Oklahoma Books

This commentary on Ovid's Metamorphoses is directed at Latin students at the advanced undergraduate and early graduate level, but it also has a lot to offer to scholars and other people who are able to read and enjoy Ovid's original Latin. Written by one of the most distinguished experts in the field, the Latin text of the book follows that of Anderson's own Teubner edition (6.ed. 1993). The commentary reflects Anderson's deep familiarity with Ovid's poetry and his high critical acumen. For a more detailed and highly positive review, see, e.g., Stephen Wheeler in American Journal of Philology 120 (1999) 170-73.

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I just wanted to let the interested (particularly the beginning or intermediate student of Latin) know that, while this is a fantastic edition of Books 1-5 and probably by far the most in-depth commentary available for them, it is not marked (i.e., no macra). Additionally, the Latin text of the Metamorphoses and the line-by-line commentary are entirely separate, so the frequent flipping back and forth can begin to feel cumbersome at times. These things said, I do recommend Anderson's commentary to anyone who desires a brilliant, scholarly light to be shed upon Ovid's Metamorphoses; just be aware that this commentary cannot, as Pharr's Aeneid can, be used in lieu of serious attention to the language and a liberal amount of elbow grease.

I enjoyed this one cover to cover. Being an Ozark Native (lived here all my life) and being from a family (as is my wife) that settled in this area well before the Civil War, I was able to relate quite well to the wonderful stories and accounts presented here by the author. This work truly captures the essence of our past and should certainly be read by any who has the slightest interest in the subject. Like another reviewer, I am afraid this work will be relegated to a narrow audience, which is a shame as there are true gems in these pages. This work examines a somewhat lost way of life and sadly, as each year passes, we loose more and more of it. This work covers the period between 1885 and 1910, but it must be said that many of the traditions referenced here lived long after this time period. Recommend this one highly.

This book might appeal to a narrow audience, but I hope not. Prof. Gilmore has done a great job detailing the history of just how people of the turn of the century Ozarks entertained themselves. Taken mostly from old newspapers and oral histories you get great insight into the box and pie suppers, community picnics, spellings bees, debates, school plays, singing schools, and other gatherings that people used to spice up their isolated rural lives in the rugged Ozarks. I was amazed at some of the worldly topics that were debated in the schools in the evenings and the pure excitment of packing up the wagon with fried chicken and pies to spend the day at the community picnic.

This book provides a warm look back at a much simpler time. It is wonderful reading!!

This is a solid 5-star book for any reader interested in the day-to-day, season-by-season work of cowboying and running a ranch. The author describes in this well-written book his four years (1974-78) of single-handedly managing a cow-calf operation on 5000 acres of sandy grassland in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The writing is precise and informative, full of love for the life he has chosen, admiration for the hard-working men who are his friends and neighbors, and a deepening understanding of the ranch's four not-always-cooperative horses.

There's also a good deal of humor in the book, much of it owing to the particularly unmanageable nature of the cattle on the ranch. An episode of fruitlessly chasing two wild cows through a series of pasture fences made it into a collection of cowboy humor called "Horsing Around," by Lawrence Clayton and Kenneth Davis. We also read how the author gets a reputation for picking the worst weather for fall roundups. The book ends on a soberer note, as Erickson is told that the ranch is being sold and that he's out of a job. While he's happy enough to clear the ranch of the hateful cattle that have tried his patience, there's a bittersweetness as he parts with the horses that we've come to know so well.

This is the first, and maybe best, of a series of books by the author about his ranching experiences. It was followed by "Cowboy Country" and "LZ Cowboy." As in the others, the text of this book is illustrated with a number of nicely selected black and white photographs. Larry McMurtry has some interesting words to say about cowboys by way of introduction (he's usually not so appreciative). Thanks to the University of Nebraska Press for keeping this fine book in print. Readers will also enjoy Ben K. Green's "Wild Cow Tales" and Thomas McGuane's "Some Horses."

