South Carolina Books

The author has provided an insightful and concise portrait of Amis and his work. I can't imagine that Amis himself could have done better. Diedrick really knows his subject.

Okay, so it's not enough that I maintain, repair, resurrect, and manage this board, where I'm subjected to your abuse on a regular basis; it's not enough that I fulsomely praise you for your insights about the Larkin-Amis nexus of text-checking (and direct readers to the pages and pages on the Amis web where you have your uncensored say); no, I needed to interweave your pet theory about the additional metaphorical weight Nicola carries around with her. May the ghost of Orson fall from your bedroom ceiling tonight, just as you are hatching a theory about the metaphorical significance of CigAir 101--and become incarnate just before his redoubtable rear crashes into your face.

If you are doing research on Martin Amis, this is a book you will have to consider. Terrifically written.

James Diedrick is described in the Introduction to Amis's 'The War Against Cliché' as an 'assiduous' editor. Amis, with one eye constantly on his place in history, already has many good reasons to thank Prof Diedrick, and this update of the definitive guide to Amis's work is another one.

Critical appraisals of other writers are always a balancing act: between subjective opinion and bland objectivity; between an appreciation of the subject's skills and the desire to demonstrate one's own; between academic assiduousness and an accessible message. Understanding Martin Amis gets the balance right in all areas. Any fan (or adversary) of Amis will get a great deal from the book: apercus they hadn't spotted before, confirmation of their pet theories, (relevant) biographical background, and a shared sense of the fun to be had from Amis's fiction at its peerless best. When the Amis backlash has finished its tedious course (when wasn't there one?), this book will serve as a useful reminder of why he was, and will be, so lionised as a novelist.

A contemporary review of Ian MacDonald's superb 'Revolution In The Head: The Beatles Records and the Sixties' stated that the acid test of any work of criticism is whether it makes you want to revisit the work filled with greater insight and enjoyment. I can give no higher praise than to state that Understanding Martin Amis achieves this objective every bit as successfully as MacDonald's book.

Diedrick has written an extremely helpful guide to the work of Martin Amis that should satisfy both academics and casual readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of Amis' often highly allusive fiction. Diedrick's writing is crisp and insightful, and the many strands of Amis' thought are followed with a thoroughness that captures the complexity of his novels without oversimplifying them. So deftly written are Diedrick's discussions of each novel that just about any of the paragraphs could easily warrant a book-length treatment on its own. Students will have much to plunder.

As a longtime reader of Amis', I enjoyed the thoughtful discussions of complex novels like "Money", "London Fields" and "The Information". The attention to the structure of these novels is a great help in unraveling their mysteries, as are the passages outlining Amis' dialogue with nineteenth century luminaries like Dickens and the Romantics. The early books are not overlooked; "The Rachel Papers", one of my favorites, turned out to be a little trickier than I'd thought, while "Other People"-- undoubtedly the most maddeningly convoluted of all the novels-- was made less obscure. (Alas, even Diedrick cannot make me a believer in the insipid "Dead Babies".)

Of special interest is the running examination of Amis' view of masculinity. Amis is often carelessly dismissed by many critics as the father of "lad lit", a smirking mysoginist beyond reconstruction, and I was pleased to see that Diedrick cut through the "bad boy controversy" to illuminate Amis' multivalenced depiction of the modern male (particularly in the new fine new chapter on "Yellow Dog"). This is one of Amis' primary subjects, and almost all of his books deal with the problem of masculinity in some form or another. Diedrick shows that on this topic Amis is hardly as simple as he seems, and certainly less risible.

Importantly, Diedrick's studies also draw on Amis' other writing, such as his journalism and criticism, which is often the best starting point for deciphering the novels, as artistic and philosophic themes move freely between his fiction and non-fiction. The comprehensive use of secondary writing to explain the novels is unsurprising, as Diedrick edited Amis' volume of criticism, the excellent but rather unfortunately titled collection "The War Against Cliche".

If Amis is truly trying to "cover the world in fiction", as one of his book jackets proclaims, Diedrick has provided a learned, engaging and, indeed, indispensible road map.

Byron Baldwin is a fabulous photographer. This is the story of a baseball team in Rembert, South Carolina who play the game because they love and enjoy it. Many of them have been playing for years, and Byron Baldwin captures the season's many great moments.

The 521 All-Stars is a baseball team with roots going all the way back to the 1920s. It is a black baseball team, and part of a league of twenty other teams. Each Saturday and Sunday, people come to the field to cheer for their teams.

Frye Gaillard does a wonderful job writing, and each picture seems to come more alive with the use of his words.

