North Carolina Books

Take A Chance is a remarkable story of life, challenge, engagement and collaboration, told from the perspective of a father taking the opportunity to introduce himself to his thirteen year old son in a precious and powerful way.

As I find myself trying to find the balance between the demands of home and the requirements of work, this story brought me back thirty years to the summers spent in the mountains of the Southeast. More importantly, it brought to light the need to reach balance in the activities that often compete with the critical task of "Being There" for the children as we strive to provide for their futures.

I have read this novel and will soon share it with my twelve year old. The sights, sounds, and smells came back to me like a day hadn't passed. The memories of adventure, teamwork, and friendship also poored over me like a flood. On a different yet very important level, the application of this level of engagement and collaboration to the work and presentations I now provide is a concrete example of how our organizations could be structured. Listen to the story of how that cabin of 10 kids and two counselors bonded to become ONE extremely functional unit. This was the experience I had as boy of that age, and one that I strive to experience within the organizations I now serve.

Look at Collins (Good to Great), Lencioni (Five Dysfunctions of a Team) and Axelrod (Terms of Engagement) and you will find the salient features of their works exemplified in Take A Chance. Would anyone disagree that the characteristics embodied in the character of "Chance" were not those of a Level 5 leader?

Read, remember and share with your kids. The time you give them now is a far greater investment than the 401K :-)

Well done, Mr. Melrose! Your tale brings a new and refreshing look at the calling we strive to serve. You have soared beyond expected limits, to help us all find (or find again) our better selves. Thank you.

The book tells a lot about what it is like to go to camp. I enjoyed the part about the ropes course. I liked the end,too, because it was exciting.

I have seen the towns that they talk about in the book, and Shining Rock, because I live near the place where Camp Hampton is supposed to be.

This is a good book.
Try it.

...

I bought this book for my nephew and he loved it! It's a nice hardcover and had great pictures.

I just finished Jim Sumner's book. It's called "Tales From The Duke Blue Devils
Hardwood". It's a great read and nearly impossible to put down. The Book Chronicles Duke Basketball history beginning with Wilbur "Cap " Card a Trinity College graduate from 1902 who returned to introduce basketball at Trinity in 1906 and culminates with the Blue Devils 15th ACC title in 2005.
The majority of the book was taken from interviews from the likes of Mark Alarie,Tate Armstrong, Gene Banks, Joe Belmont,Vic Bubas, Tom Butters, Johnny Dawkins,Randy Denton,Danny Ferry, Mike Gminski,Bernie Janicki,Jack Marin,Dan Meagher,Gary Melchionni, Jim Spanarkel and Robby West to name a few.

This is a delightful and insightful book that is well researched. It has very interesting background on many place names and gives the reader a new understanding on why we have such odd names for many of our towns, etc. I am sure that the same kind of explanations may be applied to place names in many states, not just North Carolina; therefore this book is not just for North Carolinians!

I am familiar with this author's writings & I always find her stories warm, funny & just a lovely respite between stress attacks. She is a fabulous southern writer. This book is no exception, she humorously explains why certain oddly named cities in North Carolina happened to get their names. this is a great beach read! It is also a fun road book witht he kids!

Whether you are a fan of Edgar Tolson's work or of woodcarving in general, this is an essential book to have if you are interested in folk art of the 20th century. The thorough research done on Edgar Tolson is fascinating and through his art and career the world of 20th century folk art is examined. From key folk art collectors to various museums and institutions, the 20th century folk art movement was created and sold to the buying public. By the time the "important" artists were established all of the "important" early work was already in the hands of a few collectors and the museums. It's no accident that Tolson's work ended up in a prestigious Whitney Biennial and his artwork sky-rocketed in price. The same with Howard Finster. By the time his work was presented as being important to the general public, a narrow group of collectors and critics had already hoarded the first few thousand of his numbered pieces which the critics then deemed as the most important of his career. And the story continues to this day with collectors / critics buying early key works, then recommending them to the general folk art buyers. This book is perhaps the best analysis of why and how a folk artist becomes "important" in the 20th century. It may or may not sour your view on 20th century folk art but is a great read either way. As with all art or decorative objects, if you just buy what you like and ignore the critics, you'll be happy. Who's to say 10, 20 or 50 years from now if anyone will even care about "20th century folk art."

