Missouri Books

The sign of a good book is when you are very sorry to turn the last page! I liked the fact this book combines an interesting mystery with a facts about the United States during the 1920s to 1960s. There are lots of fascinating old pictures to pour over.

This is a fascinating true mystery! The historical comments are interesting as well. Much of the book reads like a "Little House" book, except for adults, and about a different time period. Humorous anecdotes add a personal touch. The author goes back and forth between the mystery of why her father changed his identity and left his family, to her mother's extensive memoirs of the period between 1919 and 1980, to things happening with her father's family in St. Louis, to world history events. The book is full of photographs stratecically placed. A recommended read!

The author knows her setting, small town Missouri, early 1900's. She also knows children and school relationships. I found her characterization and description captivating. Charlotte, known as Sissy by her loving family, is consistently crafted as the unpopular girl seeking to be accepted by the in- group, a classic problem. Her relationship with her kind brother and again with Jesse, her unwilling friend who has come on the orphan train to find a home, shows her sensitive goodness of heart. Sissy's mother is real. The story takes a menacing turn when secrets are revealed about the orphan girl, Jesse. What follows is a girl's unfailing love of a friend and complete honesty. I found myself choking up as I read Sissy's words, "You don't have to understand people to love them," and from then to the complete ending, my throat was tight with unspent tears. This book is a must for teens who feel deeply, and are trying to untangle their lives.

Charlotte's Choice is a story that deals tastefully with an on-going evil. The gently unfolding plot keeps the reader turning pages as home-town girl Charlotte Matthews reluctantly becomes friends with newcomer/orphan Jesse Irwin. Jesse thrives on the acceptance and love surrounding her in Charlotte's family circle. Yet her past--anything-goes survival on the streets of New York--sets a stage where Jesse chooses to relive that past rather than jeopardize the stability of the Matthews family.
Charlotte's simple understanding of life is shattered when Jesse becomes victimized by a cruel man. Eventually, Charlotte must choose whether or not to betray her best friend's confidence.
As the jacket cover denotes, "The story's unflinching ending, which is neither entirely tragic nor entirely happy, deepens the credibility, power, and contemporary relevance of CHARLOTTE'S CHOICE."

Written by jazz enthusiast, photographer, and radio show host Dennis Owsley, City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis 1895-1973 is the culmination of twenty years of research into the history of St. Louis jazz. Black-and-white photographs intersperse the music history narrative of the pre-jazz era to the rise and fall of riverboats to the impact of World War II on St. Louis jazz to the polarization of jazz between the traditional style and that developed by the Black Artists' Group, or BAG. Researched in depth, featuring numerous quotes and perspectives from great figures in the jazz, City of Gabriels is a labor of love and reverence for an unforgettable city and the musical excitement it nurtured.

This book, written by the host of Jazz Unlimited, on KWMU, a local station connected to the University Of Missouri, St. Louis, is a fantastic look at the jazz scene, from its roots, in the 1800's to 1973 giving descriptions of jazz's evolution, wonderful photographs, great commentary, by Mr. Owsley, and much, much more-including references to recordings, so that readers may find the music the book describes, to hear various types of jazz-a "soundtrack", if you will, to the history of jazz in the Gateway city. For St. Louis jazz fans, like me, who listen to Mr. Owsley's show, every Sunday night, and for anyone curious about St. Louis jazz, this book is a great way to learn about it.

Very good history book for those wanting to know where the Civil War actually started.

James Denny is a historian with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. John Bradbury is Senior Manuscript Specialist at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection in Rolla, Missouri. Together these two experts have collaborative to write "The Civil War's First Blood: Missouri 1854-1861". Missouri was a border state that saw increasing conflict over the issues of states' rights and slavery during the 1850s that would result in divided loyalties between the North and the South among families, friends and neighbors resulting in confrontation and violence that would eventually erupt into open civil war. This is the story of a slave state surrounded by adjoining free states, of Governor Claiborne Jackson's advocacy of secessionism that failed to find support among a majority of Missouri's citizenry and lead to his being chased by U.S. forces directed by general Nathaniel Lyon and U.S. Representative Frank Blair -- men determined to secure Missouri for the Union. This is also the story of Kansas Jayhawkers raiding Missouri towns along the length of the Kansas-Missouri border, and of Confederate forces coming up from Arkansas but failing to establish a permanent influence in favor of the Southern cause. Profusely illustrated, "The Civil War's First Blood" is a fascinating and informative read, as well as a valued and recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library American Civil War reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Very clearly presents the organization of the Confederate armies and sorts out a lot of the confusion regarding regimental consolidations and duplicate naming. A great tool for genealogists and Civil War researchers

Mr. Sifakis has done an excellent job chronicling the Arkansas and Florida Confederate Armies, citing dates of organization, battles, commanders, mergers, and dispositions. I would highly recommend this book to any serious researcher.

