Mississippi Books

Fascinating Book! This book has retaught me a lot about the non-Civil War. My ancestors lived in the Free State of Jones during the 1860's; some joined the Confederate army and others joined the Union army. I now realize that the history we are taught in schools is a sterile perspective stripped of all the choas and complexities that give a true understanding of events. This is the beginning of a new learning adventure that will extend back to the Revolutionary War -- and beyond.

I have always wondered exactly what happened in Jones County, Mississippi, during the recent unpleasantness, and after reading The Free State of Jones, now I know. Often billed as the county that seceded from the Confederacy, the author provides an excellent local history of Southwest Mississippi from the early 1800s to the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. The author begins with the immigrants to Mississippi territory, mainly from the Carolinas. Excellent maps of migration routes and the early counties in the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi are included. During the Civil War, a band of 100 or so deserters from Confederate military service hid in Jones County, where the soil did not promote large commercial planting, and few individuals owned slaves. While there was never a formal act of secession from the Confederacy by the county government of Jones, the band of deserters did fight fourteen skirmishes with Confederate troops between 1863 and 1865, and many locals were sympathethic, either because they were relatives, they didn't like the relatively strong central Confederate government, or Confederate troops misbehaved by stealing from their small farms. Many of the band deserted because the felt the war was "a rich man's war and a poor man's fight"--especially after the "20 Negro Law" was passed exempting slaveowners with 20 or more slaves from Confederate military service. The author also goes into the mixed racial family of the leader of the band of deserters, Newt Knight, who survived until 1922. There are few places to read the details of this interesting micro-history within the Confederacy. Ms. Bynum's thoroughly researched book encompasses the whole story, and is worth the effort of delving into such a detailed local history.

Ms. Bynum provides a well researched and written account of the lifestyles and circumstandes of the people of Jones County, MS, leading up to the Civil War. Her research takes us back into North and South Carolina, prior to 1800, and follows the families of early Jones County settlers. She goes into details, explaining the different economic, cultural, and religious factors that served to mold the life of the everyday Jones County citizen.
The Free State of Mississippi... is a must read for anyone whith roots in Jones Co., MS, as well as for anyone who is simply interested in deep South History.

This book is full of fantastic old black and white images and thoroughly interesting text. The French Quarter is one of America's treasures and anyone with any interest at all in this famous old district should have this book in their collection. Thank God, the Quarter is on high ground and the buildings so well built, God willing, it will survive another milinium, much like the city it inhabits.

As a part-time resident of the Vieux Carre, and one who very reluctantly leaves to return to New York, I keep this book in my New York home to look through when I long for New Orleans. This book, with its elegant balck and white historic photos and its vivid descriptive text, captures the best of the Vieux Carre. In fact, I have had great fun trying to match the historic photos to the contemporary Vieux Carre sites on my visits to the Quarter.

I love this book, it's a wonderful gift to anyone who loves that amazing and magical place known as the Vieux Carre.

Tender in prose, painstaking in research, passionate in creation. A worthy addition to any architectural library.

The French Quarter, by Jim Fraiser is one of countless books written about that unique, New Orleans neighborhood. It does stand out, however. In my opinion, it's the most comprehensive, beautiful book I've ever seen on the Quarter. West Freeman's photography is outstanding! Happilly, practically every major building is photographed. The history of the Quarter and of the architecture of the buildings is excellent and scholarly. I highly reccommend this magisterial book!

This is a really substantial, solid book that has nice binding, clear and attractive pictures and plenty of info about the demographics and attractions of New Orleans.
It's a classy book which is one of those keepsakes you would be proud to pull out and use as a conversation piece whenever the big easy came up.
I can honestly say this book was well worth the money.

Let me first say that this is a wonderful book, with wonderful photographs and interesting text, the books images really capture the Quarter, they are quite vivid and well thought out, more beautiful historic buildings at every turn of the page and thank God it was spared the wrath of Katrina, but this review is about the Cresent City. As an American, I am disgraced at the nations response to your plight, I will, personally donate my time and money to make this up to you, you are one of the great American cities and a national treasure, you will rebound, we Americans, particularly Southerners, like myself, will never allow you to sink into the Mississippi, we love you New Orleans and with our sweat and tears we will help you rebuild, no matter the cost, you will reserect like a phoenix, and I will be the one of the first to visit and celebrate your reemergence as one of the premier American cities, God Speed New Orleans.

this book is a fun read as was Humberto Fontanva's companion book Hell Diver's Rodeo. He does repeat himself in the two books but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of reading.

For anybody on your Christmas list who thinks golf is for wussies too housebroken to engage in bloodsport, there's Humberto Fontova's very funny The Hellpig Hunt: A Hunting Adventure in the Wild Wetlands at the Mouth of the Mississippi River by Middle-Aged Lunatics Who Refuse to Grow Up.

