Kansas Books

I wondered when I opened this book how well I would enjoy a true story about an underworld figure. I was not disappointed; this book held my attention from beginning to end.

"Lawman to Outlaw" is the story of Verne Miller, a known underworld figure, perhaps one whose life was filled with more mystery than any other. Mr. Miller was responsible for the slaughter that took place at the parking lot of Kansas City's Union Station, June 17,1933. Did you know that the FBI was actually formed because of this event and the outcry of the American people against crime. Interesting piece of information, I would say.

The author takes you through the life of Verne Miller; his childhood, his military days, his days as a well respected Sheriff and draws you into the mystery behind this man and his faithful companion Vi Mathis. What made a law abiding respected man turn into a cold blooded killer? Mr. Smith addresses this question and more.
I cannot even imagine the intense research that went into this work. Detailed information is revealed, events are replayed as the author walks you through the life of this notorious gangster and finally his death at the hands of his so called friends. Quite a story, quite a read!

Well done Mr. Smith, hats off to you! A recommended read for all those that are interested in our colorful past and those that painted it red!

This book was one of the better ones l have read about the Depression era criminals of America. The bibilography is very impressive, obviously the author has done a lot of research of books and newspapers as well as conducting interviews with the Miller family and other persons. The book walks the reader through the life of Miller from his childhood to his time as a soldier to sheriff to criminal. The author sticks to the facts and if no evidence is available, he says so.

Miller's life is a paradox, from war hero to an honest, decent sheriff to a cold blooded killer and bank robber. Why did Miller follow this path? How could he turn from being an honest sheriff striving to seek justice for victims of crime to a ruthless criminal shooting down people in cold blood? Brad Smith explores this area well and examines and explains the area of military psychology. The author suggests that Miller fits the profile of a soldier who is thrilled by the state of war. These types are not natural killers but will not hesitate to kill if they think that certain moral codes have been impinged or a friend is need of help. The job of lawman was too confining for Miller, he could have a much richer lifestyle as a bank robber and killer and get more thrills out his life too!

Brad Smith makes the distinction that the criminals of the rural midwest differed from the urban east in personality and lifestyle as did the societies in general and of course he is right. Millers relationships with other criminals such as Nash, Buchalter, Pretty Boy Floyd, Richetti, Karpis etc also make up much of the book and is fascinating to read. The author brings this era and its criminals back to life in this book and gives the reader an excellent perception of the type of lives these people lived.

Depression era outlaws seem to have needed to meet certain requirements to register permanently in the American consciousness: a catchy name like Dillinger; a catchy nickname like "Pretty Boy" or "Baby Face" or "Machine Gun"; or to be gunned down by the law, especially the federal minions of publicity-seeking J. Edgar Hoover. Perhaps the most important of these Public Enemies was a man who didn't meet any of these criteria: just-plain Verne Miller--sounds like a guy who lives down the street. He had no colorful monicker and the law never caught up with him. Miller was killed ignominiously and hideously and dumped in a Detroit ditch by his underworld "friends." Why was Miller so important? He was responsible for the bloodbath that launched the nation's first "War on Crime" which transformed a little known investigative branch of the U.S. Justice Department into today's powerful FBI: the "Kansas City Massacre." Brad Smith has done an incredible job in researching a fascinating and largely forgotten figure of America's lawless past. Only the Prohibition era could have produced this murderous but interesting and contradictory man, who went from war hero to policeman to sheriff to bootlegger, bank robber and cold-blooded killer, and, quite fittingly, his lawman-to-outlaw career spanned and paralelled that era, from 1920 to 1933. Miller was the criminal who declared war on America and the epitome of a lawless decade and his life story, told here in marvelous and exciting detail, in itself defines that period.

Brad Smith works this biography in the same way that Verne Miller reputedly wielded a machine-gun: powerfully, controlled, and with surgical precision. Smith succeeds in exploring the motives and flaws within Miller, from his early exploits as a war hero and sheriff, to underworld hoodlum. The accounts are straightforward and laid bare, without yielding to hearsay or romanticism, and Smith even explores alternate scenarios in some of the more critical events in Miller's life.

