Minnesota Books

Extremely well-written (not at all dense or over anyone's head), and very original, mix of political and critical theories of the past few decades (plus Emerson). Escaping from the often self-indulgent intricacies of pop-deconstruction, Wolfe offers real and pragmatic tactical theories for a better-informed Left. I was very impressed, and even amused; there is a sense of humor here that is too often missed in today's critical environment. Very good.

The present work, undertaken by a energetic and committed group of scholars, is an effort to subject one of the sturdiest pillars of political discourse to the analysis developed by the "cultural studies revolution," many of the important repercussions of which have yet to be completely digested by mainstream political science. The bulk of the contemporary literature is still dominated by scholars who, if they have bothered to give the matter any thought at all, have reexamined the history of their fields in only the most cursory manner. Theirs is an effort to smooth the feathers of the new academic order's more vocal partisans, so that the old business of authoritative theorizing and the development of grand schemata might proceed apace. Brandishing their newly minted PC credentials, they excuse themselves and retire to the map room with their compasses and toy soldiers.

Not so Professors Tuathail, Dalby, and Routledge. They are well aware of the historical role of their discipline (geography) in shaping political relations between nations in the last century, of its complicity in two world wars and the U.S.-Soviet detente. Now, at a time when the heirs of Karl Haushofer and George Kennan are all making bids on the new geopolitical "paradigm," Tuathail et al. arrive on the scene with a profound and damning history of the whole avocation. It is to their immense credit that after being exposed to these volumes, one finds it impossible to read Foreign Affairs in quite the same light. As if by magic, the latest pronouncements of the Kissengers, the Fukuyamas, and the Huntingtons that grace the pages of that august journal strain, crack, and shatter. Turn the issue over and give it a good shake; the unexamined assumptions and base prejudices of the great statesmen fall to the floor like so many loose subscription-cards.

But lest fears of the jargon-filled, swampy postmodern style scare away potential customers, let them be assured that The Geopolitics Reader is clearly argued and immediately accessible to the interested general reader. The book, a selection of key 20th century geopolitical texts annotated and introduced by the editors, can be usefully employed in introductory courses on international relations, political theory, and political geography. Meanwhile, the novelty and import of the approach (called "critical geopolitics" by the authors) makes both the Reader and its companion volume, Rethinking Geopolitics, required reading for all advanced students of these subjects.

This book is an insightful, and enjoyable, introduction to studies in cult television. This collection of writings deals with shows such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Star Trek," "Doctor Who" and other series central to the genre. One of the strengths of this book is that most essays, while usually attached to a specific television series, are presented in such a '"transparent" style that the reader still benefits from insight without necessarily being familiar with the individual series serving as an illustration of theory/ history given in the essay.
The book begins (after an excellent introduction penned by both editors) with the tradition of "French dressing," namely an academic, hyper-metaphysically abstract essay by a French author. The reader may do well to enter into the book by initially skipping this one and starting instead with
Sara Gwenllian-Jones' " Virtual Reality and Cult Television." Her essay is a quietly (read: somewhat academic) yet vital and enthusiastic exploration of the immersive nature central to the cult television experience.
Several essays deal with cult TV fandom. Each affirms the positive profile of those of us who share that kind of social awareness made manifest by means of our profound love of fantasy and play.

Finalemente, someone else is doing the right kind of work in the right way on this topic.

For years, Chico/Chicana scholars--like Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Elvia R. Arriola, Lourdes Torres, and of course, Cherrie Moraga and the late Gloria Anzaladúa--have written circles around us about the politics of culture, place and community. These women in particular seem to be fearless in investigative gaze surrounding the politics of eros within their communities. José Esteban Muñoz's albeit seminal Disidenificaitons speaks to a "Latino" performance, or as he phrases it one of "Queers of Color". Yet, to date, it has been the closest that we have come to a genuine scholarly effort to articulate the political function governing the erotic within the Cuban American community by a Cuban American scholar until now.

