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John Deere, That's Who!
by Tracy Nelson Maurer Tim ZeltnerBack in the 1830s, who was a young blacksmith from Vermont, about to make his mark on American history? John Deere, that’s who! <P><P>Who moved to Illinois, where farmers were struggling to plow through the thick, rich soil they called gumbo? Who tinkered and tweaked and tested until he invented a steel plow that sliced into the prairie easy as you please? <P><P>Long before the first tractor, who changed farming forever? John Deere, that’s who!
John Denver: Mother Nature's Son
by John CollisJohn Denver was America's biggest-selling solo star of the '70s. In commercial terms he was on a par with Sinatra in the '40s, Elvis in the '50s and the Beatles in the '60s. He experimented with a variety of styles and won fans from such diverse worlds as folk, pop and country music. Beneath the often tranquil surface of his music and his clear, clean tenor voice, however, lurked a darker side to Denver's character. The writer of 'Annie's Song', one of the most straightforward and personal expressions of love, became a wife-beater. The man who cavorted with the Muppets was an alcoholic. The committed environmentalist had his own plane, the most polluting form of transport. John Collis has delved deep to discover exactly who John Denver was. By unravelling the complexities of the singer's personality and background, he reveals Denver as a complicated, contradictory man, much more intriguing than the sometimes placid surface of his music might suggest. Millions of people around the globe found something in his music that touched their souls; Collis, by charting Denver's career and development as an artist, explores his legendary contribution not only to the world of music but also to the society of which he was a protagonist and a victim.
John Dewey and American Democracy
by Robert B. WestbrookOver a career spanning American history from the 1880s to the 1950s, John Dewey sought not only to forge a persuasive argument for his conviction that "democracy is freedom" but also to realize his democratic ideals through political activism. Widely considered modern America's most important philosopher, Dewey made his views known both through his writings and through such controversial episodes as his leadership of educational reform at the turn of the century; his support of American intervention in World War I and his leading role in the Outlawry of War movement after the war; and his participation in both radical and anti-communist politics in the 1930s and 40s. Robert B. Westbrook reconstructs the evolution of Dewey's thought and practice in this masterful intellectual biography, combining readings of his major works with an engaging account of key chapters in his activism. Westbrook pays particular attention to the impact upon Dewey of conversations and debates with contemporaries from William James and Reinhold Niebuhr to Jane Addams and Leon Trotsky. Countering prevailing interpretations of Dewey's contribution to the ideology of American liberalism, he discovers a more unorthodox Dewey--a deviant within the liberal community who was steadily radicalized by his profound faith in participatory democracy. Anyone concerned with the nature of democracy and the future of liberalism in America--including educators, moral and social philosophers, social scientists, political theorists, and intellectual and cultural historians--will find John Dewey and American Democracy indispensable reading.
John Diefenbaker
by Arthur SladeAt the age of nine, John Diefenbaker announced, "I’m going to be prime minister when I grow up." He never lost sight of his goal. Diefenbaker was prime minister of Canada from 1957-1963. He believed in social justice, opening up the North, and making things better for western farmers. Canadians responded to his campaign call to "Follow John." This compelling book recreates the tensions of the Diefenbaker era - the time of the Cold War, spy scandals, and the Cuban Missile Crisis - when the world seemed on the brink of nuclear war.
John Donne: A Biography
by John Stubbs"Elegantly written, psychologically and historically astute."--Los Angeles Times Book Review From scholar to buccaneer, from outcast to establishment figure, John Donne emerged as one of the greatest English poets. Following Donne from Plague-ridden streets to palaces, from taverns to the pulpit of St Paul's, John Stubbs's "exemplary literary biography" (Harold Bloom) is a vivid portrait of an extraordinary writer and his country at a time of bewildering and cruel transformation.
John Duffey’s Bluegrass Life: Featuring the Country Gentlemen, Seldom Scene, and Washington, D.C.
by Stephen Moore G. T. KeplingerIt has been 22 years since we lost the great John Duffey, the father of modern bluegrass music. He still looms large in the minds of those who knew him and those who saw him perform. Those who came to love bluegrass since never got the chance to experience his power first-hand. Hopefully, this book will give them an understanding of the unique larger-than-life character that was John Duffey. Fortunately, there are plenty of recordings and some videos still available to give a clue. John’s creative influence is heard and felt in the two main bands that he fronted, The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene. These bands created the Washington sound, a newer, more cosmopolitan approach to a genre that had been invented by rural southern and Appalachian musicians in the 1940s. John co-founded The Country Gentlemen in 1957, stayed with them until 1969. In 1971, he was coaxed back into performing to help found The Seldom Scene. John remained with the Scene until his death in December 1996. I have been fortunate to have been a band mate of John’s in both of those bands. There are so many Duffey stories that need to be retold lest they be lost. This book will help fill the void and make him come alive in the minds of the reader.” -- Tom Gray, BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAMER Stephen Moore has co-authored four books, Helen Hayes: A Bio-Bibliography, Johnny Holliday: From Rock to Jock, Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins, and Cerphe's Up. A research technologist at Georgetown University, he plays in the Maryland rock cover band The Razors. G.T. Keplinger is a long-time bluegrass fan, historian, and archivist. His MFA thesis project was a documentary on The Seldom Scene. An Associate Professor of film at Stevenson University, he lives in Towson, MD with his wife, two children, and their long-haired dachshund.
