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Determination Lists & Challenges
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Deb’s 2021 Determination List
Today i finished The Pine Barrens--John McPhee. What i failed to realize when i put this book on my 2021 DL is that i had previously read one of his works, Oranges. I liked it quite a bit, as i did this one.Written in the late '60s, when the Pine Barrens, a wilderness, was under consideration for a jetport, where jets like the Concord could land. McPhee explored the area both with residents of the Barrens, as well as others who work there.
I'd not heard of this part of the state, nor that it had similarities with southern backwoods-like places. The Pine Barrens have its own tales, population, history and even bits of language. "One of the geological curiosities of the Pine Barrens is that rain-water soaking down through fallen pine needles and other forest litter takes on enough acid to leach out iron from the sands below; the dissolved iron moves underground into the streams, where it oxidizes on contact with the air and forms a patch of scum on the surface that is partly rust brown and partly iridescent blue, and resembles an oil slick left by an outboard motor; drifting over to the edges of the streams, this iron-oxide film permeates the sands and gravels of the riverbanks and cements them together into a sandstone composite that has been known for centuries as bog iron."
McPhee covers them well. In essence the unique wilderness has been industrious for the nation (iron ore and wood, mostly), but not much built upon, primarily due to the short-lived nature of the enterprises. When the book was written, a year for many of the residents could be summed up this way, sphagnum moss; blueberry season; then cranberry season; finally, cordwood and charcoal season in winter.
I could have used an update, as i wondered about what is going on there now. McPhee describes the flora and fauna of the area, which is unusual in many ways. One wonders how much of that life exists now, 50 years later.
madrano wrote: "Today i finished The Pine Barrens--John McPhee. What i failed to realize when i put this book on my 2021 DL is that i had previously read one of his works, [book:Oranges|5..."There may have been some development around the edges, but I believe the state has pretty much blocked any development in the area.
madrano wrote: "Alias, i found a couple more books by Ben Montgomery i'm going to read. Today i began The Leper Spy: The Story of an Unlikely Hero of World War II, about a Filipino..."Thank you. I will pass the titles on to my friend.
madrano wrote: "I could have used an update, as i wondered about what is going on there now. McPhee describes the flora and fauna of the area, which is unusual in many ways. One wonders how much of that life exists now, 50 years later."You probably can find more info online to bring you up to date.
I am currently reading Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea which was published over ten years ago. So I am constantly going online to update the changes that have taken place, which are a lot.
Alias Reader wrote: "madrano wrote: "I could have used an update, as i wondered about what is going on there now. McPhee describes the flora and fauna of the area, which is unusual in many ways. One wonders how much of..."Nothing to Envy is the book I recommend to folks who fear nonfiction might be" intimidating." I'm finishing up another defector story that drags a bit, but overall has proved interesting. The top cadres live like the court at Versailles, as the brutalized peasants starve: Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee - A Look Inside North Korea.
John wrote: "Nothing to Envy is the book I recommend to folks who fear nonfiction might be" intimidating.".."Yes. It was on your recommendation that I put it on my TBR list. :)
Thanks, John & Alias for your comments on the Barrens. I looked on Wiki about a couple of town names but still had trouble figuring out how much has changed. Regardless. it was a pleasure to visit the area through McPhee's eyes. Alias, i really liked the book you are reading now, too. I felt it told the story well, almost more like a novel, at times. Then, when you think about the reality of some things shared, it's quite sad and moving.
I pretty much spent this weekend reading, finishing books i've been reading for awhile. Above i mentioned a Ben Montgomery book i hadn't heard about previously, The Leper Spy: The Story of an Unlikely Hero of World War II. I finished it early this morning.As i know few details of the Philippines during WWII, this book filled me in. It was an awful chapter in the war and because the title woman helped out guerillas, some of their experiences were hers.
Joey Guerrero was a happily married mother of one child when she was diagnosed with what was then called leprosy, in her early 20s. Because much was unknown & presumed about the disease, she had to give up her family to live on her own. It was hard but they feared they could "catch" it, too.
Almost immediately she began spying against the Japanese who won the city of Manila. Because there was fear of her disease, the invaders feared being near her, so she was seldom stopped as she walked around spying--checking for who was where, what was being done, etc. This info she passed to those who were fighting underground against their foes.