Ms. Julia S. Ardey has put together an extraordinary work -- filled with stories and pictures of a poor Kentucky man who whittled stuff to which other folks took a liking. My grandfather Edgar Tolson will always remain an elusive character both in life and in death hard to explain and to understand. As all great artists he was not one dimensional. Ms. Ardey did a fine job of grasping enough bits and pieces of his life, through the eyes and hearts of those who knew him, to give a reasonable representation of who Edgar Tolson was and why he whittled. Ms. Ardey interviewed scores of people and personalities who all have their own opinion of Edgar Tolson the Man and Edgar Tolson the Woodcarver and the times in which he lived. Ms. Ardey managed a remarkable feat in compling those interviews into an a very good work. She included many pictures that give insight into an artisan and his art. Many pictures capture Edgar's soul in his eyes -- others show a family life of just real folks who just have a Daddy that whittles in the living room and lets the shavings fall to floor. As a granddaugther of Edgar Tolson, beloved Kentucky woodcarver, I am very pleased with the work Julia S. Ardery managed to put together on his life and extraordinary talent. With a family as large as he had I am sure that this book will be debated into generations, however, it is a real good starting point at which to kick off the debate of fact or fiction. The papaw I knew was a wonderful minister; he loved his God, knew his bible and had a passion for sharing the Biblical Truths of his God with others through his work. He managed to reach the very far corners of the earth with his renditions of Adam & Eve in Garden of Eden, Their Fall, and Noah's Ark among a few--how many ministers can stake that claim. He carved what was upon his heart to carve. He was discovered by others who marketed it to a world who craved his carvings and what they represented to them. I am so pleased that Ms. Ardery managed to compile so much ! of his life and work into this book. It makes for really good reading and gives the reader the opportunity to linger with story and photo's of Edgar Tolson and his artwork long enough to gain an understanding of why so many are so drawn to it, him and living upon this earth. Thank you Ms. Ardery for a job well done.

I would highly recommend "Thirteen Miles from Suncrest" to people who like to read about life in the south in the early 1900s. Follow the main character, Medford McGee, as he grows up on a farm, his school life, his social life, and how he mingles with other people in the community. The book covers interesting historical happenings in that era and a young boys reactions to the events. This book is for people who likes to watch television programs such as The Waltons. I found the ending a tragic surprise, but I still found the book charming and heartwarming and deeply suggest the reading of the novel, "Thirteen Miles from Suncrest" for its gentle warmth.

I like novels whose characters remind me of aunts and uncles I remember from my days growing up on the farm and this novel is full of them. The setting is Appalachia during the early days of the twentieth century. Davis is especially good at creating characters you come to care about. This is a great read for those who enjoy stories from the early 1900's and who enjoy rich characterization.

A. A. Hoehlingýs Thunder at Hampton Roads tells the story of the U.S.S. Monitor, the worldýs first all-iron fighting ship. The book covers the entire story of this famous vessel, detailing the construction of the vessel, the battle between it and the C.S.S. Merrimack, and its rediscovery in the mid-1970ýs. The Monitor changed the image of the navy forever, ridding people of their notion of ships built of oak and canvas and replacing it with pictures closer to those invoked by the navy of today: ones of invincible metal and guns.

The book begins with an account of the construction of the Monitor. Northern and Southern forces were racing for naval supremacy throughout the war, and ironclads were among the most important technology being developed. The Monitor was specifically designed to combat the seemingly indestructible Southern Merrimack. A Swede named John Ericcson conceived of the idea for the North. Though similar in design to the other ship, which had already been proven in battle, the Monitor's development was viewed with some skepticism; many people thought it would never float, much less act as a battle-ready warship. They were proved wrong, as the Monitor was proved as worthy as its Confederate opponent.

The second section of the book details the Monitorýs encounter with the Southern ironclad Merrimack, and its sinkage off the coast of Cape Hatteras. The battle came in defense of a seaport called Hampton Roads. Both ships took substantial damage. The Monitor came away victorious, though the Merrimack did escape. Many people believed that the ironclad was the only thing that came between Hampton Roads and a complete ransacking by the Confederate Navy. The loss of the Monitor was an unfortunate incident. The ironclad was being towed by another ship, the Rhode Island, to Wilmington North Carolina, where it was indeed to take part in capturing the city. When the crew discovered that their ship was failing, they cut loose from the Rhode island so as to avoid bringing the other ship down with the Monitor. Luckily, most of the crew was able to escape via lifeboat. Sadly, fifteen crewmen, including the captain, went down with her.

The third section of the book details the post-war lives of those who were involved with the Monitor, and tells of its rediscovery in the 1970ýs. Many of the Monitorýs crewmen lived peacefully after the sinking, but one could not. Samuel Dana Greene, an executive officer on the Monitor whom many thought should have chased the Southern Merrimack until he had captured or destroyed it, killed himself. Supposedly he was consumed with guilt that was fed by the accusations over the fact that the Merrimack escaped to do further damage in the war. Only after his death was the matter cleared up by a superior officer who announced that the Monitor had sustained too much damage for it to follow the enemy ship.

The Monitor was discovered and photographed by a team of marine scientists twelve miles off Cape Hatteras where it had sunk to more than a century previously. Salvaging operations funded by the National Science Foundation and National Geographic were successful. Technological advances such as that of sonar greatly aided those who were devoted to discovering the Monitor. Restoration work was taking place when the book was published in the late 1970ýs

A. A. Hoehling used diaries, letters, shipsý logs, and newspaper articles to put together the story of the Monitor. He was directly involved with the salvage work on the vessel, which explains his desire to let the public know about this fascinating ship. It was his belief that the Monitor played a significant role in the Civil War and in the development of the navy, a point that he convinces the reader of throughout the book.