Ortíz's work is scrupulous, fascinating and inventive. Rather than repeat the theoretical notions of race, place, gender and time that have come to be literary critical practice, they are merely the tools--Foucauldian, Critical Race, Gender Theories--by which he fashions a incisive path in this area of thought. Many, many scholars to come already owe this author an enormous debt of gratitude for the groundwork he has laid.

Cutting Edge investigates the differences/relationships between avant-garde cinema and exploitation (what she terms as `paracinema') - how viewers of both types tend to divorce themselves from mainstream cinema. The difference between the two types of cinema is that though both tend to use shocking material to explore certain themes whilst attempting to jolt the viewer out of complacency, `paracinema' maintains a more ironical distance. The films used to illustrate this hypothesis are interesting choices. George Franju's LES YEUX SANS VISAGE/ EYES WITHOUT A FACE is used in a lengthy chapter as an example of a horror film that has transcended its origins to become a respected art house film. An equal amount of space is given to Jess Franco's GRITOS EN LA NOCHE and FACELESS, both as examples of the how Franco approaches the material in a different way. Other examples explored in depth are ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN, an exploitation film whose genesis was in the avant-garde scene, and Tod Browning's FREAKS, a horror which has once again been appropriated by the avant-garde. But most fascinating for me however was a detailed description of Yoko Ono's RAPE. It was meant to be an allegory of the media's "rape" of Lennon, McCartney and the rest of the Beatles and their wives/families, though it raises some interesting points about the nature of spectator/victim in the role of cinema, a la PEEPING TOM. Is this "art" or "exploitation". Undeniably it's the latter, BUT the film was never released commerically into cinemas, just a few specialist screenings for an "art" market. The author contrasts this film with SNUFF, a fake film which masquerades itself as reality.

Well worth a read, this book. Very thought-provoking stuff indeed.

On Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis there is a large rock with a heavily patinated plaque imbedded in it right under an impressive gold-domed church. The plaque is extremely weathered and greenish, and looks as if it has been reset more than once into the rock. It says that, above the rock on the hill, where the present day church now stands, is the original site of the first dwelling built in Minneapolis in 1834 by Samuel and Gideon Pond. I've walked by this historic marker for years while circling the lake, so when I came across Samuel Pond's work on the Dakota in Minnesota (including those that lived on Lake Calhoun), I had to read it.

Obviously, the salient thing about Lake Calhoun is the complete absence or even a tiny minute speck of evidence that it was once inhabited by Native Americans. They are simply gone without a trace. High rises and expensive homes now line the lake, and ice fishers speckle its icy surface from approximately October to February. From the viewpoint of today, it's almost impossible to believe Lake Calhoun was any different. That's only one thing that makes this book so great. It makes the reader aware of what was happening before the europeans arrived (or invaded as some people see it) in Minnesota.

The book was written by a missionary; Samuel Pond's sole purpose in habitating with the Dakota was to save souls. The somewhat happy and possibly unforeseen outcome of this was that Pond had to get to know these people incredibly unbelievably well to save them. So, as good missionaries will do, he literally shacked up with them. He hunted with them, observed rituals, went on long journeys with them, spoke their language fluently, and, most importantly, talked with them. This guy was there, he wasn't a journalist or a muckraker. He was literally on a mission.

The book, almost paradoxically, does not mention whether or not Pond was successful or not in "converting" or "saving" the Dakota. There is almost no mention whatsoever of his missionary work, so this is not a self-gratuitous work that shouts "look what I did!" What it is is an observance, a capturing of a people before that people completely disappeared (i.e., as they have today).

It is important to note that the book was not written while Pond lived with the Dakota. It was written some thirty or forty years after. Why? When Pond lived with the Dakota, there was no indication that within the next fifty years Native American culture would be more or less wiped out. As Pond observed this phenomenon, he found it best to write down his recollections of his life with the Dakota, since the culture no longer existed as it was in the 1830s. Pond wrote after what is now known as the Dakota Conflict of 1862, which radically changed the relations between whites and Dakota in the Upper Midwest, and resulted in the largest mass execution in United States History (in Mankato, Minnesota; Reconciliation Square now marks the spot where 38 Dakota were simultaneously hung by the neck for their supposed part in the events of 1862).

