Nebraska Books

I read this excellent book, here in Brazil.The author, then living in Brazil, wrote his last great book.In fact he and his wife commited suicide,some hours after finishing this worderfull auto-biography.
Are you looking to see how a great man was feeling and living, during Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini times?
No other begin is better than this book.
This book is 100% sincere, unbiased and correct.

attention mike hittman please contact david andrews northern nevada paiute for the next book of yours. he has alot of investigations of the recent leades of the northern nevada tribes. good reading and i will bet a best seller! contact kay fowler and the special collections unr

I've read all of Mildred Walker's novels and have often wondered why they were set in Vermont, the Midwest or in Montana and how the author had such different stories to tell in each novel. Reading about where the novelist spent much of her life and with whom, it all made sense. I am anxious to re-read each novel, and compare my memory with the insights that Ms. Hugo had added about the circumstances under which they were written.

It was fascinating to read about about how Mildred Walker kept her life as a novelist separate from her life as a mother. And characters in her novels may not have been people she enjoyed associating with in life.

Thank you Ripley Hugo, for adding to my enjoyment of your mother's books!

Brandao tries to give an answer, why did Iroquois conduct so many wars in the 17th century. He says, that the most important reasons were these: to obtain captives (mainly to replace dead), get honor, preserve security or to revenge. Very important thesis of this book is, that economic motivation (i. e. obtain furs) played only minor (and in many cases no) role in Iroquois decisions to go to war. Brandao says, that so called "Beaver wars" did not in fact exist, especially in 30's and 40's of 17th century. His argumentation is often very good but not (in some cases) absolutely persuasive, because of limitation of primary sources. I think, that book is very usefull reading for all interested in history of North America in the colonial period

First of all I would like to mention what is missing in the Amazon advertisement for this book. The proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Yuchi chiefs for the support of their ceremonial grounds. This statement is found inside the front cover of the book.
Being of Yuchi descent I would like to provide a review of Mr. Jackson's book. Prior to his book being published there has been a very small amount of information about the Yuchi in print. If you are lucky enough to be able to find and afford what has been printed, it is mostly historical, the ways things were. Not only that, the material has very little comparitive analysis with the neighbors of the Yuchi, then or now. Jason's work is not only helpful in providing an extrodinary account of today's Yuchi but a very detailed comparative analysis of their neighbors. Something that I have yet to find with regards to Yuchi ethnology. Also, this comparison describes how their uniqueness does not support their inclusion into the Muskogee (Creek) Nation and that eventual federal recognition is only a matter of time. Anyone interested in native culture or how alive and well it is even today in the 21st century should take this opportunity with Jason's book.
I look forward to seeing Jason at this year's Green Corn Ceremony at Duck Creek and hope that this is but the first of his continued work with and amongst the Yuchi.

The tone and tenor of this excellent history of Alaska matches perfectly the subject it details: straightforward, lively, tough-minded, and sincere. She relates the history of the state from the first Russian fur trading stations of the 1700s through the most recent trends, including the building of the Alaskan pipeline and modern mining developments. Still considered a frontier up to the present day, Webb focuses on various "frontiers" throughout Alaska's history: the trader's frontier, the explorer's frontier, the miner's frontier, and others, including transportation (3 chapters), the military, and missionaries. Webb has a great feel for this vast land and for the people who have chosen to inhabit it; she obviously is concerned with the big issues, but she also includes the simpler human-interest concerns, such as what mail carrier Ed Biederman went through to deliver the mail in winter in the early 1900s. Her writing is vivid and the story of Alaska that she tells is interesting and informative from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

Very detailed and complete rendition of the chronology of his personal life as well as his military life. I learned details of both aspects of this era in history.

Written by the dying hand of one of the chosen men of his time. For any scholar of Grant, Civil War or Military History, these readings are a must. Grant's military genius was without equal. Had his superiors, early on, had his keen foresight, the Civil War could have ended a year or two earlier. Another great read is "Grant" by Jean Smith.

