Western Kentucky University Books

I found myself laughing while reading this book, and crying, at times, too. Jean has a style of writing that makes the reader feel like he/she's there. The people come to life, and you find yourself living with them in the Kentucky Cumberlands. I don't think I've ever even been there, and this book made me homesick.

Of course, if you're looking for crime and action, this isn't the book for you. This book is about 'down home' living when chores were really chores and food was home grown. In ways, it was a simpler kind of life, but in other ways, it was a lot harder.

You won't find this information in a history book. History books always put a tint on the past, leaving out peoples' mistakes and their imperfections. This is a real family story told by a real family person. It's evident that the two most important things in the writer's life were her family and their musical life together.

On a different level, I can't tell you, as an amateur genealogist, how valuable this book is to me. Every page has stories about the people who grew up in the time and place of my kin, many of them even mentioned by name. The next time I read it, I will be gleaning information for my tree! And this is one of the few books that I will read again and again.

Good job, Jean Ritchie. Thank you for bringing the Cumberlands of Kentucky to life for your readers.

This is a beautiful book full of terrific songs (all expertly arranged) and great writing. Jean Ritchie divides her life into thirteen chapters and weaves two or three songs into each one. The songs illustrate the memoir, and the memories provide a context for the songs. And the whole thing is so tightly organized that it reads like a novel.

The book is absolutely beautiful. It makes Jean Ritchie's songs more relevant, to read the words and the stories she associates with them. The mention of mining in the last chapter saddens me because I know what happened to all such communitites when the coal ran out. The book is beautiful.

Throughgoing in pioneering scholarship and artistic in execution, this unique wife-husband collaboration advances the art of oral history, butresses the case for using memory and recognition in histories, and reads like a fine novel. Thanks to Alice's interviewing craft, Howard's rich memories of his varied WW11 experiences are validated. Oral history techniques are thereby improved, and the reader is treated all along to a very good read. Bold in conception, careful in completion, the book will reward all curious about the strengths and limitations of recall and recognition as scholarly aids. Any others open to learning more truth than ever about war will also be well rewarded

Throughgoing in pioneering scholarship and artistic in execution, this unique wife-husband collaboration advances the art of oral history, butresses the case for using memory and recognition in histories, and reads like a fine novel. Thanks to Alice's interviewing craft, Howard's rich memories of his varied WW11 experiences are validated. Oral history techniques are thereby improved, and the reader is treated all along to a very good read. Bold in conception, careful in completion, the book will reward all curious about the strengths and limitations of recall and recognition as scholarly aids. Any others open to learning more truth than ever about war will also be well rewarded

"Happy Birthday, Happy Valley." That is how George Watt starts his heroic adventure. Waking up on his 30th birthday, he finds out that his flight crew has to fly out that day. This began a birthday that he will never forget as his plane is shot down by German gunfire. After his crew has to jump from the falling plane, he lands in Belguim, which at that time, is occupied by Nazis.

He is met by villagers and farmers who first help him hide in a ditch from the German officers who are looking for him, and then help him to get to the Comet Line. The Comet Line was the World War II version of the underground railroad. Along the way, he met the Lauwaerts, who ran a grocery store in the front of their house; Ducolumbeir, who helped him get the past the German officers who were on patrol; Raymond Inghels, who helped him on part of his journey; and many others. When he was finally able to escape and make it to Spain, the first thing he did was send a cable to his wife to let her know that she couldn't get rid of him that easily.

George Watt not only thanked his rescuers the day that they helped him, he make two return trips to show that he would be forever grateful for all of the help and compassion that they showed him. He knew that they had all literally risked not only their lives, but the lives of their families to save him.

This is one of my favorite books about World War II, and the first I have read that is about the Comet Line and the people who helped with running it. I have not read any other book dealing with an Airman and his plane being shot down. Highly recommend.

Armchair Interview says: A most personal story of war and gratitude.

"So this was how men died in planes. People have asked me whether it's true that your whole life flashes before your eyes, and at the risk of sounding corny, I must say that mine did." George Watt writes these words to recall his final moments of freedom before he begins his long journey from Nazi-occupied Belgium to Gibraltar. "Escape from Hitler's Europe: An American Airman behind Enemy Lines" is an engaging book from the first page.

George Watt had a terrible 30th birthday. After rushing to mail home a $50 mail order to his wife, Margie, he climbed aboard the B-17 "Bramwell" for his last mission over Europe. Watt writes of a moment of divine intervention that caused him to change combat stations on the aircraft, right before a FW-190 attack on his B-17. This switch saved his life.

The theme of divine intervention carries through his adventures on the ground. Being a downed American aviator meant he would spend the remainder of the war in a Luftstalag if he were captured. But George Watt was a downed American Jewish aviator and the rumors of the horrors of Germany's treatment of the Jews were always foremost on George's mind. The story that follows is a tale of escape at the hands of new found friends.