I hope that Byron Baldwin will one day write another book with either Frye Gaillard or another writer, for this quiet man with a love for music and photography made a great impact on the lives of the students he taught (I know, I was one of them) as well as the community of Charlotte, NC. I hope that he will also be able to show others around the world his knowledge and amazing techniques in photography. This book helps show them, and it brings to life a part of Southern history that many people have either forgotten about or never knew as well as show the beauty of the love of a great game.

From its richly flavored and evocative photographs to its cleanly presented yet eloquent prose, this book is truly a must have. Thought the book may focus on baseball as subject matter, the story truly lies within the framework of the community that supports the league. This sense of community, seemingly lost in a world laden with technology, is alive and well in Rembert, South Carolina. Byron Baldwin and Frye Galliard really do capture this spirit, and use their respective talents to convey it to the reader. Whether you are interested in baseball, black history, or that spirit of community so true to "Americana", then buy this book. You will not be dissappointed.

Outstanding book. this is the first book that I have read that focused on smalltown USA and the will and esprit that a town puts into a baseball team. I found the book to be extrememly inspirational and the photography was excellent. Definitely worthy of reading.....I truly enjoyed each and every page.

Through evocative and tasteful photographs, coupled seamlessly with simple yet poignant prose, this book certainly deserves the five star rating. Baldwin and Galliard have definately captured a piece of what it is that makes us human. Despite the fact that the book's focus is baseball, the real story lies in the community that fuels the small-town league. This idea of a community that relies on its members to exist is nearly lost in a society laden with technology. Somehow, the boys in Rembert, South Carolina, and their love of the game, have managed to survive. If you are interested in good photography, black history, baseball, or southern culture, then this book is truly a must have.

What a wonderful visual study of the nature of community and the joy of sport. The text captures the context but the energy, passion and love of the players is a delight to behold in the photographs. This book should be in every public school library in the nation. I can see young people spending hours looking and reading and being inspired at the vision of a place where values, a love of community, faith and sport are demonstrated in an authentic and traditional way. I'm glad I owe this book!

Mr. Gibson and Mr. Donovan have written what is likely the clearest and most concise book there is on the successes and failures of our maritime policies. Unfortunately, the state of our maritime industry today reflects what looks like mostly failure. It is a sad story that the general public neither understands the realities of the state our transportation system is in, nor the impact we are yet to face as a result of the mis-guided and foolish policies of our government. The really dangerous part to this is that our government and politicians do not understand it, either.

This book should be required reading for all consumers, elected and appointed government officials, and all employees even remotely connected to the transportation industry. The lessons in this book can teach us a great deal about the dangers of runaway protectionist and entitlement policies.

Moreover, this book can be a road map to the elected people in offices around Washington, D.C., and our state capitols for what needs to be done to bring our maritime heritage back to the forefront of where it should be, and the impact of what is facing us if we don't get it there.

This book is written in such a spendid way as to not bore the reader. While this is obviously a text for students of Maritime industry concerns - seafarers, transportation officals and the like - the book is fascinating to all who have an interest in how the United States became the power that it is today. It becomes apparent as to why we are not a strong commercial sea power, but the insight to our strength at sea via our Navel forces is also clear.

Starting from our earliest days as a nation the authors trace the world shipping history and how America fit in to global sceene. The book makes connections as to our past and how it became our present.

The book reads very well, is concise and fills in gaps in the details of our history that many scholors (layman or profession) should read and evaluate. It just makes sense to see the total picture painted by Gibson and Donovan.

The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy Gibson, Andrew and Arthur Donovan

Published by EH.NET (September 2000)

Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan, The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 2000. xiv + 362 pp. $39.95 (hardback), ISBN: 1-57003-319-6.

Reviewed for EH.NET by Gordon Boyce, School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

In this well-written volume, Gibson and Donovan provide a concise analysis of American maritime policy from the early republic to the present. Their aim is to explain why since about 1860 the United States failed to achieve "its stated goal of promoting a commercially viable merchant marine engaged in foreign trade" even though a strong merchant navy was considered essential in times of national emergency. In so doing, Gibson and Donovan endeavour to furnish the historical background needed to guide future policy. Their advice is unequivocal: the government should eliminate restrictions and subsidies in order to let the industry operate freely on the same basis as its international rivals.

