Georgia Books

Mr. Caldwell, an "independent" historian, has provided us an exaustive and accurate compendium of the architectural and social history of Georgia in the 19th century. He has reviewed and cross-referenced the hundreds of sketchy local histories in Georgia and has noted the background and history of the creation of every Georgia county and railroad from 1800-1911, and how the railroad shaped the aspirations or distrust of Georgia's communities.

He notes how the influence of Northern "carpetbaggers" led to the development of many of Ga's reconstruction railroads and the erection of its many distinctive high-style courthouses. The influence of Bostonian H.H. Richardson on Georgia architects Gloucke and Bruce & Morgan is prevalent as well.

Interestingly, Mr. Caldwell is intent on revealing what he sees as the truth behind the "myths" of the Old and New South and how those myths are related through railroad development (the equivalent of a 19th century interstate highway) and public architecture. His conclusion that the creation of post-civil war railroads and the promise of Northern investment was nothing more than a sham in most cases is very unique and interesting and deserves further study.

This book is less about the specifics of architecture but basically provides a clearer view of rural southern history, and provides a useful collection of the local history of 159+ counties in Georgia. There are a few spelling errors, and could have used a few color plates, but the book is well made.

This book is a must for any Georgia architect, landscape architect, and historic preservationist. It also could be of use to a few politicians in order for them to better understand the background of thier own GA communities. Of course, armchair historians and lovers of southern history will enjoy it as well.

The Courthouse And The Depot: A Narrative Guide To Railroad Expansion And Its Impact On Public Architecture In Georgia 1833-1910 by Wilber W. Caldwell is an exhaustive catalogue of 19th century public architecture in Georgia and all the railroad lines that criss-crossed the state during this period. A wealth of Deep South history illustrated throughout with black and white photographs. The Courthouse And The Depot uses the unique framework of architecture to substantially narrate a significant stretch of Georgian state history, and how the coming of the railroad changed everything for the future. A fascinating and superbly presented wealth of information about changing times over a century ago, The Courthouse And The Depot is highly recommended reading for American history, architecture, and railroading reading lists and reference collections.

"Antebellum social reform movements, especially antislavery and women's rights, shaped public discourse in ways that still define the manner in which Americans deal with divisive issues." The truth of this becomes readily evident when one compares the social activism of recent decades with that of the early decades of the 1800s as studied here by Garvey. There's the same similarities of committed individuals stepping out to define issues and urge ways of coming to grips with them; the same patterns of publicity, persuasion, and growth; the same sorts of contests to move government to deal with issues; the same adaptability to changing regional and political conditions; internal debates and rivalries; and responses to widening public notice both favorable and oppositional. Garvey studies the major social movements of early nineteenth-century America by focusing on their intellectual progenitors and prominent public figures such as William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Angelina Grimke and the effects of their activism. The changes in the "structure of public discourse" brought about by the strategies of publicizing important social issues and the formation and growth of related movements "in turn instantiate forms of publicity implicit in liberal selfhood." In pursuing this, the author turns to Emerson, a leading intellectual and moral figure of this era who also sought out a public role. Garvey is the editor of a book on Emerson. By positioning the antebellum "culture of reform [within] the broader utopian rhetoric of consensus...," Emerson enabled this culture "to emerge as a progressive force and continue to legitimize it as a vehicle of social progress rather than a threat to civil order." And so with such beginnings, reform has been a regular and acceptable part of American society.

Excellent explanation as to how ideas now considered "liberal" actually evolved in the 19th century. Well written, exciting history of American ideas.

Although the storyline is somewhat tragic, the storytelling was exceptional, and the theme was clearly communicated across characters and timeperiods. As a psychologist, I thought the author did a fine job of characterizing the psychological impact of slavery and racism on family dynamics across generations.

I thought this was a good book to read. It gave a lot of insight into the troubles african american women of past generations faced through the life of Story. She was scared to love and be loved. Only through Story's death was her daughter Hermine able to break through her mothers wall and love her.

This short read is an excellent, concise book answering "twenty" common questions regarding curriculum integration. It explains terms such as curriculum integration, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education, which are commonly confused by even the most forward thinking educators.
If you wanted one book to use as a basis for a staff development workshop on integrated curriculum education (which may not be what you presently think it is according to the authors' definitions), this is it.
Curriculum integration as described by Nesin & Loundsbury also fits beautifully with classroom computer iniatives such as the Maine State laptop in initiative, for those educators seriously interested in democratic classrooms (Beane), or for those educators hoping to develope self directed learners. A gem.

