Kentucky Books

An exhilarating book of courage, passion, and determination, Fighter Pilot; The First American Ace of World War Two by William R. Dunn, is the biography of a Midwestern boy and his journey to become the first American Ace of World War Two. Starting as a young child listening to his relatives tall tales of aerial combat during World War One, the young William Dunn yearns for the rush and excitement of combat over the front lines. This young man showed an uncanny devotion to aviation, and even when he was forcefully retired from his rank of Lt. Colonel at the end of World War Two, he re-enlisted in the USAF as a Tech Sgt. This is the type of book that you are unable to set down. Once the reader has started to read into the life of this amazing man, you feel like you were right there flying top cover for this Hurricane, Spitfire, Thunderbolt, and Mustang pilot. His highly detailed accounts of his aerial victory's and of the aircraft he flew and flew against is truly a work of pure genius. Setting the rumors to fact based on personal experiences, he eliminates many discrepancies about World War Two aerial combat. His accounts of daily life in Eagle Squadron No. 71, comprised of all American volunteers flying for the Royal Air Force, tell of the struggles these men faced. The stories also tell of the happy times, of nights at the USO, having a lively night at the local bar, or just sharing letters from home, makes you feel for those men. The different tales from three different armed forces, gives the reader a sense of how well coordinated, from a tactical aspect, the allied war effort really was. A good show to Mr. William R. Dunn for his great book. It is truly and aviation classic.

William R. Dunn, with a slightly cliched but quite capable and at times understated style, tells his own story. It is about a person who engaged in more adventures than most of us could conceive. He rounded up and broke wild horses in the 1930's in the American West, fought with a Canadian highland regiment in France, became the first American ace with the RAF Eagle Squadron, helped force the German's back to Germany with the USAAF 9th Air Force, continued with Chenault and Chiang in China and, to cap his long career, contributed with the US Air Force in Viet Nam.

In his childhood, the author set a goal to be a flyer. He never wavered in its pursuit until he achieved the goal and then never stopped flying until first the Air Force asked him to retire and then death finally revoked his pilot's license.

His perseverance was evident by the fact that after marrying a Canadian girl in 1943 he only visited her and his son on two brief occaisions until he finished in China in 1947. Of course, she did the right thing. He also didn't quit when the Air Force retired his lt. colonel rank after the war and he re-enlisted as a technical seargeant. The bureaucrats involved with his loss of rank should have been court marshalled by the way.

An interesting footnote is that he was proud of his marksmanship with weapons. He shot down two German bombers with a puny Lewis Gun as an infantryman. He was a relatively prolific scorer compared with his peers as a fighter pilot in Hurricanes and Spitfires. Then, after an accident when attempting to take off with a Thunderbolt he mentioned that he wasn't seriously hurt and in passing that it only cost him the sight in one eye. While it wasn't clear when his vision became monocular, he did fly the next day. My point is that he never shot down another airplane in his long subsequent career after this incident despite some opportunities. Though Bill never commented on it in the book, I wonder if his sight was a factor.

I first became interested in Bill's story while I was doing research for a painting I was preparing for an American Society of Aviation Artists annual seminar. We talked many times on the phone when I needed some detail or other for the painting, and he offered to send me a copy of his book. When I started to read it, I couln't put it down. He even autographed it for me and is now one of my treasured possesions. Since the seminar was in the same town he lived, I invited him to the show to see the painting I had done of the Hurricane he flew in No.71 Sguadron of the Eagle Squadron RAF. It was a very emotional for both of us, especially when he turned to me and said,"that's just the way it was".He really was America's First Ace of WW2.

An exhilarating book of courage, passion, and determination, Fighter Pilot; The First American Ace of World War Two by William R. Dunn, is the biography of a Midwestern boy and his journey to become the first American Ace of World War Two. Starting as a young child listening to his relatives tall tales of aerial combat during World War One, the young William Dunn yearns for the rush and excitement of combat over the front lines. This young man showed an uncanny devotion to aviation, and even when he was forcefully retired from his rank of Lt. Colonel at the end of World War Two, he re-enlisted in the USAF as a Tech Sgt. This is the type of book that you are unable to set down. Once the reader has started to read into the life of this amazing man, you feel like you were right there flying top cover for this Hurricane, Spitfire, Thunderbolt, and Mustang pilot. His highly detailed accounts of his aerial victory's and of the aircraft he flew and flew against is truly a work of pure genius. Setting the rumors to fact based on personal experiences, he eliminates many discrepancies about World War Two aerial combat. His accounts of daily life in Eagle Squadron No. 71, comprised of all American volunteers flying for the Royal Air Force, tell of the struggles these men faced. The stories also tell of the happy times, of nights at the USO, having a lively night at the local bar, or just sharing letters from home, makes you feel for those men. The different tales from three different armed forces, gives the reader a sense of how well coordinated, from a tactical aspect, the allied war effort really was. A good show to Mr. William R. Dunn for his great book. It is truly and aviation classic.