Yet, the argument does not come across as ideologically motivated or doctrinaire. Indeed, Gibson and Donovan carefully explain that America made a critical mistake by continuing to pursue protectionist practices. Specifically, the authorities required U.S. flagged vessels to be U.S.-owned and -built and reserved coastal trades for U.S. registered ships. Between 1830 and 1860, when America had an international comparative advantage in shipbuilding and formidable ship operating capabilities, these restrictions were unnecessary. After the Civil War, which caused the destruction of a large part of the national fleet, American shipbuilding lost its prowess as the shift from sail to steam and from wood to iron and later steel conferred advantages upon Britain's shipyards. Yet, U.S. flag restrictions compelled domestic operators to remain bound to an inefficient shipbuilding industry. The chosen solution was to provide subsidies, but these were inadequate to prevent a continued decline, especially as land ward opportunities offered greater returns. After 1880, the U.S. navy expanded as the country sought to enhance its international position, but the merchant marine withered to the extent that by 1900, American ships carried just eight percent of their country's foreign trade. During World War I, the consequences of this dangerous state of affairs finally revealed themselves, and the government responded by building and operating a huge fleet. It also passed the famous Shipping Act of 1916 which ignored international practices and compelled domestic and foreign ship owners servicing U.S. trades to operate within "open" conferences (rate-setting cartel-like organizations) that were subject to federal regulation.

America's policy settings were reinforced by subsequent legislation, which offered the industry more support in the form of postal, construction, and operating subsidies. The Shipping Act of 1920 committed the government to preserving a merchant marine capable of supporting the nation's trade and acting as a naval reserve and the Act of 1936 compelled ship operators to offer seafarers remuneration at levels above international standards. A divided union movement created chronically unstable labour relations to which ship owners responded by making generous concessions. Moreover, because the U.S. shipbuilding industry failed to exploit fully innovations (including modular construction) vessel costs were much higher than overseas. Subsidies, which were especially wasteful and corrupt in the 1930s, propped up the edifice. Political leaders were unwilling to make fundamental changes in the face of opposition from politically powerful interest groups. The fire sales of vessels that followed massive war-induced shipbuilding programmes gave the industry temporary fillips that could not compensate in the long-term for a lack of international comparative advantage.

By the 1980s, the link between commercial shipping and military support had been all but broken by changes in sealift requirements. (The army required Roll-on Roll-off vessels to carry heavy vehicles, but U.S. shipowners possessed few of these craft with the result that the world had a very close call when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.) Moreover, subsidies were becoming increasingly politically unpalatable. Currently, U.S. policies are completely out of touch with international conventions that allow the use of flags of convenience and support open registers.

Gibson and Donovan argue that the solution is to leave shipping free to meet foreign competition. By eliminating onerous registry rules and allowing American ship owners to buy vessels from foreign yards, to employ lower cost labour, and permit the same type of tax advantages enjoyed by international competitors, the U.S. might prevent the complete disappearance of its merchant marine. In so doing, the nation could preserve the industry's formidable innovative capabilities, while securing commercial and perhaps strategic advantages.

The Abandoned Ocean is not a typical "policy" book; it is written in a lively and compelling style, provides a broad context, and presents a clear analysis. This splendid volume will attract government officials, business historians, maritime historians, and economists. By highlighting the difficulty of regulating an international industry this volume indirectly offers guidance to those who might consider imposing restrictions on businesses like those conducted over the internet. It also draws attention to the way in which political factors that shape regulatory traditions can create enduring path dependency. The chapters on recent developments are particularly valuable. The Abandoned Ocean should be included in the reading lists of a variety of courses, including the economics of regulation, policy formulation and execution, and business and maritime history, as well. Individual chapters can be used as required reading for historical survey courses to develop maritime/international themes. Maritime historians will be anxious to see Gibson and Donovan's next work which examines the history of the container revolution.

Gordon Boyce's publications include Information, Mediation and Institutional Development: The Rise of Large-scale Enterprise in British Shipping, 1879-1914, Manchester University Press, 1995.

Citation: Gordon Boyce, "Review of Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy" Economic History Services, September 11, 2000

Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan. The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy. Studies in Maritime History Series. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 2000. xiv + 362 pp. Illustrations, references, and index..., ISBN 1-57003-319-6.

Reviewed by Gordon Boyce, School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand . Published by EH.Net (September, 2000)

In this well-written volume, Gibson and Donovan provide a concise analysis of American maritime policy from the early republic to the present. Their aim is to explain why since about 1860 the United States failed to achieve "its stated goal of promoting a commercially viable merchant marine engaged in foreign trade" even though a strong merchant navy was considered essential in times of national emergency. In so doing, Gibson and Donovan endeavour to furnish the historical background needed to guide future policy. Their advice is unequivocal: the government should eliminate restrictions and subsidies in order to let the industry operate freely on the same basis as its international rivals.