This short read is an excellent, concise book answering "twenty" common questions regarding curriculum integration. It explains terms such as curriculum integration, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education, which are commonly confused by even the most forward thinking educators.
If you wanted one book to use as a basis for a staff development workshop on integrated curriculum education (which may not be what you presently think it is according to the authors' definitions), this is it.
Curriculum integration as described by Nesin & Loundsbury also fits beautifully with classroom computer iniatives such as the Maine State laptop in initiative, for those educators seriously interested in democratic classrooms (Beane), or for those educators hoping to develope self directed learners. A gem.

Judge Frank M. Johnson achieved national recognition for his decisions that supported Martin Luther King and other leaders of the civil rights movement, and for his defense of the individual rights of women, students, prisoners, mental health patients, and poor criminal defendants. Because these decisions expanded the scope of those Constitutional amendments that assert individual liberties and proclaim the equality of all citizens, Judge Johnson is often viewed as one of the great liberal judges of the Twentieth Century. On the contrary, as Tony Freyer convincingly demonstrates in his analytical introduction and conclusion to this selective collection of Judge Johnson's writings and public statements, Johnson's core values were fundamentally conservative, in that they were "based on individual freedom defined in terms of equal opportunity and equality under law."
The law, of course, is the U.S. Constitution, and Johnson's decisions, as his essays indicate, were informed and circumscribed by a profound understanding of the mechanics of the law. As Johnson told Bill Moyers in a 1980 public television interview, the transcript of which is published for the first time in this book, Johnson realized certain limitations when he opposed busing as a tool of desegregation because "when you make a child, or children, get up at five o'clock in the morning and wait for a bus to haul them 10 or 15 miles, past schools to which they were formerly eligible to go, then I think you are doing tremendous damage". Striving for judicial clarity above and beyond moral fervor, Johnson also said that he had never been inside of a prison or a mental facility because he "needed not to go there," but to make his decisions on "the basis of evidence that's presented during the adversary proceeding."
Judge Johnson's momentous injunction in Williams v. Wallace that ordered Governor George Wallace to allow a four-day civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery (from March 21 to March 25, 1965), led by Dr. King along Highway 80, was rendered in a carefully crafted opinion based on the principle that the right to protest on public property should be "commensurate with the enormity of the wrongs that are being protested and petitioned against."
As these essays make clear, Judge Johnson believed that the role of the American judiciary and of the entire legal profession should be one of activism, not on the side of morality, but to maintain the supremacy of the law. Johnson wrote that " the lawyer should remember that a disrespect or disregard for law is always the first sign of a disintegrating society."Throughout his forty-one years on the bench, Judge Johnson sought to decide the cases that came before him solely on their particular merits. His injunctive orders that sought to remedy deplorable conditions in prisons and mental health facilities were taken because, in his view, elected officials had failed to discharge their designated and constitutional responsibilities for fair and equitable governance. Judge Johnson clearly believed that all citizens, including the mentally retarded, the insane, and those convicted of felonies, still have certain basic rights to include sanitary living conditions, freedom from unwarranted punishment, and, if feasible, the right to rehabilitation. As he eloquently concluded his essay "Equal Access to Justice," the promise inscribed on the Supreme Court Building of "Equal Justice Under Law" cannot be fulfilled unless there is equal access to justice.
Towards the end of his judicial career, Judge Johnson wrote: "If we abdicate responsibility to address the difficult questions of our time, those in need of refuge from the torrents of political, economic, and religious forces will find no haven in the law and the law will no longer be supreme. . . . A judge must always be consumed by a passion for justice which propels judgment toward the just conclusion." This forceful summation of an American judge's responsibilities is elaborated in this artfully chosen collection of Johnson's insightful and thought-provoking essays. This is a valuable addition to the biographic literature on Frank Johnson that should be welcomed by all students of recent American History.

Federal Judge Frank Johnson achieved national recognition for his decisions that supported Martin Luther King and other leaders of the civil rights movement, and for his defense of the individual rights of women, students, prisoners, mental health patients, and poor criminal defendants. Because these decisions expanded the scope of those Constitutional amendments that assert individual liberties and proclaim the equality of all citizens, Judge Johnson is often viewed as one of the great liberal judges of the Twentieth Century. On the contrary, as Tony Freyer convincingly demonstrates in his analytical introduction and conclusion to this collection of Judge Johnson's writings and public statements, Johnson's core values were fundamentally conservative, in that they were based on individual freedom "defined in terms of equal opportunity and equality under law." The law, of course, is the U.S. Constitution and Johnson's decisions, as his essays indicate, were informed and circumscribed by a profound understanding of what the law does and does not permit. As Johnson told Bill Moyers in a 1980 public television interview, published for the first time in this book, Johnson opposed busing as a tool of desegregation because "when you make a child, or children, get up at five o'clock in the morning and wait for a bus to haul them 10 or 15 miles, past schools to which they were formerly eligible to go, then I think you are doing tremendous damage." Johnson also said that he had never been in a prison or mental institution because he "needed not to go there," but to make his decisions on "the basis of evidence that's presented during the adversary proceeding." This is a valuable addition to the biographic literature on Frank Johnson, that should be welcomed by all students of recent American History.

