North Carolina State Books

Loved this book. I was moved and captured. I loved the characters,especially Mike. This was a true friendship for Mike and Franklin. Not many straight boys would take the risk an become best friends or even hang-out with someone who calls themselves gay. This story will teach you about friendship, love, and most of all self-acceptance.

5 MILES TO EMPTY is one of the most unique stories I have ever seen in print. The story of Franklin and Mike is more than just a story of how male friends bond into brothers, it's also a story of how understanding promotes unity, as Franklin is straight, and Mike is gay.

The story begins with Franklin, who is sitting in a college class at Gilbert State University, receiving a phone call from Mike's friend Eric, informing him that Mike is in the hospital. Franklin immediately persuades Tia, a classmate who lives in the city where the hospital is located, to take him to see Mike.

At the hospital, Eric asks Franklin to tell him about when he first met Mike, and the story begins. Franklin and Mike met when Franklin moved to Winston-Salem five years before, at the age of thirteen. Franklin had to suffer the alienation of being the "new kid" at school. Mike took the initiative to meet Franklin after class, and a friendship was born.

Mike informed Franklin that he was gay as they ate lunch. Franklin did not understand what the term meant. At that point of their friendship, Mike took on the role of mentor to Franklin, not only explaining to Franklin what it meant to be gay, but helping Frankling through the passages of life, as he grew from teenager to young man. Franklin and Mike accept each other for who they were, and the experiences Franklin shares with Eric show a transition from friendship to brotherhood between the two. No matter what happens in their lives, they always are there for each other.

As the story ends, Eric is awed by the close bond Franklin and Mike share, and Franklin realizes that most of his memorable life experiences have been shared with Mike. The book ends with a beautiful lesson for the reader of the power of love. 5 MILES TO EMPTY is quite enjoyable; the characters are all well-developed and believable, and the friendship between Franklin and Mike is a wonderful example of brotherly love, and of the unity that is born of acceptance. Jarold Imes is a masterful storyteller, and I plan to read more of his books in the future!

Reviewed by Rowena Winfrey
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

In the early part of the 20th century, northerners headed to the Appalachian Mountains to establish programs that Whisnant termed "systemic cultural intervention." This phrase refers to projects designed to affect change in a community through new forms of cultural programming. The intervention can be in the best interests of the community, or the intervention program can reflect primarily the goals and aspirations of the interveners. It can have positive and negative effects, and the interveners frequently create unintended consequences in the host communities. This important rubric provides a fascinating way to look at the impact of settlement schools and a folk festival in the mountains. Whisnant's analysis is interesting and provocative and well-worth considering when one is working in a community.

David Whisnant coined the term the "politics of culture." He provides an application of a theory of "systemic cultural intervention" in this book. Essentially, Whisnant argues that cultural intervention is a process in which specialists work to create change in a community. He looks at ways that positive interventions can bring about positive as well as negative effects. He also provides ways to examine how cultural intervention can be developed for negative purposes. Whisnant is a folklorist, and he examines how wealthy northerners went to Appalachia to promopte folklife programming in settlement schools and festivals. The book is very useful for examining how outside interventionists need to understand the culture and political dynamics in communities that they enter. At times, however, there is a degree of cynicism in Whisnant's writing that seems to emerge from a nativist stance by Whisnant himself. The lines he draws between "outsider" and "insider" are too neat and rigid, and the analysis would be improved by recognition that the case histories that he examines had far more complex issues at stake. Nevertheless, I highly recommend reading this work to understand fascinating aspects of Appalachian history and to consider ways to work more effectively in contemporary communities.

Lacey's book is filled with interesting historical oddities about North Carolina. Some of these oddities really are very interesting to anyone. For example, the original Siamese twins lived near Mt Airy, NC. Though attached, each married a different woman. Each sired children of his own. And yet they quarreled because one of the twins had a drinking problem. This eventually led to the death of both of them.

Lacey's book reads like a mixture of Ripley's "Believe It or Not" and Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story." Perhaps Abraham Lincoln was not born in Kentucky but in North Carolina. Folks from Rutherford County who lived round about 1809 swear that Lincoln's mother had returned to Abraham Enloe in order to give birth to the man we know as Abraham Lincoln. Do you now know where Lincoln received his first name? Perhaps now you now know the rest of the story.

I can't vouch for all of the history of Lacey's book. But I can vouch for the fact that it is very interesting reading.

This is a great book. I enjoyed visiting many of the sites written about in the book, and to know the "believe-it-or-not" stories behind what I visited. This is a book everyone can read and enjoy. With its short stories, trivia games, and recipes, it can go from the car, to the bathroom, and the kitchen! Stories I liked best: the ghost stories, lighthouse stories, Civil War and sports tales. I also like the Q&A at the end of each chapter--it's fun for discussing on car trips around the state. The index and websites in the back are great!