Yet, the argument does not come across as ideologically motivated or doctrinaire. Indeed, Gibson and Donovan carefully explain that America made a critical mistake by continuing to pursue protectionist practices. Specifically, the authorities required U.S. flagged vessels to be U.S.-owned and -built and reserved coastal trades for U.S. registered ships. Between 1830 and 1860, when America had an international comparative advantage in shipbuilding and formidable ship operating capabilities, these restrictions were unnecessary. After the Civil War, which caused the destruction of a large part of the national fleet, American shipbuilding lost its prowess as the shift from sail to steam and from wood to iron and later steel conferred advantages upon Britain's shipyards. Yet, U.S. flag restrictions compelled domestic operators to remain bound to an inefficient shipbuilding industry. The chosen solution was to provide subsidies, but these were inadequate to prevent a continued decline, especially as land ward opportunities offered greater returns. After 1880, the U.S. navy expanded as the country sought to enhance its international position, but the merchant marine withered to the extent that by 1900, American ships carried just eight percent of their country's foreign trade. During World War I, the consequences of this dangerous state of affairs finally revealed themselves, and the government responded by building and operating a huge fleet. It also passed the famous Shipping Act of 1916 which ignored international practices and compelled domestic and foreign ship owners servicing U.S. trades to operate within "open" conferences (rate-setting cartel-like organizations) that were subject to federal regulation.

America's policy settings were reinforced by subsequent legislation, which offered the industry more support in the form of postal, construction, and operating subsidies. The Shipping Act of 1920 committed the government to preserving a merchant marine capable of supporting the nation's trade and acting as a naval reserve and the Act of 1936 compelled ship operators to offer seafarers remuneration at levels above international standards. A divided union movement created chronically unstable labour relations to which ship owners responded by making generous concessions. Moreover, because the U.S. shipbuilding industry failed to exploit fully innovations (including modular construction) vessel costs were much higher than overseas. Subsidies, which were especially wasteful and corrupt in the 1930s, propped up the edifice. Political leaders were unwilling to make fundamental changes in the face of opposition from politically powerful interest groups. The fire sales of vessels that followed massive war-induced shipbuilding programmes gave the industry temporary fillips that could not compensate in the long-term for a lack of international comparative advantage.

By the 1980s, the link between commercial shipping and military support had been all but broken by changes in sealift requirements. (The army required Roll-on Roll-off vessels to carry heavy vehicles, but U.S. shipowners possessed few of these craft with the result that the world had a very close call when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.) Moreover, subsidies were becoming increasingly politically unpalatable. Currently, U.S. policies are completely out of touch with international conventions that allow the use of flags of convenience and support open registers.

Gibson and Donovan argue that the solution is to leave shipping free to meet foreign competition. By eliminating onerous registry rules and allowing American ship owners to buy vessels from foreign yards, to employ lower cost labour, and permit the same type of tax advantages enjoyed by international competitors, the U.S. might prevent the complete disappearance of its merchant marine. In so doing, the nation could preserve the industry's formidable innovative capabilities, while securing commercial and perhaps strategic advantages.

The Abandoned Ocean is not a typical "policy" book; it is written in a lively and compelling style, provides a broad context, and presents a clear analysis. This splendid volume will attract government officials, business historians, maritime historians, and economists. By highlighting the difficulty of regulating an international industry this volume indirectly offers guidance to those who might consider imposing restrictions on businesses like those conducted over the internet. It also draws attention to the way in which political factors that shape regulatory traditions can create enduring path dependency. The chapters on recent developments are particularly valuable. The Abandoned Ocean should be included in the reading lists of a variety of courses, including the economics of regulation, policy formulation and execution, and business and maritime history, as well. Individual chapters can be used as required reading for historical survey courses to develop maritime/international themes. Maritime historians will be anxious to see Gibson and Donovan's next work which examines the history of the container revolution.

Library of Congress call number: VK23 .G53 1999 Subjects: Merchant marine--United States--History Navigation--United States--History Citation: Gordon Boyce . "Review of Andrew Gibson and Arthur Donovan, The Abandoned Ocean: A History of United States Maritime Policy," EH.Net, H-Net Reviews, September, 2000. URL....

