Illinois Books

Best known for his 1915 bestseller "Spoon River Anthology", Masters writes in a style simple and intimate; something that almost anyone can read.

This personal portrait paints a picture of the attorney/author's life, loves, pinnacles, and misfortunes, and gives us a clear view of life as it was at the turn of the century.

Born in Garnett, Kansas, and raised in the Petersburg, Illinois region, Masters tells the story of the famous and not-so-famous people who touched his life and left their marks on this celebrated author.

This frank verbal self-portrait reveals the forming of the epitaphal poet. His early years are seen against the backdrop of his midwestern roots, his law training, and emergent writing. Particularly of interest are his anecdotes of life in the Chicago of Clarence Darrow, the White City, and his romantic ventures. The text gives insight into what formed the voices of Spoon River Anthology. It's haunting, wistful and funny. Tender nostalgia, particularly for Illinoisans.

I first learned of the Sears houses in Carlinville from John Weiss' book, New, Historic Route 66 in Illinois, in which he devotes two pages to Carlinville, with a paragraph about the Sears houses. I called the Carlinville City Clerk's office looking for a city map that would show where the houses were. She led me to Laurie Flori, and I got her book. The book is full of excellent info on the houses, as well as extensive background on how they came to be built by Standard Oil. The writing style is conversational and entertaing as well. Highly recommended.

I've finally had the good fortune to get a copy of Laurie Flori's book through library interloan (since I don't seem able to purchase it anywhere.) Unlike other books I've read about Sears Homes, it is dedicated to Standard Addition, and includes a detailed map - a walking tour, if you will - with a legend indicating each house in Standard Addition and it's style, catalog images for all the styles (including an "unknown model") plus current exterior photos demonstrating each model and even some interior photos. The timeline of Carlinville history, and excerpts from the local newspaper, are a bonus.

I graduated from Kinzie Elementary school (Chicago, IL) in 1990 and for one year/one class, I had Jeri Banks for a teacher. Sometime after graduating in 1990, Banks became the principal.

She created an environment where deaf students and hearing students interacted with each other even to the point of having hearing students take sign language classes.

Though I haven't read this book yet I was a part of the experience. I was intrigued to find this book!

Hi I love thsi book. I was in a clas like thsi. I like it it but it can be hard. It is a neat book. I am 12 years old. Email Kellego05@aol.com

Also i have been a class like thsi. It has not work out with me too much. read and enjoy. Bye

This was a very informative book and gave lots of insight into the hugh effort that must have gone into this age-old quest. The focus at the personal level gives a nice picture of what the individuals must have gone through. Makes you think "Hey, I could have been there..." Very enjoyable.

Morton Grosser came to Shafter and to our homes while we were trying to build the first man-powered plane. He wrote a book that centered on the people that were working, thinking and arguing towards the goal. If you want a feel of what it was like to do something for the first time ever, read this book.

Finds the roots of O'Connor's grotesque fiction "located in medieval folk art." Describes the purposes of grotesque art, and focuses on its "comic shock treatment." Contends that the climactic scene of "The Artificial Nigger" serves as a key to understanding O'Connor's grotesque style.

Describes O'Connor's art as mocking and challenging "a restricted point of view," that of idealized beauty or propriety, only to be labeled "ugly and evil." Suggets that her use of "deranged fundamentalists" serve as freakish, crippled gargoyles who "measure `a grotesque distance' between their Christian subculture and that of `the liberal secular' world."

Outlines her use of Christ as the ideal behind her satire, an ideal "that must be degraded as well as exalted if it is ever to be a living presence in the physical world." Then, offers evidence to support Stanley Edgar Hyman's claim that "Christ is the real hero" of O'Connor's fiction.

Discusses, in this context, her novel Wise Blood, "The Displaced Person" ("an ironic passion play"), and "Parker's Back" (a sacrilegious, "Punch-and-Judy show about the difference between religion and faith").

Finds her regard for the body reflective of a medieval outlook and unique in American fiction "distinguished by its candor and unflinching realism." Sees her characters as "both beautiful and ugly, impressive and ludicrous." Discusses, in this context, Mrs. Shortley of "The Displaced Person," Ruby of "A Stroke of Good Fortune," Hulga of "Good Country People," the twelve-year-old girl of "A Temple of the Holy Ghost," Tarwater of The Violent Bear It Away, and Nelson of "The Artificial Nigger."

Examines The Violent Bear It Away, focusing on Francis Marion Tarwater, "one of O'Connor's grimmest protagonists, so serious that he is unintentionally funny." Finds the work to be a mixture of "prophecy and satire, holy seriousness and unholy flippancy." Reads "A Circle in the Fire" as "a disturbing religious story" in which "the meek inherit the land by burning it," and reflective of O'Connor's "complicated humor" derived from demonic elements. Considers "The River," an illustration of how blasphemy and grotesqueness can serve the same satirical purpose. Offers a twenty-eight page explication of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," seen as O'Connor's "little masterpiece" and "a crash course in the grotesque."

