Mississippi Books

The 1950's was about much more than conformity, containment, and contentment, and Lukin and his "Suburbanites" provide a peek behind the gray flannel curtain to show aspects of Fifites culture previously "invisible" in scholarship. Although all of the essays were well-written and felt ground-breaking in terms of their subjects (feminism during the Red Scare, homosexuality in the deep South, working-class conflict), two essays in particular captured my imagination and attention: Jennifer Worley's take on lesbian pulps and Ladislava Khailova's examination of mental disability in "The Light in the Piazza".

Khailova provides a history of attitudes toward and treatment of people (particularly women) with mental disabilities, and contrasts the eugenicist tendencies of state institutions with the accommodating, even romantic attitudes author Elizabeth Spencer ascribes to Italy. While the mentally disabled Clara is coddled and contained in the US, her sexuality understood as threatening, in Italy she becomes in many ways the ideal romantic partner and wife.

But, as much as I enjoyed Khailova's essay,and as important as it is to my own field (Disability Studies), my favorite essay in the book is Jennifer Worley's "The Mid-Century Pulp Novel and the Imagining of Lesbian Community." While it is deeply scholarly and relentlessly smart, Worley's essay is also fun -- the writing itself sparkles with a sense of humor, and an affection for the subject matter. This is the only academic article I've read in years (if ever) that I wanted to read over and over again, in the bathtub with a glass of wine. It's sophisticated in its description of the social forces which constrained writers of pulp novels, and conversational when it explores the particulars of Ann Bannon's characters.

Overall, Invisible Suburbs is accessible to the non-specialist and covers new ground in 1950's scholarship for those in the know. This is a book I'll be re-reading frequently.

Vernon Wharton's THE NEGRO IN MISSISSIPPI, 1865-1890 is an important work, greatly aiding in the understanding of that period of Southern history which we call Reconstruction. It is an excellent example of scholarship, dealing with wider issues than is indicated by the book's title. It is well-written, insightful, and valuable to anyone interested in the post-bellum South. Wharton's finest opus should be read by all students interested in history and race relations in the United States.

A superb biography, "John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader" tells the story of one of the most significant of the southern "fire eaters" in the era prior to the Civil War. Born in Rhinebeck, New York, in 1798, in 1821 Quitman arrived in Natchez, Mississippi, seeking fame and fortune. He found both, for Quitman occupied the highest office in all branches of his state's government. He became an ardent Southern rights and pro-slavery advocate, and would have applauded the creation of the Confederacy had he lived to see it. As it was, he died in 1858.

During the 1836 Texas Revolution Quitman organized a military force, but saw no action. In 1846 he became a brigadier general of Mississippi militia, and won glory at the battle of Monterrey, September 20-24, 1846, and at Vera Cruz. In 1847 his division captured the fortress of Chapultec, leading to the fall of Mexico City and the conclusion of the Mexican-American war. Afterwards, Quitman continued his political career, serving as Mississippi governor and in Congress. He also supported filibustering in the Caribbean. His death from food poisoning ensured that he did not fight for the South in the Civil War.

This book was well-received when first published in 1985, and fully deserving of accolades more than twenty years after its publication. Robert E. May, professor of history at Purdue University and a longtime friend, probes in this biography the mind of pro-slavery, pro-southern nationalism by focusing on Quitman and his career. Quitman, along with Edmund Ruffin and a few others pressed the South to secede from the Union in 1860-1861 and fight the most destructive war ever undertaken on the North American continent. It also makes clear, as May's biography of Quitman states with conviction, that the Civil War was fundamentally about the place of slavery and race relations in the United States. Well-done in terms of research and presentation, "John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader" is a significant book that anyone interested in the history of Old South must read.

John Perkins is a modern-day apostle Paul. In Terry Whalin's book, John Perkins (ages 8-12), we find a man who overcame poverty, racism, beatings, humiliation, and unbelievable odds to spread the gospel of Christ. Growing up in the deep south where racial tension was at its highest and most volatile, Perkins persevered and diligently sought after his dream. He is a role model for all of us, a shining example of what God can do in and through a man totally sold out to serving Him. Whalin does a remarkable job of capturing the fervor and heart of John Perkins. Get this book for your child; introduce him/her to a real hero.

Forget Christopher Heard's pathetic, hackneyed, dull mockery of a biography, Ten Thousand Bullets. John Woo: Interviews is the best book on John Woo currently on the market. Michael Bliss' Between the Bullets has some interesting insights, but it was a collection of film essays, which focus more on academic, sociological and ideological interpretations of Woo's films rather than an aim at biographical detailing.