Messrs. Gibson and Donovan provide a complete history of America's maritime policy and explain in detail the unfortunate demise that the U.S. merchant marine faces today. The reader should find the book easy reading, almost like a novel. America has gone from having the world's largest commercial shipping fleet to now being unable to carry more than 3 percent of its cargo. The political and business reasons for this evolution are pointed out though the reader unless familiar with the commercial maritime world might have trouble grasping the downfall of the U.S. flag fleet. Today, the U.S. is still the world's largest importer/exporter in numbers of tons, but due to outdated maritime policy, has failed to maintain a modern commercial fleet to carry a "fair share" of these cargoes. Recommended for maritime students and commercial shipping persons as well as for politicians as a lesson on how outdated policy can ruin an industry.

I am the Grand daughter of Bernard Martof!!!! I have liiked a the book. It has beautiful photographs. Great facts too!! If you need a reptile question answered you should look at this book!!! If I ever do a reptile study I think I will look in this book. I like the frog on the cover too!

Like another reviewer, I've had a copy of this book since the 80s. As a kid, I practically memorized this book, and I still think it's finest field guide I own. This book coverage of the most common species is quite thorough. The style and presentation are also excellent, so aspiring field guide writers should take notice.

Excellent book! It's a little more detailed that a typical field guide but what I like most about it is that its specific to our area. So, while I have a larger field guide (for the region) I also really love having this one because it's more focused. In the beginning of the book there's an introduction to habitat with great pictures showing what the habitats look like. The book then goes into the specific species - I was particularly interested in the salamanders and amphibians but the sections on snakes, turtles and lizards are super too. The pictures are great, descriptions cover approx. size, colors/patterns, species that they could be confused with, habitats, and egg laying (timing, incubation etc). Great book to have on hand.

I've had and used this book since it came out in 1980. I always recommend it to all of the classes and seminars I give on reptiles and amphibians and to all of the people who ask for a good field guide because, for the size and cost, there are none better for this part of the country. Well worth the money if a handy, accurate, well-done field guide with great photos and range maps is what you want.

I love this book. We see a snake in the woods, and take note of as many characteristics as we can, then look it up later to learn more about it. Same with frogs, toads, lizards, skinks! The actual information provided for each reptile is slim but very interesting. This is a great book to have if you spend any time in the wild in Virginia.

This thoroughly researched and well-written book held special meaning for me, one of the last generation from the segregated South who entered a movie theater through the "colored" entrance and sat in the balcony, and who spent four years at Duke U. during the early '70's. The presence of the Klan in my small North Carolina town was always known but hidden, and this book provided insight into why poor whites find membership in the Klan and its philosophies so attractive and how the white elite was secretly complicit in its support of the Klan. This book introduced me to Hayti, the section of Durham where low-income African-Americans live. Despite my four years at Duke, I'd never heard of this neighborhood, and the story of Hayti resident Ann Atwater's activism to improve conditions for poor blacks and whites in Durham is amazing. Duke U. is a very insular campus, and town-gown relations between the school and Durham have historically been tense. I'm very glad that this book exists for incoming freshmen to read; to spend four years on a campus and have no knowledge of the town surrounding the campus (as I did not have) is shameful.
A very valuable insight in this book is the author's understanding of the strange dynamics of class, which exists throughout the South but is seldom mentioned. Blaming African-Americans for their economic woes, and receiving secret support from the white elite, has historically distracted poor whites from the reality that it is this white elite, with its power and money, that keeps poor whites economically down-trodden.
Although I was in Durham slightly later than the years during which the events of the book take place, I had some familiarity with many of the key players (Howard Fuller, Floyd McKissick, Asa Spaulding), and the book exhaustively discusses the roles of everyone involved in this tumultuous time in Durham. It reads like riveting fiction, and the evolution of the relationship between C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater is a wonderful story.

Thank you for providing such great service. You followed through on your end of the deal perfectly.

As someone who works for parity in this society, I look for materials that show clearly that poor white people have more in common with blacks and other ethnic/racial peoples than they do with the power structure that oppresses us all. This book clearly and beautifully illustrates that point.

It has always mystified me that more poor "white" men, in particularly, fail to see this. Every young white man who blames blacks for his inability to get a decent job, the meagerness of his life, or whatever, should read this book. Every petty racist should read the story of C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater and learn something about the real problems, not the cheap shot racist answers that many of us come to too readily in this society.

I've purchased five copies for myself and friends. A great book to give that relative, co-worker or acquaintance who persists in making racist comments and blaming blacks for the problems in this society.

This book has been out of print for some time, but thankfully the University of North Carolina Press has resurrected it. Duke University's incoming Freshman class has been assigned to read this book as their compulsory summer reading assignment. The Class of 2011 will then discuss this book during Freshman Orientation Week. The selection of this book as the summer reading assignment is timely with the upheavals in Durham and at Duke during the so called "Duke Lacrosse Scandal."