John E. Fetzer and the Quest for the New Age (Great Lakes Books Series)
by Brian C. WilsonJohn E. Fetzer and the Quest for the New Age follows the spiritual sojourn of John E. Fetzer, a Michigan business tycoon. Born in 1901 and living most of his life in Kalamazoo, Fetzer parlayed his first radio station into extensive holdings in broadcasting and other enterprises, leading to his sole ownership of the Detroit Tigers in 1961. By the time he died in 1991, Fetzer had been listed in Forbes magazine as one of the four hundred wealthiest people in America. And yet, business success was never enough for Fetzer—his deep spiritual yearnings led him from the Christianity of his youth to a restless exploration of metaphysical religions and movements ranging from Spiritualism, Theosophy, Freemasonry, UFOology, and parapsychology, all the way to the New Age as it blossomed in the 1980s. Author Brian C. Wilson demonstrates how Fetzer’s quest mirrored those of thousands of Americans who sought new ways of thinking and being in the ever-changing spiritual movements of the twentieth century. Over his lifetime, Fetzer's worldview continuously evolved, combining and recombining elements from dozens of traditions in a process he called "freedom of the spirit." Unlike most others who engaged in a similar process, Fetzer’s synthesis can be documented step by step using extensive archival materials, providing readers with a remarkably rich and detailed roadmap through metaphysical America. The book also documents how Fetzer’s wealth allowed him to institutionalize his spiritual vision into a thriving foundation—the Fetzer Institute—which was designed to carry his insights into the future in hopes that it would help catalyze a global spiritual transformation. John E. Fetzer and the Quest for the New Age offers a window into the rich and complex history of metaphysical religions in the Midwest and the United States at large. It will be read with interest by those wishing to learn more about this enigmatic Michigan figure, as well as those looking for an engaging introduction into America’s rapidly shifting spiritual landscape.
John Edward Bruce: Politician, Journalist, and Self-Trained Historian of the African Diaspora
by Ralph CrowderJohn Edward Bruce, a premier black journalist from the late 1800's until his death in 1924, was a vital force in the popularization of African American history. "Bruce Grit," as he was called, wrote for such publications as Marcus Garvey's nationalist newspaper, The Negro World, and McGirt's Magazine. Born a slave in Maryland in 1856, Bruce gained his freedom by joining a regiment of Union soldiers passing through on their way to Washington, DC. Bruce was in contact with major figures in African American history, including Henry Highland Garnett and Martin Delany, both instrumental in the development of 19th century Black nationalism and the struggle for Black liberation. Close relationships with Liberian statesman Edward Wilmot Blyden and with Alexander Crummell, a key advocate for the emigration of Blacks to Africa, assisted in Bruce's development into a leading African American spokesman. In 1911, Arthur Alfonso Schomburg and Bruce co-founded the Negro Society for Historical Research, which greatly influenced black book collecting and preservation as well as the study of African American themes.
John F. Kennedy
by Lucy Post Frisbee Al FiorentinoWhen young Jack Kennedy's little sister gets tired of playing, Jack suggests a a sail. Within moments Jack is steering the small chip toward Osterville to say hello to Captain Manley. Under darkening clouds the two children head back home -- but they do not make it before a storm hits, threatening their lives. Is young Jack a good enough sailor to bring his sister home to safety?
John F. Kennedy
by Howard S. KaplanTells the story of this incredible leader and legend. In this groundbreaking new series, DK brings together fresh voices and DK design values to give readers the most information-packed, visually exciting biographies on the market today. Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts, definitions of key words, and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives that students will love to read.
John F. Kennedy
by Judie Millsdescribes the life of the 35th president and also biographical sketches of the members of his family.
John F. Kennedy (I Am #9)
by Ms. Grace NorwichI was the 35th President of the United States and a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. I am John F. Kennedy.Just in time for the 50th anniversary of his assassination, learn all about the youngest-ever President of the United States in the continuation of Scholastic's biography series, I Am. Each book features a full-color illustrated cover, one-color illustrations throughout, a detailed timeline, introductions to other notable people from the story, maps, sidebars, and a top ten list of important things to know about each figure. I AM JOHN F. KENNEDY will introduce a new generation of readers to this man's inspiring story.