In a speech before the Organization of American Historians, scholar Jacquelyn Dowd Hall offered a window onto "the long civil rights movement" -- a struggle for human rights, economic and social citizenship, and human dignity that began long before Brown v. Board of Education and continued long after the assassination of Martin Luther King.

In her pathbreaking book, Defying Dixie, professor Glenda Gilmore gives texture and character to the long civil rights movement, using indigenous southern activists, black and white, to give her story shape. These activists, from the fearless and foolhardy Lovett Fort-Whiteman to the brilliant and indomitable Pauli Murray, all faced the demon of American white supremacy and did their best to slay it. They did not always prevail with strategies they dreamed up and pursued, but their vision and dedication bequeathed us a social movement, more expansive than the classic civil rights movement, that still informs drives for justice and equity.

Gilmore's book moves beyond the tired debates of Cold War historiography and the simple hagiography of civil rights heroes to give us a dynamic movement filled with complex characters. In giving these people their due, and rooting them in American soil, Defying Dixie helps us to understand the promise and possibilities of American politics, and to contend with the present in which we live.

Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore's DEFYING DIXIE: The Radical Roots of Civil Rights, 1919 - 1950 is the history of the civil rights movement from that time until the early 1950s. It gives inside history, interviews and information on how the Civil Rights movement that we are aware of today, came about. In the beginning, the Communist party was deeply involved. Their plan was to get the workers of America - black and white - to fight for better salaries from the companies they worked for. The only way to accomplish that was to get the two groups to work together. Naturally, the South, with its legacy of slavery, wasn't too happy with the mixing of the races. The companies, to keep their profits high, wanted to continue to pay blacks less than they paid whites and the only way to do that was to keep them separate. Many residents of the South didn't want blacks involved in the job market because they felt it would reduce their ability to have those jobs. There were, however, many people, of both races, who were determined that segregation/Jim Crow, would end. They were brave enough to defy the system and as a result, they frequently ended up in jail or worse.

During the Second World War, as Stalin took power, the involvement of the Communist party began to lose its appeal. The House Un-American Activities became concerned and the FBI spied on Communist and suspects. Any contact with a Communist could cause problems. It didn't stop those who were determined to force America to honor what it claimed it went to war for, from pushing their agenda for social and economic equality for all, even though many of them suffered for it.

Gilmore has written a heart rending account that covers history that is either missing or glossed over in our history books. So often we don't know the brutal history that brought us where we are today and Gilmore lets us know in no uncertain terms. Some of the unfair situations that blacks face will break your heart. It is a book every American should read in order to understand where we have come from and where we are going. It should be required reading for both high school and college students.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I won't write about her life since you can find a lot about that if you just type Gariela Mistral in the search box.

Her poetry sings of a woman with very deep emotions and incredible poetic talent.

For example, Los Sonetos de la Muerte begins as follows:

Del nicho helado en que los hombres te pusieron,
te bajaré a la tierra humilde y soleada
Que he de dormirme en ella los hombres no supieron
y que hemos de soñar sobre la misma almohada.

Here we can see a woman persecuted by men (put onto freezing niches or recesses like in a cave I suppose.)

Gabriela will put the woman (or man, possibly) down on the humble and sunny ground.

She adds: The men didn't know that I have to sleep on the ground
and that we must sleep together on the same pillow.

If she is referring to a man, this is a wonderful romantic image but if she is referring to a woman, it is a beautiful illustration of sisterly love. For that matter, this poem is so universal that it could be talking about a child or even a parent.

The poem (which has 42 lines) ends as follows:

Se detuvo la barca rosa de su vivir...
¿Que no sé del amor, que no tuve piedad?
¡Tú, que vas a juzgarme, lo comprendes, Señor!

It is saying at the end that the ship of your life has stopped, and

It seems to me that then she is protesting something like: You say that I don't know about love; that I never had pity on you or never felt pity in general??!!??

Then she turns to God and adds: Lord, you who will judge me, you understand, my Lord.

Thus she ends up by asking God for His judgment (or even Her judgment) probably, to defeat the lie which said that she couldn't feel mercy or didn't know how to love.

as i was taking a look in the encyclopedia i found the name gabriela mistral.i got excited suddenly and i wanted to see who was her.i found out that she was some kind of alatin writer.but that wasn`t the most exciting thing i found , the most interesting fact was that she won the nobel prize in literature at the very year where the secon world war had eneded.one of the very few women who won this prize.yet i was dissapointed when i found out that her books are neglected .i looked for them everwhere , but i found them not.they were not sold oftenly and so i don`t expect them at all to be translated.what ought people like us do.lovers of literature who want to read to her.i found out that no one has reviewe thiss book. i wanted to be the first one but that seems unlikely right.i foind that quite strange that i couldn`t but say oh GOD

I love good music and good writing. However, I would have never picked this book up if my 5 year old son had not said, "Look, Daddy, a book with a guitar on it!"