It is interesting to note that Durham held on to Jim Crow laws and was very slow to integrate public schools compared with some high profile Southern cities. When forced to comply with court-ordered integration, the school district took the unusual step of pairing a long-time black activist and a ranking member of the Ku Klux Klan to lead a committee whose purpose it was to deal with the issues surrounding integration. It seems like this would be a disaster, but surprisingly it was far from it.

I should note that this is not some dry recitation of the past. The story reads much more like a novel. I couldn't put in down and found myself quite moved by the story.

This is a truly poignant book that demonstrates how much we have in common with people of other races, creeds or colors and how, by finding common ground, we can move ahead in our society. There are lessons here for us in the new millennium.

For those interested in an excellent book dealing with similar issues, I recommend Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story

An extraordinary book, not for its writing or ideas, but for the *very idea of it!* How could this have happened, and how could the book tell the story like this??? As a feminist I'm challenging the assumptions of white males who think they are in touch with African Americans, or with feminism. As a white Woman, I feel for the experiences of Black Women, and am sickened by the way white males mostly just don't get it. This is such a strange book you will be blinking hard for sometime afterward.

This is a wonderful book that details the beginning history of the breed. It cumulates to the mid-1990's where it details the current happening in the breed for those few years after a registry was formed and where the breed first began to popularize across the nation. Unfortunately, the book is out of print and the printer is out of business. It is unknown but doubtful that there will be a 2nd edition of this book to update the leaps in development of the breed to the current history. Appendix is dated as of 1997; much has changed since then. Persons who submitted pictures for the book report that they are mis-labeled throughout the book. Much more is known about the breed's health needs and genetic diseases, as well as the breed's AKC parent club, the Boykin Spaniel Club & Breeders Assoc. of America, being named and the Boykin's advancement into AKC events announced in 2005. In all, this is a great book for a collector's library but not much use to a pet owner looking for current information on the breed.

This book is the current center of the Boykin Spaniel's literary universe. Mr. Creel and Mr. Kelley have done a fabulous job of writing a book that covers every facet of the Boykin Spaniel breed. The story of how the breed came to exist, the trials of survival and how the current place in Carolina society are all part of the time line and stories unfolded by these gentlemen. The history and myth of the dog is in here along with lots of wonderful stories of these little brown dogs' antics that make them such wonderful hunting partners and family pets. The political battles fought in the South Carolina State Capitol and among Boykin fanciers everywhere are all brought to life and recorded for the intrested reader. This is the singularly most helpful book for the family or individual debating if the Boykin Spaniel breed is the right breed for them. A must read for every Boykin owner, breeder,or hunter who loves these dogs.

i love this book ans it gives you alot on the boykin spaniel and prepares you for what is next in your dogs life, if it's getting the puppy, getting the shots, or putting it down and getting a new puppy, you'll be ready!!! Have a great time with this book!

Great book to own especially if you own a Boykin or are interested in the breed!

Explains the history and genetics of the breed in detail.

This book is a "must read" for anyone seriously considering adopting a Boykin. It is comprehensive, describing in great detail the history and characteristics of the breed. The authors' love for these dogs is apparent, and one can not help but develop an affinity for these dogs as one becomes more familiar with them. Appendices provide helpful resources for finding breeders and additional information, and numerous pictures are provided. ( My only complaint is the occasional grammatical/spelling error that could've been omitted with better proofreading.) When a reader finishes this book, he/she will clearly understand the strengths and weaknesses of the breed and be able to make a well-informed decision whether to pursue purchasig this dog.

Sometimes you'll be driving down the street and you'll see Mr. Fraser with an easel and paint, and he'll be painting another truly spectacular masterpiece of a painting. He always says "hello" and is a kind person who always likes to talk when you pass by him on the street. The author of the description of the landscapes of Charleston, Angela Mack is a very kind person, and really knows her stuff. She lives in downtown Charleston with her equally wonderful family. Ted Phillips is a truly marvelous person who loves to write. He's the kind of person who is so enjoyable, and almost everyone in town knows and loves him. He lives in Charleston with his wife and two children. I really recommend this book to anyone from my age, 12, and up.

I think that this was one of the best books I've ever read. My favorite part is the biography of West Fraser. The author Phillips is truly a talented author. I recommend this book to anybody who loves art or landscape views

After purchasing West Fraser's book, Charleston in my Time, I fell in love with his honest depiction of Charleston and the lowcountry. I took a trip to Charleston to see Mr. Fraser's paintings at Fraser Fox Fine Art and realized that his work is even more breath taking in person. I even had the pleasure of meeting him and he was so kind and gentle. He will go down in history as one of the great 20th century impressionist painters. I highly recommend taking a trip to Charleston and checking out his gallery, Fraser Fox Fine Art or see it online at www.fraserfoxfineart.com.

