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Familiar Ground: A Novel (Southern Revivals Ser.)
by Elizabeth CoxA man haunted by the death of his brother and a forty-year-old secret returns to his Tennessee hometown in this novel by the author of A Question of Mercy.A novel of homecoming, loss, and the power of story, Familiar Ground follows the return of Jacob Bechner to rural Sweetwater, Tennessee, summoned by Callie, a dying woman nearly one hundred years old. Jacob aims to confront a moment of violence from forty years in his past that cost him the life of his brother Drue. Elizabeth Cox’s debut novel, first published in 1984, is about the recurrence of loss in our lives and of the intractability of guilt that must give way for any measure of self-forgiveness.The novel introduces us to a memorable collection of southern characters. There is the indomitable Callie, who has suffered rape and ostracism from the locals; Soldier, a mentally handicapped man lost in his loneliness; Jacob’s alcoholic father and gentle mother; his great-niece and -nephew, whom have already known terrible loss in their young lives; and Jacob’s steadfast wife, Molly, whose understanding of her husband is upended by the revelations of his past. With sparse prose and an authentic southern landscape and cast, Cox delivered an impressive first novel, the merits of which still hold up three decades later.This Southern Revivals edition includes a new introduction by the author and a contextualizing preface from series editor Robert Brinkmeyer, director of the University of South Carolina Institute for Southern Studies.Praise for Familiar Ground“A writer of deep insights and a talent for conveying a sense of time and place.” —Publishers Weekly“[Cox’s] calm, clear writing treats the South knowingly. . . . You’ll find yourself thinking of these characters exactly as you think of people you know.” —USA Today“Cox can use her words like blunt instruments—they deliver a knockout blow. . . . We know we’ve glimpsed magic that we can’t quite explain.” —Washington Post“Remarkably full and revealing . . . a promising novel, one that affirms Elizabeth Cox’s tender insight and convincing emotional range.” —Greensboro News & Record“A work of startling originality!” —New York Times
The Arab Revolts: Dispatches on Militant Democracy in the Middle East (Public Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa)
by David McMurray and Amanda Ufheil-SomersA collection of essays examining the underlying causes of 2011’s Arab uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen.The 2011 eruptions of popular discontent across the Arab world, popularly dubbed the Arab Spring, were local manifestations of a regional mass movement for democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Authoritarian regimes were either overthrown or put on notice that the old ways of oppressing their subjects would no longer be tolerated. These essays from Middle East Report—the leading source of timely reporting and insightful analysis of the region—cover events in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen. Written for a broad audience of students, policymakers, media analysts, and general readers, the collection reveals the underlying causes of the revolts by identifying key trends during the last two decades leading up to the recent insurrections.“This is easily the best volume on the Arab uprisings yet published. The material is very strong and accessibly written, providing rich background on the political and economic contexts in the region prior to the uprisings as well as after the events of 2011 unfolded, based on substantive knowledge. . . . Ideal for students, policymakers, and general readers.” —Jillian Schwedler, University of Massachusetts“For anyone trying to understand the processes of popular revolt and mechanisms of repression, The Arab Revolts is a good place to start.” —Anthropology of Contemporary Middle-East and Central Eurasia“This excellent collection of articles from Middle East Report provides an unusually deep and wide analysis of the phenomena collectively known as the Arab Spring. . . . The articles are well written and accessible to students, as well as to general readers, and hold much interest to specialists in Middle East politics as well.” —Review of Middle East Studies“The editors of this exceptionally well-conceptualized collection have chosen writings that complement each other well. Each section begins with the present-day situation, and the subsequent essays describe the historical background of mass protests. At the end of each section is a writing that connects the historical themes back to the modern protest movements.” —Against the Current
Eutaw Springs: The Final Battle of the American Revolution's Southern Campaign