Miller winds up - eventually - a desperado hunted by both law officials and the criminal world. His life is filled with paradoxes that only Smith has succeeded in conveying in written form. And Miller's enduring legacy with the Kansas City Massacre is also recognized as the driving force that sparked the formation of today's FBI. Had Miller been captured by J. Edgar Hoover's G-Men, his role in history may have rivaled those of Al Capone, John Dillinger, and "Pretty Boy" Floyd. Smith's work may bring Miller's significance to light, seventy years after his gruesome and unusual death.

As a storyteller, Smith never loses command of his subject matter, and weaves a tale of desperation, loyalty, love, and brutality unlike any other I've read yet. A definite must for those who enjoy reading about the Golden Age of Crime.

I loved that Maggie seemed like a real girl. She reacted in the same way that one would imagine for her age and circumstance. The characters were all believable which made me care how things turned out for Maggie. It was interesting to wonder what her treasure was. Actually she had two treasures. One was the one in the book and the other was the love she felt and the understanding she had at the end.

This book is excellent reading for a young Christian girl. However, one doesn't have to be young to enjoy this story - I am a grandmother and really enjoyed reading it. The story talks about the Lord and the part he plays in the lives of all involved. I am looking forward to reading many more adventures written by Sandy Waggoner.

I absolutely fell in love with Maggie, so full of life and energy. I loved the way she interacted with her new family and cried with her when her world was turned upside down. I can't wait to read more about Maggie and her adventures with her sisters. I bought the book for my niece who loves to read and is just starting to read 'chapter' books in school. A delightful character in a delightful book and definitely one worth sharing.

This is a great book about a little girl, during a very difficult time in her life. She is a realistic child that pulls at your heartstrings. I can't wait to read about her next adventure. I read the book quickly and then gave it to my daughter. She is enthralled.

Finally, with my busy schedule, I was able to curl up, relax, and read this book and I must say that I regret waiting so long to read it. This book is an EXCELLENT read...for teen girls/boys, mothers and fathers. Ms. Love did a wonderful job writing this masterpiece and targeting EVERYONE. Some of you out there may feel that just because you don't have a teen daughter that there's really not a need for you to read this book. WRONG!!! Reading this book may enlighten you to information that you didn't have a clue about. What stuck out most about this book in my opinion is the fact that this is the Very first book (that I know of) that has focused on teen girls dating older men. We have so many books available about rape, drugs, STD's, domestic violence, etc., but this is the first to focus on May-December relationships (and everything else that I just named).
Everyone wants to put their trust into someone who can sympathize and also empathize with the things that they are going through. Well, Ms. Love opened the doors of discussion to a huge amount of people who were afraid to communicate, by informing readers of the personal tribulations that she has gone through in her lifetime.
I jumped up and screamed, "Hell Yeah Girl" when she made the analogy of going to back to school being hard at first but then becoming easy...just like skipping school was hard at first but then became easy. That statement should have given all confused teen girls the courage to turn their lives around and make a change. The statement was very powerful and in all actuality, I'm 25 years old and I never looked at it from that perspective.
Ms. Love is an inspiring writer ahead of her game and I hope to see more work from Ms. Love in the near future. I'll be the first out to buy it and the first to read it...Not letting anything come before supporting Ms. Love as she continues to strive towards helping others help themselves.

This book has provided excellent advice to my teen daughters and myself. With her down to earth approach the author has identified the male preditor and captured their young minds to bridg the gap between parents and their daughters, as she speaks of her own experiences. After reading this book my daughters are now looking at things in a whole different way! It has made them more aware of the adult male prdatory practices. I think every parent should read this book with their children just as I have. This book is a must have parental tool!

When I read this book, I thought that it couldn't be a real social problem. Then I talked to my teen age daughter and she said 'yea' like it was no big deal. That scared me! Now I'm trying to tell other parents about this. This book helped me to remember some things that I forgot as a teenager. It also helped me to realize how important it is to listen to my kids. Everybody will get something out this book no matter if you have kids or not!

This book is very well written. I was not a reader until I read this book, now I'm buying books in twos' to read. The author kept my attention from the time I open the book until the end. I could not put the book down, because I wanted to see where the writter was going next. I will be looking for other books by this author. It's a must have for all, Mothers, Fathers, Educators, Children, Media and any one that can read. The author make you feel where she have been and everyone can relate to some parts of this book whether it be you or someone you know. I have purchase 10 of the books for friends and family. You want regreat this one unless you are the predator.