Jane Merritt makes an excellent addition to the discussion of Indians in the Mid-Atlantic region during the age of empire. This is a complex topic and Merritt does an excellent job of sorting it out. On that note this is a complex topic and this is not a book a novice in the subject would want to start with. It assumes knowledge of the Iroquois and the covenant chain as well as the Seven Years war. (See my other reviews for suggestions on those topics).

Merritt's book analyzes a variety of cross sections of Delaware Indian culture and their relation with Pennsylvania's (Quakers, proprietors, and frontiersman), Iroquois, and the French. She looks at the role of language, women and religion and how these each affected the relationships between the various groups. Utilizing sources from local to state level she is able to get at a large cross section that allows for significant corroboration. Unlike many where there is an Indian view and a colonial view in this case there we have a variety of colonial sources since they each represented a different viewpoint. The book chronologically covers the famed Walking Purchase during the time of William Penn to the conclusion of the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) and how it shaped the frontier. The idea that Indians and colonists lived at a crossroads where trade dictated interactions are thoroughly explored. For those who want to gain a greater understanding of the Mid-Atlantic world in colonial times you cannot go wrong with this book.

Jane Merritt gives an inside expose, on the clash of cultures in the Mid-Atlantic frontier(Delaware,Pennsylvania,Virginia etc.). The early relationship between a young Colonel George Washington of England and the Delawares is highlighted. The initial interaction between Washington and the Delawares, was poor. This lead to early military defeats to the French. The dynamics of the 7 years war, which changed the harmony of this region dramatically, is examined.

The odd antagonistic relationship between the Delawares and the Iroquois 6 Nations is analyzed to the fullest. It appears the Iroquois sold Delaware land inappropriately (walking purchase Treaty). You will gain insight into famous chiefs such as Delaware chief Shingas and chief Teedyuscung.

The shrewd business dealings of the European settlers is analyzed. You are made aware how simple semantics could misconstrue entire Treaties and agreements. Overall this book does a good job in clarifying, certain key points, in a very complex period, in American history.

This is another in the History Mystery series from American Girl, in which a young American girl is confronted by a mystery that will tax her resolve and her ability. This is the story of Elspeth Monro, whose family fled from the wars and troubles of Scotland, only to find themselves caught up in the American Revolution. Someone is trying to force her grandfather to declare himself for the Patriots, someone who knows all about the family's comings and goings, but who? Also, Elspeth's grandmother has a great grudge against a newcomer to the community, is this man her family's enemy? There's more going on here than meets the eye, and Elspeth will need all of her courage and determination to see this thing through.

The final chapter is a bit of a bonus, a look at the experiences of the Scottish immigrants during the American Revolution. My thirteen-year-old daughter has been a fan of the American Girls books for years, and I was quite glad when this one fell into our hands. The story is quite gripping, and keeps you at the edge of your seat. Also, the mystery is handled expertly, and the ending is quite a surprise.

My one and only complaint is that this book does not contain the nice illustrations that we had come to expect with the American Girls stories. It would have been nice to see what the people in the story looked like. But, that said, the story is excellent, and will keep you reading, unable to put the book down. My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you!

Intriguing historical information and an exciting mystery all rolled together into a fabulous book -- the name of the series says it all -- History Mysteries. This latest installment in one of my favorite series is no different. Betrayal at Cross Creek is the story of Elspeth Monro's, a Scottish immigrant to North Carolina at the start of the American Revolution, search for the person threatening her family. The thrilling adventure will keep readers fascinated until the surprising conclusion.
The story starts when Elspeth, her Grandda, and her American friend Mercy are frightened by Patriots trying to convince Grandda to join the Patriots. Elspeth and her family are threatened repeatedly after this. Grandda is undecided about which side to join, and Grannie, remembering the horrors of The '45, a war Scotland lost against England many years ago, is against the war altogether, and doubts the wisdom of fighting the powerful British army a second time. Elspeth begins to only feel at ease when she is at her weaving apprenticeship to Mercy's mother, Mistress Blair. But when she suspects Mr. Blair of betraying her family to the Patriots, along with Tall Tam MacRacken, who she's heard mysterious tales about, she thinks nothing could be worse.
However, the situation does get worse -- much worse. Elspeth's cousins, Duncan and Robbie, run away to join the Loyalist army and Grandda enlists too to protect them. Now Elspeth has to protect her grandmother and aunt. Can she keep her family strong and solve the mystery of their betrayal to the Patriots, too?
This book was a wonderful way to learn about a less-covered side of the American Revolution -- the role of the new immigrants who weren't on either side. I learned a lot, and enjoyed a great story at the same time. The plot was unpredictable and exciting.

I am from the Blue Ridge Mountains and I think this magazine was great. It has alot of information about the people, parks and places of the Blue Ridge. There are tons of pictures and suggestions of places to visit. READ IT!