by Robert M. Dunkerly Irene B. BolandAn in-depth analysis of one of the War for Independence’s bloodiest and least understood conflicts.The Battle of Eutaw Springs took place on September 8, 1781, and was among the last in the War of Independence. It was brutal in its combat and reprisals, with Continental and Whig militia fighting British regulars and Loyalist regiments. Although its outcome was seemingly inconclusive, the battle, fought near present-day Eutawville, South Carolina, contained all the elements that defined the war in the South. In Eutaw Springs: The Final Battle of the American Revolution’s Southern Campaign, Robert M. Dunkerly and Irene B. Boland tell the story of this lesser known and under-studied battle of the Revolutionary War’s Southern Campaign. Shrouded in myth and misconception, the battle has also been overshadowed by the surrender of Yorktown.Eutaw Springs represented lost opportunities for both armies. The American forces were desperate for a victory in 1781, and Gen. Nathanael Greene finally had the ground of his own choosing. British forces under Col. Alexander Stewart were equally determined to keep a solid grip on the territory they still held in the South Carolina lowcountry.In one of the bloodiest battles of the war, both armies sustained heavy casualties with each side losing nearly twenty percent of its soldiers. Neither side won the hard-fought battle, and controversies plagued both sides in the aftermath. Dunkerly and Boland analyze the engagement and its significance within the context of the war’s closing months, study the area’s geology and setting, and recount the action using primary sources, aided by recent archaeology.“A well put together book that is easy to read, and it makes good use of graphic material. Eutaw Springs is recommended.” —The Journal of America’s Military Past“A long-overdue study of . . . Nathanael Greene’s last main force Southern campaign engagement. Drawing from a wealth of resources including new research, archaeology and pension documents, the authors have created an easy reading account. . . . For students of the Revolutionary War, this is must reading because so much focus has been directed at Yorktown where the British abandoned an army instead of the more mobile war in the South where the war was finally won by wearing down the British.” —Lawrence Babits, George Washington Distinguished Professor of History, East Carolina University“A very good analysis of the political, military, and physical environment, with some profiles of a number of interesting people, most notably Nathanael Greene, after Washington the most important American general of the war, though he never won a battle.” —New York Military Affairs Symposium Review
When Europe Was a Prison Camp: Father and Son Memoirs, 1940–1941
by Peter Schrag Otto SchragIn a compelling approach to storytelling, When Europe Was a Prison Camp weaves together two accounts of a family's eventual escape from Occupied Europe. One, a memoir written by the father in 1941; the other, begun by the son in the 1980s, fills in the story of himself and his mother, supplemented by historical research. The result is both personal and provocative, involving as it does issues of history and memory, fiction and "truth," courage and resignation. This is not a "Holocaust memoir." The Schrags were Jews, and Otto was interned, under execrable conditions, in southern France. But Otto, with the help of a heroic wife, escaped the camp before the start of massive transfers of prisoners "to the East," and Peter and his mother escaped from Belgium before the Jews were rounded up and sent to Auschwitz. Yet, the danger and suffering, the comradeship and betrayal, the naïve hopes and cynical despair of those in prison and those in peril are everywhere in evidence.
Namibia's Rainbow Project: Gay Rights in an African Nation
by Robert LorwayWhat are the consequences when international actors step in to protect LGBT people from discrimination with programs that treat their sexualities in isolation from the "facts on the ground"? Robert Lorway tells the story of the unexpected effects of The Rainbow Project (TRP), a LGBT rights program for young Namibians begun in response to President Nujoma's notorious hate speeches against homosexuals. Lorway highlights the unintended consequences of this program, many of which ran counter to the goals of local and international policy makers and organizers. He shows how TRP inadvertently diminished civil opportunities at the same time as it sought to empower youth to claim their place in Namibian culture and society. Tracking the fortunes of TRP over several years, Namibia's Rainbow Project poses questions about its effectiveness in the faces of class distinction and growing inequality. It also speaks to ongoing problems for Western sexual minority rights programs in Africa in the midst of political violence, heated debates over anti-discrimination laws, and government-sanctioned anti-homosexual rhetoric.
