North Carolina Books

As usual Paul has outdone himself. Gives you a real feel for life for the Pell MellersPell Mellers: Race and Memory in a Carolina Pocosin

Garland Crowe DuPree researched and wrote a genealogical masterpiece. From the very first ancestor to arrive in America and before, to modern descendants of these people, she covered it all. She carefully examined each of her subjects before configuring this wonderful family history. Her kin throughout the ages were truly "People of Purpose."

This book is an essential piece for anyone wanting to work in South Carolina. Sassaman has done a phenomenal job creating an account of the MALA people that even non-archaeologists can understand.

If you're a tarheel or just want to read more about the great state of North Carolina, this is the book for you. I purchased several to give as gifts to friends and family. I especially liked the part about Bell's Rolling Store, as John Bell was my grandfather.

In this book, Simpson provides an argument-by-argument analysis of Aristotle's masterpiece of political philosophy. Along the way, Simpson makes a clear and compelling case for taking Aristotle's text as presenting a coherent and defensible political theory. The commentary is keyed to Simpson's excellent translation of the POLITICS (also published by UNC Press). This book is a must read for any serious student of Aristotle or politcal theory.

This is a lovely memoir by Taylor Reese and a joy to read. I appreciate the courage and humility it takes to allow others to glimpse into one's life. I was very entertained and surprised to learn that Taylor had been a court reporter, obtained a pilot's license, etc. These details only add more flavor to the person I have met and think very highly of. Despite occasional stumbling blocks, it seems Taylor has lived a wonderful life. May he continue to have a great future!

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

I bought this book for my mom who likes to read about pirates, particularly Blackbeard, and I read it myself, since I too, love to read about them. This is NOT a very thick book,Only 72 pages, but it is packed with loads of information on the top pirates of the day, along with short bios on some of the not so famous ones. In the back of the book, it lists the fates of some of more famous ones along with what happened to a few of their crewmen. In short it is a "Who's Who" of piracy. It's ghastly to think that most pirates met their end at the end of a rope, but according to this publication, that is just what happened. This book contains the more popular illustrations of pirates, in other words, they are drawings by artists of what the pirates actually looked like. You know, like when artists make drawings at trials... that sort of art. A few of the "gentlemen" included in this publication are Stede Bonnet, and Edward Thatch (Blackbeard), plus "ladies" like Anne Bonny, Mary Read, plus other swashbucklers. What I really like about it is that it goes into detail about their lives, and as to why some of them turned to piracy for a "career", plus there is an interesting page on How To Know A Pirate Ship.The writer used some reliable resources, among them The NC Dept of Cultural Resources, and the Dept of Archives & History. A Superb book for people of all ages, Great for anyone researching piracy.

This is a tale of two young boys, one caucasion and one African-American, who were unlikely friends in North Carolina farmland in the late 40's and early 50's. The bond created between these two boys was strong enough to carry on to their high school years when they encountered the trials and tribulations of a newly integrated school. Together they were able to overcome these hardships and continue a relationship through adulthood, keeping in contact and sharing experiences as each man fought his own life threatening disease. This story is an inspiration and an education for all.

A Place For Miracles: Baptist Children's Homes Of North Carolina by Baptist minister Michael C. Blackwell is a remarkable illustrated history and showcase for the Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina, an institution that began in 1885 as an orphanage and grew with the times to become the family-central and child-focused social service that it is today. Interviews with alumni of the Baptist Children's Homes, stories of its evolution throughout the century and beyond, black-and-white photographs, and the depths of human caring make A Place For Miracles a heartwarming and uplifting saga, and highly recommended reading for those concerned with child welfare issues from a Christian perspective.

I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions. Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion. This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic. Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death. Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own. Plato says this is unjust. Republic is about ethical life and justice. It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife. Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people. He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy. Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it? Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it. Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired. Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights. Mimçsis= "representation or imitation." Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation. Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person. Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us. We suspend reality for a while. Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic. If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings. This is a famous controversial line. Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis. Katharsis can also mean purification or clean. There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis. Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life. Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed. Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us. The whole point of tragedy is action over character. Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad. Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history. Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy. Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.