Illinois Books

Linda Lyman has captured the essence of the typical experiences for a principal working in a poor school. However, the object of her research, Kenneth Hinton, is a remarkable principal. His decisions are grounded in doing what is best for children. He cares. He cares enough to make tough decisions that can be risky for any principal. Lyman sets the groundwork for understanding the principalship and leads the reader to understand the work of servant leaders. In addition to the stories, she provides an excellent background for the theory of educational leadership and a template for turnaround principals. This book should be reading for every school board and every person seeking to become an administrator.
Kathleen Hickey

It is so refreshing to learn of an individual, such as Kenneth Hinton, who sincerely cares about children, parents, and his profession. Many may claim that they care but do not take the extraordinary measures necessary to convey it. Hats off to Mr. Hinton and Ms. Lyman for a job well done!

In her recently published book, Linda Lyman shares an aspect of leadership that focuses on caring and its implications for learning within schools. She does this through an ethnographic approach by observing a caring principal within the context of an entire school community. First, Lyman introduces a caring environment within a theoretical context. Then, she profiles the principal, Kenneth H. Hinton, by providing an historical background of the school and community with various themes and implications for caring. Each chapter is rife with specific experiences illustrating examples with references to research on caring. Through the comments of Hinton, his colleagues, the children, and their parents, readers get a glimpse of what a significant difference caring leadership makes within their learning community. Questions at the end of each chapter provide focus for personal reflection and grist for further dialogue. Lyman chronicles Hinton as a catalyst who not only shapes change for what is best for children, but he transforms lives and learning through caring. The reader can, then, better recognize and reflect upon how caring makes a positive difference within a learning environment. Not only is this a provocative and inspiring read, but Lyman articulates and illustrates a critical component of learning which is caring that might otherwise be difficult to illuminate. At a time when publics continue to scrutinize the quality of learning within schools, Lyman provides a refreshing articulation and detailed description of how caring schools come to be and the tremendous rewards for all involved. Lyman's research and literary contributions provide hope as well as specific ingredients for a personal and professional commitment to children and caring. This book provides reason for further critical reflection and dialogue on this topic.

I bought this book as a gift for my daughter who studied with the author. Peggy Macnamara is the resident artist at the Field Museum in Chicago. Her drawings are amazing.

Peggy McNamara and the people at the Division of Insects at the Field Museum have produced a wonderful book on the insects and spiders of Illinois. The paintings are beautiful and the text informative. The book gives the reader an appreciation of the little forms of life that inhabit the state of Illinois. Perhaps this book will keep people from stepping on or spraying an insect or spider when they know more about it.

Maggie Daley wrote the introduction but I don't think she should be listed as first author of the book.

Superb. Ms. Macnamara's illustrations of small, complex and beautiful creatures are wonderful. She teaches drawing and painting at the Field Museum. Her teaching style is rare: individualized and comprehensive. No secret techniques. A rich study of materials. Also co-author of a book on wildlife painting. A highly skilled person who pays exquisite attention.

Biggers book of experiences living in a Tarahumara village capture the many nuances of life here in the Sierra. His writing has a good, readable style and is fun to boot. His tangents although sometimes distracting are always informative and frequently educational. Biggers is to be respected for not naming the village where he lived but he provides more than enough clues to figure out the location. Although not a general travel book, Biggers book is a must-read for anyone wanting a true and enjoyable insight into the Tarahumara style of living.

In the Sierra Madre is one of the best travel memoirs I've read in years. It's a real page turner. I couldn't put it down. Situated in Mexico's Copper Canyon, author Jeff Biggers traverses the legendary canyons of the native Raramuri or Tarahumara, while weaving in the history of centuries of travelers, including some unforgettable characters like writer/adventurer Frederick Schwatka, George S. Patton and Black Jack Pershing, an Irish lord and his African American mistress, etc etc. Biggers is funny, informed, and his pages move from story to story. And of course, the fabulous tale of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre always lurks in the background. This is a great book and makes me want to travel to Copper Canyon. By the way, Biggers in person is also quite a raconteur. Should he come to town, don't hesitate to see his performance.