Tweet This Book: The 1,400 Greatest Quotes of All Time in 140 Characters or Less
by Compiled;edited by Sayre Van Young;Marin Van YoungTweetable-length quotes that are clever, cool, smart, touching, wise, funny, and more from the author of The Unofficial Harry Potter Vocabulary Builder.Brevity may be the soul of wit, but 280 characters is the absolute limit on Twitter! Luckily, Tweet This Book allows you to spice up their microblog with the greatest quotes of all time. Each one is not only brief—it is officially tweetable. The quick, punchy quotes in this wonderfully diverse collection come from all circles and include literary greats; politicians like Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Barack Obama; and sports figures, musicians, and celebrities like Yogi Berra, Tupac Shakur, and Hunter S. Thompson. With an easy-to-use, A-to-Z organization by topic, you can quickly find the perfect quote for anything you want to tweet about.“You’d be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap.” —Dolly Parton“Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?” —Paul Newman“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” —Lily Tomlin“Giving birth is like taking your lower lip and forcing it over your head.” —Carol Burnett“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” —Julia Child“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” —Oscar Wilde“Life is too short to blend in.” —Paris Hilton“Whatever you are, be a good one.” —Abraham Lincoln“Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place.” —Billy Crystal“Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” —Bette Davis (in All About Eve)
The Ides of War: George Washington and the Newburgh Crisis (Studies in Rhetoric & Communication)
by Stephen Howard BrowneA history and analysis of how George Washington stopped an attempted military coup at the end of the American Revolutionary War.History tells us that on a day when the forces of civil government confront the forces of military might, no one knows what may follow. Americans believe that they have avoided this moment, that whatever other challenges the country has faced, at least it never has had to deal with the prospects of a coup d’état. Stephen Howard Browne maintains that this view is mistaken, that in fact the United States faced such a crisis, at the very moment when the country announced its arrival on the world scene in the spring of 1783 in a rustic meeting hall along the Hudson River near Newburgh, New York. The crisis was resolved by George Washington, commander in chief of the US Army, in an address he delivered to a roomful of restive and deeply disaffected officers.In The Ides of War, Browne examines the resolution of the first confrontation between the forces of American civil government and the American military—the Newburgh Crisis. He tells the story of what transpired on that day, examines what was said, and suggests what we might learn from the affair. Browne shows that George Washington’s Newburgh Address is a stunning example of the power of human agency to broker one of our most persistent, most troublesome dilemmas: the rival claims to power of civil and military authorities. At stake in this story are biding questions about the meaning and legacy of revolution, the nature of republican government, and ultimately what kind of people we are and profess to be.Browne holds that although these are monolithic and vexed themes, they are vital and need to be confronted to obtain a coherent and convincing account of history. The Newburgh Crisis offers an unmatched opportunity to examine these themes, as well as the role of rhetoric in the founding of the world’s first modern republic.“Few speeches have shaped the course of American history more than George Washington’s address to his potentially mutinous officers in Newburgh, New York, on March 15, 1783. In this splendid book, Browne deftly brings to life the Newburgh conspiracy, Washington’s masterful response to it, and the lasting implications of both for civil-military relations in a republican government.” —Stephen Lucas, Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities, University of Wisconsin“This elegant and persuasive book expands our knowledge of a little known but hugely significant turning point in American history, one that set it on course toward liberty and democracy. In the process, Browne brings new understanding to the founding of the United States, its military system, and its first commander in chief.” —Richard H. Kohn, professor emeritus of history and peace, war, and defense, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
In the Shadow of the Shtetl: Small-Town Jewish Life in Soviet Ukraine
by Jeffrey VeidlingerA history based on interviews with hundreds of Ukrainian Jews who survived both Hitler and Stalin, recounting experiences ordinary and extraordinary.The story of how the Holocaust decimated Jewish life in the shtetls of Eastern Europe is well known. Still, thousands of Jews in these small towns survived the war and returned afterward to rebuild their communities. The recollections of some four hundred returnees in Ukraine provide the basis for Jeffrey Veidlinger’s reappraisal of the traditional narrative of twentieth-century Jewish history.These elderly Yiddish speakers relate their memories of Jewish life in the prewar shtetl, their stories of survival during the Holocaust, and their experiences living as Jews under Communism. Despite Stalinist repressions, the Holocaust, and official antisemitism, their individual remembrances of family life, religious observance, education, and work testify to the survival of Jewish life in the shadow of the shtetl to this day.
