Jackson Books

This is an incredible story and told with such honesty. She doesn't try to paint a pretty picture, even of suffering, she just tells you what happened to her and her mother and her friends as best she can. What a remarkable woman!

I read this book many times for over a year. It is a wonderful book about a girl that survived one of the most infamous concentration camps during the Holocaust, it shows courage, strength, and the will to live.

I loved this book. It told the real life story of a girl who survived against great odds in one of the most deadly concentration camps. It was wonderful.

Great book to read after Stephen Sear's Penninsula Campaign (even noted by the editor). This great collection of CW historians take the leading characters and events of the 7 days campaign and provide insights to this fascinating series of battles that set the Union back three years. Fascinating writing of John Bankhead Magruder, the hero of the lower Peninsula, whose prewar reputation for drink and ladies combined with lack of sleep, stress, illness and improper medical treatment created a magnifyer for his failures particularly at Malvern Hill. Lee's desire to rid himself of Magruder who was a hero just weeks before is in stark contrast to his retaining of Stonewall who as R. K. Krick writes was virtually ineffective for a multitude of reasons, primarily due to sleep deprivation. Also, great essays on McClellan whose grandiose ego was not able to stand upright on the battlefield and his engineers who could build anything he needed but were used as scapegoats just like anyone else to excuse his own conduct. Additional essays are on the great importance of the seven days battles to lift southern morale and the enhancement of the radicals position contributed to by McClellan's failures during the campaign. Superb article on the artillery duel on Malvern Hill and confederate attack that collapsed under murderous and accurate union artillery fire. The Union's artillery was no match for its southern counterparts. R.E.L. Krick highlights Whiting's Division (with Hood) breaking the Union line decisively at Gaines Mill. No one knows the battlefield better than Krick. Longstreet may have wished he never picked up a pen after Krick writes of Longstreet's post war confusion of facts over his command of Whiting, "It appears an unusually early example of the gasconade for which Longstreet is now famous". That commentary would have made "Old Jube" proud.

The April-July 1862 Richmond campaign was a critical point in the American civil war that resulted in more than 50,000 casualties, 35,000 of whom fell in seven days (June 26 - July 1). The Richmond Campaign Of 1862: The Peninsula & The Seven Days offers nine essays exploring questions regarding high command, strategy and tactics, the effects of the fighting upon the politics and society of both the Union and the Confederacy, and the ways in which emancipation figured in the campaign. Included is an invaluable analysis of the Richmond campaign's place in the broader sweep of the war in 1862, assessments of George B. McClellan's generalship and Stonewall Jackson's flawed performance, an examination of the campaign's impact on white and black civilians in the region, the role of the engineers in the Union effort, the role of artillery in the battle of Malvern Hill, and more. Highly recommended for personal and academic Civil War studies reading lists and reference collections, The Richmond Campaign Of 1862 is an impressive work of painstaking, informative, insightful scholarship.

I agree with an earlier reviewer who writes that this book is a great companion (or follow-up) book to Stephen Sears "To the Gates of Richmond". Mr. Sears books gives a vivid account of the overall campaign, while this book offers some insightful essays about certain aspects of the campaign. The authors are all experts in the field, and offer well written essays for the reader to contemplate.

I really enjoyed this book because the authors cover a wide range of topics to include General McClellan's flawed performance, "Stonewall" Jackson's less than stellar leadership during the campaign, the artillery battle at Malvern Hill, "Prince" John Magruder's struggles, and the affect of the campaign on both Northern and Southern society. These detailed essays offer readers the latest and greatest scholarship about the Richmond campaign. They really helped me gain a much deeper understanding about what the campaign was like, why it was so important to the overall war effort (for both sides), and most importantly, how did if affect those involved.

I highly recommend this book for those "students" of the Civil War (like me) who are looking to gain a richer grasp of the events that happened during the Richmond campaign. If you have not read anything about the Richmond campaign (usually referred to as the Pennisula and Seven Days campaign) then I suggest that you read "To the Gates of Richmond" by Stephen Sear first, then this book.