In telling her story, the war in the nation is shared, too. I won't go into detail but suffice to say she helped US bombers figure what to target, as well as warn a large company of soldiers they were headed toward a mined field. She was a hero & was awarded the US Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm, for non-citizens, among other awards. Then, she was ordered to a leprosy camp, which was little more than a series of hovels. Thank you very much.
The book follows her post-War struggle to get to a Louisiana facility where there was medicine which appeared to stem the disease. Finally there, over a number of years, the medicine began to work. She garnered much publicity for that institution, as well as for their ongoing campaign to use the term "Hansen's Disease", rather than leprosy.
As usual, i sometimes cannot figure out how Montgomery has organized the book until i'm well into it. Still, he covers so much material, that i forgive myself for never seeing where he is going. LOL!
However, i feel that he rather insulted those who fought for the name change by using "leper" in the title. It seems a way to promote the book, rather than enlighten, particularly given all Joey did on this front. Almost a betrayal, which he never acknowledges. Perhaps more people were drawn to the title due to its usage, but i wasn't comfortable with it, despite the fact i can see why he did so.
We've come a long way & cannot imagine the onus that diagnosis gave sufferers. Joey was heroic in her battle for her Philippine colony, as for the one in the US. Both were vastly improved with the publicity and funds her life provided.
madrano wrote: "I pretty much spent this weekend reading, finishing books i've been reading for awhile. Above i mentioned a Ben Montgomery book i hadn't heard about previously, [book:The Leper Spy..."What a fascinating story! Were you aware of Kalaupapa National Historic Park in Hawaii?
madrano wrote: "I pretty much spent this weekend reading, finishing books i've been reading for awhile. Above i mentioned a Ben Montgomery book i hadn't heard about previously, [book:The Leper Spy..."I added this to my reading list. I do like a good non-fiction book and don't know much about leprosy/Hansen's Disease.
John, aware of that park but haven't read a book on it, nor visited. Until reading this book, i thought Hawaii was the sole place for those with Hansen's in the US.Julie, i hope you like it. I was surprised to learn that many of the prejudices were based on the way leprosy is mentioned in the bible. This must have been a tough battle to overcome.
I began one of my DL books today, Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad--Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard. I just waded through two Forewards and two intros, now i'm ready for the book.I am complaining about the forewards but i learned plenty from them. However, if i find out the material is from the text, i'll be torqued. ANYway, i know little about quilts, fabrics, or sewing in general. So, learning that each aspect of those points were important in the hidden meaning of the quilts. I'm excited to read this angle on African American history (because some symbols come directly from Africa) and the Underground RR.
I finished reading the book i mentioned in my last post. While i knew a bit about the way quilts were used for the Underground Railroad, i barely knew a thing. This book was published in the 1990s, so i wonder how much more is known.What i really appreciated was that Tobin & Dobard wrote about the link to African people of varying communities whose symbols and valued music seemed to be a serious part of the story. African drum music has long fascinated me because of the fact it was used as a sort of telegraphing. What i didn't realize was how deeply it was embedded in the people, their celebrations and their secret societies. Fascinating.
The authors link the beats of drums and the music to the spirituals slaves sang while in the fields and at church. Perhaps others here are aware that hidden in the words were directions and help on escaping slavery. Sometimes the words were encouragement but mostly directions, suggestions on time to leave and routes. (Given today's migrant flood from our southern border, i was reminded that spring was when slaves preferred to escape, as well.)
The spiritual directions were repeated (or vice versa) in the quilts themselves. It was standard to air quilt from windows, on fences and other horizontal lines by housekeeping. It's now known that the pattern of the quilts were used for timing and directions, as well. The exact meaning of some patterns are not certain now, so the authors explored possibilities. For instance, did the Monkey Wrench could have meant "gather your traveling tools together". This could have meant small shovels, an actual wrench, pry bar, etc. Here is an example--
However, there is a bit of a problem for the detectives. This same pattern is known by other names, such as the "Butter Dash" pattern. They had to research when each name was used, eliminating any which were post-Civil War era (& there were plenty!). Some patterns were only used in certain states or regions, which also meant further research. Nothing was as easy as i thought!