The following review appeared in the Winter, 2006-07 issue of Kansas History Journal.

Although Moonshine Harvest is a work of fiction, readers will value this excitement-filled adventure set in post-World War II Kansas. The author was born in Marion, Kansas, which serves as the basis for his fictional town of Afton; his memories of being a teenager during this historically significant time period are the foundations for this work. By cleverly using the murder of the town drunk as his central plot, Hayen is able to explore important issues such as political attitudes, fundamentalism, and bigotry through his characters. Both humorous and insightful, this novel can be enjoyed by everyone from young adults to those who actually recall the Truman era. In writing about small-town Kansas in the late 1940s, Hayen tries "to give the reader a fell for that time and place." For those Kansas who remember that time, Moonshine Harvest will be an enjoyable journey back to their early years; for those too young to remember, this book will be a pleasant look at what they missed.

Don Hayen is from a small town in Kansas near where I grew up. This book captures the essence of these places. I don't know if it is autobiographical or not. At any rate it is a slender volume, well written with a story line which kept me reading.

I found the book hard to put down. Each chapter left me hanging, wanting to read further. A great insight into another time and place in America. Very different from my boyhood!
Very well written - moves right along, with seemingly simple plot, but paints an interesting image of the actions, places and emotions of the characters.

This novel should be read twice. At first glance, the book has the standard earmarks of a well-written Young Adult novel: a blow-the-doors off opening; a young, confused protagonist; a plot full of trouble that forces the hero to grow. Hayen's simple, steady narrative delivers an excellent read.

The second time through, however, Hayen's true command of his craft becomes more obvious. Through Johnny's simple, first-person narration, he shows the dark shadows behind the brightness. Not a character, not setting, not a scene is cut from cardboard.

1948 Kansas seems idyllic only on the surface. The characters in this novel have histories, faults, anger, despair and loneliness. Johnny's difficult task is reconcile his youthful, idealized view of his world, with the more complicated reality, and take a step to manhood.

Hayen does an astonishing job recreatring the look and feel of a (supposedly) simpler time and place, in a book that will be read again and again.

The Marylanders: Without Shelter or a Crumb I strongly recommend this book. Dr. Batvinis has thoroughly researched the topic of our government's efforts prior to World War Two to create a system to counteract Axis and Soviet espionage. His historical research and conclusions are very relevant to the current issues we now face in our post 9/11 world. The issue of Constitutional law versus our need for national security is explored through the author's thorough examination of the decision making process between government appointed and elected officials.

This book is a wealth of declassified information on the pre-WWII FBI and their efforts to keep America safe from Axis spies bent on causing chaos on the homefront. As a retired Special Agent in counterintelligence Batvinis' knowledge and a storyteller's skill, provides a rich historical narrative that has some eye-opening information. An interesting part of the narrative is how Hoover fought fiercely over the control of counterintelligence, and tells how the agency combined its crime-fighting expertise with its new wiretapping authority to spy on foreign agents. People opposed to the FBI's current war on terror should read this book and imagine what if the FBI was not as proactive. Where would we be today?

This is a fine volume that offers a timely appraisal of how one of the nation's oldest and most revered law enforcement organizations restructured itself to execute the counterintelligence mission that became so critical as the world careened toward war in the 1930s. In the process Herbert Hoover took the opportunity to greatly expand the scope and power of the FBI to undertake surveillance across a much broader front than ever before. The author, Raymond J. Batvinis, does much to show how the FBI transformed itself, played politics, and became a publicly revered entity through its emphasis on counterintelligence.

Raymond Batvinis also does a fine job of exploring the bureaucratic battles within the government--especially between the FBI and the State Department--over who performed the mission and how it would be executed. The combination of the FBI's criminal investigation skills coupled with new techniques and objectives--for example wiretapping and domestic surveillance--presages some the debates and abuses of the post-9/11 era. In this regard "The Origins of FBI Counter-Intelligence" is highly instructive.

