Pennsylvania Books

Ben Franklin recalls his earlier life from a later vantage point in this skillfully-written walk back in time. As is often the case when reading the words of those from other ages, this most human and brilliant of Founding Fathers seems simultaneously utterly modern and distinctly Colonial as he tells about his life as a printer and inventor in 18th-century Philadelphia. It is the small moments that grant this book so much flavor. Franklin's description of chasing a "whirlwind" is a prime example of that. This is history at its most approachable, penned by a man whose wit and self-confidence make him fine company for the duration of a most enjoyable read.

Autobiographical historical account of the history of the United States at the time of the Revolution. Link it to Timothy Pickerings July 4, 1823 speech and you have a good idea of the difficulty this country faced and how primitative it was and how well run the Revolutionary Effort was. Link this to the "Myth of July 4th" as printed in the William and Mary Historical Periodical and the story of July 4th becomes very clear. The United States of America was supported by a Secret Treaty that was very important to our founding. Those entrusted with keeping the Secret Treaty have disgrased this country.

OK, first. The title means 'The Adventures of Arthur at the Tarn Wadling'. The content is a narrative poem of stunning beauty, artistry, and immediacy, in an extremely intricate form that both rhymes and alliterates, with accentual meter--that is, a meter that counts the strongly stressed syllables in a line, not all the syllables. There are fifty-five stanzas, each about as long as a sonnet (not that the stanzas are like sonnets in form; they're not). Pronounced with a vanishingly short final 'e', the verse sings.

The editor has carefully compared four different versions of the poem, given in different manuscripts, and combined them to produce a hypothetical version of the original. It's annotated so that the reader can tell what the variant readings are in the various manuscripts.

There are two stories in the poem, both of which take place while Arthur and his knights are hunting in the forests near the tarn. In the first, Gawaine and Guinevere encounter a ghost; the story is brief, vivid, and striking. In the second, Gawaine jousts with Sir Galeron over disputed lands. The fight, too, is vivid. I cannot recall such immediacy of description in any other author's works.

The catch: it's in Middle English, in a dialect rather less clear than Chaucer's. Unless you're familiar with Middle English, you'll spend a lot of time in the glossary. It's worth it. It's perhaps the best narrative poetry I've ever read: aside from being a fascinating and splendid verse form, the unknown author knew how to move a story along in vivid images.

This is the kind of book that changes not only the way we view individual authors, but the way we view an era. Much work, both scholarly and for a popular audience, has been done in the area of the Renaissance, but little of it provides the reader with an "Ah ha!" moment, a moment that changes forever our approach to a time period. This book does precisely that. Robert Watson's premise, that civilization is to nature as perception is to reality, allows for a broad audience to read and appreciate this book. His thesis, however, is deceptively simple. With strong readings of As You Like It, Andrew Marvell's poems and 17th century Dutch painting, Watson draws together what seem like widely different materials to green the Renaissance -- to subject the Renaissance to the kind of eco-criticism that affects our own reading of the world. We are a back-to-nature sort of culture, but, as Watson's book shows, there is no getting back to Nature (and if we could get back to Nature, we might find that it resembles nothing we expected). Our civilization forever blocks an unmediated experience of the natural world, just as our perception, colored as it is with the detritis of day-to-day living, can never allow a full embrace of reality. We love to be the masters of all we suvey (and didn't God tell Adam that he could be? And by extension that we can be?) -- but as masters, the natural and the real will always elude us. What we have enslaved, whether by mind or machine, can never be fully possessed, but is always set at a distance by that very enslavement. As far as Watson's readings of individual works goes, this book enchants and unsettles with its nuanced approach to literature and art. I would certainly recommend this book for every scholar of the Renaissance period; I believe that the book has started a movement of Renaissance eco-criticism that will prove highly influential. Although some of the writing and concepts may seem, at first, daunting to the general reader, I also recommend the book to a broad audience -- that audience, I feel sure, will be appreciative (in particular) of the readings of individual works and paintings. In all, I give this book the highest possible rating.