Ron Fisher wrote this "bookazine" in a very plain, homespun style which causes one to learn tons of information about people and places of the Blue Ridge without realizing it. There was too-scant mention of the region's physiography and natural history; however, once I got far enough inside to notice that, I was already sufficiently captivated by the tales of human history and folklore that the book was well worth finishing. Like Fisher, I cruised the Blue Ridge Parkway on a cool, misty weekday; and he captured the peaceful mood perfectly in his description of that jaunt. Whether from watching a Salem Buccaneers minor league game, interviewing Foxfire writers, or recording the tales of an elderly wood whittler, the hundreds of micro-stories of Blue Ridge folk life come out well done. Of course, as is the Geographic's gold standard, the photography is splendid. Any high school or college student writing about the Appalachian way of life must have this work in his reference list. And I strongly recommend this book for anyone planning a driving trip (off the interstates!) through western Virginia, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee or far northern Georgia.

Excellent photographic history of the construction of this historic roadway. Imortalizing the midwife, Orlena Puckett by including photos of her cabin is a fitting tribute to a wonderful citizen.

I love the Blue Ridge Parkway and see something new every time I ride on it. This book shows a lot of the original photos and making of the roadway. I love history and the learning the way things originated. This book is a good way to learn that and see it in the making.

Woodmason's account is an excellent resource for anyone studying frontier life of the American South prior to the Revolution, as well as for those studying the Anglican Church in America before the Revolution. It is a refreshing change from other resources on Anglicanism in the pre-revolutionary South, which mostly deal with Virginia (Woodmason ministered in what is now South Carolina and parts of North Carolina). Woodmason provides great insight into the anti-British sentiment of the Scot-Irish population on the frontier; his narrative also speaks to the religious tension on the frontier between established churches, upstart churches, and the multitude of the unchurched settlers. It is entertaining and well-written, but somewhat difficult to read if you are unaccustomed to the cadence and terminology of 18th century English. Overall, I highly recommend this book for researchers and students; it may not necessarily be something you want to take to the beach

Though Woodmason looked with disdain at many of the living conditions and customs of the South Carolina backcoutry settlers, his diary provides an important glimpse into the rugged individuality that distinquished the American frontier. Also, he summarizes the spiritual state of the southern colonies during this period. Finally, this book is a fine resource for the Regulator movement in South Carolina. Any researcher seeking perspectives on pre-Revolutionary life on the frontier would do well to have a copy of this book.

This book delivers what it promises... 4 battles you surely would not have studied (unless you happened to be a "local" to one of the sites), seperate from one another but tied together by the crimson thread of Courage.

Great Stuff!

I highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of Military History, a student of the "Civil War", or simply attracted to real acts of Heroism & Courage from an era blessed with a level of integrity and grit that is only a faded memory to America today.

To borrow the words of Shakespeare, "Courage mounteth with occasion". Far from the grand movements of the armies, the great battles and the central figures of the Civil War, one finds thousands of examples of personal courage of men who met the occasion, but have been largely forgotten by history.

Mark Crawford in "Confederate Courage on Other Fields" does great justice to four of these lesser-known stories of sacrifice, bravery in the face of great danger, suffering, and devotion to duty by men fighting for the Confederate cause. I found each tale to be well researched, insightful and easy to read.

"'Tisn't life that matters! `Tis the courage you bring to it" -Sir Hugh Walpole. I believe Colonel Charles Blacknall of the 23rd North Carolina Infantry, as described in Crawford's book, exemplifies the courageous leadership exhibited by many men of the south. A wealthy, educated planter, Blacknall hated drilling, the study of tactics and many of the trappings of the military. However, belief in a cause led him to great accomplishment, at a price of personal sacrifice, ultimately his own life. As you read his letters, and gain insight into his devotion to his family, and his love and understanding of his men, you will admire this fellow who gave all for what he believed in.

My primary reason for buying this book was my lifelong interest of events in the bitter struggle for control of Southeast Missouri. Though considered a backwater of the War and often ignored by historians, the violence of partisan and guerilla actions in these border counties profoundly affected everyone living in the region. Instead of a five-hour skirmish or five-day battle, the fate of this area was sealed in five years of ugly, shocking bloodletting and destruction. Most folks fled. In many parts of Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas the bitterness remains to this day. Crawford's treatment of the conflict between Major James Wilson on the Union side and Colonel Timothy Reeves on the Confederate side is the most fair, accurate and honest I have read. A consequence of this contest was the execution of prisoners on both sides. In reading this account you will come to appreciate the bravery and gallantry of men caught up in a struggle without rules and often driven by revenge that discouraged noble actions.

You will finish this book with an expanded understanding of the "Brother's War", and the tremendous sacrifice of the average Confederate soldier as he faced danger in a courageous or fearless manner. I hope Mark will consider a sequel exploring the courage of Union men. I heartily recommend this book!

Excellent book about the facts that caused Argentina's failure in shaping a modern economy.
Lewis makes a very thorough analysis, full of empirical data, that begins in the colonial era of the country and ends up at the first administration of Menem, with some hope at last.
Some years later, the country will show again its ability to destroy confidence and people's savings again...

With this book I learned a lot about the economic forces that shaped Argentina into what it is today up to 1991. Not particularly light reading, but worth while, especially as an Argentine that was too young at the time to remember any of the events described here.