Since I made the train journey up to Copper Canyon, I bought this book and felt like I re-lived the trip, and then another I wished I had made. This is a wonderful, moving, often poetic, memoir of an American's year-long sojourn in a Tarahumara (he uses the traditional name, Raramuri) Indian village. The writing, however, never falls into any anthropological notes. Biggers moves back and forth from his own experiences in his adopted village, where he chops wood with the local lumberjacks and plants corn and weathers the worst drought in the region's history, and the often hilarious adventures of famous travelers who have made their own foray into the canyons. The book's range is fantastic: characters like French poet Artaud, black West Point cadet Henry Flipper, a young George S. Patton, and a Russian sailor--to name only a few--pepper the stories like characters from a great drama. Jeff Biggers, who is the author of a book on Appalachia, is that chatty companion you wished you had along for the journey, someone who knows world literature and history as well as he knows the intimate details of the local canyons and people, and someone who loves to mix the two. Biggers writes about the ups and downs of tourism in Mexico's famed Copper Canyon by spinning a tale of a modern-day tragicomedy based on the Greek Antigone; he discusses the plight of logging by recalling a poem by Scottish bard Robert Burns and the Scottish debacle at Darien.

I'd recommend this to anyone planning a trip to Copper Canyon, or those armchair travelers who love their world history written through a great journey.

Above all, this is a great read. Omer-Sherman takes a dynamic approach to the entwined ways that the biblical world and the contemporary one speak to each other through the modern Hebrew writer's imaginative juxtaposition of space, landscape, and ideology. The author's use of the desert as a lens or trope creates a very fresh approach to Jewish writing, that can accommodate parts of the Bible, some current Israeli fiction, and some Diasporic writing as well. The book also draws on, in a truly appealing way, the author's years of living in the Israeli desert. Hence, the wilderness emerges as a real physical place as well as a highly-charged metaphor. The style is crisp and energetic, clear and jargon-free, and keeps the reader engaged in the details of works and in the main thrust of the project as a whole.

A lively and imaginative, as well as critically astute, analysis of the unusual ways that
the wilderness of ancient scripture permeates the modern Israeli literary imagination and other Jewish writing as well. Omer-Sherman's provocative analysis is a truly illuminating and often moving discussion of both literary and literal landscapes that offers perceptive ways to think about issues such as belonging, national identity, and dispossession in modern Israel and the world itself.

This is a terrifically provocative and well-written xcellent study of desert as both place and metaphor. 'Israel in Exile' is a highly engaging exploration of how the ancient desert and the nomadic human landscape of the Middle East forms a template for modern political identities, radical skepticism, and questioning of official narratives of the nation. The exploration of the works of authors (David Grossman, Amos Oz, and Edmond Jabès, among others) produce richly speculative and rewarding close readings. Omer-Sherman ultimately asserts that the ancient encounter with the desert acquires a new sense of urgency and relevance to the crisis brought about by national identities and territorial conflicts. A very impressive and wide-ranging discussion of the special relationship between place and narrative in the Jewish cultural, religious, and literary imagination.

First, let me say that I am not from Chicago. So why read this book you might ask? Because I heard of this book from the author whom I met at BookExpo America...the national trade show for the book publishing industry. So, I decided that I would order the book simply so I could tell her that I had read it.

Now I am glad I did. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the book.

To some, Joliet may merely be a micocosm of Chicago, but I found it to be much more than that. It is also a story of people, of individuals and of micro-communities, that can probably be paralleled to other communities in other urban areas. What make Joliet unique is the depth of the research that the author put into the telling of its individual stories of struggle, of sorrow, and of accomplishment. The uniqueness of Joliet may be in its strong church ties and in its architecture of structures and of its peoples, but the stories of the history and of the people of this area are quite interesting...and make for a very interesting read.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who understands that by knowing more about the history and lives of others gives greater insight into ourselves. This book will both make you think and entertain you as well...that, in and of itself, is quite unique. I enjoyed it and think that you will too.

"Joliet" teaches us about a fascinating town in Middle America where immigrants settled and made a home for themselves while carrying the torch of liberty. Marianne Wolf has researched the past to provide a timely lesson for the present and for future generations. The images of the people in this pictorial history cry out for readers to understand the plight of the immigrants who come to America to build better futures for themselves and their families. This book is about freedom and opportunity, and individuals whose love and respect for their heritage - and for America -blended together to build a stronger Nation for all of us. ( Jerry Marcus is widely known for his ability to create compelling fiction about thought-provoking issues such as anti-Semitism, political intrigue, corruption, and religious hypocrisy. He is the author of three books: "The Last Pope," "The Salvation Peddler," and "Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Zev.")

Reading this book is like taking a personal tour of Joliet -- and not just to see the sites and the buildings. I was touched by the author's up front and personal style and how she introduced me to the people who built the community. Usually a history book shows photo after photo of schools, stores, public events.... But in "Joliet," Wolf seems to step into the past - to provide a more poignant look at the individuals in the photos. She provides readers with personal details about the lives of the people who built the buildings, the men and women who started neighborhood businesses and schools, and who became community leaders. "Joliet" is a story of how immigrants - men and women - came to this country, raised their families and realized the American dream, while still preserving their ethnic heritages.