John Woo: Interviews succeeds very well at portraying the shy, serious director by meticulous editing, mostly letting Woo's own syntax and verbal mannerisms come through with minimal tampering, and the interviews themselves delve into Woo's troubled relationship with Tsui Hark, his work with both Hong Kong and American film crews, his childhood in Hong Kong, and of course his quartet of Hong Kong classics: A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Bullet in the Head, and Hard-Boiled. My
favourite interviews are the ones with Hard Target director of photography Russell Carpenter, who goes into the nitty-gritties of working with such a visually meticulous director, and an extremely illuminating portion where Woo dissects the unique qualities of his various leading men -- Chow Yun-fat, John Travolta, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nicolas Cage, and Tom Cruise.

The editing is smartly done, making the interviews flow into an easy read, and each interview is documented so that we have some context for interpretation. I've been reading up on Woo for quite awhile, but I'd say this is the single most comprehensive, multi-angled and absorbing source of John Woo material yet. A great read for fans of Asian cinema, and filmmakers will especially find this book an invaluable source of information for Woo's unique cinematic magic.

Janet Sharp Hermann has done a magnificent job of portraying this giant of a man. It is a spellbound account of a time and a place now almost forgotten. Her scholarship and research talents are made plain by the way she brings out the nature of Joseph E. Davis and his relationship with his family and especially his servants. His forbearance and high-spirited way of coping with the adversity he faced over the destruction of his property during the Civil War and the after-years were inspiring.

This book is best read in conjunction with Larpenteur's FORTY YEARS A FUR TRADER,and Denig's FIVE INDIAN TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI,& ASSINABOINE to fully appreciate the cultural specifics & interrelationships between white traders,Indians,& Metis peoples in mid 19th century Dakota & Montana territories.Unlike present day politically correct/"sensitive" accounts, Kurz was a Swiss artist who lived with & sketched the Indian tribes of the upper & lower Missouri River from 1846-1852 as he found them. Dispite overall sympathy for the plight of their rapidly changing cultures,he depicts various tribes in brutally accurate & often unflattering accounts. History with all its bumps & warts is a phenomena sadly lacking today particularly with regard to Native American/White relations on the frontier. It's a humanizing account-acknowledging the endemic savage violence Indians were capable of directing toward each other. The lethal depridations of Smallpox,Influenza, & Cholera, on native populations are also described with disturbing directness. I would recommend this & the other titles mentioned for any reader who is interested in historical accuracy with often upsetting bluntness.

Claire Sargent's journey from childhood to adulthood reads like a novel... entertaining, humorous, a real page-turner. She gives the inside dish on what it is REALLY like to run for political office, and what she had to endure during her 1992 campaign against John McCain. Reading "Journey Proud" made me proud to be a woman and I thank Ms. Sargent for letting us peek into her life as she paved the way for others to follow in her footsteps

Congdon and Bucuvalas wrote this book largely from their own years of fieldwork across Florida. Even though the book is about Florida folk artists, it will appeal to anyone interested in the subject of folk art and folklife in general. The authors include the more conventional folk art subjects, such as quilt making, wood carving, blacksmithing, and basketry, but they also stretch the boundaries of what many may think of as "folk art" to include traditional activities such as the crafting of diving helmets, the operation of a fruit stand, and the paintings of some artists who have had formal education in the visual arts. There are also profiles of what is problemmatically termed "outsider art." In presenting these artists, Bucuvalas and Congdon avoid the exoticism that tends to permeate much of the presentation about these forms of artistic expression. Instead, they provide enough background information and interpretive commentary to allow the reader to appreciate the artwork simply as "art." The melange of forms, works, and artists works well, and it represents Florida's diversity in a fresh and exciting way. This rich and vivid presentation of these varied arts and artists provides an interesting and accessible documentation of contemporary folk artists. These artists are talented, and the text offers interesting, even inspiring, commentaries on their arts. These commentaries consist of background information written by the authors and well-chosen selections from numerous interviews with the folk artists. One other strength of this book is in the way that the well-written profiles of 75 artists blends so well with vivid portraits in the text and 81 full-color plates that complete the volume.

Edgar Ray Killen! Philadelphia, Mississippi! The names strike fear into those who remember the brutal slaying of three civil rights workers on June 21, 1964. Author Howard Ball follows up his previous book entitled Murder in Mississippi with a retrial of "Preacher" Edgar Ray Killen who was one vote from conviction by a jury in 1967. A woman, who has since regretted her vote, said she couldn't bring herself to convict a preacher. The author provides us with the virulent atmosphere that prevailed in the deep south in the 1960's and the attitudes of those who resented anyone poking their collective noses into their way of life. Many of those who were convicted in the 1967 trial received light sentences and resumed their way of life upon release from prison. For 41 years Mr. Killen was able to enjoy the life of a quasi-celebrity in his home town while others feared to even mention the terrible deed that hung over the town of Philadelphia's reputation. Upon Killen's conviction in 2005 racist Richard Barrett requested a "Killen Appreciation Day" on the lawn of the Neshoba County Courthouse so people could come around and shake this terrorist's hand. Such actions make one wonder just how far we still have to go to bring individuals kicking and screaming out of their sordid past. This is a book that will absolutely disgust you while still providing you with some sense of justice in this country however belatedly it may have occurred.