Kentucky Books

In this long overdue collection, Ballard and Chung have carefully presented Harriette Arnow's twenty-five extant stories, including fifteen previously unpublished ones. Arranged roughly in the order in which they were written, each one is prefaced with one or two paragraphs documenting the circumstances in which it was written, published or rejected. These stories range from the simple and naïve to the learned and sophisticated. "Winky Creek's New Song" and "Dreams Come True" were written when Ms Arnow was still in high school, while later stories like "King Devil's Bargain" and "Ketchup-Making Saturday" were studies for two of her novels. One of the most terse and stunning short pieces I have ever read and originally published in the small literary journal THE NEW TALENT in 1935, "A Mess of Pork" alone is worth the price of the volume.

The ten previously published stories are:
Marigolds and Mules
A Mess of Pork
The Washerwoman's Day
The Two Hunters
Blessed-Blessed
The First Ride
Fra Lippi and Me
The Hunter
Love?
Interruptions to School at Home

Author of Hunter's Horn, Mountain Path and other novels, and several historical works concerning Appalachia, Arnow was National Book Award winner in 1955. Although her most famous work, The Dollmaker, has enjoyed much success and was dramatized for television in 1984 with Jane Fonda playing Gertie Nevels, her works have been largely relegated to "regional" literature and subsequently her short stories, up until now, have been hard to find. So it is with special pleasure that we can now trace some of Arnow's evolving artistry and sociopolitical consciousness through these works she left behind.

A New Critic to her core, Gordon's discipline, control, and craftsmanship shine through in her short stories. This collection should show anyone why she was such a tremendous influence on Flannery O'Connor. As a master of the short story, Gordon deserves the recognition accorded O'Connor, Katherine Anne Porter, and Eudora Welty. I hope someone will reissue Gordon's anthology 'The House of Fiction.'

This is a very exciting andinsprational Book about Col.Sanders life.I hope that this book someday\soon gets back into print.

It remains one of the great mysteries of history how the Spanish Civil War came to be viewed as a struggle of Democracy versus Fascism, when, in fact, it was actually a battle between Soviet Communism and Conservative Reactionaries. Part of the explanation can be found in Richardson's excellent little book, which describes how, through and through, the International Brigades were creatures of the Kremlin, with the sole intent the sovietization of Spain. He tells the tale of the recruitment of this Red Foreign Legion, which had two main goals; the defense of the Spanish Rrepublic and as a propaganda and training tool to promote international communism.
While many if not most in the media today continue to characterize Franco as the fascist bad guy, aided by Hitler and Mussolini, this conflict demonstrates how fuzzy the whole issue of fascism vs democracy vs communism really was back then. As it turns out, Hitler was absolutely right in his assertion that Spain had to be saved from Bolshevism, am opinion that the western democracies blithely ignored. Unfortunately, many Spaniards have been so propagandized to hate Franco that the truth has been obscured. And it is today simply politically unthinkable to even suggest that Hitler could have actually done the right thing while democratic stalwarts like Roosevelt did nothing but mouth platitudes.
Reichardson's book is an outstanding example of how personal recollections and archival research can create a compelling view of a significant aspect of a little-known war. Highly recommended to any student of communism or pre-war Europe.

This guide is excellent. Perfect, in my opinion.

Birds are separated by types with a quick guide in the front pointing to the pages with more complete information. This information includes general information, habitat description, pictures of both the male and female, other ID, range map, pictures of similar birds, nesting information, things to look for, interesting facts and even a picture of an egg.

Quite a lot for a book that fits easily into a jacket pocket. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

A wonderfully detailed book about John Hunt Morgan and his Civil War expoits in central Kentucky. Please note that this work is not another romanticized biography of this famous Civil War guerilla fighter, but a thoroughly researched work on Morgan's guerilla activity in this geographic region of central Kentucky. Mrs. Gorin is a highly respected historian and genealogist, which allows her to utilize her minute attention to detail of local history that she has gleaned through her many years of research in central Kentucky. The book is profusely illustrated with photos of local and miliary individuals of the time, houses, military items and uniforms, as well as maps. It is rare to see this much attention to detail in a work of this type. Mrs. Gorin even goes into detail of the merchants and local businessmen of the area, even discussing the politics of the time, noting that in the election of 1860 only one individual voted for Abraham Lincoln in Taylor County.
It is also the first fully detailed treatise on the Battle of Tebbs Bend in 1863, in which five Union companies from Michigan, commanded by Michigan Col. Orlando H. Moore, were surrounded by Morgan's men who outnumbered them 4 to 1. Morgan requested their surrnder, but being July 4th Moore's response was: "Present my compliments to General Morgan and say, this being the 4th of July, I cannot entertain the proposition to surrender."
Mrs. Gorin is probably the foremost authority on this battle and gives the reader a front row seat in the battle. She also details one of John Hunt Morgan's most famous military maneuvers that he used in this battle in order to confuse the enemy in thinking he had more men than he actually did have.
If you love history, and if you have ancestors that came from Central Kentucky during this time, you will not be disappionted by this book. Thanks to Betty J. Gorin, Morgan is Coming, has finally arrived!

Patterson takes what could easily be a dry subject - the struggle between FDR and his attempts to remake the U.S. in his New Deal image and a cadre of conservative minded Senators and congressmen, the most prominent of them his fellow Democrats, just as determined to stop him - and turns it into a memorable study of power, principle, loyalty, and politics.

Patterson has an almost novelistic penchant for characterization. Such men as Carter Glass of VA, Josiah Bailey of NC, Burton Wheeler of Montana, Millard Tydings of Maryland, and Ellison "Cotton Ed" Smith of South Carolina attain a Dickensian expansion under Patterson's presentation. Glass, for instance, was so conservative that when the Washington hotel where he lived changed its wallpaper pattern, he would into a rage and moved out.

Patterson gives us detailed descriptions of this coalition of conservative Democrats and Republicans as they attempt to stop FDR's court-packing plan as well as some of his economic reforms. A highlight is the section where, in 1938, FDR went on the road South to try to defeat in the Democratic primaries some of the his chief legislative foes like Walter George of GA and the venerable Sen. Smith. The South's adoration of the President notwithstanding, the effort was largely unsuccessful.

This sounds like deadly dull stuff fit only for GINT majors, but Patterson makes it interesting, entertaining, and at times almost suspenseful.

This sits on my shelf next to another book I use for inspiration. I reach for this when I'm tired, or frustrated, and I re-connect with one of the most wonderful women this county ever knew.

Akenson and Wolfe have provided a format for scholars, students and others to share their love and insight into the broad and diverse range that is country music yesterday and today. The papers presented in the book are well researhed, informative and extremely readable...which makes the book all the more enjoyable! I give this book a 5 star rating and look forward to the next issue.

I'm not quite sure just what defines country music. In its day the Star Spangled Banner was a "low class" drinking song, and they've been recorded by contrmporary artists. Likewise some of the songs recorded in Northern Ireland or Australia might well be considered country. I guess you don't have to be white and southern to be "country."

In this book there are a series of essays that deal with country music our country's early wars to the war on terror. In fourteen essays, the impact and actions of country music and its performers is analyzed.

I think my favorite is the essay by Randy Rudder on the Dixie Chicks condemming President Bush on a stage in London. After Hollywood went berserk over Fahrenheit 911, why the commotion over the Dixie Chicks. DJ's were refusing to play their songs, there were CD Smashing parties, etc. Well, it's because they were country singers.

If you're a country fan, or if you're a music theoritician, you'll love this book