John F. Kennedy and PT-109
by Richard TregaskisThe author describes the life of John F. Kennedy and his PT-109, focusing on the wreck of his ship and how the crew members were saved.
John F. Kennedy and PT-109: Guadalcanal Diary, Invasion Diary, And John F. Kennedy And Pt-109
by Richard TregaskisFrom the bestselling author of Guadalcanal Diary: The thrilling true story of the future president&’s astonishing act of heroism during World War II. In the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, US Navy motor torpedo boat PT-109 patrolled the still, black waters of Blackett Strait in the Solomon Islands. Suddenly, the Japanese destroyer Amagiri loomed out of the darkness, bearing directly down on the smaller ship. There was no time to get out of the way—the destroyer crashed into PT-109, slicing the mosquito boat in two and setting the shark-infested waters aflame with burning gasoline. Ten surviving crewmembers and their young skipper clung to the wreckage, their odds of survival growing slimmer by the instant. Lt. John F. Kennedy&’s first command was an unqualified disaster. Yet over the next three days, the privileged son of a Boston multimillionaire displayed extraordinary courage, stamina, and leadership as he risked his life to shepherd his crew to safety and coordinate a daring rescue mission deep in enemy territory. Lieutenant Kennedy earned a Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart, and the story of PT-109 captured the public&’s imagination and helped propel the battle-tested veteran all the way to the White House. Acclaimed war correspondent Richard Tregaskis—who once beat out the future president for a spot on the Harvard University swim team—brings this remarkable chapter in American history to vivid life in John F. Kennedy and PT-109. From the crucial role torpedo boats played in the fight for the Solomon Islands to Kennedy&’s eager return to the front lines at the helm of PT-59, Tregaskis tells the full story of this legendary incident with the same riveting style and meticulous attention to detail he brought to Guadalcanal Diary and Invasion Diary. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Richard Tregaskis including rare images from the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon
by John M. LogsdonWhile there are many biographies of JFK and accounts of the early years of US space efforts, this book uses primary source material and interviews with key participants to provide a comprehensive account of how the actions taken by JFK's administration have shaped the course of the US space program over the last 45 years.
John F. Kennedy at Rest in Arlington (Images of Modern America)
by Raymond SinibaldiJohn F. Kennedy is one of only three presidents not interred in his home state. Sitting next to his coffin on the flight home from Dallas, Jacqueline Kennedy began formulating plans for his funeral and burial. The following day, in a raw November rain, she selected the Arlington hillside as his final resting place. For three days, in a majestic display of elegance, strength, grace, and courage, the 34-year-old widow led the nation through the excruciating task of laying its president to rest. Within days, she returned to Arlington, and in a brief ceremony, their two infant children were laid to rest beside their father, beneath the eternal flame she lit. Work immediately began on the permanent resting place and memorial, and in March 1967, the final reinterment took place. A half-century later, four million people come yearly to pay their respects to President Kennedy, his widow, and two children.
John F. Kennedy in New England (Images of Modern America)
by Raymond P. SinibaldiOn May 29, 1917, John F. Kennedy was born in the Kennedy home in Brookline, Massachusetts. As a toddler, he wandered the sands of Nantasket Beach in Hull. When he was a little boy, he swam in the Atlantic waters of Sandy Beach in Cohasset, and as a teenager, he learned to sail on Nantucket Sound off the Cape Cod hamlet of Hyannis Port. He was married on the lawn of the Auchincloss Estate in Newport on the shores of Rhode Island Sound, and as president, he sailed the waters off John’s Island in Maine, while the Navy’s Blue Angels flew over in a salute to their commander in chief. John Kennedy was marked and then defined by his time sailing the seas off New England’s shores, and as his brother Ted once said, it was Hyannis Port where he enjoyed his “happiest times.”
John F. Kennedy the Brave (I Can Read Level 2)
by Sheila KeenanThe life of President John F. Kennedy is explored in this early reader biography. “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”When he was a young boy, John Fitzgerald Kennedy wondered about what happened in the world. He wanted to change the world when he grew up, and he did just that!Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in John F. Kennedy’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography, which combines a traditional, illustrated narrative with historical photographs at the back of book. Complete with a timeline, photographs, and little-known facts about the United States’ thirty-fifth president, the brave John F. Kennedy.John F. Kennedy the Brave is a Level Two I Can Read, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.
John F. Kennedy: 35th President Of The United States
by Lucille FalkofPresents the childhood, education, employment, and political career of the youngest man ever elected president of the United States.