Lynn Carrier was amazed how he accomplished explaining the "Bill of Rights" and other parts of the U.S. Constitution in a concise and dramatic way.

I think his approach appeals to young readers and he kept the examples politically neutral.

The latest entry in the University Press of Kentucky's "New Books for New Readers" series, Fights For Rights offers a concise (58 pages) and reader friendly survey of the American struggle for individual rights. All to often, Americans take many of their personal and political freedoms for granted, forgetting that they were originally won through hard work and bloodshed. Fights For Rights explains our everyday rights of free speech and religion, the rights of the accused, and how our Constitution guarantees these rights for everyone, black or white, male or female, young or old, rich or poor.

The latest entry in the University Press of Kentucky's "New Books for New Readers" series, Fights For Rights offers a concise (58 pages) and reader friendly survey of the American struggle for individual rights. All to often, Americans take many of their personal and political freedoms for granted, forgetting that they were originally won through hard work and bloodshed. Fights For Rights explains our everyday rights of free speech and religion, the rights of the accused, and how our Constitution guarantees these rights for everyone, black or white, male or female, young or old, rich or poor.

I was thoroughly impressed with how interesting the author portrayed this subject. While one does not typically think of legal battles as good reading, one has to remember the culture in which we live. We watch "The Practice" and "L.A. Law." We see Judge Judy, Judge Mills Lane, and the People's Court. This book is quite similar, and if you enjoy these TV programs, you'll enjoy the book.

This is an excellent book that has been well researched. I am a decendant of Henry Rains on my mother's side and have been trying to find out a lot more about my mom's side of the family. This book saved me countless hours of research and I haven't found anything so far in my research that disagrees with what is written in this book.

Thanks David for writing this wonderful book!!!!!

This is an excellent book. I am a decendant of Solomon Carter and Elizabeth Gibson-Fuson-Carter. There daughter, Jane Carter married Milton Lane Rice Rains.

Thanks for the wonderful book.

Wayne Carter

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this well researched book written by David S. Rains. It is easy to follow the journey this family made. I am a Rains descendant who is searching for my roots, but alas I was not connected through Henry Rains lineage. I would recommend this book to anyone searching the Rains line and to those that are collectors of historical families.

I must say this book was very insightful and met all my expectations. Especially knowing my uncle David Rains wrote this
book. Comming from a hard working man who I know put 100% effort into obtaining all the historical facts, Must of dedicated all his time to research the information. I have no doubt in my mind that every thing in this book is accurate. It was so nice to sit back and read a book about my ancestors. I would have never known any these things if my uncle David Rains didn't write this book. I encourage all family members and non-family members as well to purshes this book.
Lisa Kapahua

This book really helped me explain Jane Austen to my husband. Now he watches the movies with me quite contentedly.

I'm a big fan of Jane Austen in all forms. I've always thought that a mediocre Austen film is better than none at all. This book takes a fascinating scholarly look at Austen's film treatment. The authors say everything all true Austen fans have muttered about the films ("where's THAT in the book?!") and explains why it was done in such a way (for example, modern filmgoers won't appreciate an ugly, boring Edward Ferrers). Contains amusing critique of Thompsons S&S--that Austen's originial may have been more "feminist" than Thompson! If you enjoy the original written Austen and/or the recent film versions, you'll love this book.

Easy and accessible reading on a great writer. One of the best things about this book is the lack of critical consensus on so many important Austen issues (especially concerning her ostensible feminism and her indisputable irony)--it's always amusing (and enlightening) to listen in on a civilised, academic brawl! Do make sure to get the 2nd edition with 14 essays including the new one, "The Mouse that Roared."

The second edition (available only in paperback) contains a new essay, "The Mouse that Roared," about Patricial Rozema's film of Mansfield Park.

Delorme Gazetteers open up another world for people who like to just "cruise around" and not get lost.

