Missouri Books

The book gives a great history. I am giving it as a xmas gift.

Finally someone has taken the time and trouble to set down the history of the Veiled Prophet organization and its projecs. Tom Spencer has done a splendid job. His book is eminently readable, packed with facts and details, and bright as a penny. It's also a sociological tract, scholarly but not scholastic. The one disappointment is the almost total neglect of the Veiled Prophet Ball and its Queens. I expected at least a list of the V.P. Queens and more photos of the coronations, especially the extravaganzas of the 1930s which have to be seen to be believed (think Busby Berkeley and the sets from "The Wizard of Oz") and from which abundant photos survive. What about the most famous Queen of all, Anne Desloges? And what about the whole Queen culture--all these girls year after year after year plain as a pancake with plain hair styles (if you could call them styles), basically the same gown as was being worn 50 years ago, no distinguishing talents or features (with some welcome exceptions) who after their year in the spotlight are never heard from or seen again. At least in the days the coronation and ball were telecast we had the fun of the Post-Dispatch with a straight face describing a Queen who was downright homely as "a willowy blonde." I was disappointed, too, that the book didn't tackle the subject of exactly how a Queen is chosen. It has changed over the years but it's never been that big of a secret; almost any girl in the court will willingly blab it. There needs to be a book on Veiled Prophet coronations and Queens, darn it.

Finally someone has taken the time and trouble to set down the history of the Veiled Prophet organization and its projecs. Tom Spencer has done a splendid job. His book is eminently readable, packed with facts and details, and bright as a penny. It's also a sociological tract, scholarly but not scholastic. The one disappointment is the almost total neglect of the Veiled Prophet Ball and its Queens. I expected at least a list of the V.P. Queens and more photos of the coronations, especially the extravaganzas of the 1930s which have to be seen to be believed (think Busby Berkeley and the sets from "The Wizard of Oz") and from which abundant photos survive. What about the most famous Queen of all, Anne Desloges? And what about the whole Queen culture--all these girls year after year after year plain as a pancake with plain hair styles (if you could call them styles), basically the same gown as was being worn 50 years ago, no distinguishing talents or features (with some welcome exceptions) who after their year in the spotlight are never heard from or seen again. At least in the days the coronation and ball were telecast we had the fun of the Post-Dispatch with a straight face describing a Queen who was downright homely as "a willowy blonde." I was disappointed, too, that the book didn't tackle the subject of exactly how a Queen is chosen. It has changed over the years but it's never been that big of a secret; almost any girl in the court will willingly blab it. There needs to be a book on Veiled Prophet coronations and Queens, darn it.

It's 1898 and Gwen Barlow's mother, Lillian, has just inherited her brother Eli Willoughby's showboat, the Jubilee Palace. Lillian, Gwen and Gwen's younger brother Preston, leave Ohio for the Mississippi River to live on and run the showboat. Once they arrive, they find out that many called it Eli's Folly. It is best described as a "wedding cake with a pilot house."

Marianne Dresden, Dickey Squires, Anabel Whitedove, Sir Clyde Peacock, and Jason DeVane live on the showboat and are in the show Belle of the Ozarks. Gwen is unsure of what role Travis Veazey plays in the workings of the showboat. His appearance shows he has an aversion to soap and barber shops. He also lives on the showboat. Phineas Johnson, his wife Peaches, and their daughter Danita also live on the showboat as the hired help. The Barlows quickly find out that no one has been paid for a couple of months.

After they arrive, they find out that the showboat is not allowed to leave Hickory Bend until Eli's murder is solved. They also find out that Eli left debts around town. Gwen and Preston begin meeting with his creditors but soon find out that Eli wasn't well liked.

Gwen begins looking into solving her uncle's murder to help get the showboat on its way and making money to begin paying everyone.

This is a terrific story. Usually I don't like stories set back in time, but this one is a great exception. The characters and setting are so well written. I found it difficult to put the book down. I wanted to find out who did it and why. It is a very well written story with enough twists and turns that you don't figure it out ahead of time.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to more in this series!