Charleston is the most beautiful city in America, and Fraser's paintings capture its unique charms better than any photo book or travel video. The text by Ted Phillips provides a witty and comprehensive overview to Fraser's work--don't miss it!

The oil paintings of artist Fraser are unique: they focus on the landmarks, scenery, and life of Charleston and its area. Charleston In My Time blends full-page color reproductions of his paintings with his own reflections on Charleston life and views of his work. Art collections with either an interest in Charleston or regional painting will find this beautiful.

In meticulously chronicling US/German relations before the Great War, Mitchell has managed to reveal that there never was any German designs on the Americas, and that she was used as a bogeyman and cover for US imperialism under the guise of the Monroe Doctrine. She also exposes the innate anti German bias of the Fifth Estate, as well as the perfidy and treachery of the British in sowing/fanning the flames of US hatred for Germany, while appeasing the US by bending over backwards, in Venezuela, Mexico and Panama

Actually what was most interesting was the last pages when Mitchell cursorilly mentioned the blatant land grabs, occupations and annexations in Carribean and South America in 1915 and thereafter by that hypocritical, amoral imperialist, Wilson once the Euroepean Powers were heavily engaged in mortal combat, all under the name of protecting freedom, democracy and human rights (sound familiar?).

Prof. Mitchell has written a very good, well-paced and well-argued treatise on a particular situation (German-American relations vis-a-vis Latin America at the turn of the last century), that is relevant to broader, more current issues. American exceptionalism has always required demonization of a perceived villain or adversary, the Devil if you will, in order to mask our neo-imperialist ambitions. As Mitchell argues in her concluding chapter, Imperial Germany and its bombastic monarch made convenient demons to suit the ambitions or moods of particular institutions, such as the Navy or the yellow press, and even Woodrow Wilson conjured up the Teutonic bogeyman when it suited him.
In reality, the central theme of her book is of inconsequential historical significance, since the German dog had no bite to support its shrill bark (as one German wag deftly remarked.)There simply never was any credible German threat to American security or even the ambiguous Monroe Doctrine to worry about. But what is more relevant today is how perception can be manipulated to justify imperialism in the guise of some nobler ideal. If you need any modern evidence of this proclivity of ambitious politicians, look at the Iraqi Tar Baby and the President that's struggling to break free of it today.
This book is a must-read for any serious student of international relations, especially of the tense situation prior to WW One.

This is a splendid book. It is extremely well researched, yet it reads like a novel, because the author writes so well. It illuminates US-German relations in the 1890-1914 period, as well as US and German policies toward Latin America in those years, providing a subtle and nuanced interpretation that is based on an impressive amount of evidence culled from the US, British and German archives. And, again, it combines the rigor of a superb historian with the grace of a first-class novelist.

A superb read. If I were a dog, I would be salivating.

I re-read this book recently, which allowed me to place it on my list of books worthy of review. To begin, Dr. Nancy Mitchell is an outstanding professor. Having sat in her classroom several years ago as a graduate student, I can now look back and add that she is one of the best teachers I've ever had.

The Danger of Dreams is exceptional because it is timeless. In the early twentieth-century, there was a political game being played between the US and Germany; but, as Dr. Mitchell clearly demonstrates through careful research, "the uncertainty of it all, of perception and reality," allowed policy makers to distort and twist perception until it could become reality. In this case, it was the dreams of a kaiser versus the ambition and intent of a rising power.

As a history book, Mitchell stepped to the plate and knocked the ball out of the park. She writes like she teaches (grabbing your attention and pulling you in), using such a wide range of sources that any student of history will be both envious and enlightened. As a careful analysis of diplomacy and policy making, she has added a great volume to the shelves of political scientists as well. For those who read purely for pleasure, here too she rounds the bases because this book is a great story and it is exceptionally told.

In the games that nations play, "perhaps there is a constant ratio of power to sense of threat," and perhaps there are some powerful and very modern lessons here. Perception is reality, isn't it?

Major Allen C. Boothby, Jr.
Infantry Officer
US Marine Corps

This is a splendid book. It is extremely well researched, yet it reads like a novel, because the author writes so well. It illuminates US-German relations in the 1890-1914 period, as well as US and German policies toward Latin America in those years, providing a subtle and nuanced interpretation that is based on an impressive amount of evidence culled from the US, British and German archives. And, again, it combines the rigor of a superb historian with the grace of a first-class novelist.