While an excellent book in overall, I was taken by the lack of depth in discussing the beginnings of the dispute between J. Edgar Hoover and General William Donovan of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA, over jurisdictional issues involving counterintelligence from the onset of World War II. This is why I gave it a four instead of a five star review. Nonetheless, this is a very fine study of an important topic.

This book is a fast, easy read with lots of details and facts about the early history of FBI. It is a must read for students of the pre-WW II era. Batvinis has done some supurb primary reasearch, even gong back to FDR's personal files to see what he said about the threats against our country. I just retired from the FBI after 30 years and I didn't know half the stuff in this book.

For those of you who are interested in philospohy in general, this book is an excellent collection of briefs from philosphers from Plato to Firestone. The most interesting aspect of this text is that it addresses the subject that most philosophy books refuse to touch upon - LOVE. Most often, philosophers are associated with their views on religion, politics, or the basic human existence. This book is such a great treat to read because of the subject matter. Love is a subject in which we can all relate. The book is approximately 3 inches thick, with excerpts from many different philosophers, but the great thing is that you can pick it up at your leisure, read a few different excerpts, ponder the subject of love, and put the book back down. It is not a book that you read cover to cover. Another interesting aspect of the book is that no matter what your views on love or romantic love are, you will find essays that will either reinforce your views of the matter, or challenge your present thinking of the subject of love. It covers topics such as misogyny, feminism, romantic love, marriage as more of a friendship than a romantic love, etc. I have been tickled, angered, saddened, pleased, and intrigued by this book. SO much so , that I have recommended it to friend after friend, and all have enjoyed it. It is not necessary that you be a student of philosophy to understand this book. You just need to misunderstand love to gain from it's teachings. I believe you will enjoy this book for years to come. I know I have.

After having read a bit on the Greek's philosophy of love, I wanted to find something addressing heterosexual love. This book has a vast representation of theories on the topic of love. It is one of those books I will pick up often. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a place to begin your philosophical query regarding love.

Solomon, the Anglo-American philosopher, who takes Continental philosophy seriously, is the editor here, not the author. This wonderfully eclectic book surveys the Western perspectives on romantic and erotic love, starting in antiquity and continuing up to the modern day. While the focus is principally philosophical, other fields of inquiry like psychology, literature, and theology are included: E.g., Plato, Augustine, Milton, Shakespeare, Nietzsche, Freud, etc. I couldn't imagine a better selection of primary texts.

Certainly, the primary intent of the book is to offer a comprehensive survey of romantic and erotic love for students enrolled in a philosophy of sex course. No better book exists for providing primary texts on this subject. (Cf., Sobel's "Philosophy of Sex.") But, in a general sense, we're all students of philosophy, and of all of philosophy's myriad disciplines, certainly love is the subject of widest appeal. In other words, this book is by no means limited to academia, although that's it's target market. We're all students of love.

Unfortunately, the best writer on the subject of romantic and erotic love is our editor. Solomon's own book titled "Love" is absolutely extraordinary (see, separate review). But that doesn't make this present volume any less valuable. In fact, I think that "Love" will be better understood, having this contextual survey under one's belt. Solomon's variety of primary texts is so diverse and highly representative that it's appeal should extend to all inquiries on romantic and erotic love.

This volume is one of the very best for its presentation of the wide varieties of writings about erotic love. The text is divided into four parts. The first includes classic writings on erotic love from authors living prior to the 20th century. Included among the authors are: Plato, Sappho, Theno, Ovid, Augustine, Heliose and Abelard, Andreas Capellanus, Shakespeare, John Milton, Spinoza, Rousseau, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Stendahl, and Nietzsche.

The second part of the book includes classic writings on love from those in the 20th century. Included here are the writings of Freud, Jung, Karen Horney, Rainer Maria Rilke, Emma Goldman, Denis de Rougemont, D. H. Lawrence, Sartre, Simon de Beauvoir, Philip Slater, and Shulamith Firestone.

The third section of the book offers contemporary essays that advance theories and notions proposed by authors of antiquity. Writers included in this part are the following: Irving Singer, Martha Nussbaum, Jerome Neu, Louis Mackey, Emelie Rorty, Elizabeth Rappaport, Kathryn Pauly Morgan.