Anyone who still thinks the cowboy life is one of great romance - man and animal working in harmony under a blissful sky in wide open country, free and independent, the epitome of Jeffersonian democracy at work - had better read this honest, eyes-wide-open account of ranch life today. Although cowboyng was never really like the myths made it out to be, for some reason the myths took firm root. John Erickson worked for four years in the 1970s on a ranch in the Oklahoma panhandle, and this is his warts-and-all account of his experiences. Unlike in the myths, herding cattle is hard, sometimes brutal work, made even worse by harsh weather conditions, unpredictable animals, unending routine (read tedious) tasks, and cut-throat business practices (this last might be the cruelest of all). Not to say there aren't good times - close friends, favorite horses, handsome views when the wind lays down and time permits noticing - but Erickson makes clear that these good times are only oases in a Sahara of hardships. Not that he's complaining about that - just making an observation. But even Erickson can't resist the mythologizing and romancing completely, and where the book apparently ends at a livestock auction where he sells his favorite horse to (he assumes) a meat-packing plant, the horse is miraculously saved at the last minute and sent to a ranch in Montana: "I can see him now," Erickson writes, "standing in a green meadow with the Montana mountains blue in the distance." Myths, thank God, do not die easy deaths. A well-written, informative, and honest account of punching cattle on the open range.

If anyone on Earth wants to discuss this extinct specie; I guaranttee that my e-mail address is the place to visit. I have had a unswerving fascination with ectopistis migratorius since 1965. Schorger's book is the backbone of any serious study of "The Wild Pigeon" of North America.

Schorger's book is the definitive study of the wild pigeon of North America; it covers all matters concerning the birds' natural history and extinction. People with an interest in North American history, ornithology, conservation and the preservation of natural resources will greatly broaden their background and understanding through this detailed and anecdotal study. It contains 424 pages revealing a powerful aspect of North America's history unknown to current generations: skies filled with inconceivable numbers of birds,-as many as two billion in a single migration. Schorger paints a vivid and poignant picture of a world we have lost, tragically, through our own greed and ignorance. If anyone would care to discuss this book or its subject matter further, I would be pleased to dialogue either by e-mail or letter. I have made the study of the Passenger Pigeon an integral part of my life for the past thirty-three years. Sincerely, Holland E. Shaw

After researching and skimming through other books written about the Oklahoma City bombing and Timothy McVeigh, this book by far takes the cake. I started reading the first chapter and before I knew it I was half way into the book! Author does a great job laying out the timeline, facts, and events that lead up to the Oklahoma City bombing- even after the event! Anoter recommendation would be "American Terrorist" by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck.

In the rush to keep America safe, this book reminds us that the country inadvertently nurtures terrorism amongst 'all-American' types.

Both McVeigh and Nichols never would have fit the profile of a 'suspected terrorist'. This is because they were military veterans without prior arrest records who lived in middle America.

But Middle America feels alienated from its government. Come to think of it, they ultimately don't trust the government at all. Coming back after a military service, they were drawn into a gun show underground where restrictions on weapons are conveniently unenforced.

The going mantra at such events appears to be "If you want it, there is somebody who is just as willing to sell it to you". And coupled with the presence of equally chilling materials, this ultimately spelled out a recipe for disaster.

Serving as a consultant to Timothy McVeigh's defense team, Stuart Wright did not actually come across as somebody championing his client. Rather, I came away with an objective account of the tragedy.

I also compared his thoughtful examination against our ongoing public paranoia against 'outsiders' particularly those with certain-sounding names. The former seems like it offers the more reasonable strategy for effectively addressing and then winning the war against terrorism--international AND domestic.

"The two men eyed each other warily over the white linen tablecloth. A thick report lay on the table between them. Tom Huntington sat on the edge of his chair, leaning slightly forward, both hands palm down. The immaculate cut of his clothes and his posture hinted a military background. His broad, craggy face held the certain assurance of one in command, and his square face was set. Staring at the younger man through steel-grey eyes, he remained silent."

"Tony Angelletti scowled as he looked hard at the report....With a look of determination verging on defiance, he drew a deep breath and said 'I can't do it, Tom. I won't do it. Whatever was said before, whatever you or the others may have thought about my position on this project, I won't go along with it.'"

"Tony Angelletti had no idea what his refusal would bring to his life. What he did know was that the report laying before him held phony data. Southwest Energy Corporation was way out of line on its Greenleaf Project and sponsoring it would be the end of his political career."

"Yet, his 'no' vote as a Public Utility Commissioner would anger not only Tom Huntington, who sat before him, but also the most influential men in the state. Tom had put him in office and could take him out in a heartbeat. But his decision was made, he would not vote to go forward with a utility plant that would overburden the taxpayers of Oklahoma."

With this scene, Jonathan Neff's debut novel sets into motion more trouble than the citizens of Tulsa and Angelletti could ever imagine.