I read it cover to cover in one night. Raised in the South, I was just a little younger than the characters in this book. But, I knew every one of them.

I've since recommended this book to readers and non-readers. To a person, this book has been given rave reviews and passed on to the next person.

Buy it whether you are Southern, or not.

New in paperback is a book not to be limited to Dixie collections, but a 'must' for any who would understand the concurrent stories of music and race in the South. DIXIE LULLABY: A STORY OF MUSIC, RACE, AND NEW BEGINNINGS IN A NEW SOUTH traces the history and rise of Southern rock, comes from a veteran journalist who considers the effects of white southern rock on future generations, and provides a survey of regional and racial influences on this music. The author's own personal involvement with the music imparts the basics of growing up with rock and loving it - and supplements a survey of Southern rock history with a personal anecdotal style leisure browsers will find appealing and absorbing. No rock music history holding should miss it.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book pairs Mr. Rembert's remarkable paintings of his life with a poem by Nikki Giovanni. Winfred Rembert, an African-American artist originally from Georgia, incises scenes from his early life story on panels of leather, creating an unusually effective art form. The 3-D quality of his works, with forms molded through leather working techniques and colorfully dyed in precise areas, is difficult to capture in photographs, and some of the illustrations in this book only hint of the depth of his images. Mr. Rembert narrates the scenes in an approachable style. He has lived a life of epic proportions; he describes being given away as an infant by his mother to a relative, picking cotton in the rural south in near slave conditions, the good times at "colored corner," his civil rights struggle, surviving a near lynching, and his imprisonment, partly spent on a chain-gang. In prison he was introduced to the leather working techniques that he now employs in his art. In spite of his struggles, Mr. Rembert never lost his sense of himself or his optimism. Now living in New Haven, CT, he first exhibited his paintings at the Yale Art Gallery in 2000. This is the first book on his life and paintings. "Don't Hold me Back" is a must buy for anyone interested in African-American life and art, or in folk art today.

This book pairs Mr. Rembert's remarkable paintings of his life with a poem by Nikki Giovanni. Winfred Rembert, an African-American artist originally from Georgia, incises scenes from his early life story on panels of leather, creating an unusually effective art form. The 3-D quality of his works, with forms molded through leather working techniques and colorfully dyed in precise areas, is difficult to capture in photographs, and some of the illustrations in this book only hint of the depth of his images. Mr. Rembert narrates the scenes in an approachable style. He has lived a life of epic proportions; he describes being given away as an infant by his mother to a relative, picking cotton in the rural south in near slave conditions, the good times at "colored corner," his civil rights struggle, surviving a near lynching, and his imprisonment, partly spent on a chain-gang. In prison he was introduced to the leather working techniques that he now employs in his art. In spite of his struggles, Mr. Rembert never lost his sense of himself or his optimism. A selection of his paintings was exhibited at the Yale Art Gallery in 2000, but this is the first book on his life and art. It is an important source for people interested in African-American life and art, or in folk art today.

Kirkpatrick Sale has written a vision of the future that should be drilled into politicians' subconscious and taught in grade school. Sustainable, sane, ecologically minded bioregions. I was particularly struck by his definition of "querencia"--"a deep, quiet sense of inner well-being that comes from knowing a particular place of the earth, its diurnal and seasonal patterns, its fruits and scents, its history and its part in your history . . . where, whenever you return to it, your soul releases an inner sigh of recognition and relaxation." Sale is a wonderful writer, balanced in perspective, and able to distill complex problems into a form that the average mind can comprehend, despite all the arguments pro and con. Read it.

If you've come to suspect that most of the world's problems--pollution, warfare, crime, transnational piracy, mental illness--are inherent in a civilization in decline, you might like this vision of small, face-to-face communities living in respectful accord with the natural world.

The author makes the same point as ecopsychologists and the great whale researcher Roger Payne: built by millions of years of evolution to live in close contact with the wilderness, we who have penned ourselves behind fences and buildings carry with us a ten-thousand-year-old wound....a self-inflicted wound of aching alienation (hence our tendency to alienate--to marginalize--other people).

Read this book, then tour the decidedly un-zoolike San Diego Wild Animal Park while seeing how you feel there. For some this might offer a glimpse of a sanity so centering that you can feel it throughout your body.