Sees O'Connor as a chronicler of the collapse of the subculture of the white American South, who leaves Southern literature "`demythified.'" Discusses, in the context of this contention, O'Connor's narrator, her use of the role of carnival, and offers readings of The Violent Bear It Away, "A Late Encounter with the Enemy," "The Partridge Festival," "The Enduring Chill," "Judgement Day," "Revelation," and "The River."

R. Neil Scott / Middle Tennessee State University

There is a temptation to say that O'Conner is just out there. DiRenzo does a great job putting O'conner in context.

Ms. Allerdyce, knows her stuff! If you are an Anais Nin fan, and you want a comparitive study, this is the book for you!

Anais Nin lived a life of conflicting allegiances. She attempted to decide whether to be "a woman helping men" or "a creative artist competing with men." Torn between obligations and freedom she shifted her focus back and forth from male to female and from self to other. Acknowledging Nin as an important Modernist and Feminist writer who created an authentic feminine approach to art, author Richard-Allerdyce focuses on how Nin healed herself with writing and psychoanalysis. This in-depth study of Nin's work using the four unexpurgated diaries, has a title by title approach making the book more accessible to readers. Nin's sensitivity changed the nature of life and art and the media-conditioned response to both. Nin wanted to live an active life with no one telling hr what to do. ` The later volumes of the diary showed Nin moving away from polarization of others and self, of fiction and diary, of live and death. Richard-Allerdyce shows how Nin came to understand that opposites are merely fuctions of each other, how the personal deeply lived becomes the univeral Modernism and Feminism helped Anais Nin remake herslf. She showed that women can get over society's programing, education and taboos. She focused on the bond between all women. Her writing was therapy not only for herself but for her readers. She helped them create themselves and their world. This book should become a classic in its field. Maryanne Raphael l

James Henry Breasted, is the founder of American Egyptology. Any Questions you may have regarding the translation of ancient Egyptian text on reliefs will be answered in this five volume set.If by any chance your question is not answered refer to the university of Chicagos Oriental institutes epigraphic survey volumes.

These volumes, written by a distinguished American Egyptologist, were first published in 1906 and 1907. In his introduction to this re-edition, Egyptologist Peter Piccione provides a short biography of the author as well as a historical account of the 5 tomes. Volume 1 discusses the First through the Seventeenth Dynasties; Volume 2, the Eighteenth Dynasty; Volume 3, the Nineteenth Dynasty; and Volume 4, the Twentieth through Twenty-Sixth Dynasties. Volume 5 contains supplementary bibliographies and indices for the previous volumes; Piccione has added a more recent bibliography that proves to be quite useful. Each book offers a description of texts along with comments on historicity and significance, before continuing onto easy-to-understand translations. Many of the texts included are never-before-seen passages, while others are quite popular: the Palermo Stone, Letter of Pepi II, Tale of Sinuhe, Tomb of Rekhmire, Capture of Kadesh, Papyrus Harris, Adoption Stela of Nitocris, and so on. This is the most complete, easy-to-consult translation of Egyptian historical texts ever available in the field of Egyptology. A highly recommended resource for students and scholars.

James Henry Breasted, has left us a reliable source of the translation of the texts on the monuments of Egypt. This five volume set is a must have for anyone interested in a reliable translation of Egyptian monuments. You will find all books written by; James Henry Breasted to be of great value.

These volumes, written by a distinguished American Egyptologist, were first published in 1906 and 1907. In his introduction to this re-edition, Egyptologist Peter Piccione provides a short biography of the author as well as a historical account of the 5 tomes. Volume 1 discusses the First through the Seventeenth Dynasties; Volume 2, the Eighteenth Dynasty; Volume 3, the Nineteenth Dynasty; and Volume 4, the Twentieth through Twenty-Sixth Dynasties. Volume 5 contains supplementary bibliographies and indices for the previous volumes; Piccione has added a more recent bibliography that proves to be quite useful. Each book offers a description of texts along with comments on historicity and significance, before continuing onto easy-to-understand translations. Many of the texts included are never-before-seen passages, while others are quite popular: the Palermo Stone, Letter of Pepi II, Tale of Sinuhe, Tomb of Rekhmire, Capture of Kadesh, Papyrus Harris, Adoption Stela of Nitocris, and so on. This is the most complete, easy-to-consult translation of Egyptian historical texts ever available in the field of Egyptology. A highly recommended resource for students and scholars.

An amazing and thought-provoking book! The simple title belies the depth of meaning of these photographs and the way they are arranged. When all is said and done, Art Shay will likely go down as an American icon, and works such as this will be the reason. You will surely find yourself wondering time and again, "How did he get that shot?!" Shay is not only a master of his equipment, but seems to have also mastered the art of being the fly on the wall that we all wish we could be at times.