The fourth part of the book includes essays that are more theoretical, including a number of new attempts to define and understand love. Authors in this section include Robert Nozick, Annette Baier, William Gass, Laurence Thomas, Ronald de Sousa, Robert C. Solomon.

Thomas Jay Oord

This was a fabulous book, and just as good as the first. This series is turning into a beautiful collection and I'm even more encouraged to read the third addition. It was a gripping story of Jack Cornwalll and his family, trying to make a new home on the Kansas prairie in a town called Hope. His original plan was to find his nephew Chipper and bring him "home." But then he meets Caitrin, a fiery Irish woman that catches his heart, and makes his second guess the life that he's been living. With a less than common circumstance and meeting grounds, it turned into a beautiful angsty romance for Caitrin and Jack. The story wore on as the townsfolk refused to accept Jack because of his previous actions, his family and his heritage. It's a riveting story that I read in one sitting; I simply could not put it down! My only issue with the book was Jimmy O'Toole, his hardened heart and blind prejudice. It boggles the mind that some people actually are that blatantly racist, even with the understanding Jimmy had that we are all children of God. That message was portrayed beautifully and every character eventually came to that understanding. Catherine Palmer shines as an author in this spectacular novel, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

As Rosie and Seth Hunter begin their married life, the town of Hope flourishes. The mercantile and post office are now run by Caitrin Murphy, sister of Mrs. O'toole, and the focus shifts. Jack, the bully and the outlaw of book one, is attempting to escape town after being shot in the shoulder. He hides in a barn and encounters red-headed Caitrin for the first time. Both are firey, opinionated, mouthy and fiesty. The highlight of this book for me was when Jack learns that God loves him and he is so humbled by that realization. When he heals, he tries to return to Hope, start anew and make peace. The people of Hope do not intend to make peace with the likes of Jack, and bigotry and prejudice especially in Jack's mother and Caitrin's brother in law keeps the town in an uproar....mostly against Jack. He has brought with him his sister, Lucy, who seems like a mad woman. She cannot relate to normal people...but no one except Caitrin makes any attempt to reach her. Lucy's family's dark, ugly secret is kept for only the 3 of them to ever know. It is not until Jack is actually threatened himself that Lucy has to decide whether or not to break her silence, admit to her dark past and save her brother. The author does a superb job in identifying the ugly and mean side of some of the townspeople, and the good and the gentle side of others. She manages to elicit fear, anger, sympathy, hope, despair and excitement in the reader. Familes are divided, loyalties are questioned, love seems destined to die and the town struggles to stay alive in the drought. The reader is left to wonder whether the real "Fire" is the prairie fire, or the fire of hate and dissention which burns out of control several times in the book. I could hardly put the book down, and I am sooooooo anxious for "Prairie Storm" to be released!

Can people who claim to be Christians hold grudges against people because of their religion, ethnic origin, or handicap? In Prairie Fire, Palmer shows an entirely different side of the citizens of Hope than she did in Prairie Rose. When Caitrin Murphy falls for Jack Cornwall, her sister, brother-in-law, and the other citizens of Hope do not approve because of his Cornish heritage, traditional enemies of the Irish immigrants of Hope. When Caitrin tries to point out the irony of Hope residents who accept German and Swedish immigrants but not Cornish, her brother-in-law Jimmy O'Toole won't listen. He tells her not to forget her Irish heritage and her allegiance to it. Caitrin replies that she is now an American and "won't be bound by petty prejudice." Jimmy refuses to listen, even when Jack gives his life to the Lord and changes his previous ways. When Jack's mother and sister arrive in Hope, the townspeople become even more suspicious. How can a family keep one of its members in chains? The townspeople resolve to force the Cornwalls to leave. The drama builds to an exciting climax at an emotional prayer meeting of dedicated Christians that ends up in a scene not unlike a bar room brawl. Can these so-called Christian citizens ever accept those who are different? I found Prairie Fire an enjoyable novel, one that teaches as great a lesson to Christians today as to those of the town of Hope over 100 years ago.

I loved this book and don't plan on exchanging it any time soon. It was always exciting and it made me laugh. There were some good lessons to the book too, but even though the morals were serious they were mixed in with a cheerful and happy tale. It was a funny book that takes you away and doesn't bring you back until it's over! You should read it!