It is surprising that the most balanced and impartial view of U.S. Grant should be written by Grant himself. His style of writing is clear and sparse, recounting fact as fact and without lengthy editorializing. A must read for any civil war buff or serious historian.

I think this is the only real account you can get of the civil war. It's...Great!

Grant finished this lengthy memoir on the eve of his death from throat cancer. Impoverished at the time, the ex-President made his wife rich from the proceeds. Simple, straightforward, earnest narrative, sometimes ironic, sometimes colorful, always unpretentious. Inevitably self-justifying, but candid nonetheless.

The most memorable anecdote describes his first action in the 1861-65 war. Although he was a combat veteran of the Mexican War fourteen years earlier, he was scared, almost frozen, as he led his men against the enemy position. When he arrived, the enemy had evacuated. "The reb commander was as scared as I was. It was a lesson that served me well for the next four years."

Excellent general's-eye descriptions of the battles for Fort Donaldson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Cold Harbor. His proudest contribution to the Union victory seems to be his strategy of "coordinated attack". He believed the early rebel success was due to the fragmentation of the National fources, which allowed the outmanned rebels to concentrate on one fragment at a time.

Grant is full of forthright and fascinating judgments: he revered Lincoln and Sherman, detested Hallek, disliked Stanton but respected him.

Civil war buff? Don't neglect this.

John W. DeCamp is strongly motivated to pursue justness in this world which he discovers quite hard, or impossible to do. Because for most people it is harder to live with a painful truth than to snug comfortably in the corrupt system that our world leaders have fabricated (I don't mean the USA government alone; I am referring to all humans rich and powerful whatever their background or nationality) he faces a Sisyphus-like task. His story in particular reveals the dirty manipulations of politics, the dirty minds of moneymakers, the desperate courage of some, of whom several have died unexplained deaths. It makes me wonder whether we live in de Golden Age of Immorality. Anyway, the book is highly readable, certainly for those with a strong stomach.

The book was both informative and well documented for very shocking and somewhat disturbing subject matter. There was a great deal of detail to the point of too much but the author's closeness and passion for the case was evident. He left no stone unturned with vivid accounts and interviews of victims and who had first hand knowledge and backed his research.
For conspiracy theory buffs it's a must read. You come away with a new view of our local and national politicians and the lengths to which they will go to achieve and stay in power. Also makes you think of who really controls our country. Are we manipulated for a higher cause or by some super-rich men behind the scenes with diabolical motives? You read the book and decide. If nothing else this book makes you stop, reflect and truly think.

This book is a real eye opener. It's amazing how a story like this has been virtually suppressed in a "Free" country such as ours. I don't want to hear about American Idol or Britney Spears, these are the news stories that should be getting air time. There should be an independant task force set up for the protection of children who are being exploited and brutally abused. Try doing a search, isn't it amazing you really can't find one? Kind of makes you wonder. The fact that there are so many influential politicians involved in this scandal gets you to thinking do we have the fox gaurding the hen house??

THIS IS A MUST READ FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD.

JOHN DE KAMP IS A BRAVE, INTELLIGENT MAN.

To all of the detractors and those who think this is merely crazy conspiracy BS.

The horrible crimes documented in this book are not fictitious bunk made up by the author. Everything he wrote is verifiable, much of it was direct testimony from the CHILDREN that were abused by these, often wealthy and prominent, f'ing-inbred- lowlifes, and everything can be backed up with credible EVIDENCE. Mr. Decamp so much as said that if anyone believes that he is lying, or being untruthful about ANYTHING he's written in his book, then that person should just 'go ahead and sue him'. He wrote that, he in fact, "welcomes" any suits that anyone would like to bring against him challenging his honesty in what he's written in this book. So, if you're questioning Mr. Decamps honesty here, you should do something about it, instead of immediately dismissing it with your poor complaints, arguments, or lack of independent thought.

Ultimately, Mr. Decamp concludes that the reason why this huge cover-up has gone on for so long, is because there are very prominent people who like where they are in the social hierarchy, and if this scandal were to reach the mainstream then the whole "system" itself would collapse entirely, thus threatening the security of their position. The sick perpetrators and coordinators identified in this book are willing to let innocent children be abused and murdered in order to maintain their privileged, insignificant little lives. How very sad. But you do, as the saying goes, reap what you sow.
Go watch Conspiracy of Silence.