You owe it to yourself to go through this book at least three times. I suggest that you initially not read any of the notes, but dive right into the viewing. During your first perusal, it's probably best to look at each picture singly, absorbing the essence of each according to what it has to offer to you. As you turn the pages during your second viewing, notice how the two photographs facing you each time you turn a page relate to each other in some way - be it theme, animal type, photo structure...it's up to you to see it. (I apologize for giving this aspect away to those who would have noticed it on their own, but I saw no mention of it anywhere in the notes, and felt it too important a feature to allow to go unmentioned.)

Now, before and during your third trip through the book, turn to Art Shay's notes at the front of the book, which tell the stories behind the photos. See if you aren't moved even further as you turn each page. Personally, after reading Shay's description of the animal control officer removing a cancer-ridden lady's only pet, I get teary-eyed every time I view that picture. Other pages now cause me to smile or laugh every time I turn to them.

Animals indeed! Yes, this book has lots of pictures of animals, but once you jump on board you'll find yourself on the roller coaster ride of emotions that comes with being fully alive.
Tickets, please!

'Contact'! is the title of the last photo in Art Shay's new book of photographs, 'Animals.' It shows a human hand and a hairy simian hand with a peanut between them; it isn't clear who is the giver and who is the receiver. The theme of this book is the ways in which we share the planet with other animal species and the things we have in common with each other. The cover photo shows a woman wearing a leopard coat, walking past a leopard in its cage. Photos of horses and dogs at work, a hog drinking beer, a squirrel eating matzoh and other animals going about their ordinary daily lives remind us of the ways in which we identify with and influence each other. What is particularly appealing about this book is the spontaneity and unpretentiousness of these photos which take us all over the world, from various locations in the United States to Europe and Africa. This book will delight anyone who has had a warm or interesting or unusual contact with an animal, and who hasn't?

I've grown very accustomed to defending the Biblically-based ideas of Andrew Linzey to those "Christians" who know little about God's Word and even less of His love and mercy, and this compilation is a wonderful addition to his impressive list of writings. This was the book that first introduced me to him, and others, in this fascinating field of Biblical thought. Highly recommended!

In 'Animals on the Agenda', Andrew Linzey and Dorothy Yamamoto have put together a good collection of essays and articles on the study of animals and theology. American and European contributors have come together to discuss questions that often perplex people from childhood onward -- do animals have souls? What is the proper attitude toward animals? Are they merely resources, or do they have rights?

Much of theology divides the world into two classes -- creation and humanity; animals almost always get lumped in with the rest of creation, with little or no recognition of the sentient character of their being. Mainstream Christianity and Judaism still propagate ideas that are harmful to animals -- although, in the kosher laws of Judaism, respect of the living character of animals has always had a certain prominence, and more recently Christianity has dealt with the idea of animals as a valuable part of creation, worthy of respect and not merely exploitation by humanity.

This book is primarily one of Christian theological perspectives -- I mention Judaism because many of the issues overlap, and many of the essays in this text will be informative for people of both traditions.

This is not to say that the Christian or Jewish perspective must embrace vegetarianism, or suddenly convert to a radical elevation of the animal kingdom above that of humanity. While many Eastern religions have historically and theologically embraced what Westerners often consider an extreme point of view on animals, there is insight to be gained from them, as well. For 2000 years in the Christian tradition, and longer in the Jewish tradition, animals have had not only a low status, but often no status.

'Animals are subordinate to humankind, who have been given 'dominion' (commonly understood as despotism) over them. How far these ideas are distinctly or authentically Christian is beside the point; the fact is that the Christian tradition has propagated them--and still defends them.'

Does an ethical sensitivity to animals represent a rejection of traditional theology? Many saints have been represented as having close, harmonious relations with animals (and not just St. Francis). It is true that most moral and systematic theologies have ignored animals, or relegated them to nothing more than a tool. Interestingly, Linzey states that the current state of theology is more open to the idea of aliens than to animals. In the speculation about possible life beyond the earth, some theologians already allow access to the divine.

'Such theological open-mindedness, not to mention open-heartedness, to other non-human alien species is hardly ever directed to other non-human but non-alien animal species.'

This collection is very much a beginning. By looking at scriptural perspectives on animals in the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament, church traditional perspectives (both catholic and protestant), examining disputed questions such as 'do animals have souls?' and 'what is the purpose of animal suffering?', and finally looking at ethical obligations to animals, this collection is a pioneering work that opens the door to further, more fruitful discussions in modern theology of the place of animals.

The title of the final essay, 'Is the Consistent Ethic of Life Consistent without a Concern for Animals?' perhaps best sums up the approach -- life in its diversity must include animals. This is not to elevate them above the place of humanity, or even to put them on an equal footing in all things, but to give them their rightful place, and proper compassion and respect.