This is a most worthy men-at-arms series; like the book's description says, it shows the much more colorful side to the uniforms of the Confederate Army. One man depicted in the color plates for Volume One that I found particularly interesting was a soldier in the Union Light Infantry, a SC unit based on the British Black Watch (42nd Royal Highlanders).
The plates are pretty much the highlight of this series, and show realistic looking soldiers surrounded by beautiful women and scenery, and baring all their various weapons. The text, nonetheless, reveals numerous interesting details. This is an excellent source on the uniforms and appearances of the soldiers of the Confederacy.

Osprey Publishing has issued Volume 5 of their popular book, The Confederate Army 1861-65. A part of their sprawling Men-at-Arms series (this is book #441 in that series), this one covers the uniforms and arms of troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. Written by Ron Field and lavishly illustrated with Richard Hook's watercolors, this book is a worthy addition to the Osprey family. Retailing for $15.95 here in the USA ($21 in Canada), the book has 48 pages, nearly all of them with period photographs or full color drawings.

The new book focuses on each state's antebellum militia and the hastily organized volunteer regiments that were pressed into Confederate service in the initial stages of the war. Using contemporary newspaper accounts, letters, state and local records, and early photographs, Ron Field presents an extensive array of early war military units, their uniforms and accoutrements, drawing heavily upon primary descriptions. He also takes a cursory, but interesting look at how the transition occurred from locally supplied clothing and equipment (which often varied widely from company to company) to state-issued regulation Confederate uniforms, particularly in North Carolina, where, by the end of the war, the term "ragged Rebel" would be made obsolete from the vast stores of supplies held by the state.



Field starts with Tennessee, looking at the outfitting of the militia and early volunteers in 1861, and examines the role various ladies aid societies played in clothing the soldiers of the Volunteer State. He then discusses the role of the state's Military and Financial Board in taking over the administration and logistics of supplying the troops. Field then shifts his focus to North Carolina, again discussing and characterizing the antebellum militia and contrasting them to how the state later took charge and made its forces appear more uniform in appearance. He also briefly compares winter clothing to summer issue for troops from both states.



The book includes a select bibliography for readers wanting to dive a little deeper into the outfitting of Confederate troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. The index is comprehensive, as is the discussion that accompanies the Richard Hook's illustrations. All in all, The Confederate Army 1861-85 (5) Tennessee and North Carolina (ISBN: 9781846031878) maintains the tradition of excellence we have come to expect from Osprey, and is well worth the modest investment.

This book is a must-have gem. I've been acquainted with Kansas City, my mother's hometown, all my life, and never had any idea of the richness and diversity the city has to offer. This book is an extensively (one could even say obsessively) researched tool that has chapters on every conceivable topic, from the outdoors to religious organizations to fine cuisine. Volunteer opportunities and other ways to really engage in the community abound. Connect with Kansas City is a truly unique resource that will improve your experience in Kansas City whether you are a first time visitor, an infrequent visitor (like myself) or a lifetime resident. The author's insights about the value of "social capital" were clearly a guiding force in both the conception and the implementation of the book. Worth its weight in gold!

Order this book now! It is full of things to do and ways to engage in our community. Sandy James makes it easy for us to enjoy Kansas City and all our community provides. A must read for anyone new to our city but also for those of us who have been here for awhile and need some fresh ideas.

A Wonderful Book! :-) Has alot of Colorful Photo's Showing each of the Artists Wonderful Talent, Layed Out on Each Cow.

This picture book contains wonderful, colorful photographs of each & every cow on display in the Kansas City Cow Parade 2001. It's no substitute for seeing the cows in person, but it is useful as an orientation before visiting the cows, a post-visit reminder of the cows, or an opportunity for folks who can't make it to KC to see how delightful the KC Cow Parade is. The book is organized by location -- cows in the Plaza area are grouped together, cows in the Crown Center area are grouped together, cows at the KC Star building are grouped together, and so on -- so you know exactly what to expect before you venture off to see the cows.