Stagestruck is a clever turn-of-the-century cozy mystery. Readers will enjoy details of life aboard a showboat. There are enough quirky characters among the actors and musicians to keep the reader guessing, and a second murder which was a complete surprise. I hope this continues as a series. The heroine, Gwen, is bright and practical, a woman who must step out of typical Victorian morals to get the job done and solve the crime.

In 1898 Apple Creek, Ohio, Lillian Barlow learns that her brother Eli died in a freak accident on his showboat, the Jubilee Palace. Eli's lawyer informs Lillian that she inherited the showboat. The showboat is deep in debt. Still Lillian persuades her reluctant adult children, college librarian Gwen Barlow and hard good store worker Preston, that they need to move to Hickory Bend, Missouri to manage the boat.

In Hickory Bend, Gwen ends up taking charge of the showboat as her mother cannot handle anything negative and her brother is Stagestruck with one of the performers. Gwen quickly realizes that several people had the motive to murder Eli as she agrees with the constable that a homicide occurred. Gwen wonders if one of the performers, the workers, the townsfolk, or the handsome captain she just hired to run "Eli's Folly" killed her uncle.

Readers will enjoy this engaging historical amateur sleuth tale that emphasizes the Mississippi River at the end of the nineteenth century. The who-done-it is cleverly worked to the pleasure of mystery readers. The strong characters whether the troupe or the townsfolk are a delight especially the embattled Gwen. However, STAGESTRUCK is a winner due to Cynthia Thomason making 1898 Missouri seems vividly alive.

Harriet Klausner

I was first introduced to the 1960's version in a local flora class as a major requirement. Used as the 'bible' in our plant class, we learned how to key any native plant in the state of Missouri. As soon as I learned that the book was being reissued in two volumes, I immediately went out and bought the first volume. I'm anxiously awaiting the second to be released so I can add that to my collection as well. This a must have book for anyone who is interested in the plants of this area or students of botany.

I was first introduced to the 1960's version in a local flora class as a major requirement. Used as the 'bible' in our plant class, we learned how to key any native plant in the state of Missouri. As soon as I learned that the book was being reissued in two volumes, I immediately went out and bought the first volume. I'm anxiously awaiting the second to be released so I can add that to my collection as well. This a must have book for anyone who is interested in the plants of this area or students of botany.

Volume One covers ferns, fern allies, conifers and the monocots; that is grasses, sedges, rushes, lilies, orchids, spiderworts, yuccas, irises and the like. This text is the first in a series of what will likely be the most comprehensive treatment of a flora in the Central United States. This first volume boasts 194 full-page plates of brand-new black and white illustrations for nearly all the species. There are distribution maps along with the text. One major improvement is that the family and genus descriptions are longer and more detailed than in Julian A. Steyermark's original flora. Introductory chapters provide in-depth, well-researched information on the history of floristic botany, geography, geology, climate and vegetation of Missouri. If you are a naturalist and you frequent Missouri or any of the eight states touching its borders you will find this large, inexpensive volume a MUST for your explorations.

Harte's book has a unique structure for a cookbook: The collected columns take up the front half of the book and the recipes are then found in the back half. Each column ends by refering to one or more recipes by name and page number, and the columns are so inviting that each time I finished one I immediately flipped to the associated recipes (even the twinkie recipes, and I hate twinkies).

Lots of the recipes are very appealing, and they'll probably pull you toward the kitchen whether you're an experienced cook or not. Want to know how to make a REAL Danish? Harte will tell you how -- and then will offer a much easier version, in case you want a dessert with a lot of the same appeal but aren't feeling ambitious enough to tackle the real thing. (I've GOT to try the cheese blinz casserole at the earliest opportunity! And I'm definitely going to make his sushi salad, which is much less intimidating than trying to make actual sushi.) It's clear where Harte's own preferences lie: there are a few recipes for soups, for example, a few more for salads -- and a LOT for desserts! His story about judging a pie eating contest made me laugh out loud.

It's obvious that plenty of research has gone into each column -- the author clearly has a taste for history (and a certain low talent for punning is also evident). This book reminds me of "The Man Who Ate Everything," by Jeffrey Steingarten, only the essays are shorter and there are a whole lot more recipes.