The Wagon Wheel pattern could mean, follow wagon roads, there is an appropriate wagon prepared or something else. And on. How to know which is which? Ah, that is the question today. The guess is that twofold. First, there were black slaves & freemen who traveled from plantation to plantation for work, some of them would pass the words and symbols. Second, that information would even be "encoded" into patterns for quilts and to be memorized. Knowing how long it would take to prepare one square for a quilt, the idea is that memorizing was happening as the person quilted. To illustrate a bit of confusion, here are two examples of this one--
And on. There was also discussion about knotted quilts and how the space between knots &/or the number of knots per square were codes. I didn't exactly understand how that would work while on the run, as i cannot imagine having the time to count knots.
I'm just at the tip of the explanation iceberg. The information is fascinating but i believe more has been uncovered since its publication, as more small museums explore their holdings. I read an e-book version but had my trade paperback by my side to mark passages. It's more marked than any book i've ever read. Fortunately they also offered a good bibliography of the primary resources, so readers can pursue more info.
There was so much in the book, yet i couldn't help but hope the two are creating a follow up, as they ended the book with more questions!
Quilts are a fascinating and unique art form. Imagine using them as codes! Very interesting Madrano. 😊
Thanks, Barbara. I've long liked looking and quilts, thinking about the clever use of old fabric/clothing. I never considered there might be significance to the pattern. I'll never look at quilts in the same way, i must say.
madrano wrote: "I finished reading the book i mentioned in my last post. While i knew a bit about the way quilts were used for the Underground Railroad, i barely knew a thing. This book was published in the 1990s,..."How interesting- I never knew that quilts during that time period sent messages!
Wow ! That does sound like a fascinating read, deb. I once saw an exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan on quilts. The workmanship was simply incredible.
Congratulations on reading another one from your Determination List !
Very interesting report! A while ago I read an article about Gee's Bend, Alabama as a center of such quilt-making.
I'm glad i'm not alone in realizing the historical importance of quilts. I've seen a few small exhibits about quilts today, which sometimes refer to their use in the Underground Railway but, as i noted, didn't really have a grasp of the topic. I feel i do now. John, i've heard about Gee's Bend and keep hoping we'll plan our way there. Online i've seen some great works of quilted art from there.
Alias, yes, another DL completed. As i noted, i've had this book for well over a decade but only listing it on the DL moved me to actually read it. Hurrah!
Sadly, i added a handful of other titles about the topic that i'd like to locate. LOL--typical!
Today i finished The North Water--Ian McGuire. It was a good book, if you like Arctic adventures, reading about gross sailors and bodily functions. And who doesn't?!?Late last year PattyMac reviewed this book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and i was most intrigued. Everything she wrote was true...and more. Many of the characters lead hard-luck lives and had adapted in different ways. At times it seemed everyone was out for all the money and goods they could acquire and murder wasn't out of the question.
Patty ended her review with a link to an article about McGuire and how the book came to be. At one point he credits author Cormac McCarthy and his book Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West for the flavor the book took. As soon as i read it, i knew it to be true. The book read like Meridian on the Sea.
Simply put, a disgraced doctor joins a whaling ship, making certain he has a supply of laudanum laid in. The whales aren't as plentiful as they used to be, so ships must go further north but they are available, so the trip is successful. However, foul plans are afoot. It's a good adventure story and there is a scene or two i do not think i will ever forget.
madrano wrote: "Today i finished The North Water--Ian McGuire. It was a good book, if you like Arctic adventures, reading about gross sailors and bodily functions. And who doesn't?..."It's sad that Arctic adventures go hand in hand with decimating whale populations. Sounds like a good book though. 🙂
Barbara wrote: It's sad that Arctic adventures go hand in hand with decimating whale populations.Yes. They are so majestic.
"Whales are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. Whales play a significant role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere; each great whale sequesters an estimated 33 tons of CO2 on average, thus playing their part in the fight against climate change.
Unfortunately, their large size and mythical aura does not protect them; six out of the 13 great whale species are classified as endangered or vulnerable, even after decades of protection. An estimated minimum of 300,000 whales and dolphins are killed each year as a result of fisheries bycatch, while others succumb to a myriad of threats including shipping and habitat loss."