During the past 30 years, Voigt has established himself as perhaps the most prolific authority on the evolution of baseball. In addition to his seminal three volume history, Voigt has penned nearly a score of other books and articles for scholarly journals.

When published originally in 1987, this book was the best single-volume history of the National Pastime. Baseball: An Illustrated History is a wonderful, if slightly dated, history of the Summer Game.

Voigt, a sociology professor at Albright College, traces the sport from the stick-and-ball games played by Englishmen and American colonists, to the multi-billion dollar commercial enterprise of modern major league baseball. More than 400 black-and-white photographs, many seldom-seen, help illuminate Voigt's text. Some of the singular pictures include a turn-of-the-century photograph from the files of the U.S. Surgeon General's Office displaying a ball player's disfigured hands, and one of lighting engineers placing "measuring targets" in the Polo Grounds to prepare for the installation of 836 lights and night baseball. In sum, the book is balanced and concise, yet still comprehensive in its treatment of the significance of the game in American society.

The major disappointment with the book is that there is nothing new. This paperback volume was published 7 years after the original edition, and it suffers for not being made current. At the conclusion of the book Voigt identifies player drug-abuse as the most visible issue facing the game; today, few fans would agree with that assessment. Consider all that has transpired since Mookie Wilson's nubber went through Bill Buckner's wickets: the dismissal of Commissioner Fay Vincent, the rebirth of minor league baseball, Pete Rose, the construction of classic-revival ballparks, the 1994-1995 player's strike, Cal Ripkin, and three divisions with expanded playoffs. At best, the lack of new material is frustrating. At worst, not updating the book impinges the credibility of its conclusions. In the book's first sentence Voigt proclaims "America's passion for baseball has endured [for 140 years], and there are no signs of diminishing ardor." In the wake of the game's recent troubles, ominous doubt's about major league baseball's future persist.

Make no mistake, however; this remains a wonderful book. Baseball: An Illustrated History remains an invaluable starting place for baseball history novices, and is equally satisfying for experienced scholars.

Gordon Craig gives a clear and highly readable account of the most infuential battle of the 19th century. This should be required reading for anybody trying to understand modern German history. The author uses excellent source material to bring a contemporary narretive and evaluation to this historical milestone.

If you're a Pitt fan, then you're longing for that day when Penn State will bow to the Panthers again (sadly, never again in old Pitt Stadium, razed in 1999). If you're a Penn State fan, you've seen that blue and gold nemesis to the west fade from its once high point of gridiron glory. But whether you're a Panther or a Nittany Lion, you've got to appreciate the 107 year old rivalry between these two storied squads. Pannacio's book is a game-by-game history of the series, from the first snowy meeting in 1893, to the day in 1981 when underdog Penn State smooshed then-No.1-ranked Pitt (going into the game 10-0 under Jackie Sherril) in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, Panaccio's book ends in 1981, but it captures the best years of the rivalry, as Pitt has gone 3-10-1 against the team from Happy Valley in the ensuing years. Sadly, the rivalry was interrupted 1993-1996, but four more games were scheduled for 1997-2000, so the thrill temporarily lives on. Hopefully these two schools will continue to schedule one another for the long term. In the meantime, enjoy Pannacio's nicely written work. It's full of photos, newspaper clippings, and gripping highlights.

I purchased this book because of its interesting cover photo. After reading it, I became aware of how much history is nestled away in the quaint villages and towns of Bedford County, Pennsylvania. From the French and Indian War to the Whiskey Rebellion to Fort Bedford, Bedford played a significant role in the settlement of early America. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

I grew up in Beechview. This book brought back some fond memories of a world I once knew in a far simpler time. It was just great. Fantastic!

For musical experts. A detailed analysis of the first movement of string quartet Op.18, No.1. Excellent study for students of Beethoven, composition, or string quartet players. Musical examples on nearly every page. Large format, beautifully bound.