Pond is mostly very fair to the Dakota. He passionately defends them against what were the then mainstream accusations of laziness, uncleanliness, gluttony, and barbarity. Pond was overall very impressed by the Dakotas, and obviously had a lot of respect for them as a people. He is, however, not fair to the Dakota's religious practices - this is the one topic where Pond's ulterior motives really show - calling them "ridiculous superstitions".

All in all, Pond's descriptions and retelling of events are priceless for anyone curious about Dakota life before the overwhelming influence of european settlers set in. There are so many amazing stories winding throughout this text that picking one or two out as examples would be unjust to the rest. Pond also draws parallels between the life of european settlers of the time and of the Dakota. These are always fascinating, and Pond's intent seems to be making europeans think hard about their prejudices.

Why this book is not more widely read or talked about I'm at a loss to explain. Perhaps the missionary twist scares people off? Whatever the reason this book is vitally important in that it attempts to capture the culture that was completely destroyed in the 19th century. It is timely, of course, in that the Dakota are often referred to as "savages" or "heathens", but that adds a historical interest to the text, albeit a somewhat now sad one. One must prepare oneself for a 19th century read when dipping into this book. It is well worth the effort.

Lastly, this book was previously issued with its more historically accurate title of "The Dakota or Sioux in Minnesota As They Were in 1834". Changing the title seems somewhat strange since the author intended the title to emphasize that the work focused on "how they were" in 1834. The title change was likely undertaken to remove the word "Sioux" - a derogatory word that translates to "Snake". Nonetheless, the current title detracts from the work, and removes a certain historicity from it. The original title should be restored for historical accuracy and perspective.

This is a very short history of the 1862 Dakota War but it's absolutely FULL of information, maps, pictures and insights on this often overlooked American conflict. In this work Ken Carley achieved what few other writers of military history can. He found the most interesting and significant aspects of the conflict and presented them in a manner that informs the reader and is compelling to read. His work is larely unbiased. It doesn't favor the side of the victors as is often the case with works written about the Indian wars. Likewise, he avoids the politially correct tactic of portraying the whites as brutal invaders persecuting the poor, defenseless Native Americans.

Bravo! I would higly recommend this work to anyone intersted in the subject. As a native born Minnesotan, I would also say this is must read for folks in the area. It's a great summary of an important part of our history that we shouldn't forget.

Reading my mother's stories in your book was the best birthday present I could ever have received. F. Rawn, Duluth

Daycare & Diplomas featured brief essays by teen mothers who remained in school to pursue their education and secure their eventual graduation from high school. Each contributor speaks with candor on the issues the specifically pertain to being pregnant and in school, providing invaluable insight and authority to their explanations and commentaries of what they had to cope with and how they were able to succeed. Recommended reading for adolescent girls (and boys), Daycare & Diplomas is a very highly advocated addition to high school library and counseling center collections, and is also very informative reading for parents and friends of girls facing the challenges of child-bearing, school attendance, and educational achievement.

"Days On The Family Farm: From The Golden Age Through The Great Depression" by Carrie A. Meyer (who grew up on an Illinois farm and went on to teach economics at George Mason University) is a memoir based history of life on a Midwestern farm from the beginning of the twentieth century to World War II as recorded in a daily chronicle kept by farm wife May Lyford Davis. The result is an entertaining and informative 'window into time' through which is revealed an American yesteryear when May and her husband Elmo experienced life on a farm through two decades of prosperity, the bleak years of the Great Depression, and the impact of two World Wars upon their Midwestern farming community of friends and neighbors. Articulate, detailed, personable, "Days On The Family Farm" is the story of a farmer's life marked by description of what was bought and sold, the evolution of farming practices and technologies from horse drawn plows to tractors, what was planted and harvested, temperatures and rainfall, births an deaths, even the impact of wind on the work of farming. Simply stated, "Days On The Family Farm" is an engaging and articulate read and a highly recommended addition to any personal or community library collection.