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species...
Barbara, your comment is right on target. Generally, this book was vague about the capture and dissection of the large mammal, unlike Moby Dick, wherein every part of the critter is explained.
Sonic pollution, driven by naval sonar, is also decimating whale populations. "War of the Whales" is a fascinating read which taught me a great deal about whales, but almost reads like a detective novel around the true story of a multi-year struggle to get the US Navy to admit it's devices led to a mass beaching of whales (18!) in a single day in the Bahamas in 2000... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Vance wrote: "Sonic pollution, driven by naval sonar, is also decimating whale populations. "War of the Whales" is a fascinating read which taught me a great deal about whales, but almost reads like a detective ..."I had no idea about this, Vance. :(
Wow, Vance, i appreciate that you shared this info and title. This is new information for me. Thanks.
That's heartbreaking, about the whales. 😥
I agree, Barbara. I had no idea about this.
I decided my next book would be one from my DL. First i tried to see if there were any e-versions available, as i tend to read more in the evening and have trouble with finding enough strong light by which to read in our hotel room. None available.So, i settled on Edward Rowe Snow's Women of the Sea, which i've owned for a couple of decades but was published in 1962. While reading the first chapter "Susanna", i was ready to toss the book upon completion. The worst part is that the girl was 4 when her time on the sea occurred and is mainly about the ship being stranded near Boston Harbor, encased in snow. Really, she's a Woman Of The Sea???
Additionally, the writing is rather old-fashioned with scant details and Revolutionary soldiers named by their surnames & military status (Major Dupper), so that i couldn't easily look up any which intrigued me. I'm discouraged.
Then what i call READING MAGIC. It turns out Susanna marries William Rowson and turns to writing later in her life. (Susanna Rowson) Indeed, she wrote one of the first best sellers in the States, Charlotte Temple and a posthumous sequel, Lucy Temple: Charlotte's Daughter. And i own both books in a combined set!
Serendipitous, indeed.
And i know the next chapter really is about a seafaring woman, pirate Mary Read, about whom i've read previously.
madrano wrote: "I decided my next book would be one from my DL. First i tried to see if there were any e-versions available, as i tend to read more in the evening and have trouble with finding enough strong light ..."Great when things work out so well!
madrano wrote: Then what i call READING MAGIC. It turns out Susanna marries William Rowson and turns to writing later in her life. (Susanna Rowson) Indeed, she wrote one of the first best sellers in the States, Charlotte Temple and a posthumous sequel, Lucy Temple: Charlotte's Daughter. And i own both books in a combined set!Serendipitous, indeed...."
Sometimes it pays to stick with a book for a while. I'm glad this one worked out for you.
Thanks, you two. I was so tickled, i ran to this board to share. LOL!
I completed the last of my "sea" books this morning. This one, Women of the Sea--Edward Rowe Snow, was published in the early 1960s. The author seems to have specialized in books about things nautical. His writing probably fit his era well but by today's standards would be found lacking.Not all the stories area strictly about women "of the sea", as a few had an experience on their first outing on the water. However, most of the stories were informative with several being remarkable. To give him credit, Snow didn't mind highlighting tugboat captains who were women, nor those who only sailed from an island to the mainland and back. So, his stories were varied.
One of my frustrations was that he presumed a fuller knowledge of US history than i have, often using surnames without reference to first names, nor why the person was well known. My other problem was that he shared much from diaries and journals which were not nautical in any way. I suppose this was to flesh out the contrast but, frankly, in a couple of cases little was written about their sea life, which disappointed.
As i mentioned earlier, the first was a story about the woman who became the first bestselling writing in the colonies, Susanna Rowson. There were a couple of pirates, including Chinese pirate Hsi Kai. There was a sort of tribute to women who watched their husbands go to sea, as well.
One of the best chapters was about the author's mother, Alice Rowe Snow, who spent much of the first 20 years of her life on her father's ships, with mother, as well. She wrote about her experiences in Log Of A Sea Captain's Daughter.
