Kentucky Books

As the official roster, this work was ordered to be compiled and printed by an Act of the Kentucky General Assembly, the number not to exceed 300 copies. The original records are now in the custody of the Kentucky Military Department, Frankfurt. To the work as originally published we have added an Index, completely lacking in the original. Our reprint is further enhanced by the inclusion of an Introduction by G. Glenn Clift which sets forth the background, location, and other sources of the records of the War of 1812 for the State of Kentucky.

I first read this book in 1964 when I was 14. It was the first book I ever read without being forced to and it captured my imagination. I was unable to put the book down and read late into the night. Throughout the day, I couldn't wait to get back to this book and find out what was to become of Jim Cheston.

As a result of this book, I voraciously read everything and anything of that era and place that I could get my hands on. I learned that this book is right on when it comes to historical accuracy, other that the fictional characters surrounding the story.

This is above a teenagers book but simplistic for most adults. Perhaps "Light reading" would be the term? If you have an interest in stories about the Kentucky Frontier, with Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, et al, you'll love this book.

The poems in this book are realistic and moving. I was able to relate to many of the life situations and found the book an uplifting experience. If you are looking for real people, real places and truth, this is the book for you.

I have read this strange tale to my daughter over a hundred times, each time enjoying the adventures of Little Troll who is eager to learn about People's Ways. He attempts to mix in with the regular country folk, but falls back on his magic powder. Little Troll makes the best butter.

Since this is set in the back country of Kentucky the dialog is perfect for some twangy accents. Best Line (advice from a stranger) It helps to have some gold coins about you if you want to buy a wife, especially if you ain't too handsome.

The 2008 fiction winner n the Kentucky Literary Awards is Kentucky Waltz. The award, sponsored by the Southern Kentucky Book Fest and Western Kentucky University, was presented April 19.

Ms.Lewis brings a culinary treasure tale to her readers. The recipes are time tested and do not disappoint. It's a fine blend of elegant creations, and down home hearty favorites that revive memories of your Southern Grandmother on Sunday. This is the definitive work on Kentucky cuisine and her collaboration with some of the finer Kentucky chefs spread the rich tradition of the Bluegrass state in style. Burgoo, Cheese grits, and Kentucky bourbon sauces lay the foundation for a book that is well worth the read. Apologies to Emeril, but this book kicks southern cooking up a notch!

So often I get worried sick after watching the evening news. The violent, greedy, and irresponsible elements of our society grab the headlines. Flairty's book is a refreshing and poignant reminder that a whole lot of good is happening that usually flies under the radar. So often people see no moral worth in people who disagree with their political or religious creeds, but Flairty shows us how wrong that outlook is. Kentuckians, both born there and who moved there, of varied races, religions, political outlooks, and incomes are making sacrificial and wholesome impacts upon their worlds. Thanks Steve Flairty. You opened a window on humanity that I needed to see.

I enjoyed it immensely. Beautiful cover picture on this, nice sized text, elaborate notes, full bibliography and index. All in all, a great read, thoroughly researched.

One place that the author should have researched is in the court records in the Archives in Frankfort. Sehlinger mentions Preston's participation in protecting minorities during the Bloody Monday riots, but he makes no mention of Preston's being cornered by a mob, of him pulling a gun and looking around as if wondering which thug to shoot first and saying, "Have I no friends here?"

"Yes, you have," said a voice from behind him, and Joshua Speed, Abraham Lincoln's great friend, came forward with a pistol. Together they faced down the mob, but Preston was afterwards arrested and tried for having an illegal firearm at the polls. The account of this trial, too, is interesting.

Also there were other court cases and duels, fights, etc., which Preston participated in which are not mentioned in the biography. His testimony, and his everyday record as a lawyer, can be had by going through these Circuit and Criminal court cases, and would have made an interesting facet of the man's biography.

But the author uncovered much that I have not seen in print elsewhere, and he has organized and written it up here in a professional way. Highly recommended.

The States and the Nation Series is a collection of Bicentennial Histories, each about 200 pages, about the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Each author has written about his home state. I have long been a fan of this series. I think that "Kentucky: a Bicentennial History" is the twenty-third of this series that I have read and it is one of the best.

