Blair Books

Without contradiction, life would be impossible. He who never doubts his freedom will never be free. Humor is the glue that keeps the frame of sanity from splitting apart. . . . The above are just a few of the multitude of treasures to be gleaned from Grains of Thought. In the best tradition of the aphorist, it has encapsulated in concise prose thoughts that sparkle with clarity at the same time as they provoke further meditation. With wit and wisdom he explores practical and metaphysical dimensions of life. From human relations, to the nature of man, to, indeed, the nature of existence, no subject escapes the sharp eye of the author. A book that may and will be enjoyed at any time.

In "Building Bridges with the press: A guide for educators," reporter Julie Blair discusses her experiences as a reporter for Education Week and offers ways for educators improve their relationship with the media.

"Over time," Blair writes, "I've come to believe that we in the press haven't done nearly enough to educate educators about what we do. As a result we've unwittingly widened the chasm between schools and the media. . . . My hope is that this book will make clear to school administrators both the obligations and benefits of developing an open and cooperative relationship with the press."

Schools that dodge reporters frequently get even less press than they desire and potentially a bad reputation, she says, whether or not they are doing a good job educating children. Her message to educators: Let the media in. Deal with us openly and honestly, and let us learn to cover you better by walking your hallways, attending your classes, and talking at length with your students, teachers, and staff.

Often, the first critical step is to build a personal relationship between the schools and the media, she says. This isn't to say educators need to become best friends with the reporters who cover them, but making regular contact with reporters and even editors can help ensure that journalists better understand how schools work, which will definitely make a difference in how the schools are covered.

Blair offers 13 tips under the rubric: "Meeting the Press: Things to talk about." Getting together regularly with reporters can be helpful. One place to begin is to ask reporters about their education, their background in education policy, and the types of stories theylike to write or produce. Or begin by explaining how your district's budget works.

If you'd like to get more positive publicity about your school, highlight the achievement of faculty and tout them as experts on various topics. Introduce reporters to your innovative special education teacher, the band leader who runs the million-dollar fund raiser, and the mathematics instructor who helped write the state curriculum.

Blair offers the caveat: "Make sure you are on the same page regarding open access. Many PR people I've come into contact with perceive themselves to be protectors of their school districts. Rather than disseminating news, they work to keep the press out of school business. They don't return phone calls promptly, dodge questions, answer inadequately, or worse yet, provide inaccurate information. Such an individual can poison your relationship with the press and community."

EducationPR [...]

Now in an updated second edition, A Guide to North Carolina's Wineries profiles 64 different North Carolina wineries along with wine lists, directions, contact information, schedules, and fee information. Black-and-white photographs as well as descriptive histories of the wineries convey the conviction and dedication of the winemakers who run them. An easy-to-use, enthusiastically recommended guide for wine lovers residing in on traveling to the North Carolina area.

This book is awesome! I purchased it for my brother who is a die hard Wildcat fan to read to his son. They love it. It is perfectly written for small children and you can begin indoctrinating them to the love of your favorite team early on. You will enjoy this book with your family.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it to my dogs and they loved it. Great job Kim and Garnet.

David Cecelski's A Historian's Coast provides over twenty essays blending history, ecology, and a survey of the coastal past of North Carolina. Explorations of peoples and coastal places are filled with insights and will please North Carolina residents and visitors alike.

This second volume of this definitive work is also the second installment of the work that is the intellectual monument to Clay Blair.

People have accused Mr. Blair of lacking a human face, yet the sparse prose describing life and death battles between grim, determined men is eloquent in its terse and relentless depiction of the brutality, courage and fear of war. Anyone who has been down to sea in ships needs no more stimulating of the imagination that Mr. Blair provides to understand and wonder at the courage of the men in the U-Boats and men who defeated them.

The only failing in the book is a strangely discordant and increasingly strident reactionary and anti-British tone that creeps into his work. Since I do not know of the personal details of Mr. Blair's life it is only speculation, but I do feel I detect failing health in his later pages of this volume.

It is a pity that while Mr. Blair was so generous of his praise of Britain in Volume 1 he suddenly loses empathy with his British allies and fails to understand the British psyche and the multitudinous problems faced by the war-weary British as they struggled with lack of resources, over worked ships and under trained crews and all the time against a backdrop of fading strength and dying empire. This failure, most manifest in the latter half of volume two, is jarring. At the same time as his anti-British sentiments become more and more unreasonable, so does his extreme support of a pro-US Navy establishment view on the actions of Admiral King in 1942 and 1943.

But this two-volume work is the stuff that us mere consumers of naval history can only gawp at admiration. The reader has a brain and is capable of agreeing or disagreeing with the tone of a volume and to adjudge if the author has or has not been unduly harsh. The breadth of knowledge, the grasp of Naval warfare, the obvious majesty of these two volumes means you just have to unreservedly recommend them as the best general history on the subject available.

This book gives a wonderful look at what life is like and used to be on Harker's Island, a fishing community that is now being populated by weekend tourists and the well off retired. Before life became so hectic and full of modern conveniences, the people of the island were fishermen and boat builders, working very hard by the sweat of their brows just to make enough money to feed their families. Through hard work and endurance, they did just that. This book not only tells a little about yesterday but it tells of the few remaining fishermen and boat builders on Harkers Island. Fascinating is the life of Eddie Willis and his family. Edwin Martin's wonderful photographs capture the way of life of these people like no one else could. Mr. Prioli does an excellent job telling the stories of these hard working people. I strongly recommend this book not only because of the fishing community, but it will give the reader a greater appreciation for what he has.

Twins, Susan & Christine Pratt, decide to switch places again in this book, the second in the series. Christine is chosen as Queen of Centennial Week because of a paper that she wrote for the town's celebration. Since her sister Susan, helped her quite a bit in writting the paper, Christine believes that Susan should also share in the honor of being queen. The twins decide that each girl will spend time being Christine Pratt during the week-long celebration and if they pull it off, they'll celebrate with hot fudge sundaes. This is a charming story filled with adventure, romance and a pair of twins that you won't be able to forget. It is the perfect book for any young girl or anyone who's ever wanted to know what it was like being a twin.

Reading "Hungry for Home" is a delightful experience - like visiting the Carolinas without paying for airfare and hotels, meeting many new people (the contributors of the recipes), and pleasing the taste buds without putting on the extra weight. I don't live in the Carolinas and I don't even eat shellfish, but this book has me looking for an opportunity to get there asap and experience some of the touching dimensions of this land. Not to mention get a bite of some of these dishes. The book offers a surprising global sampling from Vietnamese to Creole, West Afrian and Jewish. Author Amy Rogers has made a noble effort to address the urgency of hunger as a tragic reality of American life without robbing the reader of the joy she obviously takes in preparing and exploring foods of the region. Her dedication to representing the poignant and often funny voices and traditions of the truly diverse people of the Carolinas is also commendable -- from descendants of slaves to recent Asian immigrants, you'd be surprised! Of course, there are the expected down-home offerings like ham and fried chicken. But with this book, the food is just one-third the story. The other two-thirds come with the imaginative evocation of region and the individuals you meet in essays provided (by contributors) along with their recipes. The reader really feels the social connections offered by sharing selected dishes with others. After reading this book, I feel I have met a whole crowd of Carolinians. Next time I visit my sister in Charlotte, I will feel right at home.