If you've never seen a Cow Parade -- artists/sponsors are provided with a standard model bovine to decorate as they see fit. Some of the models are simply painted -- designer Michael Graves painted a "Light Blue" cow with reddish flowers with Target-logo bullseye centers; there are cows painted with large florals, there's a "Teal". Others are wonderfully ornate, like the "Moo-maid" mermaid cow in a fountain in Crown Center.

Many of the cows involve Kansas City themes -- like jazz ("Jazzy Cow", "Jazz Moosik" -- with saxophone horns, "Cownt Basie", "Charlie Parcow", "Jazzily Blue"); the Wizard of Oz ("Yellow Brick Roadie","Dorothy", "Tin Cow . . . from the Wizard of Ox", the "Cowardly Cow", and "ScareCow" -- the Cowardly Cow looks just like Bert Lahr, jowls & all). There are barbecue theme cows ("Barbecue Bull", "Mixed Plate Blue"), Liberty Memorial (the only active WWI memorial in the country) cows ("Liberty Moo-Morial Monument")and other KC-specific cows ("Shuttle Cow" -- a takeoff on the shuttlecocks sculpture on the art gallery lawn). Some are just plain fun -- like "Cow-Moo-Flage", which features a standard holdstein with a chicken cox & comb, tail , wings, & feet attached, and "Cowntertop", a cow covered in samples of laminate, with a sink in her back, "Moo-lyn Monroe", "Cowzilla", "Cowlvador Dali," "Cowculus." My personal favorite of the show -- "Buttons & Bovines", featuring a cow covered in buttons.

Kansas City hosts a wealth of creativity and artistic talent. We're home to Hallmark -- many talented Hallmark artists show their skills in the Cow Parade. Cows designed by other local artists are also wonderful & clever. This is a great book -- a book you'll want to again & again as you marvel at the cleverness of the talented designers who converted plain cow models into intriguing works of art.

I picked up "Dear Hope ... Love, Grandma" because it was so beautiful with a photo of Grandma as a child on the dust cover. I sat in the bookstore and read it cover to cover before buying it. The book is non-fiction. Grandma Hilda and Hope are real people. Each chapter is a story. I couldn't put it down.

"Dear Hope ... Love, Grandma" makes you realize the possibilities of grandmother-granddaughter relationships. Nine-year-old Hope and her grandma write from their hearts. Through their letters, Grandma tells Hope the story of her life. Grandma Hilda was the youngest of five children. Her mother was an immigrant Jewish widow who barely spoke English, yet she managed to impart to all of her children a love of family, loyalty to one another, a love of God, and a healthy dose of humor to see them through the hard times ahead.

Grandma Hilda writes affectingly. She never talks down to Hope and hence not to us either. This is a small gem from an obscure publisher that deserves our attention. It is cautionary tale as well. If we do not save our family stories, our elderly relatives will take them to their graves, and we will lose untold treasures. We doubtless already have.

There is much to be learned from this beautiful volume. I highly recommend it to grandchildren and grandparents alike. What a treasure for you to share together.

This is one of the most moving books I have ever read ... because it's true. Grandma Hilda is the grandmother we all wish we had had. She's warm, she's loving, she's kind, she's funny, she's generous, and above all, she's real.

Through her letters to her granddaughter Hope, Grandma Hilda tells the story of her life. Born in 1902 in the Jewish ghetto of St. Louis, Hilda was the youngest of 5 surviving children. Her father died when she was 2. She was raised by her mother who barely spoke Engish, and yet her mother managed to convey to her children her values of love of family, love of God, honesty, loyalty, devotion, and a liberal dose of humor to wash it all down.

Above all, this book is a cautionary tale to save our family stories before it's too late. If Hope had not cared enough to write to her Grandma, these wonderful stories would have gone with Grandma Hilda to her grave. How many family stories could be saved if we all took the time to do what little 7-year-old Hope did? After I read this book, I followed Hope's example. Now my own mother is dead and just like Hope, I have her stories.

Bravo DEAR HOPE ... LOVE, GRANDMA! Everyone needs to read this book.

.......WE BOUGHT THE BOOK FOR OUR DAUGHTER WHO IS STUDYING..... ...LAW.....AND SHE FOUND IT ...WELL MARKED...AND INDEX ....SHE WAS VERY HAPPY...........WE RECEIVE IT ON TIME FOR REPORT SHE IS SUPPOST TO GIVE ON THE 14 OF MARCH.....THANK YOU TO THE SELLER......

Excellent text. Should be required reading of all law students. Packed with insightful essays from prominent scholars and practicioners in the field of dispute resolution. One of the most painless law books I have read so far.