The members of a sinister alliance, formed to push a questionable deal, would stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

When Angelletti realizes he is in over his head, he calls on his longtime friend, Sam Littlehawk, a prominent attorney, for help and protection.

Together they unravel a twisted chain of lies and corruption that could cost them their lives.

Katrina Petrovna, a Russian ballerina who is a friend of both Littlehawk and Angelletti, also is mixed up in the intrigue.

She panics at the arrival of Antoly Karmakov - a brooding, world-class musician who is known and feared in the deadly world of the Russian Mafia.

Kartina asks Tony and Sam to help her escape Karmakov's clutches.

Unknown to these three is that Karmakov and Huntington are in league on the Greenleaf Project.

As this intricate plot races forward, Katrina, Sam and Tony find themselves fugitives, and Sam is framed for attempted murder. Then, into the mix comes a group of Afghan terrorists with agendas all their own.

Readers will recognize many Tulsa landmarks as the story unfolds.

Neff's blend of edge-of-your-seat suspense and credible plot twists serve the story well. The background used for Sam Littlehawk captured my love of Native American history.

Neff has written a courageous tour de force that I highly recommend to all readers.

As I turned the pages faster and faster, I found myself thinking, "This could happen - it really could happen - right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma."

Neff, a world-traveler, lawyer, writer, businessman, entrepreneur, pilot and conservationist, has written one of the most topical and realistic thrillers I've read all year.

Although Neff has lived in New York and California, he makes his home near Tulsa.

Power Play is a suspenseful novel of danger, intrigue, and globe-spanning corruption. When a gutsy public utility commissioner who dares to take a stand against the controversial Greenleaf Project gets in over his head, he turns to his life-long friend and expert lawyer for help and protection. But the two of them are just beginning to scratch the surface of a lethal conspiracy between greedy corporate executives, the Russian Mafia, and Afghani terrorists. Struggling to defend themselves against attacks on their lives, an attempted murder charge, and a sinister plot that endangers thousands of lives - including that of a Russian ballerina desperate to escape the clutches of brooding master musician and Russian Mafia figurehead. An exciting thrill ride, packed with sudden twists and turns to the very end.

Absolutly terrific book about the area, the history of the three communities and their tie into the Taos area. Very enlightening, well researched and documented. Good information about the Mountain Man's demise, how he ended up in the Pueblo area, the connection between the northern ans southern part of the state and the "trail system". For those who grew up in the area this book can be quite enlightening about places and times that are "in your face" but not seen. Very good history of the upper Arkansas.

You'd never know from the dullish title, but this is an interesting, well-written, authoritative book of Western history. The subject is the upper Arkansas River valley around the present city of Pueblo -- not one of the West's most storied locations. There are a number of famous people who pass through the pages of this book -- Kit Carson, John Charles Fremont, Francis Parkman, and the Bents -- but the main characters are unfamiliar and have unalliterative, forgettable names: George S. Simpson, for example.

All the disadvantages aside, Janet LeCompte has written a small masterpiece about a handful of ex-mountain men, Mexicans, and traders who established several communities along the Arkansas River from 1840 to 1854. In the latter year, the Ute Indians killed most of the traders, thereby erasing Pueblo's claim to being the first White settlement in Colorado.

Most of the histories of the west are expansive, looking a big men and events. "PHG" is micro, focusing on a relatively unimportant region, and deriving its importance from a reconstruction of daily life among the Anglos and Hispanics at the isolated settlements. The author says the book is about the men and women who struggled to make a good life "out of the wild Indians, stubborn soil and thin grass of the difficult valley." Their failure, unnoticed as it may be in the larger scheme of things, is the drama of this homely story.

Smallchief

This is a fabulous book! The 2nd book in a 3 book series by Oklahoma Award Winning Author, Molly Levite Griffis, it gives a very accurate account of life during the WWII era, despite the fact that its fictional. I recommend anyone, even adults, read this book when wanting to know more about WWII. No, it won't give you details of battles, or information about the players in the war; rather this book brings it down to a different perspective. This book is the perspective of civilians, of a child, living during the WWII era. How life was for her. Fictional or not, the sentiment comes across in a very entertaining way. And, although you can read each of the 3 books in this series seperately, I highly recommend reading them all and in order; The Feester Filibuster, The Rachel Resistance, and Simon Says. You won't be disappointed in Molly's story telling abilities!!!