The history of Joliet mirrors the growth of many other communities around our country that were built with hard work, dedication, and gratitude for the freedoms that are so easy to take for granted. It is a history lesson written from the heart of someone who truly understands how important diversity and community strength is to the growth of America. "Joliet" is also a message from the author, who grew up in Joliet, to remember our past and to use it as a foundation for the future.

Unquestionably the best book I have ever read, or will read, in my entire life!

Historian Richard Allen Morton has accomplished a rare feat: while many thesis papers written by graduate students have been adapted for publication as books, few have been written with such brevity, conciseness and precision as to educate, entertain and inform readers who are not faculty members sitting on the dissertation committee. Too many dissertations seem to be compiled by writers who think that history is better if served by the pound and the heavier a book is, the better it is! Not so!

Edward F. Dunne has the distinction of being the only man to serve as the Mayor of Chicago and, later in his career, as the Governor of Illinois. To date, Dunne is the only Roman Catholic to have served as Illinois Governor. He was also an active leader in Chicago's Irish community. Dunne served as the first President of the influential Irish Fellowship Club. In his retirement, Dunne compiled a multivolume history of Illinois and its prominent citizens.

Dunne has been identified as a progressive politician and a supporter of Bryan Democracy. Morton documents how the Progressive political movement faltered in Illinois as political spoilsmen and party regulars such as Roger Sullivan (Democratic) and William Lorimer and his protege William Hale Thompson (Republican) ultimately prevailed over the reform minded progressives in their respective parties. This unfortunate trend has continued to the present day.

The Dunne family remained somewhat prominent in Cook County. Dunne's son and grandson followed in Edward F. Dunne's footsteps and served in the local judiciary. I actually met the late Arthur Dunne when he served in Chancery.

I bought this book as part of my research for my master's thesis on Midwestern progressivism. I expected the usual rather dull factual account. Instead I was pleasantly surprised by the comprehensive research, highly readable prose, and the profundity of the interpretation. Moreover, I learned far more about the realities of politics and society during the progressive period than I have from far more celebrated works. This is good history, and like all good history it focuses upon the past and not the personal saws of the writer. A bit pricey, I have never regretted the purchase. If you are looking for dynamic history at its best, check this out!

When Emma's life was perfect, everything turn's upside down! Then things started falling apart. When you read this book, you follow Emma's struggles, and see her solutions. Nancy Brokaw turned the list of events into a exciting, moving, and great story! I suggest this to anyone through the ages or 9+!

When Emma's life was perfect, everything turn's upside down! Then things started falling apart. When you read this book, you follow Emma's struggles, and see her solutions. Nancy Brokaw turned the list of events into a exciting, moving, and great story! I suggest this to anyone through the ages or 9+!

I read this book initially to review it for a librarian journal and fell in love with it. Emma's struggles and strength will inspire children and adults to find the courage to try new things and experience what life offers them. This book would especially be helpful for girls from 8-11 who are trying to find out who they are in their families, at school and out in the world. I highly recommend this book.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK DETAILING THE HISTORY OF MY HOMETOWN. IT DETAILS THE STRUGGLES THAT MY MOTHER, AUNT, AND UNCLES HAD TO GO THROUGH. A VERY GOOD FIND FOR CURRENT AND PAST RESIDENTS OF CAIRO.

I can remember when my family experienced alot of what Preston Ewing discussed in his book. My uncle is one of the protesters in this book(Joe Nelson) My family still reside in this town which has not grown at all. These people are still being deprived of a life of ease and forfillment. I was a little girl attending St.Joseph Catholic School at the time of all this dispare. I hope this book was able to give some of the great citizens of Cairo closure. Thank you (Rochelle (Willis)Wade daughter of Joe Willis and Dorothy Nelson)

I just wanted to say that I grew up in Cairo, graduated from Cairo High so I know the struggles that the people went through. As a matter of fact is it still struggling. I visit my Mom (Jean Vasser) almost every other month and it is so depressing to see the children there having to go through just to survive. There are no jobs, nothing enriching for the children to look forward to and their hope is gone. My own children whom all grew up in Cincinnati does not like going to visit. It depresses them to see what their peers are going through but I can say this, if eyes have not seen, nor ears have heard Cairo, you have not experience what "Let My People Go" are saying. I grew up knowing Preston Ewing and his family along with Rev. Charles Koen whom also has a book out which is awesome. Those two books together will make you appreciate life more. Be blessed my sisters and brothers in Jesus Name!