This is a great read. I learned something I didn't know went on in this time of history.

I bought this book because it was required reading for one complete grade in our high school of 2500 students last summer. I felt that if it was read by them, I should read it. I enjoyed learning about a part of history with which I was not familiar. Parts of the book moved a little slow but it is an easy read and worth the time. I especially enjoyed the interview snippets with the women who worked at the canteen and the servicemen who visited the canteen. I am in awe of the way North Platte ran the canteen for so long with so little. Bless them.

This was a book I read for my book club. I liked the story yet I felt it became repetitive. I think I would like to see more pictures and a few less stories. I found myself wishing the book would end and kept going back to the photos.

This book is about the inspirational story of North Platte, Nebraska, a town that served as a brief haven for millions of World War II American soldiers. From Christmas Day 1941 until the end of the war, the residents welcomed every troop train with food, drink, magazines and words of encouragement. This was a brief moment of time that sustained these soldiers when they were away from their families performing their duty. And that they still remember and appreciate to this very day.

Six million boiled eggs, more or less.
Fried chicken, sandwiches, cookies, milk, birthday cakes, chewing gum, candy, matches for six million.
North Platte, a small town in western Nebraska, was a water stop for steam locomotives. From a few days after Pearl Harbor until 1946, the people of North Platte and the surrounding farm and ranch country of Nebraska and eastern Colorado met every troop train that came through town.
Dozens, sometimes, in a single day, at any hour. During the 10-minute stops, the ladies of the area handed out food and smiles.
No other place did that. When Bob Greene tracked down some of the men who were met at the North Platte Canteen, most of them started crying. It was, they said, the nicest thing that happened to them during the war.
You can take it as heartwarming or as a slap at the rest of the country, much of which was indifferent or hostile to men in uniform in those days. In places like Norfolk, Va., there were signs on stores that said: No sailors or dogs allowed. Either way, it's a remarkable story.
It started with Rae Wilson, then 26, whose brother was in the Nebraska National Guard. She thought, mistakenly, that her brother was coming through town on a troop train and wrote a letter to the North Platte Daily Bulletin suggesting a canteen to greet the local boys.
Somehow, the community recognized that all the soldiers and sailors passing through were their boys, and they spontaneously formed the canteen.
Greene takes the story as purely heartwarming. The mothers, some of whose sons had been killed in combat, coming down day after day, the young girls excited to meet the handsome boys even if only for minutes.
It was a women's outfit. Men participated, but only in the background.
The story never got the attention it deserved, and Greene was barely in time to salvage it. The heroism of the people was worthy of a better messenger.
Greene's attempt to explain why this happened in North Platte and not anywhere else is superficial.
To him, it was a remarkable effort from a town of 12,000 people who had been through the Great Depression. But in fact western Nebraska's economy had collapsed in 1922. Most of the banks had failed even before the stock market crashed in 1929.
The rest of Greene's ruminations are equally ill-informed, trivial or both.
The writing is as inept as we have come to expect from Greene, a long-time Chicago Tribune columnist until he was forced to resign in disgrace for a serious violation of ethics. The book does not appear to have been edited or even proofread.
The story is wonderful, though, and worth reading anyhow.

It is the summer holidays and Dan and his friend Arthur have just spent a beautiful afternoon swimming. The boys are in grade seven, are just at the beginning of adolescence, and life seems free and easy, but already the weather is turning as the rain clouds scoot overhead. Hour by hour the circumstances get worse, but the boys remain largely unaware of the oncoming disaster. Will the boys, or their families, be hurt? How will they cope in the face of terrible disaster?

This is a classic tale of survival. It is based on a real disaster that happened in Grand Island, Nebraska on June 4, 1980. The book is competently written and has a very realistic atmosphere, engaging the reader in the fast paced train of events, and making us care about the fate of the characters. The values of self-reliance, level-headedness and ingenuity are emphasized as a natural consequence of the plot without any preachiness or moralizing. The book is now twenty years old and has dated a little, such as the long gone TV programs the boys watch. Most of the story, however, is timeless. Twisters will virtually forever remain the same frightening threat to human survival. This book is certainly well worth reading and is a cut above the average thriller written for teens.