In case that title's insufficiently descriptive, here's Humberto's previous book's title: The Helldivers' Rodeo : A Deadly, Extreme, Scuba-Diving, Spear Fishing Adventure Amid the Offshore Oil-Platforms in the Murky Waters off the Gulf of Mexico. The Hellpig Hunt resembles what you'd get if Hunter S. Thompson went hunting with Bluto and the rest of the gang from Animal House. Plus, Humberto tosses in philosophical asides on the predatory nature of the human male from Camille Paglia, Edward O. Wilson, and the head philosopher of hunting, Jose Ortega Y Gasset of "Revolt of the Masses" fame.

A couple of years ago I tried to explain to Humberto the appeal of golf to guys like me: "You see, it's a like a suburbanized form of hunting. It's a battle against nature played out in an ideal landscape for hunting." My little dissertation appears to have been refracted back through Humberto's twisted brain on p. 138 of his tome:

"'Then why don't more men hunt?' you ask.

"'Lack of opportunity,' I answer. "They turn to golf for the same reason men turn to sodomy in prisons.'"

Gee, Humberto, thanks for phrasing my idea like that.

Take a hunting and fishing adventure story, set it in the wetlands of the Mississippi River mouth, and add two middle-age participants with a passion for hell-raising adventure and an ounce of sense and you have The Hellpig Hunt, a rowdy hunting trip into Louisiana territory which will have even the most seasoned hunter on the edge of his seat. Rousing tales of danger and wild pig encounters are anything but boaring and come from a maniacal hunter, fisherman, and author alike.

The Horn Island Logs of Walter Inglis Anderson is an incredible account of the day-to-day experiences of eccentric Ocean Springs, MS artist, Walter Anderson. This book is especially meaningful and wonderful to read if you've ever been to Ocean Springs, Shearwater Pottery, and the Walter Anderson Museum either before or after Katrina. This is a beautifull, personal journal of Anderson and his encounters with nature, weather, and the creatures of Horn Island and points in between.
Filled with lyrical drawings.

Walter Anderson was an extremely unique and interesting fellow. After hearing about him, I wanted to see some of his paintings and read more about him. The book has many color plates which will give you more than a feel for his style. The introductory chapter provides a nice biography and is in large measure an essay on his artistic style and philosophy, as viewed by Redding Sugg, jr. The bulk of the book, (pages 38 to 236)are transcribed log entries by the artist himself. I am glad that what was included was included, but after about the 100th page of "today I saw a duck. A boat went by. I drew a Pelican. The wind was blowing.....", it gets a bit boring. Still, I wanted to learn about this guy and I feel that, having read the book, I have done so.

I have been interested in Walter Inglis Anderson since I first saw some of his stunning watercolors and woodcuts. This book allows the reader to see the world through his eyes and to experience with him the wonders of nature. It records the time he spent living, sans shelter other than his overturned rowboat, on Horn Island, an island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Anyone who loves Anderson's work (and if you've not seen it, you should) will love this chance to delve into his philosophies and insights as he tries to capture the world around him perfectly through pen, ink, and watercolor.

As I read more and more about old jazzmen, it is striking just how many died early or unnecessary deaths. "Jazz and Death"
fills an unusual and worthwhile niche.

The only complaint I have is that Dr. Spencer tends to editorialize at length on the justifications for marijuana laws, etc. Not that I don't agree completely. He also (in the introduction -and- the conclusion) draws attention to the very tenuous links between the history of jazz and the history of medicine.

A wonderful and engrossing read.

... Dr. Spencer, who is no spring chicken, really knows his jazz. His book is part biography, part history, part sociology; it is also an excellent primer on pathology for non-medical people. His book is spiced with glimpses into the lifestyles of jazz greats. There's even a bit of ... humor here and there. Dr. Spencer has real affection for these haunted geniuses, and he shows us why early death was epidemic in their world.

This is an excellent reference work which should be on the shelf of most serious jazz collectors and anyone who writes about jazz or does discographical work in this field. Dr. Spencer very clearly explains numerous medical conditions and provides death certificates and other pertinent illustrations. He also clears up a number of mistakes/misunderstandings which have appeared in the literature. The references are annoying (the superscripts are tiny for my ancient eyes) and you must look in the back of the book to find the reference. The illustrations could have been sharper. Lastly, I understand that Dr. Spencer submitted a 660 page manuscript and only then was told that 300 pages was the goal. Thus, a great deal has been cut. He did a remarkable job but no doubt a lot of information got left on the cutting room floor!

