Pennsylvania Books

"Mouring Glory" is certainly one of my favorite historical accounts of the French Revolution because it reaches beyond the conventional interpretations of this frightening (but fascinating) period of history. Huet gives the reader an informative analysis of the Revolutionary ideology of the sublime, and an incredibly well researched look into how and why the Revolution's idealistic leaders are portrayed as they are. The author gives insight into the Revolutionary will, and how it has been dramatized and incorrectly interpreted in an effort to remember the Revolution and its disturbing but hauntingly mesmerizing effects.

Marie-Helene Huet's collection of essays is a thought-provoking and fascinating account of the ways in which the past two centuries have dealt with one of the most controversial and multi-faceting events of all time; the French Revolution. Combatting Furet's bold "La Revolution est finie," Huet's work examines various aspects of the revolutionary myth, a myth that continues to influence popular culture to the present day. From a brilliant discussion of the meaning of the sublime in the late 18th century to the "feminization" of Robespierre and other Terrorists in historical accounts in order to embody the Chaotic as Feminine, Huet not only synthesizing previous studies of the Revolution but, most importantly, tells us how the perception of the Revolution always reflects upon the culture that created that perception. This is a fantastic combination of comparative mythology and history which should be read not only by those interested in the French Revolution but by anyone who wants to learn how society treats its dead and how that mirrors itself.

Yes, this is a history book, but it's so much more than that. Don Fitzkee writes with a style that makes the bare facts INTERESTING. While all the pertinent facts are contained here in detail, this is written by one who is obviously a great storyteller.

Since "oral tradition" plays such a huge part in the history of religion in America as well as the current climate of most congregations not only in the Church of the Brethren, but in all other denominations as well, this book is a jewel.

Every member of the Church of the Brethren should read it for sure, but those of other faith traditions will find it interesting and learn a great deal from the author's ability to tell the tale in such a way as well!

Part of the message here is: Aren't we swell for recognizing the error of our ways so soon? But more than that, it's about how we can hurt one another along the way if we are not very careful and considerate and PRAYERFUL. Fitzkee doesn't take sides, but simply and beautifully tells the story of what happened so that we can all learn and learn well.

This well-researched and well-written book was a pleasant surprise for me. I was raised in the Church of the Brethren, but left it over 40 years ago. Now in reading this, I'm understanding and appreciating my heritage. The story of the Brethren, and the enormous changes they made in 100 years...the struggle to remain separate from the "world", yet to witness to the world...the questions of dress; of biblical interpretations; of love feasts and baptisms and church architecture...are well discussed and very interesting. I imagine all denominations have had to struggle with similar questions. I think this book would be enjoyed by anyone who is interested in Protestant church history. It is a MUST for all Church of the Brethren members!

The Murderer by Felice Holman is a very fascinating book. It takes place during the Great Depression in a small town called Ashlymine, Pennsylvania. The Murderer is about a thirteen year old boy named Hershel Marks, or Hershy. Hershy is subject to racial prejudice because of his Jewish religion. The Polish boys call Hershy and his friends degrading names such as "Christ Killer" and "Zydek." In retaliation to this, Hershy and his friends throw rocks from a rooftop down at the Polish boys. The Murderer is a good book for quiet afternoon reading; it is a real page-turner. There were many exciting and funny parts in this novel such as when Hershy uses his "fish act" to make a "hypnotized" girl in a window laugh just to receive a free night's stay at the hotel. But more importantly, the historical content in this book is authentic. Felice Homan often times refers to Adolf Hitler's rise in power and the effect of this. Also, an overriding theme in this book is the effect that the Great Depression has on Hershy and his family. In response to the Great Depression, the Marks family has to make many adjustments, such as saving more things and being more conservative. All in all, The Murderer by Felice Holman is a good book because of its readibilty and historical content.

The Murderer by Felice Holman is a good representation of the question of what is the truth and how do you know it. This is because of the racial tension between the Poles and the Jews. Although the Poles call the Jewish boys "Christ killers," Hershy doesn't believe that this is true, so he decides to find the truth. The quest becomes a subplot to this book. Hershy decides to ask his family for the answer to the question of if his religion really did kill Christ. His family gives him a vague answer which isn't good enough for him. He seeks out to find Rabbi Gold to find the answer. Hershy asks the Rabbi, "Did we really kill Christ like the kids say?" (Holman 92). The Rabbi's response is how and that "crucifixion was not a Jewish way of execution" (Holman 93). Hershy is satisfied with this answer and his guilt is alleviated. Clearly, this example shows how Felice Holman related her book to the question of what is the truth and how you know it.