Author Steven A. Channing has the benefit of having a state with a history both interesting in itself and of significance to the nation. Channing does an excellent job of weaving Kentucky's story into that of the nation without straying from his subject. He starts with the early migration to this first of the Western states and tells how it gradually came to see itself as different from Virginia and why. He writes of Daniel Boone and the vulnerability of Kentucky to raiding from Britain's Indian allies during the Revolution. I have often heard of treasonous schemes to separate the west from the U.S., but this book tells why the plans made sense. To an economy dependent on Ohio and Mississippi River transportation for the movement of its produce, a relationship with the Spanish rulers of New Orleans seemed much more advantageous than a federal union with states on the other side of the mountain which looked more across the Atlantic than across the Appalachians. The mention that Congress toyed with the idea of trading navigation rights on the Mississippi (of crucial importance to Kentucky) for a commercial treaty with Spain (of benefit to the eastern seaboard only) makes Kentucky's uncertainty about its place in the U.S. very understandable and illustrates the early fragility of our Union.

Firmly incorporated into the Union, Kentucky became a crossroads of thought and sentiment. With a large slave population and a largely small farm economy, Kentucky was to sit astride the widening chasm between North and South. The necessity to see both sides may have played a role in the rise of the Great Compromiser, Henry Clay.

As Kentucky, along with the rest of the nation, drifted toward Civil War, the divisions between North and South were reflected in the divisions within Kentucky itself. Torn between its broad employment of the "peculiar institution" and its small farm and growing urban economy, Kentucky sent soldiers to fight for both of its native sons, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Channing does an excellent job of showing why Kentucky, more than any of the other Border States, was crucial to the outcome of the war. With its large population and long Ohio River coastline, it had the potential to carry victory to whichever side it chose. Initially declaring neutrality, like most European countries at the start of World War II, Kentucky's strategic importance made its invasion, by both sides, inevitable.

After the Civil War, Kentucky's importance seems to the nation seems to decline so Channing focuses largely on the story of Kentucky's own governance. He explains why the post-bellum glorification of the Lost Cause played so well in a state in which the majority support had been Unionist. He shows the rise and fall of the political parties, the role Kentucky played in the Populist movement and how the different interest and economic groups competed for control of the Commonwealth. This story carries on to the Bicentennial Era.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for an introduction to the history of Kentucky. For any other state, look for its book in the States and the Nation Series.

Parenting can be so frustrating ... especially when your kids seem bored and are begging for creative ideas on something fun to do. Most of the time you end up at the local playground or amusement center for lack of better ideas.

"Entertaining children shouldn't be so hard. We wanted to make having fun family time easy. So, we researched and wrote this book" say parents/authors George and Michele Zavatsky. After 1000 hours of research and publishing, the result is their book, KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY. This book is part of a regional best-selling series including other titles for Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY has kid-tested descriptions including great hints on what kids like best. This guide contains almost 200 pages packed full of 500 some places and events specifically designed for children between the ages of 2 - 15.

Kids can discover places from Boone to Burgoo, from Caves to Corvettes, and from Lincoln to Lands of Horses. It'll tell you how Appalacian and Pioneer folks live(d) and even how to pow-wow with Native Americans. You'll know where to go to stand side-by-side a Braille printer (and even get to try your hand at it), steer a boat, blow the whistle of a train, or learn the secrets of yummy chocolates.

Another weekend you'll have all the travel details you need to go behind the scenes of car assembly or learn the secrets to perfect pottery and woven linens (Secret: it takes loads of practice!). Of course, there's plenty of details on nationally known sites like skipping stones in creeks near Abe Lincoln's Boyhood Homes or purchasing a raccoon "Boone" cap and pretending to provide for your family while trying to keep peace with the Natives. There's lots of kid-friendly info on famous caves (even one you take a boat ride through!), singing a tune at My Old Kentucky Home and gazing at beautiful horses.

Getting back to nature is easy when you stay overnight in a wigwam, get inches away from a real shark, pet wallabies and kangaroos, see a prehistoric alligator turtle, hear the roar of humungous cascading falls, stroll through a bird paradise, or walk across a Natural Bridge.

If you're hungry, KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY knows where to dine on "hot browns", be a candy taste-tester, watch soft drinks mixed and bottled, and tell you how to eat your way through apple, barbecue, chicken, pumpkin, and sorghum festivals. Unusual theme restaurants include a log cabin, a real stagecoach stop or a riverboat.

The book is formatted in 6 geographical zones providing addresses, websites, telephone numbers, directions, admissions and descriptions to save you lots of time. It's a wonderful resource to make short vacation plans or to get to know your hometown area better. You will probably find there are at least 50 things to do within an hour of your home! Best of all, if you have a limited budget, the book has found lots of places to visit for little or no charge and a bonus chapter of inexpensive seasonal and special events.