-scene. He shows how action corresponds to situations, either responding to situations or modifying them. He describes the discovery of depth of field, and use of affect in close ups and still images, the importance of shot and reverse shot sequences, and movement within the scene vs of the camera. He shows how pre-war film maintained a commitment to the whole. Characters' actions were motivated by situations, and films as a whole hung together.
The book concludes with Hitchcock's invention of the audience as a third term in the filmic experience: subject, object, audience. Audiences complete Peirce's sign system (firstness, secondness, thirdness) because they interpret the film. Indeed, Hitchcock's art was in showing the audience what the character would only discover later, and in making his films into logical puzzles rather than whodunits.
A dazzling book, I had to read it twice, and many of the films referenced won't be on dvd for years....

Gilles Delueze creates in his books on cinema a taxonomy, an attempt at the classification of cinematic images and signs. This classification is an insightful elaboration on Bergson's theses on movement and on Pierce's signs system. If this taxonomy is the core of the "movement-image" book, its heart is a brilliant and systematic history of aesthetic forms of the classical cinema. Some of the more interesting ideas are the two poles of the close-up, Goethe's theory of color and German expressionism, the space in Bresson, an account of Bunuel as naturalist, the difference between John Ford and Howard Hawks, the crisis of the action-image and the essence of comedy as in Lubitsch, Chaplin and Keaton. Nevertheless, it is not a book about cinema, nor is it a book of film history. It is the practice of concepts. Deleuze writes: "Philosophical theory is itself a practice, just as much as its object. It is no more abstract than its object...So that there is always a time, midday-midnight, when we must no longer ask ourselves 'What is cinema?' but 'What is philosophy?'". Only Deleuze, one of the greatest minds of our Century, could answer this question with so much elegance, profundity, ingenuity and mystical charm.

Our Hero Deleuze is back at it once again on his Bergsonian quest to conquer the movement-image.This time descending light from the plane of immanence will guide our hero through phenomenological blunders. Wow! what an amazing book! Deleuze has done it again, I mean talk about the varities! Perception-Image, Affect Image and Action Image. It totally clairfies any misconsceptions about the liquid, gasous and solid states. If there is such thing as a rhizomatic world, could the Time-Image be a prequel? Deleuze is smoking!!!!

I found this book to be an invaluable aid in understanding Amerindian life and conditions in the early 19th century in the upper Midwest. The book is very well written and engaging, not a common praise for authors of that time. The introduction explains that the author spent a great deal of time learning the language of the Dakotas, and was the leading expert in the region at that time. He actually lived and traveled for months with the various bands along the Minnesota river, making his accounts clearly first hand and vivid.

The book is filled with interesting stories and anecdotes, often favorably comparing Dakotas with white soldiers and traders in the same territory. (There were no settlers yet in 1834 in that region). One example is a story about a small company of soldiers marching over the prairie "panting like over-driven oxen" led by an Indian twice their age walking with "apparently with no great exertion."

What is remarkable is that this was written at a time when remarking on the positive attributes of the native inhabitants of Minnesota was generally strongly discouraged and often roundly criticized. Yet time after time this New Englander takes a common aspect of Indian life and finds a way to critique the European culture of that same time putting things on an even ground.

Pond even weighs in on the frequent comment made by Europeans that native men were lazy and let their wives do all the work. His detailed descriptions of the work and hardships faced by men clearly neutralizes this argument. Pond was very well read for his day, making references to the ancient European authors Homer, Virgil and Caesar. You likely expand your knowledge of the English language reading this book through Pond's use of interesting old words such as signalized, calumny, contumely, and opprobrious.

Fascinating for those interested in natural history are the accounts of deer and muskrat hunts. Those who think bison were common in the region during this time might be surprised to find the Native Americans around the Mississippi in Minnesota hunted almost entirely deer, with only a very few elk being taken. Muskrat hunts were of prime importance for use in the fur trade, beaver not being at all common on the prairies. There are interesting accounts of the Dakota uses of native plants as well, primarily as food sources.

The number of subjects covered by Pond were surprisingly high, making this book thorough and detailed, yet not ever getting bogged down. The cover and binding of are of reasonable quality and the book is a valuable addition to any Midwesterner's library.

On Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis there is a large rock with a heavily patinated plaque imbedded in it right under an impressive gold-domed church. The plaque is extremely weathered and greenish, and looks as if it has been reset more than once into the rock. It says that, above the rock on the hill, where the present day church now stands, is the original site of the first dwelling built in Minneapolis in 1834 by Samuel and Gideon Pond. I've walked by this historic marker for years while circling the lake, so when I came across Samuel Pond's work on the Dakota in Minnesota (including those that lived on Lake Calhoun), I had to read it.

Obviously, the salient thing about Lake Calhoun is the complete absence or even a tiny minute speck of evidence that it was once inhabited by Native Americans. They are simply gone without a trace. High rises and expensive homes now line the lake, and ice fishers speckle its icy surface from approximately October to February. From the viewpoint of today, it's almost impossible to believe Lake Calhoun was any different. That's only one thing that makes this book so great. It makes the reader aware of what was happening before the europeans arrived (or invaded as some people see it) in Minnesota.

The book was written by a missionary; Samuel Pond's sole purpose in habitating with the Dakota was to save souls. The somewhat happy and possibly unforeseen outcome of this was that Pond had to get to know these people incredibly unbelievably well to "save" them. So, as good missionaries will do, he literally shacked up with them. He hunted with them, observed rituals, went on long journeys with them, spoke their language fluently, and, most importantly, talked with them. This guy was there, he wasn't a journalist or a muckraker. He was literally on a mission.

The book, almost paradoxically, does not mention whether or not Pond was successful in "converting" or "saving" the Dakota. There is almost no mention whatsoever of his missionary work, so this is not a self-gratuitous work that shouts "look what I did!" What it is is an observance, a capturing of a people before that people completely disappeared (i.e., as they have today).

It is important to note that the book was not written while Pond lived with the Dakota. It was written some thirty or forty years after. Why? When Pond lived with the Dakota, there was no indication that within the next fifty years Native American culture would be more or less wiped out. As Pond observed this phenomenon, he found it best to write down his recollections of his life with the Dakota, since the culture no longer existed as it was in the 1830s. Pond wrote after what is now known as the Dakota Conflict of 1862, which radically changed the relations between whites and Dakota in the Upper Midwest, and resulted in the largest mass execution in United States History (in Mankato, Minnesota; Reconciliation Square now marks the spot where 38 Dakota were simultaneously hung by the neck for their supposed part in the events of 1862).

Pond is mostly very fair to the Dakota. He passionately defends them against what were the then mainstream accusations of laziness, uncleanliness, gluttony, and barbarity. Pond was overall very impressed by the Dakotas, and obviously had a lot of respect for them as a people. He is, however, not fair to the Dakota's religious practices - this is the one topic where Pond's ulterior motives really show - calling them "ridiculous superstitions".

All in all, Pond's descriptions and retelling of events are priceless for anyone curious about Dakota life before the overwhelming influence of european settlers set in. There are so many amazing stories winding throughout this text that picking one or two out as examples would be unjust to the rest. Pond also draws parallels between the life of european settlers of the time and of the Dakota. These are always fascinating, and Pond's intent seems to be making europeans think hard about their prejudices.

Why this book is not more widely read or talked about I'm at a loss to explain. Perhaps the missionary twist scares people off? Whatever the reason this book is vitally important in that it attempts to capture the culture that was completely destroyed in the 19th century. It is timely, of course, in that the Dakota are often referred to as "savages" or "heathens", but that adds a historical interest to the text, albeit a somewhat now sad one. One must prepare oneself for a 19th century read when dipping into this book. It is well worth the effort.

Lastly, this book has been reissued as "Dakota Life in the Upper Midwest" which is somewhat strange since the author intended the title to emphasize that the work focused on "how they were" in 1834. The title change is likely attributable to the word "Sioux" which is a derogatory word that translates as "Snake". Nonetheless, the new title detracts from the work, and removes a certain historicity from it. The original title should be restored for historical accuracy and perspective.

For many years, I, like so many others, have labored under the assumption that the Native American 'story' was somewhat like the depictions we had all seen and read.

The voice of the current Native Americans speak to the atrocities perpetrated upon them by the insensitive advancement of land hungry europeans.