Rachel

A delightful collection of curious food facts and history backed by delicious recipes from a first-class chef. The short stories contain fascinating facts about the origins of many foods and their historical presence, peppered by Harte's spontaneous humor and many personal experiences. Each narrative is brought to life by one or more heavenly recipes created or adapted (and some even beautifully photographed) by the author. Even if you don't get to replicate his delicious dishes anytime soon (real hard to resist, though), the culinary facts he researched and compiled will make you look at some foods in a different way and keep you entertained for long, satisfying hours.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful collection of articles, recipes, and photographs. An entertaining book to read as well as an indispensable source of unique recipes that will surely become family traditions.

Rose O'Neill writes with the flourish and flurry of a legion of Kewpies in full cute mode, but there is charm and a wealth of information to be found in this delightful little book that opens a window onto the world of one of America's most underated artists, creator of a cultural icon, and an icon herself, the fabled Rose of Washington Square! While men still grumble that "Women can't draw comics", Rose O'Neill was beating the boys at their own game with her unique mixture of beauty, grace, wit, unbelievable raw talent and an abundance of charm matched only by her personal generosity. I came away from this book with the feeling that I had met someone I genuinely liked, aware of her own beauty (but not even remotely vain because there doesn't appear to have been an overassesment of her looks. She was a stunner.) Her tales of life in the Ozarks are particularly interesting and the only thing regrettable about this book is that it was too short. I would have relished more details about her marriage to pioneer filmaker Gray Latham and it could have used an afterword that gave more detail about the end of her life. Highly recommended for those seeking a glimpse into the rarely seen life of women cartoonists, artists, and the Belle Epoque.

While this book is not a great literary work, it is a wonderful resource for the Rose O'Neill enthusiast. I found it to be the most comprehensive record of Rose O'Neill's life I have read to date. In her own words, Rose describes her upbringing in an extremely unconventional household by a mother and father, both well-read and educated, with a mutual interest in the arts. Her father wanted to make an "experiment" of her regarding her education and along with reading classic literature, listening to Irish stories of fairies and little people, he always provided her with sharp pencils and plenty of paper on which to draw.

Extensive information is provided on Rose's life including her first trip from New York to the family's new home at Bonniebrook, in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, her marriages and her struggles to make the first Kewpie dolls.

After reading this book it is easy to understand why Rose became the woman and artist that she was. It covers her formative years, beginning her career as an illustrator at a very early age, to her novels, poetry, sculpture, and serious art.

Rose O'Neill was a household name in her long lasting hey-day, yet somehow managed to die in an obscure part of the Ozarks,alone and forgotten. A brilliant draughtsman,portraitist and humorist ,it was O'Neill's sad paradoxical fate to be known for her Kewpie creations as well as condemned to try and repeat their success over and over. Dr.Brunell's sensitive presentation of O'Neill's own words beautifully reveal the vibrant personality who enchanted the world with her unique personality as well as her artistic gifts.

Since the fall of communism and the iron curtain, the European left wing has had to fall back and regroup. The communist parties in places like France and Italy which had a significant percentage of the vote in years past has fallen to almost negligible levels.

The left wing individuals still, however, feel some obligation to hold beliefs counter to those of the mainstream of their societies. This Mr. Gottfried says that the modern trend in the European left came from picking up the beliefs of the American left. That is, the new European left now supports femenists, multi ethnicity, homosexual rights, all the items viewed here as being politically correct.

There is likewise a strange love/hate relationship between the European left and America. When Bill Clinton was in office, and making war in the Balkans we were held with affection. It isn't the same with Bush and the war in Iraq.

This is an interesting book. You can be sure that the European left would be highly adverse to admitting that any of their philosophy came from across the Atlantic. But birds of a feather....

If you are like me and had enough of the PC police state, in your face alternative `life-styles', suicidal immigration policies, and enforced multiculturalism then this book is for you. It's a jewel.

Paul Edward Gottfried gets down to the essentials and stays there. Exposing throughout the book the amazing nonsense and word juggling of the Frankfurt School, the pathetic twists and turns of post WWII communist parties as they try to stay in the saddle, and the rest of the social catastrophe we call the 21st century.