The Rachel Resistance is a terrific children's book for any time and an ideal book for the present time. It is December 5, 1941, and Pearl Harbor has just been bombed. Fifth-grader Rachel Elizabeth Dalton (her initials spell the color of her hair) of Apache, Oklahoma, sets out with her best friend Paul to discover traitors in her own home town. Is her tormenter John Alan Feester an enemy spy? What about Mr. Johnson who owns the local filling station and is the only person in Apache who does not fly an American flag? When someone throws a brick through the window of old Mr. Sing's Chinese laundry, Rachel learns that a passion for quick revenge is itself un-American. Finally, her friendship with Paul takes a twist that would perplex the most mature adult. A wonderful book with vivid prose and a plot that sticks with you long after the covers are closed.

Professor Brophy has performed a great public service by writing a powerful, yet concise book about one of the most deadly race riots in United States history. On May 31, 1921, whites attacked black residents of the Greenwood addition of Tulsa, Oklahoma, burning, looting, and murdering. This book is absorbing, upsetting and fair.

Professor Brophy's work is meticulously researched and heavily footnoted. In addition to investigation of the riot by in-depth research of the available legal materials that were generated by the riot, Professor Brophy has relied heavily upon the news accounts and editorials of the two largest black newspapers in Oklahoma at that time, the Black Dispatch in Oklahoma City, and the Tulsa Star in Tulsa. These two newspapers displayed stunning activism and fearlessness in criticizing the actions of whites who committed criminal acts against blacks during the riot, and at other times during that time period. It is interesting that blacks, who had been aroused by recent lynchings of blacks in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, had vowed to forcibly resist further lynching. The Tulsa Riot itself was set in motion by black concern over the arrest of a black who had been arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a white female elevator operator, and was accelerated by white violence in response.

If this murderous event had occurred today, the City of Tulsa would have been liable under civil rights laws. The city issued special deputy badges to virtually anyone who asked for it, regardless of background or qualifications. Some of these "special deputies" were undoubtedly the main criminal actors in the riot, and city law enforcement officials did little, if anything, to stop their crimes. The city's use of these unqualified whites as law enforcement officers, who burned, looted and shot black residents of Greenwood, make an excellent case for reparations for those victims of the criminal activity in Tulsa who are still living and who were affected by the riot.

This book sheds great light on a terrible event, and is highly recommended.

David W. Lee
Edmond, OK

"At once meticulously factual and riveting, Alfred Brophy's moving account of a 1921 race riot that destroyed an economically self-reliant, vibrant African-American community clarifies why political action and enforcement of legal and human rights are indispensable prerequisites for black economic opportunity and material progress. Brophy also clarifies why Americans need to find the courage to acknowledge injustices of the recent past and contrive amends to help heal still-unresolved consequences scarring both victims and perpetrators." --Jane Jacobs

"A timely contribution to a variety of important and contentious discussions involving American history, African-American culture, and the problems encountered in attempting to right past wrongs...Brophy reminds us that deadly, cruel, racial violence is not something that only happens 'out there' in the rest of the world but is something that has also happened here in the United States on a massive scale and that just as others out there have fallen short in reckoning with their pasts, so too have Americans." --Randall Kennedy, from the Foreword

"In his timely, well documented and powerfully written book, Reconstructing the Dreamland, Professor Al Brophy vividly illustrates a chapter of America's sordid racist past by focusing on the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921. If we are to transcend the barriers to racial progress, we all must read Brophy's compelling work and use it as a seminal case in our path to avoid conflicts at all costs. Simply put, Professor Brophy's book is the best-written account of the Tulsa riots, and captures the people of Tulsa's resolve to never allow a similar travesty to occur again. Every person interested in racial justice should have this book at his or her disposal." --Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Harvard Law School

Few figures in ancient history are as enticing as Cleopatra VII (69-30 BCE), who came to power in Egypt at a time when the Hellenistic world was colliding with a rising Roman empire. She has been remembered largely as the sexy, beautiful lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and this aspect of her life is relayed in this book, but what is less well known is how superb a monarch she was for ancient Egypt. She successfully negotiated the shoals of war and diplomacy with Rome, other Middle Eastern empires, and her own realm's dissident elements. "The Reign of Cleopatra" is a fine introduction to this intriguing leader's life and times. In it we see a woman who possessed a unique talent for diplomacy, leadership, and power brokering. In a world dominated by strong and sometimes brutal men, Cleopatra was every bit as dominant and sometimes brutal as those she encountered.

