Illinois Books

The risque title of this book may be a little misleading. It's actually a thoroughly researched anthology of cowboy songs by a folklorist with plenty of credentials. Logsdon was director of libraries and a professor at the University of Tulsa. For anyone who has read and wondered about the alleged bawdiness of cowboys (early western historians were prevented by editorial restrictions from being very specific), this book will remove all doubt. Of the 61 songs included, many are unexpurgated and unembarrassed evidence that cowboys had more than cattle drives and roundups on their minds.

The book includes a lengthy introduction about song collecting, with an extensive preface to each song, noting its publication and recording history and variant versions. Songs are illustrated with a wonderful series of full-page vintage photographs by cowboy photographer Erwin Smith and others. There are bios of the six contributors to the collection, including Dallas "Nevada Slim" Turner and Baxter Black. Logsdon has also included a long history of cowboy music, ranging from its origins in the pre-cowboy South to the annual cowboy poetry gatherings at Elko, Nevada. There's a glossary of terms for those unfamiliar with cowboy lingo, plus a 22-page bibliography and helpful index. Recommended for everyone from the serious folklorist to the western enthusiast.

It is rare to find a book which is written not only with an enthusiasm and love of the subject matter but with a scholar's attention to detail. When you find a book that contains both, you often find a gem - and this book is that gem. There is a wide range of material here, everything from Songs about Cowboys to Other Songs Cowboys Sing (including the most bawdy and less well-known pieces). Gives a well-rounded view of the cowboy's real life, not the prettified picture that many books contain. The author, Guy Logsdon, lectures and performs as a Cowboy Poet and Singer and has published widely on cowboy songs and poetry. An extensive glossary and bibliography are included in the book.

I read this book on the advice of a friend and was very impressed! It is one of those rare works of history that is both an impressive scholarly work and a very interesting read. As an historian myself who has done some work on the significance of gender to the history of 19th and 20th century insane aslyums, I found that her conclusions concerning the way race and gender assumptions often guide attempts to "reform" wayward women rang true. As an attorney who has both prosecuted mostly men for white collar criminal offenses and defended men and women, as well as immigrants and people of color in criminal court, it was fascinating to see the historical roots of some of the obvious characteristics of our current criminal justice system. Chief among these is the notion that both crime and criminality are socially constructed categories. When people in different social circumstances engage in the same behavior, the underlying motivations for their actions and their social consequences are often construed very differently by prosecutors, judges,juries and parole officers. Mara Dodge demonstrates this in concrete and persuasive ways by telling the stories of women's experience in the Illinois penal system over a broad span of time. The bottom line is that reading the book made these women and their experiences real for me and made me more interested in understanding the way that our society and legal system treats people differently according to their race, gender and social class. 1835 was a long time ago, and yet in many ways it seems that our society has not changed all that much.

This book was given to me as a gift and I never expected to find it so interesting. It's extremely lively, well-written and filled with fascinating stories of the women who were unfortunate enough to find themselves incarcerated. The stories are based upon a careful analysis of a wealth of primary sources that have never before been brought to light. Anyone interested in women's history or criminal justice over the last two centuries will discover new insights. I was especially disconcerted to realize how much a woman's race, class, ethnicity and other factors determined what happened to her in the criminal justice system. Since the book goes up to the present, it should be required reading for contemporary criminologists as well. However, I admit that I skimmed part two which is filled with statisical analysis which is not my forte. In my opinion the greatest strengths of this book include the interviews with former prison personnel, quotes from parole hearings, letters from prisoners, psychiatric reports, punishment records and relevant photographs.

This book is a great history lesson not just of baseball but of the times Willie played. There are many memories of the "Giants" of yesterday.

"Willie's Time," by Charles Einstein, is a magical read, in my opinion. Einstein basically starts when Willie made it to the "Bigs," and he weaves history into the phenomenal career of Willie Mays, who is arguably the greatest baseball player that ever lived.

I started playing Little League baseball in 1960, and I played center. Willie Mays was my hero. Mays could-and did-do it all: (1)hit for average, (2)hit with power, (3)run the bases, (4)play defense, and (5)win games for his team with intangibles. Many players challenged Willie's arm, and Mays threw the majority of them out.

To attempt to compare drug-enhanced players of today with Willie Mays is ludicrous. They are mere children compared to Willie.

Today (27 May 2005), Major League Baseball no longer exists (to me). But "Willie's Time" was a wonderful reminder of not only a great baseball player, but also a time when Major League Baseball was fun. (RIP, Major League Baseball.)

In my opinion, you will NOT be disappointed if you buy this book.

Younker did a wonderful job with this book. It's so interesting reading it, and knowing that I am a part of that family. (My husband is Jon Putman, son of Richard Putman, Bellevue. I think it's a good and interesting read for anyone whether interested in commercial fishing or not.

A native of Bellevue Iowa I realized how great this book was at captivating the real truth about what commercial fishing is about. I think this is a great book for anyone who is wanting to know more about the lives of people who Commercial fish. It isn't just a hobby, It affects the whole family. The book doesn't just talk about commercial fishing though. There is something in this book for everyone wanting to know more about growing up in a small town in Iowa. It talks about the commercial fishermans family and how they grew up. I recommend this book to anyone interested in small towns and fishing. I give this book Five stars!

For those who love history, Opera and Chicago this book is a must have on your bookshelf. It was especially interesting to me because my family has lived in Chicago for 4 generations. It is also very interesting to see how the development of a city parallels social trends like immigration, economic development etc. I have put this book on my bookshelf next to a broader history of Chicago and a history of the Chicago mafia.

I read this book when I was writing my disstertation for the University. I found it both competent, giving facts and details, and also entertainig. Extremely well-written it is a book that gives the reader a deep insight into British society and its customs.

This is a must for the coffee table for any one living in or having a connection to Wheaton.

No matter what your background, interest, or age, you will find someone in this book to catch your interest. Scientists, athletes, authors, explorers, etc. etc.

Mary Anne Phemister, the author, gives a concise and compelling biographical sketch of each notable. Her biographies are informative and seem to capture the 'spirit' of each of the historical figures. From two centuries ago to modern-day figures, she brings the characters to life. This book covers many interesting people and stories, wide and diverse, and yet they all share a common thread. They all lived in Wheaton!

Her research is excellent, she includes details, photos and addresses not available anywhere else.

This book will start a new tradition in Wheaton, when a guest comes to visit, you calculate which Wheaton Notable would interest them the most, then on the way home from the airport, simply say... "You'll never guess who grew up in that house..."

For families pressed for time, and money great ideas. Offers insightful tips and gives great fun trip ideas.

This is the finest regimental histroy I have read. The 55th was one of the hardest fighting units in the west, and their history is a must read for all civil war buffs.

I am particularly interested in American and British drama from the first half of the 20th century. My favorite American playwright is Robert E. Sherwood, my favorite American play is Sherwood's "The Road to Rome," and my second favorite American play is "Abe Lincoln in Illinois."

I lost all sense of time and place while reading "Abe." I forgot I was sitting on a couch in NYC, and thought I was back in Illinois with Honest Abe.

Sherwood is a FOUR-TIME Pulitzer Prize winner, and it makes me sad that this brilliant playwright is so sorely neglected, and that so many people give you a puzzled look when you mention his name.

Read this play, read the aforementioned "Road to Rome" (a love story, a laugh-out-loud comedy, and ALSO a "message play"), and your literary life will be enriched. (Trust me, I've read hundreds of plays, and heck, it ain't a piece of cake to win even ONE Pulitzer!!)