Looking for an adventure? Then look no further that the Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer. These easy to use maps provide excellent political and some geographical detail of the roadways and byways in the state. Get off the interstate and explore!

Have done alot of biking in Western Kentucky and this atlas is a lifesaver when it comes to looking for riding routes. Also very useful when looking for addresses in the country.

I love these DeLorme "Atlas and Gazetteer" maps. We have one for Texas and found it very useful. We hope the Kentucky one will be just as informative. Includes all the little known roads not shown on standard highway maps...a true asset.

With a keen eye for what makes a good story, Keven McQueen uses his ready wit to tell each one with humor. These are sometimes morbid tales but told in such a way that the reader is entertained by them. "Kentucky Book of the Dead" amuses and sometimes fascinates.

THIS BOOK IS EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING AND WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT GIFT! I TOOK IT TO WORK WITH ME AND ALL MY CO-WORKERS PASSED IT AROUND AND READ ALOUD AND TO THEMSELVES VARIOUS PARTS OF IT! THEY ALL ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I DO!

Keven McQueen has the potential to be the Stephen King of non-fiction! Like King he relies on the most horrific material to entertain the reader. The difference is McQueen uses the reality of the human condition to cause nightmares!!!!! "The Kentucky Book of the Dead" will leave the reader in a dilemma.............Should one be embalmed or risk being buried alive??

It takes a consummate master of the written word to make typically unsavory topics such as death by cesspool and olden embalming techniques come across as hilarious and not just plain morbid. Keven Mcqueen is a master, as proven by his latest book, The Kentucky Book of the Dead. He's got it in spades. He'll waste no time for the reader, offering up concise yet enthralling bits of death and factoids on the mayhem wreaked by the unlucky, uncaring, and just plain not so bright among us. He gives us a lagniappe of amusing tombstone headings as a little gift to the reader, which I consider a fantastic way of ending the book. Also, Kyle McQueen's illustrations help spotlight all the humor and pathos. Don't miss out on this one!

Accurately depicts our fallen and beloved hero! A testamount to his accomplishments!

This is a must have for Barbaro fans. It is all about him. If you are looking for pictures and info on the other horses in the 2006 Derby you won't get it. But the pictures are beautiful and the comments are nice. The book is well made and worth the price.

This book is full of amazing pictures that capture not only the tradition of the Kentucky Derby but the Spirit of Barbaro. A beloved way to remember the Derby winner, flying on all fours. Some of the pictures make it seem as if you could reach out and touch this courageous horse. Having Barbaro first in this new series of books from Churchill couldn't have been more fitting for this Champion who truely did capture America's heart.

The photograghy in this book is fantastic and gives you the complete scenerio in pitures. You feel like you are right there at this moment and it will definitely bring many tears to your eyes as you watch Barbaro race thru the pictures. My personal favorite was the picture of him in complete suspension. Great momento of an big hearted horse.

When I was a little girl, I never tired of gazing at James Archambault's amazing photographs of Kentucky in my dad's copy of the original "Kentucky." When I grew up, moved away from home to Arizona, and realized how much of Kentucky was a part of me, my mother presented me with the updated version one Christmas. Now that she has retired to Florida and is homesick for her first Christmas away from the Bluegrass, I'm giving her a copy of her own...although I do fear that it may make her even more homesick for the rolling hills and changing seasons of our native home. At any rate, I wouldn't dream of giving her any other book of Kentucky. We Kentuckians know that this series is the one to have and to give.

It is also hard for me living way from Kentucky - as I attend Auburn University. When I do get homesick, I get out Kentucky II and it takes me there. It takes me back to the times of working on the farm, enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the being with a brand of people like no where else. If you are a native Kentuckian or just want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of our state - from the Western Kentucky tobacco farms, to the Bluegrass, to the rugged mountains and forests of Eastern Kentucky - buy this book! As a amateur photographer, I can say James Archambeault is a hero!

It is also hard for me living way from Kentucky - as I attend Auburn University. When I do get homesick, I get out Kentucky II and it takes me there. It takes me back to the times of working on the farm, enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the being with a brand of people like no where else. If you are a native Kentuckian or just want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of our state - from the Western Kentucky tobacco farms, to the Bluegrass, to the rugged mountains and forests of Eastern Kentucky - buy this book! As a amateur photographer, I can say James Archambeault is a hero!