This is an excellent book, a long awaited and much needed factual account of a group of courageous men whose activism had major impact on the movement. Hill has produced a wealth of documentation to prove the history he has brought to the fore.
This account does tribute to those brave and unsung (heretofore)
heroes who refused to further degrade themselves and thier communities by turning the other cheek! Must reading.

This book kept me up reading all night. I had in the past heard that their had been a group that pre dated The Black Panther Party, and were operating in the deep south. However there was not much information on this clandestine group. Well there is now. This is the book. My chest burst with pride as the tears fell down my cheeks. If you read nothing else this year please read this book if you want to know what our people were really doing during the "movement". The media had been lying to us about our role in our own history! This book is about us!

excellent coverage of a little-known but very important part of the civil rights movement. if you're tired of the conventional view of the crm with everyone on their knees praying, this book is for you.

An important corrective to the nonviolence theme that domninates most histories of the Civil Rights Movement. The Deacons were mostly home grown Black Veterans from working class neighborhoods in small southern towns like Bogalusa and Jonesboro Louisianna. When the Klan and Police beat on civil rights workers and local protestors the Deacons fought back. In July 1965 when a mob of whites attacked a group of civil rights, mostly children, marchers in Bogalusa a Deacon shot a Klan member sending him to hospital. This incident had a profound impact on the response to Black demands for equal rights in Lousianna. Finally, the White Establishment began to make changes that led to a better life for Louisianna's Blacks. Professor Hill's(History, Tulane Univesity) book is full of such incidents and proves that the Deaon's impact on the souhtern Civil Rights struggle must not be overlooked.

you have to speak the language of the wolf." - Henry Austin, Deacons for Defense

This is truly a lost history of the civil rights movement that author Lance Hill has found under the layers upon layers of mainstream narratives which conveniently dictate false truths that - when repeated enough - become larger than life.

Following the organized self-defense philosophy espoused by Robert F. Williams in Monroe, N.C., a small group of men in Jonesboro, Louisiana, founded an organization that had great influence in the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s. The success the Deacons had in defeating the KKK and other haters on the streets by standing up, moving forward and staring them down with guns loaded brought a new sense of empowerment in demanding that justice truly be served today.

Hill explains how he became aware of the Deacons and then began his quest to research the history. Initially founded to protect civil rights workers, the Deacons' influence in the Deep South grew with a regional organizing campaign in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, along with chapters being founded in several Northern cities.

The success and expansion of the program brought interest from the FBI, coverage by an oftentimes adverse media and linkage - oftenetimes quite temporary - with a number of revolutionary organizations.

But through the comparatively brief time the Deacons operated - about four years - Hill successfully argues that the organization forced the federal government to aggressively enforce the 1964 Civil Rights Act and was the bridge to the Black Power movement that emerged later in the decade.

The Deacons' legacy continues, as former members have strongly stated over the years that the group has never actually gone away. And, as Hill writes, "Finally, there is something inspiring in a story of people who stood up to injustice when everyone around them was afraid. That is a fable that will always serve us well."

The Deacons for Defense lives in the souls of those who do their part on a daily basis to bring real justice to this country.

Here is a coffee table book that is worthy of reading as well as enjoying the pictures and illustrations. Well conceived with wit and wisdom of the players, peripheral personalities, and the low down on the Low country courses.
Written with an obvious love of the game, and a way with words, the author entertains us with interesting profiles as well as incisive reviews of the courses. Who knows ...... it may even take a few strokes off your score as you are forewarned about the hazards that will be encountered.
Great book for the local Low landers and those who may visit the area.

Fabulous and funny essays about golf and golfers, coupled with insightful reviews of the area's courses. A must read for anyone planning to partake of the Low Country's golf course treasures.

I was given this book as a birthday gift, and thought it would just be a pretty picture book about the fine courses of Hilton Head Island and Savannah. That element is definitely present, but what surprised me were the funny essays about the game of golf the author intersperses with the course reviews and area personality profiles. It's really a nice read--entertaining and informative in the same breath.

Having never played golf in that neck of the country, I am sorely tempted to head down that way when I'm next on vacation. Zuckerman does a great job in making these courses come alive and his style of writing is breezy and fun --and with great insight into the sport of golf.

I've been playing golf in the Hilton Head-Savannah area for several years, and this is a truly excellent representation of the courses, people and situations any visitor will encounter there.
The photos and drawings are really nice, and the text is both funny and compelling. I would recommend this book to any fan of golf in this area.