John F. Kennedy’s Hidden Diary, Europe 1937: The Travel Journals of JFK and Kirk LeMoyne Billings
by Oliver LubrichPresenting the 1937 diaries of John F. Kennedy’s tour of Europe, this volume offers insights into his early experiences on a continent under the shadow of Nazism. In 1937, while still a student, John F. Kennedy undertook a grand tour of Europe with his close friend and traveling companion, Lem Billings. On this journey he began to keep a diary, which is reproduced here in full and provides an unadulterated account of his thoughts and feelings. Superficially, it presents a picture of two young men enjoying their summer, sightseeing, going to the movies, bars and night clubs; but behind this we find, in Kennedy’s political observations and encounters, the looming shadow of Nazism. In retrospect there are blind spots and misjudgments, but also insights of great topicality, for example on populism, and propaganda and its potent effects. On this trip and during his later travels in Germany, Kennedy engaged with the crucial questions of his later presidency: How does a dictatorship work? How is an alternative concept of society to be countered? And how can an impending war be averted? Kennedy’s European and Russian policies and also his famous Berlin speech of 1963 (“Ich bin ein Berliner”) are to be understood against this background. In addition to numerous archive photographs, this volume contains Kennedy’s complete diary of his 1937 trip to Europe and, as a counterpart, the “Scrapbook” of Lem Billings who documented it from his perspective.
John F. Kerry: The Boston Globe Biography
by Nina J. Easton Michael Kranish Brian MooneyJohn F. Kerry: The Boston Globe Biography tells the ambitious story of the former Presidential candidate and Senator, and current Secretary of State. Based on a highly regarded series published in The Boston Globe and augmented by years of additional reporting, it explores John Kerry's background, his service in the military, his early legal and political career, and his legislative record. Offering an incisive, frank look at the man who has spent decades in the highest levels of government, this biography is important reading for anyone interested in the life of the man now poised to be the face of his country overseas.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy: America's 35th President
by Barry DenenbergStraightforward account of the life and short presidency of John F. Kennedy.
John Frank Stevens: Civil Engineer (Railroads Past and Present)
by Clifford FoustOne of America's foremost civil engineers of the past 150 years, John Frank Stevens was a railway reconnaissance and location engineer whose reputation was made on the Canadian Pacific and Great Northern lines. Self-taught and driven by a bulldog tenacity of purpose, he was hired by Theodore Roosevelt as chief engineer of the Panama Canal, creating a technical achievement far ahead of its time. Stevens also served for more than five years as the head of the US Advisory Commission of Railway Experts to Russia and as a consultant who contributed to many engineering feats, including the control of the Mississippi River after the disastrous floods of 1927 and construction of the Boulder (Hoover) Dam. Drawing on Stevens's surviving personal papers and materials from projects with which he was associated, Clifford Foust offers an illuminating look into the life of an accomplished civil engineer.
John Franklin
by John WilsonJohn Franklin explored and charted Canada’s arctic seacoast in 1819-1822, 1825-27, and 1845. On the first expedition he nearly starved and on the third he died. None of his men survived the third expedition, but the search for clues to their fate helped open up the North and his celebrated Canadian song and stories.
John Gardner: Literary Outlaw
by Barry SileskyFor a decade--from 1973 to 1982--John Gardner was one of America's most famous writers and certainly its most flamboyantly opinionated. His 1973 novel, The Sunlight Dialogues, was on the New York Times bestseller list for fourteen weeks. Once in the limelight, he picked public fights with his peers, John Barth, Joseph Heller, and Norman Mailer among them, and wrote five more bestsellers. Gardner's personal life was as chaotic as his writing life was prolific. At twenty, he married his cousin Joan, and after a long marriage that was both passionate and violent, left her for Liz Rosenberg, a student. Only a few years later, he left Rosenberg for another student, Susan Thornton. Famous for disregarding his own safety, he rode his motorcycle at crazy speeds, incurred countless concussions, and once broke both of his arms. He survived what was diagnosed as terminal colon cancer only to resume his prodigious drinking and to die in a motorcycle accident at age forty-nine, a week before his third wedding. Biographer Barry Silesky captures John Gardner's fabulously contradictory genius and his capacity to both dazzle and infuriate. He portrays Gardner as a man of unrestrained energy and blatant contempt for convention and also as a man whose charisma drew students and devoted followers wherever he went. Amazingly, Gardner published twenty-nine books in all, including eleven fiction titles, a book-length epic poem, six books of medieval criticism, and a major biography. Twenty-one years after his death, his On Moral Fiction and The Art Of Fiction are still read and debated in MFA programs across the country. This is a full-scale biography of a writer who was, for ten years, almost bigger than life. It lives up to its subject magnificently.