Missouri Books

The title made me shudder a little, since my time at Southwest (class of '86) was deep into the "fall." But the year-by-year accounts of my era were free of finger-pointing, and it was fun and informative reading the history of the old school and seeing all the many fine photographs. I'd highly recommend this for anyone with a connection to Southwest, of whatever era.

My one disappointment is that the book is a little skimpy.

As a graduate of that grand high school Southwest, I was overwhelmed by the memories this book brought me. My only complaint for the author is that I want more--more stories--please! This is a well researched and well told biography of a school that shouldn't have been killed by bureaucratic nonsense.

I hope everyone who ever walked through those magnificent front pillars on Wornall Road will have a chance to read this book and remember.

I put this book up and down over several months - and that was mostly an effect of the power of certain segments of the book.

The stories move through overlapping lives - and relationships. Universally overcoming their own obstacles - molestation, racismn, sexuality, living and dying... realizing one is aging. Strong and weak - the characters feed off of each other and show a need for one another even at their stubbornest moments.

Nina is the main character - but I aim to tell you - so that you give him your undivided attention - the real story is her little dog (who seems to have no name).

The book is strongest in the final two chapters - Chapters from A Dog's Life and Block Party. I smiled hard and cried harder through the final movements between Nina and her dog.

We are all witnesses to their ceremony...

Kelly Cherry's collection of short stories is an outstanding example of refined English language prose as well as a philosophical exploration into the meaning or meaninglessness of human existence. However, inspite of these grand subjects, Ms. Cherry often choses the most humble of subjects and the smallest events to story the plight of her sometimes hapless, often kind, characters as they forage for love and understanding in the Wisconsin college town neighborhood where these stories take place. There is heartbreaking irony and tenderness in these stories. Ms. Cherry deftly written sentences sweep the reader toward the edge of consciousness itself, and indeed we stare over the edge and into the abyss more than once, and then we are swept back again with great waves of emotion to the everyday existence we cling to. There is great humor in these stories as well as an undertone of darkness in every sentence. Only a poet of Ms. Cherry's brilliance could render such a remarkable display without calling attention to the language itself. These are stories, not merely for the student of literature but for the student of life. Above everything else there is a great reverence for human beings and their spiritual quest in a world that harbors few places of refuge for the vulnerable.

I bought this book because I came across a poem of Mitcham's a few years back which has become one of my favorite poems, "The Foolishness of God Is Wiser than Men." Though this particular poem is not included in this collection there are a number a very good poems here.

Many of these poems, including the best of them, deal with death and the relationships between parents and children. "Notes for a Prayer in June" describes a fatal car accident and how the author fears his son's judgement of him. "The Touch" describes a mother teaching her son how to dribble a basketball using it as a metaphor for how she "taught me what a softer touch could do,/how to go where I needed to, never looking down." "Home" has a beautiful stanza about a father playing a game with his children while "About Women" has a father trying to explain women to his son but realizing there are things he should never tell. "Last Words" and "Sunday" are both very powerful poems about a son losing a father.

There are other powerful poems here as well: "Epistles," which reworks the stories of the biblical figures Solomon, Salome and Jesus. And the poem sequence "Somewhere in Ecclesiastes" also has some powerful images though it, too, never strays far from the theme of death--the death of children and "unexplained death."

Some people find poetry of death & family too heavy. If you like this kind of poetry, however, as I do, you will likely find some poetry worth reading here. I have yet to come across a book of poetry that is uniformly powerful on every page but Mr. Mitcham does a very good job here.

This is one of the best books of poetry I have ever read. The way Judson Mitcham used his words and imagery packs a powerful emotional punch. Anytime you can feel the beauty or sadness of a poem in your gut, that physical feeling of being moved, you know you have found a good poet. Anyone who considers themselves an ardent fan of poetry must read this book to see what poetry is all about.

Bloch's story is very uplifting. How many people in his position would leave it all behind to try to make a difference in the world? He readily admits he could afford to do so, but he has truly walked the walk, rather than just talking about it. This book puts it all out there--his internal struggles, the path he took and what he learned along the way. He underscores the importance of the teaching profession and makes a plea for society to give it more respect. This book will appeal to people considering a career change who aren't sure they have the courage to do it, teachers who question their significance, and just anyone who wants to be inspired.

This is a good read. Tom Bloch's personal story is riveting and he is brave enough to share some very private emotions. But this book is more than a collection of anecdotes from the classroom where backpacks leak pickle juice and children regularly lose family members to shootings. Bloch has taken a thoughtful look at the herculean challenges before America's urban teachers and the universal human challenge to find purpose and meaning in our lives. He is also brave enough to offer some suggestions for institutional improvements. Worthwhile reading for anyone worried about America's schools and its students. Knowing that the book profits will go back into teacher training makes it easy to pay the hardback price.

This superb book tells the story of an amazing man. His interesting life coupled with the author's determination to reveal his true story create a captivating read. I truly recommend this book; by reading it you will learn more about an important man in America's history; Stuart Symington.