The Rogue is a bird's eye veiw of growing up in the period before the depression and during the depression,on the Rogue River. It's autobiograghical story of the author's childhood and adolescencse. His father wanted to move to the Rogue River to get away from the city and had actually found an ideal estate to accommplish that task. Inquiring from the seller whom he later purchased the property from,some old gold miner,who owned the property some years, he said that he acquired it because a fortune teller in San Francisco said that there was gold in that land. A lot of interesting stories, espescially how the one room school house worked. I always wondered about that. I love the life they lived, nothing like today. The book ends about Mr. Ohrt going back to the Rogue as an adult, probably looking for what he remembers,a slower pace, a better life, closer to the land. I have to criticize the author(He is a good friend of mine) for not giving the Fortune Teller her due. Maybe there was gold in them hills

In "The Rogue I Remember," Wally Ohrt has shown that rare talent among writers for telling an historic tale in a way that usually distinguishes fiction. Because fiction is make-believe, I tired of it long ago because a certain a certain sameness ultimately prevails. After all, how many ways can a pattern of themes be respun before they repeat? Ohrt has shown the truth in the old addage, 'truth is stranger (and more interesting) than fiction.' In "The Rogue," he makes history, and especially regional history, well worth the read.

Understanding a different place and time through the reflective narrative of the author makes absorbing history delightful. Reading the book will make you want to go find the Rogue of Mr. Ohrt's childhood, but it is not to be found. We can only experience this fascinating place through the reflections of somebody fortunate enough to have lived there and sensitive enough to have preserved the memory. Thanks, Dad!

I first picked up this book in my local library when I was in high school at the tail-end of the 1980s. It totally changed my life. I knew I was a poet/writer from an early age, but reading Rupert Brooke's work really inspired me to dig deeper within myself and be a better writer. With the exception of Dylan Thomas and William Blake, Brooke was the one writer I admired above all others. I have carried this book around with me for the past13 years, and whenever I need inspiration I read his poems. Although I don't find all of them to my taste, there are some that stand out above all others, most notably "The Call", "The Voice", "Success" and "Ambarvalia" - some of these are incredible mystic poems that inspired a lot of my simliar work. I would advise anyone interested in the war era poets, or just darn good poetry, to look this one up. It's awesome.

This book changed my life. Brooke is one of the most gifted writers I have ever read, not to mention my favorite. You will be hard pressed to find anything closer to eloquent, raw emotion on paper. "Love," "Jealousy," and "Success" are particularly notable.

I happened upon the poetry of Rupert Brooke in an old old (truly ancient) used bookstore in a serene corner of Vancouver Island... something about this aged, sepia-colored, hardcover beauty of a book made me feel it had been abandoned by someone else and left there especially for me to find. The rest of the day I was on the beach with it, and each new page further convinced me that I had stumbled upon greatness. Each phrase carried a thoughtful hush along with it, and I felt that to breathe was an interruption. Time and time again I have been brought back to the poetry of Brooke, and this collection has become one of my treasures. Someone abandoned it for me to find, and yet it has become something I would run back into a burning house to retrieve.

These are brief poems about love and longing, doubts, serenity, nature and goodness, frivolity, victory and jealousy, and stirring wartime sonnets that express a noble idealism in the face of death. These latter are grouped under the author's title of "1914" and are his most well-known series, perhaps not only because of their perfection, but also because of their prophetic nature. Brooke lived a brief but eventful life (1887-1915). With the outbreak of World War I he was commissioned in England's Royal Navy, and took part in a disastrous expedition at Antwerp which ended in retreat. At the age of 27, he died from blood-poisoning on board a French hospital ship off the coast of Skyros, Greece. He was buried at night, by torchlight, in an olive grove about a mile inland. Reportedly, if you go there you will find a little wooden cross with just his name and the date of his birth and his death marked on it in black. The fifth poem (entitled The Soldier) in Brooke's sonnet sequence begins... "If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England."

Whether you are a grandparent reading this book to younger children or giving it to older children to read themselves you will be "hooked" yourself after reading the first few pages. Your heart will be warmed by the characters and the adventure will carry you from chapter to chapter. The values demonstrated as the story progresses will be the best examples children could possibly read about. I read the book cover to cover!