George Watt's World War II memoirs are more than just an escape from Nazi-controlled Europe. The tale of his escape along the famed "Comet Line", which rescued more than 800 downed allied aviators during the course of the war, is incredible on its own merit. In addition to the detailed description of his escape at the hands of the resistance fighters, Mr. Watt skillfully weaves recollections of his time served with America's Lincoln Brigade serving during the Spanish revolution.

What separates Watt's book from other World War II memoirs is his visit back to the villages of Zele and Hamme. It is here that he reunites with his rescuers Raymond, Monique and "The Stump". George learns many surprises during this visit - locally, he remained a famous icon into the 1990's. His unexpected arrival in 1943 indicated to the locals the end of the war was coming soon. The tale of the Belgian resistance and particularly his escape continued to be told from generation to generation. He also learned other surprises such as how the locals were ready to shoot him in the case he was a German spy. Everything was certainly not what it seemed.

This book is well written, and well supported by illustrations, maps and photographs. The writing style kept me engaged from the first page, and I finished the book in a single afternoon. "Escape from Hitler's Europe" is a delightful read and would be a great addition to any World War II enthusiast's library.

This is your book. Excellent advise from the master of feature pictures, Dave Labelle. A must have for any photojournalist. Keep this book in your car, it is a great resource.

If you can get a copy of this book, one of the original prints, or even an authorized repro (if those still exist), it's well worth it. The book is a treasure trove of tips and hints in the great picture hunt for features and news photos. Dave LaBelle put together an excellent collection of images and suggestions. Truly inspirational!

I can't believe I was able to find this book on Amazon. My aunt and uncle, who have traveled cross country countless times, always stop by Renfro Valley in Kentucky and take in a few musical shows. I've heard about Renfro Valley for what seems like a million times through out my life from them. It holds a lot of meaning for my aunt and uncle. This year I was wondering what I should get them for Christmas while I was browsing on Amazon. I was really in shock to find this. Amazon really does have almost anything I can think of. Even books on Renfro Valley. My aunt and uncle are going to love it.

Anyone who enjoys REAL country music will love this book, and the the unique place it is about. "It All Happened In Renfro Valley" tells the story of the late John Lair, and the country music entertainment center he created in the foothills of Kentucky's Cumberland Mountains, Renfro Valley. You'll read of how over the past 60 years Renfro Valley has grown to become one of the best and most unique homes for country music in the world, and how it has been the launching pad for the careers of now-legendary entertainers including the late Red Foley, and one of country music's first sucessful all-female acts, the late Lily May Ledford & The Coon Creek Girls. Perhaps most fascinating of all is the story of how through 60 years of ups and downs, and many changes, the unique spirit of the "Valley Where Time Stands Still" can still be found in this special place today. You'll learn of how the Valley is now in its second heyday so to speak, having underwent a much-needed revitalization and expansion about ten years ago, and how it is, as a result, once again drawing the kind of large crowds it did many years ago. In the book, Pete also tells about himself and many of the other great current and former entertainers who perform on the "regular" Renfro Valley shows like the Barn Dance and Jamboree, as well as how some of country music's biggest names now also come for concerts in the Valley. You'll also read of the Renfro Valley Gatherin', which is now the third oldest continuous radio broadcast in the nation. All in all, this is a great look back at the history of a one-of-a-kind true country place that is near and dear to the hearts of true country music fans and radio listeners all over the country and around the world. Pete also includes a few stories of his own amazing career as a country comedian and entertainer, songwriter, and disc jockey. In addition to having been a regular Renfro Valley performer since 1952, Pete was also a regular on country music's first televison show, Red Foley's Ozark Jubilee, during the mid 1950's, and was also Dolly Parton's road manager for a time in the 1970's. (She does still remember Pete, and was kind enough to write the forward to his book!) All of these experiences combine to allow Pete to tell the amazing story of a very special place in a way that only he could. "It All Happened In Renfro Valley," and you'll sure be glad if you read this book and let Mr. Pete Stamper tell you all about it!

Forrest C. Pogue was the first historian of D-Day and documented "up-close and personal" the most gristly and significant clashes of World War II including Omaha Beach, the Huertgen Forest, Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge. He kept his notes and interviews in a series of battered journals, hoping one day to publish his own wartime observations. Many years later, Franklin D. Anderson (Forrest Pogue's nephew by marriage) transcribed those journal entries as Pogue's War: Diaries Of A WWII Combat Historian and in doing so, has made a unique and welcome contribution to the growing library of World War II eye-witness literature. As a combat historian, Pogue lived with the infantrymen and interviewed them only days after they had engaged in life-and-death battles with the enemy. The result was one of the most vivid "windows-in-time" perspectives available to World War II buffs and students of 20th Century American military history.

World War II is still turning up troves of fresh material, and here is a good example. This journal covering the European campaign from D-Day to the surrender of Germany is not only fresh but a pleasure to read. Pogue was one of the outstanding historians of World War II, author of the definitive biography of George Marshall and of The Supreme Command, an account of Eisenhowerýs leadership.