Read together with Kevin McDonald's Culture of Critique, you'll have a pretty accurate picture of what's going on in your own backyard.

_The Strange Death of Marxism: The European Left in the New Millennium_ by Paul Gottfried is an account of the rise of a new European politically correct left from the ashes of Marxism. Unlike the Marxism of the past, which focused primarily on history as the culmination of a dialectical process and emphasized the struggle of the working class proletariat against the capitalist class bourgeoisie, modern day politically correct leftism has turned towards the cultural elite as the dynamo for revolution. Indeed, as Gottfried notes, the original Marxists did not advocate "alternative lifestyles", feminism, homosexual liberation, or rail against the family as oppressive in the same manner as their modern day leftist usurpers do. Gottfried argues that many of these ideas are not fundamentally European in nature but have been exported from America where they originated. This is contrary to the thesis advanced by others such as Alan Bloom in _The Closing of the American Mind_ that political correctness represents a Germanification of American universities. Against such Germanophobic tendencies of both the post-Marxist left and the neoconservative right, Gottfried maintains that political correctness is an import to Europe and began at the time of the Allied defeat of the Axis powers. In particular, Gottfried traces the rise of the Frankfurt School to the development of the therapeutic state, in which all dissenters are labeled as "potential fascists" and assigned to re-education. Echoing conservative critic Patrick Buchanan, whose book _The Decline of the West_ showed the perils of both unrestricted immigration and cultural Marxism, Gottfried shows how individuals such as Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer constructed an "authoritarian personality" type as an explicit rejection of traditional bourgeois Christian values. Others such as Herbert Marcuse and Eric Fromm contributed similar studies rejecting those deemed "regressive" or "insufficiently progressive" as potential fascists. Much of this research was motivated primarily by Jewish intellectuals under the auspices of the American Jewish Committee. Gottfried contrasts this modern cultural Marxism with the more orthodox materialist Marxism in which the working class dynamo is considered as the prime historical motivation. In particular, individuals such as Louis Althusser, although equally motivated by the philosophy of Spinoza, sought a return to this form of Marxist materialism. Gottfried argues that while the post-Marxist left rails against American imperialism and actively supports the Palestinians in the Middle East, that they are fundamentally in favor of an American hegemony provided that it is sufficiently tolerant. In particular, for many on both the left and the right, American democracy is seen as the primary motivating good to be exported to the entire world. Such a belief in American power had its origin in the Allied defeat of the Germans following World War II. In fact, following the Second World War, Germans were assigned to de-nazification camps. Many of those who had been conservative monarchists or nationalists yet opponents of the Nazis were regarded as insufficiently democratic and therefore consigned to the outer darkness of being "potential fascists". This was particularly ironic notes Gottfried because many of those who did the consigning were supporters of a far worse totalitarian regime which had an even greater death toll in the East or were even former fascists themselves. In addition, those who pointed out the many horrors of Allied occupation and the atrocities committed by the Allies during the war, such as the bombing of Dresden or the rape of German women by Soviet soldiers, were equally regarded as pro-fascist. Indeed, in the modern day political debate, any party that is deemed "reactionary" or "fascist" is instantly stifled by the far left. In Europe, many rightist parties have been suppressed or banned because of supposed sympathy for the fascists. While Gottfried admits that many of these parties may have unsavory elements within them, they do represent a part of the political process that involves the questioning of accepted wisdom and the desire to see a revived nationalism. It is disturbing to note the lust of the far left for censorship, particularly as it applies to Europe. However, Gottfried makes the point that America is equally slipping towards the left despite the apparent tendency to turn right following the so-called Reagan revolution. Indeed, Gottfried argues that the "Reagan revolution" was nothing of the sort and that Americans continue to drift in a sea of immorality and nihilism propped up by the far left. Gottfried also considers Italian communists such as Antonio Gramsci, who may have first originated the idea of the culture clash. In addition, Gottfried discusses the exploits of Jurgen Habermas, a profoundly anti-German German communist sympathizer, who has argued for banning other historians including Ernst Nolte. Indeed, those who bring up the atrocities of the communists under Stalin and others are regarded as being potential fascist sympathizers by much of the far left. This was particularly the case regarding the recent publication of the book _The Black Book of Communism_ which showed the terrors inflicted upon the world by this horrendous ideology. Gottfried considers it useful to regard the modern day post-Marxist left as a form of political religion, echoing the categories of conservative philosopher Eric Voegelin. Voegelin believed that many political philosophies constituted resuscitations of earlier Christian Gnostic heresies. Oddly, perhaps the last hope of the cultural conservatives in the coming era is turning towards the working class as a source for traditional values. As others such as Christopher Lasch have shown, the working class may frequently support socialist economics, however they are fundamentally culturally conservative. This may offer a useful opportunity for the right in regaining ground stolen from it by the pernicious influence of a post-Marxist left guiding a managerial therapeutic state actively persecuting all dissenters.