Great compilation of interviews with the polemical JLG, film students and other filmmakers.Illuminates JLG's trains of thoughts and ideas he explored in many of his most famous movies.

i can very simply sum up how i feel about this title: one cannot possibly go wrong with the words straight from jean-luc "cinema" godard's mouth. made up of interviews with godard over the decades of his career, this book illuminates godard's various phases and his astounding ideas on cinema and art and life in general. the man is an amazing artist, and if you are at all familiar with his films, you owe it to yourself to read some of what he has to say. his insight into filmmaking and his personal output greatly increases any understanding of his cinematic works. i recommend this book to any student of cinema, academic or just curious, or to anyone who has ever watched a godard film and still had many questions after the screen turned dark. and of course, if you're a godard nut like myself, you should buy this right now and thank me later; this is required reading for godard devotees.

Along with GODARD ON GODARD, this book is a must-have for any serious cinema affecionado. The interviews with Jean-Luc Godard are relevatory and thought provoking, and are essential to read alongside viewing his films. It covers his work from his (more popular) early/mid-sixties films through his video work in the eighties and back to his films of the nineties. Highest recommendation.

About half way through this funny book, I decided it wasn't a mystery. But then the end took me by complete surprise! Highly recommend for those who like a little comedy with their mysteries...

i got this title at the dollar store! needed a lurid, fast, vacation read and got in spades. shankman's tendency toward comma splices takes a little getting used to, but i loved this guilty-pleasure potboiler, filled with elvis arcana, southern culture, and tacky, lively characters who dovetail entertainingly. the ending's baroque and a bit predictable, but leaves you wondering. was he...? could he've been...? hmmm... definitely worth a buck, and made me want to read more from this author.

I never got this book fully until I moved to Louisiana- people do take food seriously in the South, and guard barbeque and other recipies as great secrets. My mother-in-law has been trying to get a BBQ recipie for years from one of her friends who refuses to tell her. So this book is a bit educational for people who aren't from the South. Shankman knows her stuff. And if you love the Sam Adams series, you'll love this book. I love the twists in the story- so many Elvis connections!
If you love 'Q', mysteries and Elvis, this is the book for you!(and even if you don't, its still a great book!)

I don't really like New Orleans. And in general, I tend to hate memoirs. So I wasn't expecting much when I cracked open this "memoir" by noted zinester Clark, much of which takes place in New Orleans, where he lived from 1999-2005. Fortunately, it's less a structured memoir than a collection of essays, and Clark pretty much hates all the same aspects of New Orleans that I do, while having the knowledge (and love) of the city to celebrate aspects of the city that I never encountered in my brief visits. Clark appears to be one of those DIY/live somewhat off the "grid"/bike messenger/artist/punk rock/'zine types (although to be fair, trying to apply these kinds of labels is oversimplifying) that have blossomed in American cities for the last twenty or so years. I'm not really of that ilk, although I did spend my formative years in the punk scene, have plenty of friends who've done zines, been in bands, been bike messengers, artists, etc. So, while I'm not "of" Clark's world, I'm certainly familiar with it, and sympathetic to many elements of it. The point is that you don't need to be a part of his world to appreciate Clark's slice-of-life storytelling abilities.

For example, the book opens with, "Fireworks," a well-written story about a summer when he a buddy went up to Wisconsin to sell fireworks and how weird that all was. It's a great little piece which exposes the reader to something they probably never thought about "Kansas" is a similarly well-written vignette about trying to hitchhike in the heartland. A number of the pieces are very brief and specific, such as those about Sparks Malt Energy Drink, Clark's one sampling of crack, his return to college, etc. Roughly half the book is specifically about New Orleans, from the phenomenon of being chased by wild dogs while riding your bike ("Wild Dogs"), to sneaking into a public monument ("Up Lee's Ass"), to DJing a party on the roof of an abandoned industrial site ("The High Life"). The core of the book is the 40+ page "Scenes From a Shattered Memory," which is where Clark really digs into living in New Orleans and what it meant to him.

To be sure, some readers may be put off by Clark's occasional railing against capitalist society, but for the most part, I wouldn't expect such readers to pick this kind of book in the first place. Like a lot of such criticism, however much I might agree with the principle, it often comes off a little too shrill. Fortunately, Clark is not much of a whiner, and throughout his stories, he recognizes when he is at fault in situations and calls himself on it. He's also good at cutting through the BS that often floats around the scenes he's in, recognizing the silliness of arguments over what's punk behavior and what isn't. Unlike so many in these subcultures, he doesn't come across as self-righteous or holier-than-thou, just as a thoughtful person with some interesting experiences to share. Most of these are not ones I'd particularly care to have partaken in, but I'm glad there's someone else who has and that Clark has the writing chops to convey how it feels.

One of the reasons we read is for escape, to blanket ourselves in a fantasy world, removing ourselves from our own. Leaning With Intent to Fall is all of this but in the case of Ethan Clark, his real life is the fantastical. He can't escape it, doesn't want to escape it. Not only does he go out of his way to find adventure but it finds him.