A story within a story, Ruth Ann and the Green Blowster is one of the most imaginative children's books to surface in a long time. Ruth Ann is more than just the protagonist--she really exists. The story was originally written over eighty years ago for Ruth Ann deValley by Frances Beebe, her mother. Years later after both had passed on, Ruth Ann's daughter, Kathy Luders, brought the forgotten story out of its cupboard drawer, dusted it off, edited and prepared it for publishing.

Perhaps the most poetic aspect of the book is that it centers on the death of Ruth Ann's dog, Dukey Daddles, and his consequential visit into "High Country" (Heaven). Frances Beebe seems to be using the story to connect with her daughter and granddaughter from her own version of High Country.

The story begins on the day before Ruth Ann's birthday, as she wanders around aimlessly, longing for Dukey Daddles' company. She stumbles across a discarded whistle in the grass. To her astonishment, it begins talking to her! Much like the infamous Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, Whistle Stick needs a bit of grease to make his joints work again, and he enlists Ruth Ann's aide in obtaining the magical salve. Thus begins the adventures of Ruth Ann as she takes on a new companion, discovers the monstrous Green Blowster hidden deep in the forest, and travels to High Country to find Dukey Daddles. The pair encounters a vast array of characters, each lending a unique hand in the search for Ruth Ann's lost dog.

The simplicity of the time period is evident in the writing, with interactions between humans kept at a minimum and a rare connection to nature permeating the pages. Perhaps this is what allows Beebe's creativity to flow freely with truly inventive characters. It is regretful that Beebe was not a published author while she lived, as she surely would have made some valuable contributions to children's literature.

Armchair Interviews says: Ruth Ann and the Green Blowster is a heart-warming story that revives the wonder of childhood.

After reading about the origins of this humble, unassuming little story, I decided to pick it up and see for myself how this personal creation straight from the heart could turn out. I've just finished with it, and I have to say that I'm downright blown away.

"Ruth Ann and the Green Blowster" combines ideas that have been done before and mixes them into a very original blend. The story concerns a young girl, Ruth Ann, whose dog, Dukey Daddles, has recently died and gone to "High Country", which is a fantasy world floating in the sky. She visits High Country herself to try to meet her dog, and along the way, makes friends with some anthropomorphic creatures while embarking on numerous adventures.

One of Ruth Ann's traveling companions is Whistle Stick, a stick broken off of a tree who had once been used as a whistle, who grumbles and complains a lot and offers humorous sarcastic observations. Her other, Lonesome Snake, is a snake who had been sent into High Country after being killed by a mule, and just wants to find a place where he can be happy. The two companions bicker back and forth with each other while Ruth Ann cheerfully bears their grumbling and sometimes tries to make peace. Along the way, they meet many other eccentric characters, such as the Singing Lantern, or St. Bernard, the leader of the Heaven for Lucky Dogs.

It's a delightfully playful romp, but it's also a rather adventurous tale with surprising undercurrents of menace. I don't wish to spoil any of the fun surprises, but there's a lot of danger and excitement in the story, handled by the heroes in creative and fun ways. Former enemies become friends, and Ruth Ann keeps her head up even when dealing with Enemy Birds who wish to stone her, the cruel army of Pinheads who want to burn the Singing Lantern, and other hazards. All this while realizing she's working under a time limit, and if she should fail, she would be stuck in High Country forever! At the end, all of the loose ends are neatly dealt with and no previous element of the story is forgotten, making the finale very satisfying.

The book is a real page-turner. As I read it late at night each day, I couldn't wait to return to it the next, until I had finished it. I can say that about very few books, and I must say, even if the co-author, Kathy Luders, was afraid this story might be too personal for the public to relate to, I think it's amazing. The sheer personality of the whole story is precisely what makes it so much fun.

Definitely give this book a try.

One of the most outstanding book projects in our time is The Saint John's Bible. The background of how this book came into being and the detailed research that went into the creation of this Bible is fascinating. The text is only superceded by the illustrations.
Should you have an opportunity to see the traveling exhibit of this remarkable book, do so.
The bible is broken into several books. These are scaled down models of the original -- although they are still larger than most books that enable the reader to enjoy the wonderful illustrations and careful handwritten original Bible.
The books have been issued over a course of time and can be purchased individually.