Did you know that the bow was used for both hunting food and as a weapon? Traditional Archery is a beautifully illustrated book about how archery shaped civilization for many centuries.

Bert Grayson has incredible knowledge on this subject, and we are so happy that someone has taken the time to put this all in a book that can be shared with others instead of sitting in a room in Missouri. Awesome, informative...a must for anyone who loves archery through the ages!

This volume provides an overview of the world-class Charles E. Grayson collection of archery equipment, housed at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Traditional Archery is an important guide to the diversity of bows, arrows and other related paraphernalia used by ancient and modern cultures across the globe. This work will become a standard reference on the subject, taking a rightful place alongside other classic studies such as Mason's 1893 North American Bows, Arrows and Quivers, Heath's 1971 The Grey Goose Wing, and Hamilton's 1982 Native American Bows, for example.

Traditional Archery is well-written, providing information on the nomenclature and technology of bows and arrows, as well as region-specific discussions of equipment from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The photographs complementing the text are superb, providing the reader with representative examples from the Grayson collection. Additional illustrative materials include photographs, drawings, and paintings showing archery equipment in use in a variety of settings such as hunting and warfare.

The value of this book lies in the presentation of a large amount of information in a manner that is accessible to the general reader, but is also detailed enough for scholars researching the prehistoric and historic manufacture and use of archery equipment. Dr. Grayson is an outstanding authority on the subject, having studied archery in all its aspects as a historian, bowyer, and hunter. His background, along with the breadth of the collection he amassed over many decades, makes Traditional Archery a unique contribution.

On July 1837 Pa, Ma, Betsy, Andy and Nathan were almost to there destination, after travling for 3 months. Nathan was riding a pregnant mare who was do to foal any day now. Then finally they saw it the town they were traviling too and where they would finally settle down at. During the first winter they where there they had a lot of things happen. Nathan struggled with wanting to be a doctor. While they were back in Kentucky his grandpa was one and he would tag alog with him on his calls. So when his foal was born he finds that she as weak bones and decides to put a splint on it. He is also cutting down logs for there home. In the mean time he is waiting for his Pa to come home, who left to enter some land. But when he dosen't come home for two months he wonders if he even servived and if he should go find him. Trails to Poosey will keep you on your toes and wanting to keep reading. Good book for everyone.

I loved the story, so did my kids, but what really grabbed us were the beautiful drawings in the book.
I have tried to find other books with work by Chelsea Sammel but have not found any. Her work is delicate, intricate, and really captures the spirit of the book.
Highly recommended!

15 year old Nathan resents having to leave Kentucky where he wants to learn to be a doctor under his grandfather's guidance.But Nathans father wants to get away from civilization so they pack all their belongings on horseback and head for Missouri.Nathan has a special knack for doctoring and when his horse gives birth two weeks too early and the filly is unable to walk because it's bones are too soft,Nathan fixes bark splints to allow it to walk and eventually it can walk on its own.The real test for Nathan comes when his father must travel to enter their land at the land office several days journey away and doesn't return.Rumors of small pox reach the family and Nathan must decide toleave his mother and sister to find his father before winter sets in.My children begged me to read "just one more chapter" every night.A real pioneer story!

This book gives a first person perspective on what the civil war meant to one union supporter who had a law office in St. Louis, but later left to avoid the conflicts in Missouri. Well done!