Snow also wrote about Joanna Carver Colcord, who learned languages, including sea usage, while living on her father's boat, along with her brother & mother. She wrote several books about the sea including Sea Language Comes Ashore and Gangway!: Sea Language Comes Ashore. After those years she went into social work and wrote a couple more books, including Broken Homes: A Study of Family Desertion and Its Social Treatment. However, as a fan of sea shanties, it's Roll and Go: Songs of American Sailormen i'd like to get my hands on. :-)
madrano wrote: "I completed the last of my "sea" books this morning. This one, Women of the Sea--Edward Rowe Snow, was published in the early 1960s. The author seems to have specializ..."This is a nice accomplishment. 😁 I like the idea of 'women of the sea.' The ladies are overlooked so often.
madrano wrote: "I completed the last of my "sea" books this morning. This one, Women of the Sea--Edward Rowe Snow, was published in the early 1960s. The author seems to have specializ..."It sounds like the book had its pluses and minuses. However, it seems like on the whole it was a winner for you.
Congrats on completing your sea books ! You are doing really will with these challenges, deb.
madrano wrote: "I completed the last of my "sea" books this morning. This one, Women of the Sea--Edward Rowe Snow, was published in the early 1960s. The author seems to have specializ..."Wow, nice! Congrats!
Me, too, Barbara. There aren't many books written about them & when i find one i'm tickled.I may have spoken too soon about that being the end of my "sea books". It seems that while The Pathfinder is set in the colonial Great Lakes area, one of the characters is constantly comparing the meek lakes to the wonders of salt water sailing. On & on he goes. James Fenimore Cooper can tell a story, although i wish the characters weren't quite as loquacious as they are...particularly Natty Bumppo, the title character. This is next on my 2021 DL.
I was reading two of my DL books this month. The nonfiction, Women of the Sea, i've written about in post 84. I alternated reading it with James Fenimore Cooper's Pathfinder; or, the inland sea, third in Leatherstocking Tales series, which features Natty Bumppo as the title character. While this is the third i've read, i read the second in the series, The Last of the Mohicans first, then the first, The Deerslayer. The second is my favorite.In this book Bumppo leads the daughter of his good buddy, Thomas Dunham, a sergeant of the Fort Oswego garrison in the western New York territory during the French and Indian Wars, to reunite with one another. It is the father's notion that Bumppo and the daughter, Mabel, should be marry. Whether she desires it or not. Bumppo is 40ish, while Mabel is not yet 20.
This book has chases, subterfuge, love, hate, and Mabel's cantankerous uncle, a Sea Captain, who has a running battle of words about how superior the ocean is to the lake. I mean on & on. Indeed, he's probably meant to be a sort of comic break but is well overdrawn.
As usual, my biggest problem with Bumppo is that he is quite a talkative man. Even when the part is hiding from those hunting them, he talks. Which, naturally, encourages others to reply. While i understand that Cooper uses the adventurer to explain to the readers the realities presented and the whys of tackling problems, it truly ends up aggravating this reader.
Still, Bumppo in love is a different creature, i must say. It was nice to see him fleshed out in this way. Naturally, Bumppo talks philosophy, religion, state of leaders and such...afterall, how often does he get to opine about such with his steady companion, the last of the Mohicans, Chingachgook, who is absent for much of this book.
Though lengthy, the book satisfies in the way Cooper's books do for me. I learn some fascinating insights into those times and how such men and women lived. Frustrated as i get, i know i'll read the final two books.
I wonder if that has to do with your being a modern reader not expecting (acclimated to) the style of era?
John, i suspect you are correct. A time or two i caught myself thinking that the terms used to describe females or tribal members would be considered quite appropriate. Toward the end, there was a paragraph which sounded as though Cooper was addressing an issue of importance when he wrote & his contemporaries lived that was still hotly contested.Another point i found interesting but didn't take the time to mention in my last point is that Cooper tried to remain balanced with regards to tribes. His Bumppo had a strong dislike for those of the Mingo tribe but had an appreciation for other tribes. And he understood their "nature" in a way he could interpret meanings to the colonial settlers fairly.
I believe this would have been fascinating to readers of those times. He was the first American author to have bestsellers both here and overseas. His contrasts between British, French, Tribal and colonists would have been instructive to many, i think.
Bottom line, yes, John i do. I also believe his merit as an author, easily read or not, is that he is still well regarded today, as well as the fact these particular tales continuing to be read. And much as i'd like Bumppo to zip his lips, we'd miss out on the flavor of battle and "the chase" if he did.