Indianapolis: The Circle City
by Lee MandrellA beautifully photographed tour of the Indiana capital from city streets to state fairs to the world’s biggest Christmas tree.Indianapolis shines like never before in this one-of-a-kind book filled with stunning images. Photographer Lee Mandrell showcases a Circle City of unique architecture and natural areas, outstanding museums, and historic landmarks. Readers will be drawn into the rich culture, history, and art of Indianapolis as well as all things modern.Stroll along the famous Canal Walk. Explore the largest children’s museum in the world. Wander through the city’s parks and enjoy beautiful seasonal displays. Marvel at the campuses of Butler University and IUPUI—and see the two hundred eighty-four-foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument covered in lights and the world’s largest Christmas tree.“This book will inspire with joy and reverence a greater love of Indianapolis.” —Senator Dick Lugar
Socialist Senses: Film, Feeling, and the Soviet Subject, 1917–1940
by Emma Widdis&“Widdis&’s rich and fascinating book has opened a new perspective from which to think about the Soviet cinema.&” —Kritika This major reimagining of the history of Soviet film and its cultural impact explores the fundamental transformations in how film, through the senses, remade the Soviet self in the 1920s and 1930s. Following the Russian Revolution, there was a shared ambition for a &‘sensory revolution&’ to accompany political and social change: Soviet men and women were to be reborn into a revitalized relationship with the material world. Cinema was seen as a privileged site for the creation of this sensory revolution: Film could both discover the world anew, and model a way of inhabiting it. Drawing upon an extraordinary array of films, noted scholar Emma Widdis shows how Soviet cinema, as it evolved from the revolutionary avant-garde to Socialist Realism, gradually shifted its materialist agenda from emphasizing the external senses to instilling the appropriate internal senses (consciousness, emotions) in the new Soviet subject.
Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion for the Written Word
by Steve Gamel“Honest, transparent, and realistic . . . His approach offers insights, advice, and sensible strategies to stop procrastinating and start writing.” —Neil Foote, Principal Lecturer, Mayborn School of JournalismIn his debut title, Write Like You Mean It, award-winning journalist and content writer Steve Gamel dives into his best advice for writers that he has gathered over the years. With stories from his early years and frequent foibles as a journalist, Gamel equips aspiring writers with trade tips to learn, tools to utilize, and lessons to write stronger content. He has designed “a book that is useful to all kinds of writers: first-time writers, veteran writers, nonfiction writers, fiction writers, freelance writers, college writers, high school writers, writers who own their own business, and so forth.”Simple steps in each chapter break down the productivity practices of creatives, the organization needed to get to the finish line, and the purpose behind it all: drawing readers in with quality content and style. He discusses the intentional processes behind organizing ideas, conducting interviews, beating writer’s block, networking, editing, and publishing. Whether you’re an old hand at writing, a novice, or a college professor aspiring to write full-time, this book is for you, so you too can Write Like You Mean It!“Blazes a trail for aspiring writers . . . provides numerous practical tips and suggestions to help you deal with the challenges of writing and getting published.” —Tim Stevenson, Master Sherpa Executive Coach, and author of Better“Steve does a great job of laying things out in an easy format that communicates good information to the reader—which is what writing is all about.” —Ben Baby, NFL and Boxing Reporter, ESPN
A History of the Narraganset Tribe of Rhode Island: Keepers of the Bay (American Heritage)
by Robert A. GeakeThe story of the indigenous people in what would become Rhode Island, their encounters with Europeans, and their return to sovereignty in the twentieth century. Before Roger Williams set foot in the New World, the Narragansett farmed corn and squash, hunted beaver and deer, and harvested clams and oysters throughout what would become Rhode Island. They also obtained wealth in the form of wampum, a carved shell that was used as currency along the eastern coast. As tensions with the English rose, the Narragansett leaders fought to maintain autonomy. While the elder Sachem Canonicus lived long enough to welcome both Verrazzano and Williams, his nephew Miatonomo was executed for his attempts to preserve their way of life and circumvent English control. Historian Robert A. Geake explores the captivating story of these Native Rhode Islanders.
