North Carolina Books

This is makes for good browsing OR handy reference. You can discover the meaning of an unfamiliar word or the origin of a word you know. For that matter, you can find new terms with which to jazz up your own sentences.

It's particularly interesting for us Americans to learn about British slang along with our own. Did you know a "bath-dodger" is, in British-speak, "an unwashed or habitually dirty individual"? Some of these are worth adopting!

It's easy on the eyes and easy to find what you want (plenty of white space, and main entries in bold type).

Definitions are written in clear ordinary language, and examples are given where useful.

There's everything from the graphically sexual to the criminal to the eminently printable like "mugwump" and "penguin suit". There are ones you never heard of and there are vocabulary staples ("cool", "OK"). This was published in 1990, so anything newer won't be here, but that's not saying much.

So much of the time we receive our history distilled by other people's views. Of course there's nothing wrong with this, but sometimes it is refreshing to read what the people at that time thought was happening. Documents like the ones collected in Warren Billing's book are often the only way we know of certain events and practices, especially in seventeenth century Virginia, when so little was recorded and so little is known.
Mr. Billing's notes on the chapters give context and an experienced evaluation, but the best thing is to dig into the documents themselves. The chapter on the lifestyle and treatment of the African people in Virginia is especially interesting and brings up a section of history usually forgotten or ignored. Because so many of our founding fathers were from Virginia, the seventeenth century background is important to understand the laws and lifestyle they were coming from.
Virginia is well known as a center of colonial revolt in the eighteenth century. This book shows the often forgotten story of the just as important previous century through the eyes of those who experienced it.

This book stands out amongst all the publications of its kind for the good taste with which it was written and the nobility of its purpose. It intends to illuminate your darkening path, lonely traveler, and will take you to the ancient Salem, even if you never step upon it.

This is one of my favorite books! Well written - an adventure! Walsh is a gifted author. The invention of the aeroplane is an incredible story of one of the most important technologies of the 20th century. Unfortunately there is much misunderstanding about how it came to be. This book is based on new information that became available around 1970. You won't be disappointed.

The title is a bit misleading. It covers the Wright's work from it's beginnings up to 1909.

I have a great interest in the U.S. Civil War and I have read many books on it. You always here about the most notable generals like Lee, Jackson, Stuart, Grant, Sherman, etc.., but you hardly here of the lesser known ones like Pender. Being a North Carolinian, it is very gratifying to know that some great men and officers fought from your state. Pender was one of those men. In this book, his letters to his wife reveal his true character. He was a loving husband and father, a dedicated soldier, and a man of faith who believed himself to be very unworthy before God. As the war progresses, his letters become more mature and earnest in nature. He desires for an end to the war; to live to a good old age with his wife; and to see his children grow up. He is a strict disciplanarian as an officer and he soon earns the respect of his troops and his superiors including Lee and A.P. Hill. Just before Gettysburg, he is promated to the rank of major general at the age of 29 and fights gallantly on the first day. Unfortunately, he is wounded on the second day and dies a few weeks later. His death is mourned by his troops and especially by Lee and Hill. Pender was a promising officer who died to early in the war and at a very young age. His letters are heartfelt and very touching; a must read for anyone interested in Pender and great officers of the Civil War.

Dr. Kern is one of the foremost intellectual historians in matters concerning alternative societies. I highly recommend this book. It is meticulously researched and highly informative. One should check out many of his historical/cultural articles for more of his work.

"The Origin of the Milky Way" is a collection of 26 Cherokee stories told by Davy Arch, Robert Bushyhead, Edna Chekelelee, Marie Junaluska, Kathi Littlejohn, and Freeman Owl. The stories are written as they were told by the Cherokee storytellers, so they read like poetry. The rhythms of English can sound like the Cherokee language if the stories are read aloud as they are written. The stories are divided into seven groups or chapters: Living with People, Living with Animals, Living with Plants and the Earth, Living with Spirits, Living with Monsters, Living with the Cherokee Language, and Living with the Past and Future. Some of the stories are intended to teach ways of getting along with others, while others such as The Trail of Tears teach of historical events experienced by the Cherokees.

A fascinating chapter on the Cherokee language tells of the syllabary invented by Sequoyah, a gifted Cherokee. The story of the Origin of the Milky Way is written first in English, then in phonetic Cherokee, and finally in Sequoyah's syllabary. The importance of continuing to teach the living Cherokee language as a unique cultural heritage is emphasized. The Cherokee language is related to the language spoken by the Iroquois of upper New York State and the Great Lakes region. To further aid the reader's enjoyment of the stories and learning about the Cherokee people, the book has a glossary, map of Cherokee lands, timeline of Cherokee history, and suggested further reading resources.

The charming black and white illustrations also enhance the story chapters. Also available in a hardcover format, "The Origin of the Milky Way" can be enjoyed as a delightful collection of tales to instruct children, but it is really much more than that. It contains a living history of a proud nation of very gifted people.

Nancy Lorraine
Reviewer

Dr. Irons is a professor of history at Elon University in North Carolina, and as a student, I was lucky enough to have him. While my major is sports medicine, I essentially had to take a history class as part of the liberal arts curriculum. I thought that the course would be a breeze--memorize names and dates and regurgitate them on paper as I did in high school--but Irons challenged us to dig up the underlying themes in American history and explore and even question their very meaning. I am sure that his new book will be a wonder, and I will be one of the first to purchase it later this month.

Enjoy mountain vistas along Blue Ridge Parkway in the Great Smoky Mountains, a dawn's early light of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, gaze at the Whitewater Falls, highest waterfall of the East of 411 feet, and be awed by 5,000 pipes of the Duke University Chapel's organ. If you are an avid hiker, you will be delighted with the jagged crest of Grandfather Trail on Grandfather Mountain. Or a whitewater rafter will enjoy the photography of Nantahala River with its Class I, II, and III rapids plus many more nature lover spots.

History buffs will love the photographs of George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore House, largest private home-four acres in size, in Asheville; the Oconaluftee Indian Village; and, The Elizabeth II Sir Walter Raleigh's vessel that he used in his voyage to the New World. Many more historical photographs are included. In addition you will also find lovely photographs of wildlife, flowers and many other interesting landmarks.
About the Photographer:

Kevin Adams photography credits include: North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes, Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina Waterfalls, Wildflowers of the Southern Applachians, and Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia. Adams, member of North American Nature's Photography Association, has received the following awards:

* In 1995, the North Carolina Year of the Coast Award
* In 1996, the North Carolina Year of the Mountains Award
* In 1998, North Carolina Zoological Park

Opinion by Reviewer:

North Carolina, my state (transplanted from Texas), with lots of wonderful, wonderful photographs for any reader's enjoyment. A great coffee table book to show your friends and relatives. These vistas are as breath-taking and splendid as the photography in Our North Carolina and I can personally attest to that! All will enjoy this collection of Southern beauty.

Aline Helg does an excellent job of outlining for her readers the conditions in Cuba, 1886-1912, which became the foundation for the rise and fall of the Partido Independiente de Color en Cuba. This organization, among the first Black parties in the new world, is a vital part of the historty of cuba as well as the history of africans in the americas. The book is written in a clear and concise form that makes it easy to grasp/follow and enjoyable, while simultaneously being highly informative. Helg's book is the answer for those interested in this segment of history and its implication on race in contemporary Cuba. It is the only answer for spanish-impaired folks who do not have access to Tomas Fernandez Robaina's El Negro en Cuba until it is translated. Enjoy the read, Prof. T.R.L. Patterson's students at SUNY Binghamton sure did.