This brings to mind the issue regarding many modern readers' strong dislike of The House of the Seven Gables. Since we are long after the advent of film and television to give us visuals for scene setting, it's considered frustrating that Hawthorne spends an awful lot of time on such details, rather than getting on with the plot. However, I listened to the story as an audiobook which worked perfectly for the "spooky" mood.
For the most part, i like learning more about the scene settings in older novels. They set the atmosphere and a bit of historic details. However, i may be one of few who like that. While watching movies, i watch the scene/sets carefully, as well. It can give such detail to the lives. However, i sadly miss some signs which were supposed to inform readers of the status of a character/family. They are included for a reason but when the era passes, readers may need better indicators.
I like everything i've read by Hawthorne, even the less successful (to my eyes) The Marble Faun. It's one of those books i suspect i would like better if i read it again (not unlike the elsewhere-mentioned The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), yet i'm not inclined to do so.
I just finished the book i added to my 2021 DL at the last minute. PattyMac shared a review of her opinion of Toni Morrison's Beloved, which led me to want finally read it, after owning it for decades. Here's a link to her review-- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... My impressions are much the same as Patty's, this book is a work of art. There are times i wondered about the spacing in introducing the story of different characters but i think that to stagger them the way Morrison did was wise. Just when we think we know the characters (and even some minor ones), she reminds us that we barely touched the tip of their lives.
For me there was some confusion as to who the "speakers" were but it didn't take long to figure it out, after the first 20 pages or so. A lack of quotation marks was obvious but when i reached a segment where no capital letters are used, either, i found myself rereading bits of it. Still, i understand the whys of that decision...and liked it.
This was not my first novel or understanding of some of the deprivations slaves underwent but Morrison made them lasting, in the sense that the scene and the gut reaction of those who were harmed is very well presented. And the humiliation, which is something i do not think i've seen mentioned much in literature.
This novel will stay with me. I think we are all fortunate to have had such a gifted storyteller in our midst in our lifetime.
madrano wrote: "I just finished the book i added to my 2021 DL at the last minute. PattyMac shared a review of her opinion of Toni Morrison's Beloved, which led me to want finally read it..."I love Morrison's writings.
Julie, i had heard that her writing was difficult to follow but i didn't find it so. Challenging, for certain, but richly rewarding.
I finished another book from my DL book because i don't know if i'll have access to it while on the road. Despite the fact this book is old (almost 100 years), i cannot find an online version of Hitty, Her First Hundred Years. Apparently this is a classic book about a doll made of mountain-ash, which was considered a lucky wood. Author Rachel Field wrote a sweet story and one is dismayed at the adventures a doll without movement can have!First published in 1929, it won a John Newberry award the next year. I learned that in the 1990s author Rosemary Wells expanded the book to include the Civil War, which i find interesting. ANYway, Hitty has adventures in the South Seas when the ship she's on is wrecked; in India, New Orleans, and several other unnamed US cities.
I wish i had known about this book when my kids were young, as i think it would be a wonderful nighttime chapter book to read to kids. Hitty's attitude is remarkable, even when she's stuck in a sofa for years & years. I'm pleased to have finally met her.
Sounds like an unusual, interesting story.
I thought so, John. The vocabulary was of a higher order than most books for children this age (my guess--5-10 year olds) but i liked that, too.
madrano wrote: "I finished another book from my DL book because i don't know if i'll have access to it while on the road. Despite the fact this book is old (almost 100 years), i cannot find an online version of [b..."That sounds like a lovely book. It's sad when books go out of print or you can't find a eBook version. During this pandemic my libraries wonderful selection of eBooks have been such a blessing.
Congratulations on another book to check off on your DL !
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Books mentioned in this topic
President McKinley: Architect of the American Century (other topics)President McKinley: Architect of the American Century (other topics)
George Washington's Secret Spy War: The Making of America's First Spymaster (other topics)
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years (other topics)
Beloved (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert W. Merry (other topics)Robert W. Merry (other topics)
Robert W. Merry (other topics)
John A. Nagy (other topics)
Rachel Field (other topics)
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I have on hold his A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South, as well. Just thought i'd share the titles.