It is the summer holidays and Dan and his friend Arthur have just spent a beautiful afternoon swimming. The boys are in grade seven, are just at the beginning of adolescence, and life seems free and easy, but already the weather is turning as the rain clouds scoot overhead. Hour by hour the circumstances get worse, but the boys remain largely unaware of the oncoming disaster. Will the boys, or their families, be hurt? How will they cope in the face of terrible disaster?

This is a classic tale of survival. It is based on a real disaster that happened in Grand Island, Nebraska on June 4, 1980. The book is competently written and has a very realistic atmosphere, engaging the reader in the fast paced train of events, and making us care about the fate of the characters. The values of self-reliance, level-headedness and ingenuity are emphasized as a natural consequence of the plot without any preachiness or moralizing. The book is now twenty years old and has dated a little, such as the long gone TV programs the boys watch. Most of the story, however, is timeless. Twisters will virtually forever remain the same frightening threat to human survival. This book is certainly well worth reading and is a cut above the average thriller written for teens.

I first read this book not long after it was published. I was about the same age as the kids in the book. I hadn't read it since, but for some strange reason, I picked it up off my shelf last night and read it cover to cover. I remembered so many details of the story so vividly. Twenty years after I first read it, I was surprised to find the book was still a page-turner and my heart was racing when the tornado finally hit. Even though it has scary parts, it has a great message throughout the book about looking out for your family and neighbors, and how the people you love are more important than any possessions.

The book takes place on a Saturday in April the characters are Dan Hatch, Dan's mom, Dan's dad, Dan's grandma, Ryan, Arthur, and Stacey. The piont of view is first peron the theme of the story is living through a disaster and the conflict is when the tornado hit. There was a tornado warning and Dan's mom was worried that Ms. Smiley wouldn't be watching the news or she wouldn't be able to hear it because her hearing aid might be off so Dan's mom went to Ms. Smiley's house to make sure she was okay. While she was gone the tornado siren went off and Dan had Arthur go to the basement while he got his baby brother Ryan. When the torndao was through Dan realized how much his baby brother meant to him and also he realized that he saved his life.

This novel is about a boy and his friends and family that survive seven tornados in their town of Grand Island, Nebraska. Dan, his friend Arthur and his little brother Ryan wait out the tornados in the shower stall in Dan's basement. When the storm is over, they desperately seek to find their families and shelter. In the end, the novel explains how they survived after the storm. The themes are of family, community and survival.

This novel explains storms in great detail. The use of sensory details is tremendous. I have been through a tornado, heard the sirens, and felt what the character felt. It was dead on. The characterization and the changes in Dan from beginning to end are/can be a focus in the classroom. The novel can provide the students with a book rich in details and character development. It moves at a fast pace and is a page-turner. The vocabulary is not very challenging, I believe, but the words that are unfamiliar will be easy to find among context clues due to strong interest of the story. This book could also help emphasize character education as far as perseverance and selflessness.

The novel is completely accurate. I felt like I was in the tornado. I have been through a tornado and lived in an area where the sirens came on. Reading this book, put me right back there. It is obvious the author has been through a tornado or did their research. It is believable for most people; some find the devastation hard to believe if they have never seen what Mother Nature can do. I believe, in light of Hurricane Katrina, that students will believe the author's details in this novel. It is easy to see everything through Dan's eyes whether you are male, female, or any race. It is about him and the storm.

I did not find anything controversial in this novel. It is appropriate for 7th grade, maybe even 6th grade. The book is a fairly easy read with some vocabulary that can be pointed out as unfamiliar. The thing about this novel is that it is completely entertaining. They can actually get into this book and can focus on the sensory details and characterization of Dan and Arthur. They will not agonize over the details but embrace them. GREAT literary merit and a fantastic, interesting read. I LOVED it!