This is the first full-length biography of Stuart Symington (1901-1988), Democrat from Missouri and one of the most significant political leaders of the middle part of the twentieth century. It is much anticipated, for the author has been at work on it for many years, but it is worth the wait. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, Symington was educated at Yale University. In the 1920s and 1930s he worked as an executive for several radio and steel companies. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1938 and became president of the Emerson Electric Manufacturing Co.

This was prelude to a career after 1945 in politics. Symington began working with the war demobilization effort at the conclusion of World War II, and in 1946-1947 was Assistant Secretary of War for Air. When the Department of Defense was established in 1947, he became the first Secretary of the Air Force, 1947-1950. In that context he established the newly independent Department of the Air Force as a co-equal with the Army and Navy and led the defense establishment into the cold war era. He served in several other public positions until resigning in 1952 to run for the Senate from Missouri. He served four terms as Missouri's senator, choosing to retire in 1976. Throughout his senatorial career Symington was a knowledgeable leader in international and defense affairs, as well as an able counselor to several Democratic presidents. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party nomination for the Presidency in 1960.

James Olson's biography covers fully the broad career of Stuart Symington and ably pinpoints his skill as both a politician and an administrator. It is a valuable starting point for any study of his life and career. It should probably be read in conjunction with "Cold War Strategist: Stuart Symington and the Search for National Security" (Praeger, 2001), by Linda McFarland and George M Watson's "The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, 1947-1965" (Office of Air Force History, 1993), both of which offer detailed assessments of Symington's role in the development of air power.

Allen Chapel AME Church in Kansas City, Missouri is prominently mentioned numerous times throughout the book. As a member of Allen Chapel, The Mother Church in Kansas City, Missouri; I was please to know how many aristocrats were past members. Good book for historical purposes.

Ms. Jo Lee Brooks

This is a valuable contribution to the field of African-American urban studies. Coulter tells the forgotten stories of a vibrant black community that develooped around downtown Kansas City in the early twentieth century. He tells the stories of men and women, professionals and laborers, young and old. This work will stand as a benchmark for the study of black communities in the mid-west.

This book is a great read. Sodowsky takes us to Africa and shows us the lives of Americans working there and their entanglements with each other and with African culture.

The writing is amazingly descriptive. Indeed, the reader feels him/herself transported to the scene and immediately enjoying the position of "fly on the wall" as the characters seek their way through their unusual situations.

So why not five stars? The writing is extraordinary, and the plots keep the reader going. In my view, the women are stock characters; we've met these ladies many times before!

Still, the book is not only well-written, but is engaging; the reader is left with plenty to think about in terms of personal and global relationships.

THINGS WE LOSE is a frightening look into human nature. These stories will rivet you and surprise you. The stories take place in an Africa where expatriate workers clash with the native culture of the land. In the midst of this unfamiliar world, the reader comes to learn about the dark heart of humanity. If you like good writing, you'll love this book.

Rose Wilder Lane- Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter- and Helen Dore Boyleston- author of the Sue Barton - were friends and traveled by car from Paris to Albania during the 1920's. This book is basically excerpts from their diaries and provides some wonderful insight into their lives and is great just because it is surprising in the way that people you never imagined were connected are.

I admit to a bias. Helen Dore Boylston was a cousin of my grandfather's and I've been feeling terribly cheated since I read this book because I never met her. The story is remarkable. Two young women decide to drive from Albania to Paris. Their adventures are not, perhaps, quite as colorful as one might hope, but their daring and imagination in deciding upon such an voyage make your realize that Laura Ingalls Wilder really raised one heck of a brave and free daughter. I'd recommend it to anyone who's read the Little House Books or any of Helen Dore Boylston's books about Sue Barton.

I live in New york on the Island. I've always, always had a fascination with the old west, and in particular the state of Kansas.. even though I haven't yet been there. For Christmas this year, my mum gave me among other things, an actual Kansas license plate along with this book. I started reading it right away and it has been entirely engrossing. Very interesting individual tales, some are pretty short, so this is the perfect book to read while on the train. I love it.

Here's one for the history buffs out there. Kids and adults, read about frontier life in Kansas. This is an excellent addition to any library collection. -Native Kansan

I've never been to Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, though after reading this book I feel I know it well. Robert Knittel reminds his readers of the joys and rewards of walking for pleasure, stopping to observe and breathe in details, taking detours recommended by a curious canine guide (the author's airdale Herb believes in taking the trails less traveled). In this fast-paced world, we need guides like this, which encourage us not to squeeze all the top sites into one frantic touring afternoon, but to savor and discover our most familiar surroundings through the seasons.

While this book is about 20 years old it tells a good story about Tower Grove Park. This park is one of only four in the Unitrd States designated as a national historical park. At the present time the park is being restored and new trees being added. With this,new walks are being established and will be known as the Discovery Forest. The Discovery Forest is being dedicated on 16 April 1999 and Mr.Knittel has been invited to participate.