The Bowery Boys: Adventures in Old New York
by Greg Young Tom MeyersUncover fascinating, little-known histories of the five boroughs in The Bowery Boys’ official companion to their popular, award-winning podcast.It was 2007. Sitting at a kitchen table and speaking into an old karaoke microphone, Greg Young and Tom Meyers recorded their first podcast. They weren’t history professors or voice actors. They were just two guys living in the Bowery and possessing an unquenchable thirst for the fascinating stories from New York City’s past. Nearly 200 episodes later, The Bowery Boys podcast is a phenomenon, thrilling audiences each month with one amazing story after the next. Now, in their first-ever book, the duo gives you an exclusive personal tour through New York’s old cobblestone streets and gas-lit back alleyways. In their uniquely approachable style, the authors bring to life everything from makeshift forts of the early Dutch years to the opulent mansions of The Gilded Age. They weave tales that will reshape your view of famous sites like Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, and the High Line. Then they go even further to reveal notorious dens of vice, scandalous Jazz Age crime scenes, and park statues with strange pasts.Praise for The Bowery Boys“Among the best city-centric series.” —New York Times“Meyers and Young have become unofficial ambassadors of New York history.” —NPR“Breezy and informative, crowded with the finest grifters, knickerbockers, spiritualists, and city builders to stalk these streets since back when New Amsterdam was just some farms.” —Village Voice“Young and Meyers have an all-consuming curiosity to work out what happened in their city in years past, including the Newsboys Strike of 1899, the history of the Staten Island Ferry, and the real-life sites on which Martin Scorsese’s Vinyl is based.” —The Guardian
Hermann Cohen and the Crisis of Liberalism: The Enchantment of the Public Sphere (New Jewish Philosophy and Thought)
by Paul E. NahmeA fresh look at a nineteenth-century Jewish philosopher whose theology offers a beacon in an illiberal twenty-first century world: “Recommended.” —ChoiceHermann Cohen is often held to be one of the most important Jewish philosophers of the nineteenth century. Paul E. Nahme, in this new consideration of Cohen, liberalism, and religion, emphasizes the idea of enchantment, or the faith in and commitment to ideas, reason, and critique—the animating spirits that move society forward.Nahme views Cohen through the lenses of the crises of Imperial Germany—the rise of antisemitism, nationalism, and secularization—to come to a greater understanding of liberalism, its Protestant and Jewish roots, and the spirits of modernity and tradition that form its foundation. Nahme’s philosophical and historical retelling of the story of Cohen and his spiritual investment in liberal theology present a strong argument for religious pluralism and public reason in a world rife with populism, identity politics, and conspiracy theories.
Race and the Literary Encounter: Black Literature from James Weldon Johnson to Percival Everett (Blacks in the Diaspora)
by Lesley LarkinWhat effect has the black literary imagination attempted to have on, in Toni Morrison's words, "a race of readers that understands itself to be 'universal' or race-free"? How has black literature challenged the notion that reading is a race-neutral act? Race and the Literary Encounter takes as its focus several modern and contemporary African American narratives that not only narrate scenes of reading but also attempt to intervene in them. The texts interrupt, manage, and manipulate, employing thematic, formal, and performative strategies in order to multiply meanings for multiple readers, teach new ways of reading, and enable the emergence of antiracist reading subjects. Analyzing works by James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, Jamaica Kincaid, Percival Everett, Sapphire, and Toni Morrison, Lesley Larkin covers a century of African American literature in search of the concepts and strategies that black writers have developed in order to address and theorize a diverse audience, and outlines the special contributions modern and contemporary African American literature makes to the fields of reader ethics and antiracist literary pedagogy.
The Girl Guards of Wyoming: The Lost Women's Militia (Military Ser.)
by Dan J LyomIn the summer of 1890, an army of teenage women with swords drawn and rifles at the ready marched resolutely toward the state capitol to deliver a message to Governor Francis E. Warren and the nation: women want equal rights. As Company K walked alongside women's suffrage pioneer Esther Morris, one could hear the rhythm of their feet keeping step in perfect cadence. Western history remembers murderers, outlaws, prostitutes and saloon girls but not the famous Girl Guards, whose military precision rivaled that of West Point cadets. Author Dan J. Lyon offers the definitive and evocative account of the young women warriors who defined the Equality State.
Arizona Chimichangas (American Palate)
by Rita ConnellyA celebration of the crispy, crunchy chimi with history, photos, and recipes! Many claim to be the first to turn a plain burrito into a crispy chimichanga—but everyone agrees that it happened in Arizona. Fried to golden brown perfection at iconic restaurants like Casa Molina, El Charro, and Macayo&’s, these crunchy wonders are favorites from Flagstaff to Bisbee, Safford to Yuma, and all parts in between. Discover the disputed history of how chimichangas got their name and whether Chinese immigrants really invented them. Learn what goes into making a chimi, down to creating the perfect tortilla, as well as the variety of creative ingredients—from seafood to strawberries—that have been wrapped up in this delightful dish. Rita Connelly also presents delicious recipes and behind-the-scenes stories in this celebration of the Grand Canyon State&’s beloved chimichangas.