He's the man you spontaneously run into drunk at 5am and share a Krispy Kreme with and the next day he's curating an amazing underground art show at an illegal warehouse while you're still nursing a hangover. Ethan even seeks out adventure in something as mundane as chasing a mysterious, rabid dog on a bike and captures a whole new perspective of the event with his low brow philosophical aesthetic.

Kerouac can be too cliche, a bit too heady. Bukowski not as energetic of a drunk. Sid Vicious too little focus. And Ian Mackaye too fragile. Ethan is like the literary soul baby of Obama, David Choe, and the graffiti writer Saber.

Leaning With Intent to Fall is a collection of stories I wish I had the wit to pen and the balls to live. Cheers.

Ethan Clark in his book LEANING WITH INTENT TO FALL-- the trumped-up charge that drunks and punkers in New Orleans maintain that they have been arrested for by the hated NOPD-- gives the reader a glimpse of that city that few of us who have not lived on the fringes there, as the author did for about six years, will ever experience or want to, for that matter. It is a world of punk-rockers, strippers, around-the-clock drinkers, mindless jobs (Clark, riding his bike, often worked as a delivery-boy for restaurants), broken-down vans, broken lives. The author also includes a chapter on selling fireworks in Marshfield, Wisconsin, recounts the woes of trying to hitchhike a ride in Kansas and includes a few chapters on Asheville, North Carolina where he eventually winds up in a college, but the heart of the book-- and the best part for me-- is the material he includes on New Orleans. It is a world where Mr. Clark travels with his Chihuahua Pixote going from no-brain-nothing jobs and from one bad sleeping arrangement to another, the House of Bad Starts to his own van, etc.

Mr. Clark writes with considerable flair and humor about a gaggle of memorable characters and their adventures or mis-adventures, depending on your point of view. Who of us will quickly forget the young man who, dressed in a pink tank top, cowboy hat and kilt, moons a New Orleans cop with the aid of a lit Roman candle placed in an obvious orifice or the author's own repeated trips into the statute of Robert E. Lee? Or his near catastrophic encounter with the drunken French Quarter tourists?

Clark has the spirit of adventure of a Woody Guthrie or Lars Eighner (TRAVELS WITH LISBETH) but the iconoclasm of a Charles Bukowski. When I finished this brief memoir, I wondered how Mr. Clark would regard it 25 years from now and how he got to his view of the American landscape. While I think he is dead right about the war in Iraq, Wal-Marts, and the omnipresent yahoo culture in the United States, I am not sure that eating out of dumpsters, as Clark sometimes does, is the solution to the problem. He says little about his early life except that he ran away from his home in Jackson, Mississippi at the age of sixteen, a home that had a framed quotation of the famed Eudora Welty hanging in the bathroom so his homelife couldn't have been all bad.

Clark closes by saying that he has settled down some-- being in school of course-- but that there will always be "moments of perfect, beautiful chaos" in his life. I suspect he is right.

This book is hard to put down. Foote's characters are so detailed and fascinting that I found my self totally drawn into the story --even though some of the characters are completely unlikeable and almost pathetic in their selfishness. Foote tells the story of two families affected by the same man (a virtual con-man, who sees himself only as ambitious -- and justified in everything he does). The book was written almost 50 years ago, but it still reads like a modern character study. I'll admit that some of the historical references where too obscure for me, but the characterizations are timeless.

This is a fascinating examination of the courtship of a well heeled spinster in a small Mississippi town. Young Shelby Foote turned down his flame a little for this one, having just been stung when told by his moonshine hunting pal and idol, William Faulkner, that he should "try to do better" next time after finishing Follow Me Down. Following the lurid and colorful courtroom drama of that first mature work, the prose of "Dry Season" is indeed about as dry as it gets. Those few pithy words from a master are paid up fully here, as a plot virtually without significant action proceeds with extraordinary tension, as the reader almost literally waits for the next pin to drop.

The male lead is a classic American archetype, the confidence man, already explored by luminaries such as Faulkner himself, Melville and Twain. The reader is in little doubt about the character, although Foote's direct statements about the fellow are few. Nor is it an absolute matter; he is gainfully employed and there is room for him to grow or change. So all the drama is on the level of deeper morality and character. The social fabric is what is being explored here, finally, the delicate surface tension of the remnant of Southern aristocracy persisting into century 20 and holding things together in straightened circumstances.

This is classic fiction, perhaps as old fashioned in theme as Thackery and Austen, but fully informed stylistically by Foote's incredible melding of the best of two modern masters, Hemingway and Faulkner. It is finally an odd book, no doubt -- one of a kind but unforgettable.

Good feeling for the South and good expression of that frenetic and searching period of our history, this is the first novel of Shelby Foote's that I have read. I found it a very "good read" sort of novel and look forward to the next one - comng soon in the mail.