Felice Holman has done it again. This wonder full novel is about Hershey Marks, a young boy trying to find where he fits in, and yet living in Pennsylvania coal country. This wonderful novella is a great read. I also highly recommend Slake's Limbo, by Felice Holman

A well thought out and researched work on the intent of the constiutional framers concerning religion and state. We hear so much nonsense these days from ACLU and others which would make one think our country has just recently invented this need to let religion coexist without government constraint and interference. These jurists have well researched and well presented the case for contemporary jurisprudence to return to its founding roots concerning the separation and establishment clauses. Particulary ringing in my reading will be this quote: "The Constitution, the nation's fundamental law, cannot be legimately be construed to afford redress to every citizen who takes offense at public expressions, whether religious or secular in content. Although the establishment clause forbids the state from sponsoring religiously coercive symbols and practices, it does not require the state to excise public symbols and practices merely because they may be offensive to some."

Charles Emmerich and Arlin Adams use an unbiased approach to document the original goals of our founding fathers: A Nation that can only function properly as a righteous one. The book is a must read for anyone interested in First Amendment Law or anyone who needs a fresh focus on the rights we have as Americans.

The landscape of Pennsylvania has endured such intensive logging, mining, and urbanization over the years that it's a wonder any wild places still exist within its borders. But they do, and Charles Fergus has hiked in all 61 of them. The natural areas he's talking about here are located in state forests and have few recreational amenities, so they're open only to foot traffic. Habitats range from the tidal waters around Little Tinicum Island in the Delaware River to the forested crest and tower at the top of Mount Davis in Somerset County, the highest point in the Commonwealth. Many of these areas gained governmental protection within our lifetime, and I'm sure other natives will learn about sites they never heard of before. Basic road atlases don't usually acknowledge these places. Fergus provides detailed directions for access, writes about the uniqueness of each site, and recommends the best seasons for visits. His commentary is accompanied by black and white photos and may include smatterings of geology, history, anthropology, botany, and zoology. Wildlife ranges from bears and bobcats to salamanders and the tiny critters they feast on. There are bird migration routes, sites for butterfly aficionados, many tall trees and rare plants. A path falls onto land where chips of indigenous tools can still be found, and another turns onto a trail made more recently by an illegal all-terrain vehicle. A map, list of resources, and list of forestry addresses contribute to the usefulness of this guide. Scanning just a few pages will have you reaching for your boots and daypack in no time.

This is a very enjoyable and informative guide to the 61 natural areas in Pennsylvania, which are usually far from the beaten path of the cities, major highways, and even well-known hiking trails. Fergus spent a whole year personally exploring every one of these areas, and proves it with his first-hand descriptions. Therefore this book is based on real experience, and was not written by someone who has never been to the places they're writing about (such as the error-prone Longstreet Highroad Guide to the Pennsylvania Mountains, which I can't totally recommend). As an extensive hiker in PA myself, I've been to some of these natural areas and can attest to Fergus' accuracy. He focuses on the flora, fauna, and topography of these natural areas, and tips on how to get to the more remote ones that may not even be accessible by trail, all in lively prose that walks the fine line between poetic and overly sentimental. Fergus tends to avoid the bad news on some of these areas, especially pollution, which would make the chapters on Little Tinicum Island (near Philly) and Sheets Island Archipelago (almost within sight of Three Mile Island) more informative; plus the complete absence of maps is a problem for the larger natural areas. But still, this book greatly succeeds in making the outdoorsy Pennsylvania fan yearn to visit these hidden secrets.

This Neff genealogy is "not" out of print. I just purchased
a copy from the book store at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical
in Lanacaster, PA. They carry it in stock. Very well written, with a substancial amount of detail and documentation. In stock as of Aug 10, 2003.

Well written book, hard bound, cloth cover, archival 60# paper, fold out maps showing early Neff farms in Lancaster and Huntingdon Co's., PA and early Neff documents from the mid-1700's and early 1800's. Historically accurate and well documented. Printed by Princeton University Press. As of 2003, book is still in print and available.

New Myth, New World takes you on a journey deep from Rüssia's past to the present when the regime has fallen (even exploring the current relevance of "excrement" as a metaphore in Soviet literature). What I liked about this book was the well researched exposition of this work, as well as the meticulous prose that did not stray from being objective. The author is well-read, and consistently stays on track, and even when you think there has been a mistake (for example, quoting a 20th century figure for an idea Schopenhauer articulated a century before in his criticism of Hegel and his fellow mumblers), you'll find a few pages later that you yourself were wrong in thinking the author to be mistaken. A la fin, this is a good example of scholary work, which should be studied and learned from.

Other recommendations: Cultural Exchange (A book dealing with the Cold War and the exchange of information that helped lead to the downfall of the Soviet Union)

Nietzsche in Turin (A short work dealing with Níetzsche's last days, but strays enough from the subject to make it much more enjoyable than the crumbling insanity which was befalling good old Fritz at the time.)