Fourteen thousand civilian Americans spent the years of World War II as "guests" of their Japanese conquerors. The author tells the story of more than a dozen American women who were interned by the Japanese or took to the hills to escape being captives. Most of the Americans were residents of the Philippines, but one was interned in Borneo, another on Celebes and a third in Hong Kong.

The best known of the internees, Agnes Newton Keith,was a well known author before the war and wrote a chilling account, "Three Came Home," of her three years in captivity. Several of the other women also published their stories or were interviewed by the author.

I can't think of anything more frightening than to be stranded with your children ten thousand miles from home in wartime and being totally at the mercy of a cruel enemy. Fortunately, the Japanese, for all their savagery in China, did not usually physically abuse the Caucasian women. However, hunger, isolation, and the fear of the unknown were potent factors. Perhaps the most amazing part of this story is how well and effectively the women coped with their fate.

There is a bit too much of academia in the narrative. The drama of the lives of the captives -- or those who evaded captivity -- could have been better exploited. The thematic approach taken by the author involved much skipping around from woman to woman and made it difficult to become familiar with them individually. But, the story is good and interesting, the research impeccable, and the book well worth reading by World War II buffs, feminists, and people interested in the impact of extreme stress on human beings.

Smallchief

A good book informs and entertains. A great book informs, entertains and forces us to ask questions. Kaminski's book cannot be read without introspection. As she details a horrifying scenario, military detention of women and children on foreign soil, and delves into how that situation affected women's roles, the reader is compelled to ask, "What if this happened to me?"

Is it better to keep one's head held high or better to feed your child? Is it better to uphold the vestiges of social class and civilization or is it better to put a roof over your children's heads? Over and over, Kaminski forces the reader to wonder, "What would I do in a similar situation?"

Kaminiski's depth of research and understanding of the topic shines on every page. These heroic women, until now so disregarded by history, owe her a great debt.

For any person who marvels at the power of roles to dictate worthiness, this book is a must read. I wish we'd had this book when I attended women's studies classes. Thank you, Dr. Kaminski, for bringing this unknown part of history to light.

...one of hope and survival. The women come to life as their story is told of how they went from a life of leisure with servants to do the work for them to doing everything by themselves with little help from their men. Ms Kaminsky does an excellent job telling these women's story and her book is a great addition to my bookshelves.

What does it take to survive? What does it cost? This brilliant, fearless, absolutely page-turning book examines the plight of American women caught in the camps. The women in this book burst alive on the page with stories you just can't forget. Just beautifully written! Can't wait to read more from the very talented Kaminski.

This book is remarkable. It is very apparent that Mr. Morrison did his research well. A must read for any history buff.

It is apparent that Mr. Morrison spent many long hours slaving over this book. It is well written, interesting, and a must have for civil war buffs. I only wish Mr. Morrison would write more books. It's heartwarming to see that Mr. Morrison credits his parents Al & Joan Morrison, and his siblings - Chris, Nancy, Jim, and Tony with the fortitude, intellegence and support to get this book completed. Keep up the good work, Mr. Morrison. I want to read more of your books in the future!

An incredibly well researched, well written account of the causes of the American Civil War! It's actually worth the high price!!!

In his introduction the author tells us "this book examines the relationship between the territorial issue in the origins of the American Civil War. This story is familiar; this telling has not.... The debate between Democrats and Whigs over Texas in 1844 were based on economics and divided the parties along national lines. By 1860, the struggle over westward expansion and settlement issued in sectional arguments and a fragmented political system. This transformation is the story here and told.[p. 4]"

The expansionists quickly realized that the problem with moving the boundaries of this country westward was going to be slavery. And not so much slavery itself, but demagoguery, used by radicals on both sides to inadvertantly hinder the progress of the westward movement. The author quotes the extreme expansionist Thomas B. Stevenson, "it is not, I fear, either the actual status of the actual settlement of the slavery question that the antagonistic agitators really wish to effect. It is the use they can make of it as it exists."[p.1] The acquisition of Texas and the subsequent territory obtained through the Mexican War became the hobbyhorse of the extremists during the 1840s. The 1850s opened a decade of extreme agitation on both sides of the question of opening territory or closing it forever to the peculiarinstitution. "Republicans [the North] used slavery to define broadly remaining and limits of freedom not only within the North's free labor economy but, more important, within the nation's republican political state."[p. 167] In the South the European class system was extolled by some of the most radical proslavery elements. A major portion of the expansionist program was the example to be set by a union of the nation reaching from sea to sea. It is because the South felt so strongly toward the Union that states rights activists were compelled to remind their southern cohorts, "the Federal Union is not a god -- it is a human institution. So long as it answers the hands of its creation, it should be and will be carefully preserved. When it fails those ends, it should be discarded."[p. 184]