Raw diaries contain stretches of boring material, and this is no exception (ýTopete and I went to Aywaille to see 1st Division people. The 16th Regiment had moved up near Aachen to go into the line. Then went to 1st Division (rear)...ý). Fortunately, Pogue later set out to flesh out his entries into a publishable memoir, a task ninety percent accomplished at his death in 1996.

A Sorbonne graduate in history, Pogue was teaching college in Kentucky when drafted after Pearl Harbor. With its usual acumen, the army made him a clerk where his PhD skills were employed in ýcalling the roll of recruits when there was an unusual number of foreign names....ý It was early 1944 when he finally transferred to Washington to join the Army Ground Forces historical section. Readers may be surprised to learn that the U.S. army in WWII employed historians in all major commands. For their benefit, units in the field were ordered to render periodic after-action reports and preserve important documents. While the object was to learn battle lessons, the result was a flood of priceless historical material that is still being mined. This required historians to follow on the heels of combat units, interviewing participants as the fighting proceeded.

Pogue flew to England in the spring of 1944, where he spent two months experiencing the privation, attractions, and confusion of England on the eve of D-Day. Sailing in an LST to Omaha Beach, sleeping in the back of a truck piled with K-rations, (beds were reserved for infantry) he watched his units embark on D-Day plus one. Landing soon after, he spent the remainder of the war following the troops. Although rarely in as much danger as the infantry, he was almost as uncomfortable. Intermixed with gossip, combat anecdotes, and cameraderie are the authorýs frustrating struggle to keep clean and dry. Readers will learn how long he went between baths, laundry, and changes of shirt.

His miseries were interrupted by an idyllic two month in newly liberated Paris. Fluent in French and popular with former professors at the Sorbonne, he gives an entertaining picture of a city recovering from four years of oppression and poverty. Every Frenchman he visits records his opinion on the future of France, and the author adds his own. Mostly theyýre wrong, overestimating the communists and suspecting De Gaulle was a lightweight. In November 1944 he returned to the front to resume recording his struggle for personal hygiene while covering the armyýs bloody attack on the Huertgen forest followed quickly by the German Ardennes offensive, the crossing of the Rhine, and victory.

Interviewing soldiers is fun but only a small first step in writing history, Pogue explains early in the book. Battlefield testimony must be taken with a grain of salt. Soldiers paid no attention to the clock and rarely knew their location (ý...we went a couple miles to a turn in the road at a little town...ý). All fire directed at them was ýheavy.ý Asked about support on their flanks or rear, soldiers invariably considered it inadequate. ýThe average infantryman was...certain that everyone else had quit the war except his platoon.ý These insights occur regularly throughout the book and place it among the dozen or so best individual memoirs of the war. One paragraph summing up a bull session among soldiers should be committed to memory by every schoolchild. ýToo many people expect the war to settle everything... The winning of a war merely means that we avoided the disaster attendant on losing it. It does not mean that we have peace...ý
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Having lived in the Northeast and Upper Midwest for most of my adult life, it was with some trepidation that I accepted a position as a doc at a Southern Appalachian hospital. To deal with my cognitive dissonance, I purchased this book and was reassured. Now, after months of working and living in Appalachia, I can only agree: My anecdotal experiences support Backtalk from Appalachia. The region is populated, for the most part, with people with a refreshingly strong sense of home and place, and an appreciation for nature--imagine that! There are professional, blue collar, unemployed, and everything-in-between folks down here. The bell curve of IQs around here is normally distributed: The oft-repeated Deliverance nonsense has no place outside of the book and the film. So, if, like me, you have tired of the big cities with their congestion, pollution, and crime, come on out here for a visit. You might decide to stay.

Akenson and Wolfe have provided a format for scholars, students and others to share their love and insight into the broad and diverse range that is country music yesterday and today. The papers presented in the book are well researhed, informative and extremely readable...which makes the book all the more enjoyable! I give this book a 5 star rating and look forward to the next issue.

I'm not quite sure just what defines country music. In its day the Star Spangled Banner was a "low class" drinking song, and they've been recorded by contrmporary artists. Likewise some of the songs recorded in Northern Ireland or Australia might well be considered country. I guess you don't have to be white and southern to be "country."

In this book there are a series of essays that deal with country music our country's early wars to the war on terror. In fourteen essays, the impact and actions of country music and its performers is analyzed.

I think my favorite is the essay by Randy Rudder on the Dixie Chicks condemming President Bush on a stage in London. After Hollywood went berserk over Fahrenheit 911, why the commotion over the Dixie Chicks. DJ's were refusing to play their songs, there were CD Smashing parties, etc. Well, it's because they were country singers.

If you're a country fan, or if you're a music theoritician, you'll love this book

Films in one way or another are a mirror for their culture in which they're made. They show who we are, who we want to be, what we're afraid we are. We do the same thing with our citizen kings: the presidents of the United States. This superb book looks at how Hollywood has looked at our presidents and thus how Hollywood has looked at us. Anyone interested in film or history will find this a fascinating look at America.