Toilet: The Novel, by Michael Szymczyk (A Tribute to the Literary Works of Franz Kafka)

New Myth, New World: From Nietzsche To Stalinism by Bernice Glatzer Rosenthal is a thoughtful and scholarly reinterpretation of Nietzsche's lasting influence upon Soviet culture. Drawing on diverse primary sources in religion, philosophy, political ideology, architecture, street theater, and more, New Myth, New World is a learned and informative series of discourses combining to illustrate and demonstrate the lasting power of ideas in helping to shape the character, culture, and politics of the Russian nation and its governments. New Myth, New World is a welcome, significant, scholarly, and very strongly recommended contribution to Soviet Studies, Russian Cultural History, and Philosophy Studies academic reference collections as well as International Studies student supplemental reading lists.

Having spent much of my life in the Pennsylvania/New York region, I was delighted to find that this book contained most of the sights that I have come to love, as well as a large number that I was not familiar with. It is a "Blue Highways" (i.e., off the Interstate) type of guide, and is fun to read. Highly recommended for anyone planning a vacation in this region.

The National Geographic Driving Guides are by different authors and due to weak editing and selection, vary widely in quality. This one and the one for Texas and the Middle South are excellent. The California guide by Jerry Camarillo Dunn is awful. The Florida one falls somewhere in the middle. I have not read the others yet.

I found this book to be invaluable in planning our vacation in these three states. The book gave us suggestions of routes to take with time estimations included. Places of interest were rated allowing the traveler to make maximum use of his/her time. I have since purchased others in the series and will continue to recommend these guides to friends.

I lost this book several years ago in a house fire. Nonetheless, I often think about the delightful escapades and endearing anecdotes. Phyllis Lose's intelligence, heart, courage, and sense of humor come through loud and clear. Her story of going to Veterinary School at a time when women vets were few and far between is an inspiration. Having this book out of print is a shame. This is a must read for any young person who loves animals (or anyone else needing to break down barriers)

Any animal lover will like this book. But this book is not just for animal enthusiats. The obstacles the author overcomes to become the first lady veterinarian in America is astonishing. She became highly successful and had people seeking her out because of her advanced study of surgery on horses who previously would have had to have been put down. This book is well-written and very funny. Anyone who likes James Herriott will definetly enjoy this book.

Of Woods and Wild Things by Don Knaus: Don's a local guy writing about hunting and fishing and growing up in Tioga County. Though a work of fiction, there's more than a hint of the autobiographical. The stories follow a young man through his life from novice fisherman and hunter to seasoned woodsman. There's fishing and forests, hunting and hiking, camping and canoeing, but the stories are about more than woodcraft and the outdoors. It's about family and friendship, memories and mentoring, youth and yearning and a rite of passage that is becoming all too uncommon in our modern society.

Kevin Coolidge, columnist Wellsboro Gazette

This morning I wrestled a bear in my pajamas. Now, how he got in my pajamas, I'll never know. That's right give a man a fish and he'll eat for the day, but teach a man to fish and he'll be drinking beer and spinning tales before you know it. I grew up loving the woods and the wild things in them. Heck, I thought every ten year old knew how to identify a large-mouthed bass, or a pileated woodpecker, and knew that rattlers weren't really poisonous, but venomous, and believe me, there's a big difference if you are hungry I still find it hard to swallow that city folk think food comes from a grocery store, and that they can't get milk from a bull. Milk comes from a cow. You try milking a bull and let me know how it goes.

See, the land doesn't belong man, and by man, I mean humanity as a whole, It is the other way around. Man belongs to the land, the earth. I believe that the spirit of a place can call to a man. Some folks just belong in certain places. Blood calls to blood and spirit calls to spirit. It sings to you, draws you in and once it has you in your grasp. Well, I'm getting ahead of myself again.

I love stories. Stories are webs, connecting threads to threads to threads, each following to the center, because the center is the end, each person a thread of the story. Of Woods and Wild Things, a collection of related vignettes by Don Knaus, has some good yarns that weave into the tale of a man, and his relationship with nature.

The first rule of writing is to write what you know. It gives the writing a sense of verisimilitude that certain something that gives ones writing the sense of trueness, of realness. Although, Of Woods and Wild Things is a work of fiction, there's more than a hint of the autobiographical. The stories follow a young man through his life from novice fisherman and hunter to seasoned woodsman.

There's fishing and forests, hunting and hiking, camping and canoeing, but the stories are about more than woodcraft and the outdoors. It's about family and friendship, memories and mentoring, youth and yearning and a rite of passage that is becoming all too uncommon in our modern society.

Each story stands on it's own, some are humorous, some carry a sense of nostalgia and some just tell a tale. Being a ridgerunner myself I loved seeing the names of people and places I grew up with and around. The face of Wellsboro may have changed over the years, but the process of growing up remains unchanged. Each generation thinks it is the first to discover a new love or a new place, but the heart is the heart, regardless of the Age.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor "Of A Predatory Heart"