This book, written by Samuel Pond, simply describes how the Lakota Sioux actually 'were' in Minnesota in 1834.

Samuel and his brother Gideon Pond were missionaries to the Sioux and, among other exceptional work, compiled a comprehensive lexicon of the Sioux language, subsequently translating the Bible into Sioux.

For those of you who would like to gain an unbiased view of the true Native American, this book is a 'must'.

It is also possible that after learning about Samuel and Gideon Pond, you will develop a deep appreciation of the dedication and hardships suffered by, and the good intentions and pioneering spirit of the missionaries who wanted to enrich the souls of Native Americans.

Samuel and Gideon Pond were truely 'unsung heros' of our American heritage. Their efforts have been annotated in this book, however, and so their exploits still live in the minds of the reader.

Even if you choose not to purchase this book, it would be well worth your time to 'surf' their names in the internet. You will be rather surprised at the results.

I am a bit late catching up on my readings. But amazings stories are timeless. I am inspired by David Moore's incredible love and compassion that he took the time to learn about the kids, whose stories would have vanished forever but now they can be read from generations to generations--especially the descendants of the boys and anyone in similar situation. This book is, in a way, Mr. Moore's story...how an incredible person would just take interest in someone (someone that seems to be out of place like fish out of water) and love them in a way that it would change their life (for the good) forever. I wonder how many folds over the love and understanding that the author shown to the "boys" had multiplied through the boys' lives?

Perhaps someday white male eurocentric assumptions will be sufficiently combatted so that we may learn about the incredible suffering of People of Color during the U.S.'s conflicts. I certainly hope so. This is an interesting book, marred only by the emphasis on males, when there are obviously many important voices that need to be heard from the Hmong.

Moore does a wonderful job of writing the stories told to him by the young Hmong refugees, as they fled from Laos at the end of The Vietnam War. The book is written in an easy to read style, yet tugs at your emotions. I have recommended the book for reading at numerous conferences and diversity presentations for anybody wanting to start trying to understand the Hmong. I have also suggested it to some of the Hmong teens born in the US, so they can have an understanding of their parent's sacrifices. Many people are unaware that The Hmong lost 1/3 of their race to help us. Maybe reading this book will help kindle compassion for such loyal allies!

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but here are the top three:
1) I am fascinated with how energy has transformed societies, and these stories show how farming during the period adapts to increasingly cheap energy.
2) The book shows how real people dealt with the financial changes over the 4 decades period. That was particularly interesting since I read this book in Nov 2008 when everyone is making references to the Great Depression.
3) The book is a joy to read. Carrie Meyer weaves together the simple threads provided in the diaries into a concise and completely satisfying life story.

I was fortunate to hear Carrie Meyer give a presentation on this book and immediately bought it. I am now buying extra copies for family members who live on farms in Illinois and Iowa. I grew up on a farm in Central Illinois (roughly 100 miles of the family farm Carrie describes) in the late 1930s. This book has the daily diary from 1900 to 1944. It also has income and expense ledgers for everything they bought and sold. It tells about living on the farm in good and difficult times. Carrie's family is still living on the farm. This is the best book I have seen about life on a farm and how technology changed how farming was done. It is a must read.

"Days On The Family Farm: From The Golden Age Through The Great Depression" by Carrie A. Meyer (who grew up on an Illinois farm and went on to teach economics at George Mason University) is a memoir based history of life on a Midwestern farm from the beginning of the twentieth century to World War II as recorded in a daily chronicle kept by farm wife May Lyford Davis. The result is an entertaining and informative 'window into time' through which is revealed an American yesteryear when May and her husband Elmo experienced life on a farm through two decades of prosperity, the bleak years of the Great Depression, and the impact of two World Wars upon their Midwestern farming community of friends and neighbors. Articulate, detailed, personable, "Days On The Family Farm" is the story of a farmer's life marked by description of what was bought and sold, the evolution of farming practices and technologies from horse drawn plows to tractors, what was planted and harvested, temperatures and rainfall, births an deaths, even the impact of wind on the work of farming. Simply stated, "Days On The Family Farm" is an engaging and articulate read and a highly recommended addition to any personal or community library collection.