It is difficult living far from "my old Kentucky home" so to speak. However, a quick trip to the bookshelf for James Archambeault and Thomas Clark's Kentucky II quickly brings me home again. Kentucky II is predominantly a picture book that focuses on the natural beauty of Kentucky. Oh, and what wonderful pictures they are! The plunging cliffs of Red River Gorge seem almost within reach. The endless miles of streams and rivers look close enough for a swim. Kentucky II captures magnificently the beauty and serenity that is Kentucky. On the other hand, the book does focus too much on the natural side. Kentucky II is primarily devoted to nature, rural culture, and horse racing. There are very few pictures of city or town life. The book itself says "the cities, towns, and villages that today hold slightly more than half of Kentucky's population" (17). This half was nearly snubbed by this book. Louisville, Kentucky's first class city, gets one picture outside of the Churchill Downs horse racing track, while Kentucky's numerous second-class cities get two pictures total, one of Lexington and one of Covington. Kentucky II fails to deliver a complete picture of Kentucky. However, the pictures that are there are so wonderful that this book deserves at least a four star rating. If this book had been named Natural Kentucky, then it might seem less unsure of its mission. This book is a must have for those who wish to have the natural beauty of Kentucky at their fingertips.

For many years as a Freshman English instructor, I assigned this book to students from all over the country. Though many of them groaned at the thought of reading a book "about hillbillies" when they first heard the title, Gurney Norman's wonderful comedic touch and unique, likeable, well-rounded characters never failed to win them over. Though Norman's book, in the best tradition of Southern fiction, is strongly rooted in "place," the author succeeds in transcending his stories' locales, making Wilgus and his family seem like people any of us might know and many of us would wish to know. You don't have to be from Kentucky coal-mining country to enjoy this book. You only have to love fine writing, powerful characterization, and sharply-honed humor in the best tradition of Faulkner, O'Connor, and Norman's friend and fellow Kentucky author Ed McClanahan.

Gurney Norman spins yarns as well as any of the authors of this genre. He is able to add classical elements to his stories. You will find well-developed characters and some of them even have tragic flaws. This is fantastic reading beginning to end. Great book.

Norman spins his story telling magic again. He returns to his roots in eastern Kentucky and beautifully tells the tale of Wilgus and his struggle to grow and search for meaning. The characters are teeming with life and the prose is fluid enabling one to travel along with Wilgus. If you have read Divine Right's Trip and yearn for more Norman this is it.

This unique, realistic collection of short stories presents the reader with psychologically complex characters threaded throughout one Appalachian family. Norman's greatest success is that he is able to access Applachian life with an unflinching eye and yet treat it with a tenderness that is neither maudlin nor overdone. This short book puts certain more popular Kentucky writers to shame, for it adamantly refuses to fall into Appalachian stereotypes and treats its characters as the complex, often flawed, but dignified people that they are. Say what you will about Mason and Offut; Norman represents the finest short story writing in the region and remains one of Kentucky's best known secrets

Published in 1996 as a follow-up to "Tragedy at Devil's Hollow and Other Kentucky Ghost Stories," this volume of macabre delights is perhaps even better than its predecessor, and almost certainly scarier. There seems to be no end to the supernatural history of Kentucky life, nor to peoples' curiosity about it. Michael Paul Henson has done Kentuckians and folklorists all across the nation a great service in compiling these dark, engaging tales. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls and witches all come to life inside this book, and once you've read it you may never look at Kentucky in quite the same way. Highly recommended.

When I first read this book I couldn;t believe that all of this had happend all in Kentucky. There was one story about a witches grave that intrested me so much that my boyfriend and I are looking for the exact cemetery that she was buried in, in Pulaski county Kentucky. I was a good book, and I think anyone who is interested in gohst stories and lives in Kentucky ought to buy this book! It was just so good.

This book left you wanting to read more about Kentucky Ghosts. I always hear about the Bell Witch because she is only 30 miles away, but to hear true Kentucky Ghost stories just makes your skin crawl. I have even tried to locate the farm where the money is still buried. I believe there is a force out there, whether it be ghosts, goblins, or witches there is something out there. For those who do not believe in the supernatural just read this book and it will make you think twice.

I loved this book. This book contained stories that my Grandfather told me when I was a little girl. It was also cool that several of the stories took place in my home town of Hyden, Kentucky. I would recommend this book to anyone who lives in Kentucky or just likes ghost stories.