Exquisitely handwritten and illuminated by Donald Jackson, Pentateuch: The Saint John's Bible is as much a work of art as it is a religious text. Commissioned by Saint John's Abbey and University as an expression of the Benedictine monks' daily focus on scripture and devotion to books, art, and religious high culture, Pentateuch presents sacred text in flowing English calligraphy, Hebrew book headings, and colorful marks studding the passages. The care put into each line is breathtaking. In oversized hardcover format, Pentateuch uses the sheer scope of its page to display the columns of perfectly penned scripture in vivid detail.

The book is beautiful. I purchased two books. One had a torn cover. When I informed the seller, the book was immediately replaced free of charge. I appreciate the good customer service as well as the beautiful book.

The books of the St. John's Bible are spectacular. The imagery is gorgeous, the colors are fantastic and the lettering is impeccable. I've even gone through the book just looking at the versals (drawn and painted letters at the beginnings of verses) because they are so varied. I might suggest that you purchase Illuminating the Word because it explains so much about the process. I plan to buy all the books of this series.

Beautiful! Gorgeous to hold and read and reflect on.
Arguably the most beautiful book published in the past 50 years.

Scribe to the Crown Office of British royalty, Jackson has undertaken a long-term project of illuminating and transcribing the Saint John's Bible held at the Benedictine Saint John's Abbey in Minnesota as medieval monastics illuminated Bibles centuries ago. The monks of the Abbey wanted a project that would bespeak their own regimen focusing in scripture, books, and religious art while at the same time be contemporary, interreligious, multicultural, and prophetic. This Wisdom Books counting Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Wisdom of Solomon, and Sirach is part of this singular project of 1,150 pages over seven volumes. The other volumes are Pantateuch, Historical Books, Psalms, Prophets, Gospels and Acts, and Letters and Revelation.

Besides being large in size, Jackson's volumes stay true to the making of the original illuminated manuscripts in both materials used and craftsmanship. Natural materials such as egg shells and calf skins were used for hand-ground inks. The manuscripts were entirely handmade by teams of craftspersons with various skills such as calligraphy, making parchment, and binding pages. This Wisdom Books goes so far in imitating medieval manuscripts as to also have some illustrations of small animals in the margins; in this case, a butterfly and bumblebee. One of the common examples of this touch in medieval manuscripts is an illustration of a cat; imagined to be whimsically put in by a monk in a moment of boredom with his task. Collaborators on this work include artists, designers, and specialists in Hebrew and Greek script (all listed on the copyright page).

Despite its inspiration in the medieval manuscripts which are treasures of Western civilization and reference to them as artistic models, the Wisdom Books is modern to be sure. The style of the illustrations manifests this, as does the script and footnote-like entries on many pages. And of course, this and other Saint John's Bible volumes have been multiplied beyond their original hand-crafted copy by modern-day publishing production technology.

In the volume, the original hand-drawn script, whatever size it was, is about twelve point type, much smaller than the size in medieval texts. The script displays the constrained ornate touches of medieval script, though it has the polish of many computer-generated scripts for easy legibility and comprehension. The smaller size of the script means much more text per page than in a medieval manuscript even with the folio-size pages. The illustrations--i. e., the illuminations--too manifest modern influences; most notably influences of collage, expressionism, and graphics. A couple are almost psychedelic in meaning to portray the dazzle and glory of spirituality. A couple have perspective missing from medieval illustrations (perspective having come into art not until about the time of the Renaissance). The planned volume on the making of the Bible will give more background on the making of the text and artistic choices and intentions of the art work.

An in-depth study of real life -- will keep you spellbound from cover to cover.

I loved this book. It tells a story that will appeal to a lot of different people. One moves from the world of automobile manufacture, a candy-making chef of old Detroit, a young girl trying to make it in Hollywood, the dark underworld of the Mafia -- illustrated with photographs that hint at the reality behind this story. -- Therese

I loved this book! A great read with unexpected twists and turns. It's filled with heartwarming relationships, romance, unexpected predicaments, and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat adventure!

