Missouri Books

Franklin D. Mitchell has written an extensive portrayal of the pugnacious relationship between President Harry Truman and the news media. Truman liked the media, especially when it provided the public with images that displayed his down-to-earth personality. But the president often lost his temper when the media became critical of his family, friends, and his domestic policies.

Mitchell recounts how the media played an important role during the Truman years between 1945-1953. He provides the reader with a chronological narrative in history. Mitchell reviews the 1948 election that resulted in the greatest presidential miscall in journalistic history. He also touches base with the rise of women and minorities in the media, and how the newsreel and photojournalism contributed to the Truman presidency.

The book is interesting and extensively detailed. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Harry Truman or political/presidential studies.

Few Americans now living can recall the impact and import of the "view from Kansas" from the mid 1800's up to the Great Depression. Modern Americans know little of the Sunflower State other than that the residents there are reasonably quiet and keep pretty much to themselves. It might be hard to imagine that at one time to say one was from Kansas would be the equivalent of saying "I'm a Texan," nowadays.

Kansan's were (and are) noted for their hard work, common sense pioneer spirit and an inate sense of fair play. Bader's book takes us step by step through the state's stormy start, as "Bleeding Kansas," and its major role in the War Between the States, through its phase as a policy maker and trend-setter up to modern times when Kansas is perhaps best known as the home state of former U. S. Senator, Bob Dole.

Surprisingly engaging and ultimately very "readable," this book is a must-read for anyone with a bent for Americana and U. S. history.

A lighthearted look at higher education - A must read for anyone who works at a university.

Healing Waters: Missouri's Historic Mineral Springs And Spas is a straight forward history of the use and development of mineral springs in Missouri from 1800 to the 1930s. From the earliest spa traditions in America and Missouri's frontier spas to the businesses that flourished bottling mineral waters, the nature of mineralized groundwater resources, the repercussions of establishing saltworks at the state's saline springs, and more, Healing Waters offers a thoroughly researched, in-depth historical tour. Healing Waters concludes with a survey of why mineral springs fell into disuse, with a particular eye on how discoveries in microbiology and biochemistry led to a general repudiation of mineral water health benefits in favor of drug-related treatments. An excellent sourcebook, as approachable to the lay reader as to the historian.

Joan Connor, who's from Vermont, depends on her native territory for her brilliant new collection, "Here on Old Route 7." The stories emit atmosphere and a feeling of place, while creating characters that would seem just as home Down South as in the mountains of Vermont. The reader doesn't need to have been around these settings to get the impression that Connor knows well about what she writes. The nine stories range in tone from humor to dark explorations of the human heart. Connor's wit can elicit guffaws from a reader eagerly turning pages. By the end, the reader feels sadness that the book isn't longer.

How neat to have the editors sift through 40 years of LCMS documents and give us an organized reader!

Organized into the six categories of: Theological Issues; Interchurch Relations; Church Polity; Church in Society; Missions and Evangelism; and Education.

Although one could find some document that should have been included and one that should be excluded analysis going on, this achieves a most usable resource for us who are interested in tracing the progression of action on these topics.

Well done and usable resource.

Hidden Assets: Connecting The Past To The Future Of St. Louis by Richard Rosenfeld (Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis) is a historical and analytical study of the metropolitan area of St. Louis and its rich and colorful past, as well as providing a practical understanding of its future, and the challenges it may soon be facing in industry, economy, and demography. Providing a concise study of the past years, of city growth which could well serve as a template for similar studies of other American cities, Hidden Assets deftly delves into the living past of the great river city of St. Louis, Missouri. and is recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the history and socio-economics of St. Louis.

An eye-opening, informative, and well-researched discussion of the issues with excellent suggestions for further reading. A bit pricey, but very much worth the price.

Absolutely riveting account of a very different brand of war compared to what was happening in the East. Interesting looks at personalities in the Ozarks during the 19th Century. Hard times, hard people.

Well written, smart, and engaging. This is one of the best little history books out there. It should get a second printing! Fantastic research and a rich photographic documentation. A model book for any aspiring historian.