I believe that this book would be perfect for research on any aspect of the Merrimack or the Monitor. Through text and photos of the Monitor as it was when built and as it appeared sunken beneath the sea, the author tells the shipýs complete story. This is a valuable source for anyone researching naval forces during the civil war, not only the battles but also the inner workings of the Navy and its chain of command.

Still the best book on the history of the USS Monitor. Hoeling is both an excellent researcher and a first-rate writer. I am very pleased this book is back in print. Naval historians should rejoice!

As a novice Civil War Buff and North Carolina Historian, I found the book very comprehensive in its coverage of this interesting facet of Civil War, Reconstruction, and North Carolina history. Click focuses on a group of slave refugees set up in a freedmen's colony by Northern evangelists and Union military personnel and their struggle to survive in a post-slavery world. The book's rich detail is further strengthened by its ease of read and overall interestingness making it a true gem for someone researching or just looking for a good read.

Even though I am a self-taught researcher of local and NC history and genealogies, I had not heard of this publication until I saw the author on PBS TV. I ordered the book from ... and am still in the process of reading it. It seems well documented and contains information I was not aware of until I read this book. I have helped two different African-American individuals research their families and so this subject was of interest to me. I recently was in court as a juror and was approached by a bystander who heard me describe my "line of work." I told her of this book and how she could obtain a copy. She said she would like to add this publication to her personal library of publications on Black Research. I purchased this book for our local historical/genealogical library so that it could be used by everyone doing black research. I ony live about 60 miles as the crow flies from Roanoke Island and had never heard of this Freedmen's Colony until now.

The words that Mr. McFee puts with those beautiful photos brought tears to my eyes. This is his best work since Sad Girl Sitting on a Running Board. Mr. McFee is a gifted poet.

Please buy my dad's book so that I can go to college

I really enjoyed Mayberry by the Sea. I hope to "read" it again in October. Giggity.

Wonderful book about the wonderful, small-town, slow-paced island of Topsail. There are stories of pirates, hurricanes, fishing piers and the famous sea turtle hospital. There are also stories of the Gold Hole dig for buried treasure, the Navy's top-secret missile development program after World War II, and the bear who somehow came to Topsail. This book won the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award from the N.C. Society of Historians -- even though it's much more a pleasant read about today's island than a history. Many people re-read this every time they go to Topsail.

Reviews from the book jacket:

Fascinating stories and tales ... (in) a beautiful book." Named Book of the Month.
--WAAV-AM News Talk Radio, Wilmington

"McAllister ... takes loving and telling recollections of Topsail -- his and others' -- and mixes in history and vacation tips. ... A worthy companion to take on your trip to the coast."
--The Charlotte Observer

"An entertaining book blending current day interviews with a dollop of island history."
--Topsail Magazine

"Ray's probably in trouble with (those who want to keep Topsail secret), but not with those of us unfamiliar with Topsail's allure, though both groups will like his book."
--The Richmond Times-Dispatch

"A great read for a day in the sun that stretches into an island night, complete with pounding waves and soft sea breezes, enhanced by mystical tales of pirates and search for buried treasure. ... 'Everybody needs a little sand in their soul,' McAllister quotes from an interview. Topsail Island: Mayberry by the Sea helps put it there and can make the reader who is not on the island want to cross that swing bridge and experience that little bit of magic."
--The Pender Post

"McAllister captures the spirit of Topsail Island. ... There's no doubt that this island is magical indeed."
--Our State North Carolina magazine

A great anthology of Archie Green's writings, this book provides a record of excellent writing with insights into why the writer integrates scholarship with effective activism. The range of Green's interests includes topics as diverse as occupational practices, etymology, and country music. He writes with fascinating insights concerning all his interests, and the articles and essays stimulate one's curiousity about related topics. Among the finest contributions to this volume are those that pertain to public folklore. Green provides conscientious and inspiring rationales for the essential need to initiate and coordinate programming that returns folklore research to the public. Robert Cantwell's introduction provides a fine context for stitching together the various threads that connect Green's interests in folklore.

This eloquent and deeply engaged collection of Green's essays (some previously printed)covers topics ranging from the expressive nature of labor lore and the intersections between ethnicity and labor, to folk music and cowboy culture and the words-often implicated in cultural politics--used to describe them, to the archival detective work necessary to illuminating such strands of culture. Green's work in these articles is etymological and historical, tracing the development and current use of a term, idea, or practice. This is a book that is an essential read for any professional folklorist, be she "academic," "public," or "applied," as it is a primer for committed fieldwork and arts advocacy. Green himself has long advocated for public programming that is culturally equitable, and his knowledge of public sector work and his contributions to it helped pave the way for National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities support for vernacular arts. This book is a testament to the variety and art of people he has long championed.