Cozzens has written a fine historical account of this campaign. He writes in an interesting and informative style. It is no easy task to write an accurate and informative book that covers such a broad topic. My only criticism of this book is that he states "It is my purpose to write the first balanced, and I trust comprehensive history of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign, giving equal voice to both Union and Confederate sources..." I am not certain that he fulfilled his goal at least in his description of the battle of Port Republic. Cozzens's account follows too closely that of Robert Krick's in Conquering the Valley. As Robert Krick writes from the southern perspective, it seems that Cozzens needed to dig deeper into the accounts of the Union officers and men who fought in and about the Coaling. In particular, he overlooked a number of both wartime and postwar accounts written by the officers and men of both the 66th Ohio and Battery H, 1st Ohio Light artillery. Those officers and men describe a different version of events that occurred in the fight for the Coaling. Two guns of Huntington's Battery tore through the forming ranks of the 66th as that Ohio regiment was forming to counterattack. As the 66th swept into the Coaling, they would recapture the 5 remaining guns. Also lost in Cozzens's account is the broken command structure of the Union Artillery. The feud between the artillery officers Daum and Huntington is not explored. Also Cozzens does not appear to describe all of the Union guns that were delivering raking fire into the Coaling. In short, the description of the battle is not "comprehensive." In fairness to Cozzens, his book is on the 1862 Campaign and perhaps one can not expect an overly detailed account of the Port Republic battle. It seems that a balanced, comprehensive account of this battle has yet to be written.

Peter Cozzens established his reputation as an author with a series of excellent western battle histories. Now he turns his attention to one of the classic campaigns in America's military history. "Stonewall" Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign is one of the best examples of what a smaller determined force can accomplish. The Robert G. Tanner and Gary W. Gallagher produced excellent campaign studies and Gary L. Ecelbarger is doing excellent work on individual battles. Tanner's book has long been considered the "standard work" by which all other books are judged. I am not ready to dethrone Tanner but I feel this is a real challenger for the title of best campaign study.
This is a detailed history, omitting nothing of importance and including most of the smaller details that make history interesting. This is not a dry, detailed account that plods on page after dreary page. Cozzens' lively style combines first person accounts with his considerable skill as a storyteller. The result is a history unfolding as it happened, imparting the urgency the participants felt to the reader. We know the story BUT we always understand how limited their knowledge was at the time. This ability makes bad decisions understandable and it shows the problem with doing nothing.
General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson is one of the pivotal figures of the early war. Lionized by many, he became a mythic heroic saintly leader. Cozzens gives us a very human Jackson. He is a complex person completely committed to the cause. He is a harsh taskmaster, prone to snap judgments and unforgiving. This portrait is neither unflattering nor idolizing. It seems to be completely honest, presenting the good and bad points that all men have.
N. P. Banks is a mixed bag, with some very good points as a person but a poor general. He is given a fair treatment that refused to make him a fool or a hero. Freemont is himself, vain, a poor general and a fool. The portrayal is what he was and nothing can change that. The treatment of Lincoln and Stanton is fair. While condemned for overreacting the author recognizes they lost sight of what was important and concentrated on a secondary front.
The handling of Garnett is excellent. The "reasons" Jackson found for the charges are well covered. This includes the personality problems and differences in what they saw as the role of second in command. The full story of the court martial and political maneuvers is not detailed within the book.
The writing is excellent. Battles are detailed, well covered and very understandable. The reader has no problems understanding why a position must be held or taken. The author's conclusions are well presented and quite good.
My only problem with this book is the maps. First, they were not completely proofed. Units in the battle are misidentified on the map. Second, maps need to be placed where they are needed. A map of the midpoint of a battle should not be placed at the start of the story. Likewise, one map cannot cover multiple unit positions with no indication of movement. I found this to be a constant problem when trying to follow the battle on the map. However, this is not a reason to bypass this excellent book.
I feel this will become a classic account of this campaign. The book is informative and fun to read.