In 1856 James Buchanan, the second worst president this country has endured, entered the fray. Stephen A. Douglas, the famous Chicago politician of the Lincoln Douglas debates, decried the sectionalism of the Republicans. He maintained that the founding fathers, recognizing the diversity of economics and social institutions of the several states, and established a union of the fundamental right that every state could do as he pleased without his neighbors interfering. The Compromise of 1850, the Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act all reaffirmed the right of the state to settle its own local problems and decide what is best for its free existence. The Democratic Party attempted as far as possible to allow this operation. And Douglas, one of the major proponents of expansionism, defeated his own goal by not recognizing the importance of the slavery issue to the westward movement. Most people wanted a union as extended as possible, but half of them, not especially for humanitarian purposes but rather economic conditions, were dead set against the expansion of slavery into these areas, these new territories to be carved for the Empire.

The author goes on to state, "because secession had transformed the sectional conflict over the territories into an ominous controversy over the preservation of the Union, Republicans refuse to sustain the latter by conceding their principles on the former. It is a view that, the issue of 1860 -- 61 was 'not union or disunion; but new guarantees to slavery or disunion.'"[p. 274] this comment pretty much sums up what the author has said In the whole book. His promise in the introduction to connect expansionism and slavery can probably be written off as poetic enthusiasm. He writes a very good book combining the two subjects but offers nothing really new. Readers who are already acquainted with this period in our history won't find anything very new. Someone new to the field will find an excellent introduction to the general subject of slavery and its effect on the westward movement. It fails to separate the political, economic, social aspects of this time in American history.

I give this book 4 stars because it is well-written, well researched, and the author faces the same problem that we all do in writing on a time has been so well covered by so many for so long. The fifth star is withheld at the fault of the publisher. The format of the book and the text make it very difficult to read this book without strain I hope when a reissue the book is our hope that they will continuously something will be done to correct this fault.

Ok, so not everyone is into the "darker" side of life. We prefer to focus on sunflowers, streams and good old-fashioned values here in the midwest.
To many people, gravestones are just plain creepy. Haven't we all watched horror movies where the dead crawl out from beneath a cracked headstone and kill innocent lovers?
Mr. Brown's book made me look at the gravestones in a brighter (although not unentirely SAD) light. I saw the loss that families suffered through in the intricacy of massive stone mausoleums. I felt the emptiness of parents in the lifelike sculptures of their children. And I shook my head at the quirkiness of folks whose death markers are every bit as weird as they themselves must have been.
I've had this book for 5 years and I STILL pick it up now and again to read the stories behind the cemeteries. I have also given it as a gift to people in my life who I know won't get totally freaked out by it. They LOVE it.
It is a wonderful read/lookat/whatever.... just try it!--

My husband John and I love tombstone art and stomp around the countryside taking photos of cemeteries. This is one of our favorite books, with lots of wonderful photos of cemeteries around St. Louis and so forth. The author also writes a wonderful commentary on the nature of cemeteries, their conditions, and how we view them today as a modern American society. The photos of the children's graves are especially haunting. A must for collectors of tombstone art.

John Gary Brown, does an excellent job at showing the eccentricity and beauty of grave markers. He uses different angles, and points of view in his compositions, to bring out a morbid beauty, that is rarely seen by the naked eye. A truly impressive collection of masterpieces. Just when you think the works speak for themselves, Brown also includes wonderful poetry, which co-exists perfectly with the photographs. A must for anyone's artistic anthology collection.

While the photography is excellent, and the author offers several interesting insights into symbolism and customs, the facts about particular monuments are incorrect. He gives the wrong locations for several monuments (placing them in cemeteries across town), and the descriptions of the cemeteries themselves contain errors