Maryland Books

The first third of this book is a scholarly examination of the colonial history of Maryland, with a professional use of demographics and economic data, which make interesting reading.

The second third of the book appears, despite the assertion that the book was "authored" by Arnold and Basu, to be a collection of various tracts and articles, since each chapter is detectably in a different "voice", some of the material clearly contradicts other chapters, and (despite a publication date of 2003) contains grossly out-of-date information (the "Bullets" playing in the "Capital Center"). This section also chiefly focuses on the manufacturing history of the state; except for an offhand mention of the production of steel plates for the Union ironclad The Monitor, no mention of the pivotal role of Maryland in the Civil War is made. The gross omissions, distortions, and political spin of these articles (I cannot begin to justify calling them chapters) render the material useless. Even the cutlines for the illustrations are obviously lifted in toto from the originals.

The last segment of the book consists entirely of what appear to be unedited business and trade association brochures!

Both Mr. Arnold's and Mr. Basu's credentials appear to be impeccable, which leads one to wonder.

Do not waste your time or money! Just make a donation to the state archives. This reckless work attempts to rewrite history using false and libelous depictions. The only discernible purpose of the author, an all-but-forgotten politician who accepts awards for having protecting what remains a notoriously polluted bay, is shameful self-promotion in an attempt to keep his name alive. Harry Hughes unsuccessfully tries to take credit for a campaign success that was in truth a monumental and heroic victory for the pro-life movement in this politically liberal state. The true story of honesty, ethics and public service is the story of the young and hopeful Lieutenant Governor, Samuel Walter Bogley III, and his brave and beautiful young wife, (both defamed by Hughes in his book) who together gave a voice to thousands of pro-life voters and the innocent unborn children they joyfully defended. Hughes would have better served history by writing a confessional and crediting the courageous young man who inspired the movement that made him governor. Hughes would have remained "a lost ball in tall grass" if not for Bogley's supporters that kicked him through the goal to the governor's house.

it was OK. But not as good as the first one..

I never receive this item and I want my money to be refunded to me.

I feel that this book should be titled "Ms. Wilson's Take on Baltimore Cemeteries and Society."

I question her need to reinforce the "Who's Who" of the cemeteries. This reads more as a social registry. The length of review for each cemetery is directly related to the number of famous people interred in a particular cemetery (at least those who measure up to Ms. Wilson standard of famous or prominent). Some of the smaller burial sites have WONDERFUL significance, but this is lost on Ms. Wilson due to the lack of prominent Baltimore family names.

Her tone and some of her statements can be seen as just an injection of opinion and based very little on fact. Two cemeteries in the Baltimore enclave that I have recently researched turned up some examples of this. In reference to Most Holy Redeemer (one of the largest Catholic cemeteries in the city)and interment site of many influential Italian Families, Ms. Wilson states that "the cemetery, though attractive and well kept, is not otherwise remarkable." This is purely opinion with no factual basis. In her discussion of Jewish Cemeteries in the city, she briefly touched on B'nai Israel Congregation Cemetery. It only took her two paragraphs to discuss the burying ground for 32 congregations, one of these being the Lloyd Street Synagogue (a very important Baltimore institution). Out of the two paragraphs related to this burying ground, one is a commentary on Jewish custom:
"One curious custom is seen here and elsewhere in Jewish cemeteries and that is the leaving of small stones on the markers. This is to indicate that the grave has been recently visited. As the stones can damage mowers, the caretakers find the custom infuriating."
This seems completely out of place as part of the discussion of this particular site as well as a poorly worded comment on Jewish custom that could be taken by some as inflammatory or condescending. However, these are prime examples of the tone and commentary throughout the book. As I have only researched the small area of Gardenville, in Northeast Baltimore City, I can only speak to the way cemeteries in this areas were particularly addressed. I feel confident in saying that if this is the approach for this particular community, it is probably characteristic of her approach across tha board and in all communities.

If you want a source that pays homage to the upper echelons of early Baltimore society and the "blue blood families" of a by-gone era, then this is the book for you. If you want a truly serious study of cemeteries and burials in Baltimore, you'll need to write one... it doesn't exist!

All in all, "The Very Quiet Baltimoreans" had the potential to be a beautiful book. It could have been an exquisite "coffee table" book with glowing photos of beautiful, sprawling garden cemeteries, such as Louden Park, and quaint family plots, such as the Furley Family cemetery. It could have packed a powerful punch with detailed history and background on the various communities. These tight communities have created the culture of Baltimore city as many seemed eager to have thier dead buried close by, near their homes or houses of worship. Ms. Wilson failed in both areas and that is a tragedy.

Her focus on "Society" made her lose sight of the greater significance of society.