Global Filipinos: Migrants' Lives in the Virtual Village
by Deirdre McKayThe author of An Archipelago of Care documents the experiences of Filipino contract workers from the same village, traveling abroad for jobs.Contract workers from the Philippines make up one of the world’s largest movements of temporary labor migrants. Deirdre McKay follows Filipino migrants from one rural community to work sites overseas and then home again. Focusing on the experiences of individuals, McKay interrogates current approaches to globalization, multi-sited research, subjectivity, and the village itself. She shows that rather than weakening village ties, temporary labor migration gives the village a new global dimension created in and through the relationships, imaginations, and faith of its members in its potential as a site for a better future.“A unique and important study that adds a refreshing and necessary reminder that, on the most fundamental level, a village is part of the global world.” —Nicole Constable, author of Maid to Order in Hong Kong: Stories of Migrant Workers“A luminous, elegant, and well-argued multi-sited ethnographic study.” —Martin F. Manalansan IV, author of Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora“The problems of overseas Filipino workers with loneliness; long absences from spouses, children, and other relatives; abuse by employers and governments; and efforts to use their time and talent to further individual opportunities are understood easily in McKay’s monograph. The photos of her Filipino informants . . . add a human touch to the topic of overseas workers. . . . Recommended.” —Choice
Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England: From Flips & Rattle-Skulls to Switchel & Spruce Beer (American Palate)
by Corin HirschNew England food and drinks writer Corin Hirsch explores the origins and taste of the favorite potations of early Americans and offers some modern-day recipes to revive them today. Colonial New England was awash in ales, beers, wines, cider and spirits. Everyone from teenage farmworkers to our founding fathers imbibed heartily and often. Tipples at breakfast, lunch, teatime and dinner were the norm, and low-alcohol hard cider was sometimes even a part of children's lives. This burgeoning cocktail culture reflected the New World's abundance of raw materials: apples, sugar and molasses, wild berries and hops. This plentiful drinking sustained a slew of smoky taverns and inns--watering holes that became vital meeting places and the nexuses of unrest as the Revolution brewed.
Cutter's Island: Caesar in Captivity
by Vincent Panella&“This vivid short novel . . . of Caesar&’s youthful adventure. . . . Matches the film Gladiator in its vigorous, viscerally affecting depiction of ancient Rome.&” —Publishers Weekly Most of us are familiar with the Caesar of Shakespeare and Shaw. We know him primarily as the manipulative warlord and statesman. But what about the Caesar of Plutarch and Suetonius—historians who dealt with Caesar as a young man? Here, in this stunning novel, written with all the excitement and eloquence of an epic poem, we find Caesar at the age of twenty-five captured by pirates as he sails to the Island of Rhodes to study rhetoric with the renowned Apollonias Moon. &“An alternately rousing and touching adventure tale that offers an intriguing glimpse into the future dictator's psyche...[and] a panoramic view of Rome. . . . Stirring.&” —Booklist &“ . . . A lyric, swift and moving, swashbuckling tale&” —Robert Fagles, award-winning translator of The Iliad &“Cutter&’s Island is a perfect flawless gem, without a false note anywhere.&” —Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire
The Lake Erie Campaign of 1813: I Shall Fight Them This Day (Military)
by Walter P RybkaOn September 10, 1813, the hot, still air that hung over Lake Erie was broken by the sounds of sharp conflict. Led by Oliver Hazard Perry, the American fleet met the British, and though they sustained heavy losses, Perry and his men achieved one of the most stunning victories in the War of 1812. Author Walter Rybka traces the Lake Erie Campaign from the struggle to build the fleet in Erie, Pennsylvania, during the dead of winter and the conflict between rival egos of Perry and his second in command, Jesse Duncan Elliott, through the exceptionally bloody battle that was the first U.S. victory in a fleet action. With the singular perspective of having sailed the reconstructed U.S. brig Niagara for over twenty years, Rybka brings the knowledge of a shipmaster to the story of the Lake Erie Campaign and the culminating Battle of Lake Erie.