This book offers a window into a world long gone and all but forgotten. It was a pre-Christian world in which values were far different from what has existed since. In it she was viewed as a god incarnate by her subjects, she was married to her brother for a short time, and she had other lovers, notably Julius Caesar and Mark Antony with whom she had children. Her ability to seduce and make an alliance with Julius Caesar was critical to her early reign. After his death by assassination her relationship to Mark Antony, even closer than that with Caesar, was critical to her reign and ultimately led to her suicide in 30 BCE after Antony's defeat by Octavian.

"The Reign of Cleopatra" is very much a primer on the era and its politics and society. There are chapters on Cleopatra as an individual, on Egypt under the Ptolemys, the social character of Egypt, the role of Alexandria as the capital, a collection of key documents illuminating various aspects of the story, and a biographical section offering thumbnail descriptions of key actors. This is a fine introduction to a complex and fascinating subject.

Cleopatra was an enigma in her own time, and has remained so throughout two thousand years of subsequent history. As the Elizabeth Taylor film about Cleopatra concluded, she 'was the last of so many noble rulers.' In fact, she represented the close of several chapters of history - she was the last of the Ptolemiac line to rule Egypt, the last of the independent ruler/monarchs or pharoahs, and the last the major threats to Rome before it became a consolidated empire under Augustus.

Yet this is not the primary source of her fame. Her fame comes largely from her legendary sexual allure, which according to Burstein's research, was less due to her physical beauty (apparently she was rather ordinary looking) as it was from her intelligence and charm. An extraordinarily educated and wise woman, she survived intrigues and reached pinnacles of power beyond that of most, especially of women during her period of history. Cleopatra's personal life is an very complicated one - married to several different men (including, in true Ptolemaic fashion, her own brother), she had four children (one by Julius Caesar, and three by Mark Antony), and following the family history of Cleopatra is a real trick - there were no fewer than 14 kings named Ptolemy, at least seven Cleopatras, and numerous Arsinoes and Berenikes. It is easy to get lost in the history.

Stanley Burstein does a good job at keeping this history straight. The first chapter gives a brief introduction to Ptolemaic Egypt, beginning with Ptolemy I, friend of Alexander the Great, and proceeding up through the various descendents and their waxing and waning fortunes in the eastern Mediterranean. The wars amongst the successors of Alexander gave way to family intrigues among the Ptolemies at times, and included involvement in the various civil wars of the Romans, which would eventually end with the fall of Cleopatra and Antony and the rise of Augustus. Cleopatra's three children by Antony would survive; her grandson (also named Ptolemy) would succeed as king of Mauretania, until one of Augustus' successors (Caligula) would assassinate him.

In addition to presenting the international and foreign political history involving Cleopatra, Burstein presents essays on the internal structures and cultures in Egypt, with special emphasis on the city of Alexandria. Alexandria was home of the Great Lighthouse and the Great Library (two of the Ancient Wonders of the World) in addition to other magnificent structures; it was the most cosmopolitan place in the world known to the Romans (and, mostly likely, the entire world at the time). There were rumours at different times that the capital of the empire might be moved from Rome to Alexandria - such rumours were exploited in Rome at convenient times. Burstein concludes his essays with a discussion of the way Cleopatra has been viewed over time, including modern discussions of her prominence as an early figure of feminist activity (a woman in history who acted in her own right, and not through the agency of a man) as well as a figure of pride for African Americans, many of whom have taken her as one of their own history as an early African ruler.

Indeed, far from being the sexually predatory figure as she was often portrayed, most evidence seems to indicate she was only involved with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and was faithful to each while involved with them. She was also faithful to her children, and to Egypt itself. It was politically expedient for her to be portrayed as wanton and licentious at the time, and has served later times in various ways to play up this image, but the real Cleopatra is quite different from that which has become a legend down to our own times.

Burstein provides, as is characteristic of the Greenwood Guides, biographical snapshots of key figures of the time (this includes Egyptians, Romans, and even mythical figures such as Isis), a glossary of terms, listings of primary sources materials, an extensive annotated bibliography, an index, and various maps and images that help put some visual context for the stories.

A very useful book, written at a level that advanced high school and undergraduate students can find accessible, but also useful to general readers.