This book is an authentic, first person account of the Civil War situation in Missouri from 1861 to 1865. It is taken from the hand written journals of Franklin Archibald Dick, and compiled by his great,
great granddaughter, Gari Carter.

The journals are an amazing, new and primary source of information on the Civil War. They are his personal notes on the War, the U.S. economy and global politics of the era. He was a perceptive attorney and Union officer, and recorded his day-to-day experiences in the Troubled State Journals

If you want a close-up account of the Civil War story in the state of Missouri, directly from a man who was there, read this book.

Troubled State: Civil War Journals of Franklin Archibald Dick is a collection of private journals written by Franklin Archibald Dick, a St. Louis attorney, Union officer, and provost marshal general. Assiduously assembled by Franklin Dick's great-great-granddaughter Gari Carter, Troubled State offers a firsthand view of historical events such as the early Camp Jackson incident (during which he was Captain Lyon's assistant adjutant general). Dick was concerned about the slow progression and horrendous cost of the civil war; witnessing the divided city of St. Louis broke his heart, and journals reflect his progression from optimism to grave doubts about the future. Thoughtfully annotated and supplemented with brief biographies as well as a family genealogy and bibliography, Troubled State is a welcome addition to Civil War primary source shelves.

Unfortunately their is so much revisionist junk history about the atomic bomb and the cold war. Nuclear diplomacy, racism and other unfounded theories about the bomb have found their way into textbooks and classrooms. Anyone who does not think Truman used the bomb to end WWII quickly and with less lives lost is simply ignoring the obvious and the evidence. This book helps set the record straight. The decision to use the bomb was simple: to get Japan to stop fighting. Truman wanted to save lives and end the war: end of arguement. This book helps set the record straight.

Mr. Maddox has done a great service in analyzing the decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan. He systematically demolishes the arguements used by those who (for whatever reason) think that the bombing was unjustified. He shows through intercepted transmissions how the Japanese were ready to commit themselves to a bloodbath to fight off an invasion and how the Japanese military still wanted to fight even after Hiroshima was destroyed. Overall, the book is great work and should be required reading in schools and the Smithsonian Museum.

Some of the most popular books on the atomic bombing of Japan are filled to a depressing extent with distortions and incaccuracies. These books argue that there was no military necessity to use the bomb. Various nonsensical theories are offered to explain its use e.g.: The bomb was deployed to provide diplomatic leverage against the Soviets or as a result of American racism. These authors routinely take many indisputable facts and ignore or twist them beyond recognition in order to justify their arguments.

Robert James Maddox does a great public service by exposing these abuses of truth in Weapons for Victory. Point by point the tendentious butchering of historical source materials is exposed until there is little doubt that the methods used by these writers are the historian's equivalent of junk science. Various quotes, documents and other pieces of information are often used selectively and taken out of context. This process drastically alters the real meaning of these sources as facts are chopped up and forced to conform to predetermined conclusions. Maddox reproduces many of these misused sources in their full context and thereby shows their true meaning to be something quite different than what these authors claim. In addition, many basic facts that contradict the revisionists' claims (and that are usually ignored by them) are recited. For example, it's often said that the Japanese would have surrendered by mid-1945 if they had only been assured that their emperor could remain in place. Drawing on U.S. intercepts of Japanese diplomatic communication, Maddox shows that the Japanese wanted the emperor to remain the actual ruler of Japan, not the figurehead that he became after the surrender. Many other revisionist arguments become farcical after Maddox compares them to the documentary evidence.

This book is an indispensable antidote to such widely known and wrongly respected travesties as The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb by Gar Alperovitz and Hiroshima by Ronald Takaki. Weapons for Victory clearly exposes the malpractice of the historian's profession contained in these books. A similar work of equally high quality is Truman and the Hiroshima Cult by Robert P. Newman.

The issue here is not about varying interpretations fo history, which are completely legitimate. It is about the proper and responsible use of source materials by certain authors who hold themselves out to the public as careful historians. We should all hope that despite the popular appeal of conspiracy theories and gratuitous America bashing that has propelled many revisionists to fame, good scholarship like Maddox's will still prevail.