I have read quite a lot on the Civil War and the events leading up to it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in the period. It is a a history of the Northern polical crisis from the time of the election in 1860 to the firing on Sumter. It is completely from the Northern perspective, the South perspective is completely ignored (it was about 4/5 through the book before the election of J. Davis is mentioned). With that in mind, the story that comes to life in this book is fascinating. This is a period that tends to be glossed over by most histories. The author does a phenominal job at putting the reader in the mindset of the times as the crisis evolved. I learned quite a few new things and enjoyed it.

The normal historical point of view for November 1860 to April 1861 is Southern. Lincoln and the efforts to find a comprise are noted but the main story is what the South is doing. This book changes that by concentrating on Northern politics and reactions. Secession and all the maneuvering for and against it, take place off stage. Except for South Carolina, leaving the Union was a wrenching process. Many Southern states resisted secession until the very end. Kentucky was not able to make a choice and Maryland may not have been able to choose. Their stories are the subject of most histories about this period.
What about the North? How did the political, personal and public opinion shape a response to the crisis? This book tells that story and what a story it is. The Democrats, badly damaged by the events 1860, try to blame everything on the Republicans. While they work to construct a comprise to save the Union one more time. The Republicans are not united nor are they sure how to proceed. A substantial part of the party sides with the Democrats in trying to find a comprise. Another large faction is ready to allow the South to leave the Union. Large numbers feel that secession is wrong but that the Federal government lacks the authority to force states back into the Union. Many question if it is desirable to use force to maintain the Union and if doing so would not destroy the Union. Added is the plea of Southern Unionists for something to stop secession.
Lincoln, Douglas, Seward stride across these pages. Each man with multiple agendas that create and destroy alliances. Each man trying to lead his political party, maintain the Union and do what he feels is best for the nation. Shifting priorities, new developments, regional pride and abrupt changes of position make this a rollercoaster ride even if we know the story.
Russell McClintock is an excellent author. He tells this story in a straightforward manner with minimum back tracking. This allows each event to be placed in the proper perspective of the time and almost makes the reader forget we know the story. While moving from Washington to Springfield to New York, we never lose the story line nor the reason for the trip.
The decisions made during this time were difficult ones. The issues were complex and the correct response unclear. This book captures that and explains it to the reader in an informative and enjoyable way.

McClintock's first historical non-fiction fully engages the reader in the politics and personalities that defined the most important four months in the history of the United States, the months between Lincoln's election and the firing on Fort Sumter. Although clear that the ultimate decision for the war lied with Lincoln, McClintock provides insight into the significance of other key players, from Democratic leader Stephen Douglas to Republican party leader William Seward. However, more than just a politcal history, letters and quotes from common townspeople provide a complete view of the perceptions of the time. As an avid reader of history, I can safely say that this work combines the detail of Shelby Foote with the adventure of David McCullough. Bravo McClintock!

Listening to Olivia is the book that many anti-prostitution activists wish they had written. Ms. Raphael has the ability to interweave Olivia's true story with the extensive research documenting various aspects of the reality of prostitution. The book is a terrific resource for anyone researching in this area. If you care about women, you MUST read this.

Listening to Olivia is a tremendously important and compelling book written on the subject of prostitution. Ms. Raphael tells Olivia's story in a raw, forthright manner, flawlessly interweaving testimony and research. Olivia is courageous as she shares her story in the hopes of helping other young women avoid her path. This book is a must read for providers working with women and girls, policy makers whose work impacts this vulnerable population, and parents who hope to raise daughters who stay safe from The Life. For those of us who work in prostitution prevention and intervention, this book will be seen as a key resource for years to come.

The newest addition to "The Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime and Law", Listening To Olivia: Violence, Poverty, And Prostitution by Jody Raphael (Senior Research Fellow, DePaul University College of Law's Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center) is the personal story of Olivia, a woman who spent nineteen years of her life as a stripper, a prostitute, and a heroine addict. She left a troubled home at 16 and became involved in Chicago's subculture of prostitution, drug addiction, and abusive men. A resourceful woman of color, Olivia was able to eventually break with "the life" and now works to support drug-dependent women. Especially commended to the attention of students of Urban Sociology and Women's Studies, Listening To Olivia is a compelling, informative, and gripping autobiography that uniquely illuminates the life led by low-income, non-white, young women in commercial prostitution today.