Shenandoah 1862 is the latest in the series on Civil War America published by North Carolina Press. This outstanding series of book on the Civil War is edited by the eminent historian Gary Gallagher. This volume is by independent Civil War Scholar Peter Cozzens. Cozzens has penned major books on the conflict which have been well received by the Civil War community of scholars and buffs.
This 500 page opus is a detailed account of Jackson's immortal Valley Campaign from the Romney expedition in the winter of 1861 to the final battles in June 1862.
Cozzens:
1. Provides detailed strategic and tactical accounts of all the major battles of the Valley Campaign. These battles include Kernstown, McDowell,
Front Royal, Winchester and the final showdown at the twin battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic.
2. Jackson's victory in the Valley came at a time with Southern fortunes on the battlefield were at a nadir. Nashville had fallen in the West; Island Number 10 seized; Mobile occupied and huge inroads were being made by Federal forces in the Western theatre.
3. Jackson's campaign forced President Lincoln to shift McDowell and Shields armies to the Shenandoah instead of sending these troops to McClellan who was about to launch the Seven Days Campaign before the gates of Richmond. Jackson's victories enabled southern arms to fight on longer against the United States.
4, Cozzens is well balanced in his presentation looking at the plans and motivations behind Union movements into the Valley fray. Nevertheless, Jackson faced mediocre Union Commanders such as James Shields, Nathaniel Banks, John Charles Fremont who were unable to match Jackson's brilliance in battle.
5. Cozzens contends that Jackson was a great commander who did make mistakes. He was very secretive failing to share needed information with his subordinates. He had a vindictive streak feuding with the likes of General Richard Garnett who failed to perform to his high standards at Kernstown and General Loring during the ill fated Romney campaign. Cozzens asserts that Jackson would send his forces into combat in a piecemeal fashion rather than massing his forces for a major assault. These caveats are debatable.
6. Cozzens has done his homework. He has studied a vast array of first hand eyewitness accounts, memoirs and newspapers of the day to produce this first rate military history account of a major campaign in the Civil War
7. Maps are included but they could have been larger and easier to read. The book also has period illustrations and photos of the events described taken by the author.
8. Cozzens is one of our best Civil War historians as is shown by the blurbs of approval by such giants as Robert K. Krick and Kent Masterston Brown. This book is now an essential read for those interested in the Valley Campaign of 1862.

The Shenandoah Spy stands one notch above other Civil War novels of recent years. It is especially remarkable that a male author is responsible for such a credible portrayal of the unequivocally feminine character of Belle Boyd. Furthermore, Francis Hamit has delivered a sympathetic heroine while withholding any such approval of the Confederate cause or Southern lifestyle. Given society's normally patriarchal perspective, this is no easy feat. Through historical verisimilitude and some fascinating relationship dynamics, the scenes of this novel were magnificently envisioned. The inclusion of alternate viewpoints such as those of David Strother (Belle's cousin who served as a Union army officer) was a clever way to define the tension of conflict-ridden communities as well as the divisive loyalties within each family during this tumultuous period. It would be interesting to read additional accounts of Antonia Ford or other female scouts and secret agents mentioned in the narrative. All of this leads one to wonder how the few recorded documents of these people and their deeds will continue to spark the imagination of Francis Hamit and inspire other future writers.

Although Women were not formally allowed to become soldiers until the late twentieth century, this doesn't mean they did not participate. "The Shenandoah Spy" is the story of Isabelle Boyd and her time as a confederate spy. Disguising her acts in public by appearing as a Union sympathizer, she uses many deceptive tactics to keep her identity under wraps as she does everything she can in order to give the Confederacy a leg up in the American Civil War. Hamit has done his research, and it shows in "The Shenandoah Spy", a riveting and recommended tale of women in the war where the most American lives were lost.

...of a fascinating woman.

Belle Boyd was an active spy for the Confederates during the Civil War. Motivated by love for her homeland and a fierce indignation at, not to say hatred of, the invaders (the Union Army), Belle at 17 became a spy and devoted herself to driving the invaders from the South. Most young women of her day and age devoted themselves to enhancing their looks in order to catch husbands, even with the War on. Most young women of that era practiced the alluring arts they learned at finishing schools to attract men.

Belle did, too, but in a greater cause -- freedom as she saw it.

In creating this character, author Francis Hamit has broken relatively new ground. First he has written about a nineteenth-century Southern woman, whom most writers dismiss as confined to the parlor and the bedchamber. Second, he has dared to present the Confederate side of the Civil War, when most writers dismiss the Confederacy as an evil conspiracy to prolong slavery. It may have been determined to prolong slavery, but many Southerners also viewed the Union Army as an illegal invader of their territory. In presenting Belle's opinions and feelings sympathetically, Hamit has shown the courage of a committed writer.

"Shenandoah Spy" is a book worth reading.