Kill for the Thrill: The Crime Spree That Rocked Western Pennsylvania (True Crime)
by Michael W Sheetz&“The book recounts a brutal string of murders committed by John Lesko and Michael Travaglia, who face the death penalty.&” —TribLIVE During the winter of 1979, southwestern Pennsylvania was rocked by a series of sensational murders, sparking a thirty-year criminal justice saga. A week of brutal, seemingly random killings culminated in the provocation and fatal shooting of Patrolman Leonard Miller, an officer new to the town of Apollo&’s police force and only twenty-one years old. Little more than a year later, two men were convicted of the rash of homicides and sentenced to death—yet both are alive today. Incorporating details of the central characters&’ personal lives as well as the state&’s court system, criminologist Michael W. Sheetz here relays the awful story of the so-called &“kill for thrill&” crime spree with the drama of a novelist and the insight of an officer of the law.
Asylum Doctor: James Woods Babcock and the Red Plague of Pellagra
by Charles S. BryanThis biography of an early twentieth-century South Carolina doctor sheds light on his pioneering work with the mentally ill to combat a public health scourge.Thousands of Americans died of pellagra before the cause—vitamin B3 deficiency—was identified. Credit for solving the mystery is usually given to Dr. Joseph Goldberger of the US Public Health Service. But in Asylum Doctor, Charles S. Bryan demonstrates that a coalition of American asylum superintendents, local health officials, and practicing physicians set the stage for Golberger’s historic work—chief among them was Dr. James Woods Babcock.As superintendent of the South Carolina State Hospital for the Insane from 1891 to 1914, Babcock sounded the alarm against pellagra. He brough out the first English-language treatise on the subject and organized the National Association for the Study of Pellagra. He did so in the face of troubled asylum governance which, coupled with Governor Cole Blease’s political intimidation and unblushing racism, eventually drove Babcock from his post. Asylum Doctor describes the plight of the mentally ill in South Carolina during an era when public asylums had devolved into convenient places to warehouse inconvenient people. It is the story of an idealistic humanitarian who faced conditions most people would find intolerable. And it is important social history for, as this book’s epigraph puts it, “in many ways the Old South died with the passing of pellagra.”
The Last Detective: The Last Detective (Dangerous Davies)
by Leslie ThomasA northwest London detective tackles a twenty-five-year-old missing persons case in this comic crime novel.Dangerous Davies, you understand, earned his nickname in the same way that fat men nicknamed “Tiny” earn theirs. But while he may not inspire dread in the hearts of London’s bad guys, he is nevertheless on the side of right and good, and has a copper’s badge to prove it. True, he is known as the “last detective” —not because there are no others like him, but because he is, in nearly every instance, the last boy picked for the team (although his dog does like him). With little actual work to do, Dangerous has plenty of time to pick through the cases that everybody else has forgotten. And when he stumbles across a real piece of ancient history, it looks like the perfect way to keep him out of trouble and out of the real coppers’ way.Originally published in 1976, this is the first novel in the Dangerous Davies series, which was subsequently adapted for television in the UK; it was also made into a movie in 1981.“Recommended to anyone who enjoys a good detective yarn with plenty of laughs.” —Daily Express (UK)“Splendid comic writing.” —Daily Mail (UK)
Aesthetes and Decadents of the 1890s: An Anthology of British Poetry and Prose
by Karl BecksonThe Aesthetic and Decadent Movement of the late 19th century spawned the idea of "Art for Art's Sake," challenged aesthetic standards and shocked the bourgeosie. From Walter Pater's study, "The Renaissance to Salome, the truly decadent collaboration between Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley, Karl Beckson has chosen a full spectrum of works that chronicle the British artistic achievement of the 1890s. In this revised edition of a classic anthology, "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" has been included in its entirety; the bibliography has been completely updated; Professor Beckson's notes and commentary have been expanded from the first edition published in 1966. The so-called Decadent or Aesthetic period remains one of the most interesting in the history of the arts. The poetry and prose of such writers as Yeats, Wilde, Symons, Johnson, Dowson, Barlas, Pater and others are included in this collection, along with sixteen of Aubrey Beardsley's drawings.