Biography: historical, political and military Books

Book SynopsisDescribes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and indefatigable and heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. This title offers a combination of human interest, and life-and-death adventure.Trade Review"[von Trapp] almost certainly always tried to put his best foot forward, and he emerges from his account as a man of great skill, considerable compassion ... and sufficient tact and tolerance to handle the kind of polyglot crews that sailed for the Dual Monarchy. [H]e became the highest scoring Austro-Hungarian submariner, despite equipment that was sometimes more dangerous to him and his men than to the enemy. He fought on to the end, knowing that the Dual Monarchy he served so well was crumbling."-Booklist Booklist "In his personal account, translated by his granddaughter Elizabeth Campbell, von Trapp captures the feeling of a bygone era where chivalry and love of country were paramount... His amazing exploits in the Great War and life-and-death experiences as a commander of various U-boats will enthrall readers."-Military Heritage Military Heritage "[A] lively, amusing, at-times-gripping memoir of naval warfare in the Mediterranean, and U-boat life... One of its fascinating aspects is the glimpse it offers into the multiethnic makeup of this imperial navy, and the admirable attitudes and behavior of a patriotic officer on the losing side of a great conflict."-The Atlantic The Atlantic "Interesting and informative, the text is a rare history of an Austro-Hungarian involved in War... [To the Last Salute] is highly recommended to those interested in the von Trapp family, the musical The Sound of Music, World War I from an Austro-Hungarian view, and U-boats."-Curled Up With a Good Book Curled Up With a Good Book "To the Last Salute is a professional account of submarine operations during World War I by one of the ace skippers of the k-u-k Navy... This work provides an often gripping tale of some long forgotten but interesting naval actions during the Great War."-NYMAS Review NYMAS ReviewTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsPreface AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Meet the Real Captain von TrappThe World of To the Last Salute1. Between the Islands2. U-Boats Mobilized3. Léon Gambetta4. Letters5. Envy6. Trip to the Hinterland7. The Bomb Exploded8. Poor Austrians!9. Giuseppe Garibaldi10. Nereide11. The Prize12. Gasoline Stupor13. America Bluffs14. The First Depth Charges15. Heroes16. Curie17. The Oil Spill18. Deck Paint19. Bypassing the Official Channels20. Unrestricted U-Boat War21. Reconstruction in the Arsenal22. The First Steamers23. Transmission of Orders24. Fog25. The Two Greeks26. Salute to Africa27. One Comes, the Other Goes28. Gjenovic29. Otranto30. Loot31. Entertainment on Board32. U-Boat Trap33. Sheet Lightning34. Bravo, Bim!35. Autumn Journey36. Internal Duty37. Intermezzo38. In the East39. The Fire Goes Out40. Durazzo41. To the Last SaluteNotes

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Book SynopsisOn October 26, 1881, Wyatt Earp, his two brothers, and Doc Holliday shot it out with a gang of cattle rustlers near the O K Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. It was over in half a minute, but those thirty violent seconds turned the thirty-three-year-old Wyatt Earp into the stuff of legend. This biography tells Wyatt Earp's story.Trade Review“Barra, a sports columnist for the Wall Street Journal, does not attempt an intensive proof of the 'life behind the legend.' Rather, he is concerned here with the process of myth making. He offers fascinating and provocative insights into how various individuals manipulated and twisted aspects of Earp's life for their own purpose. Earp, of course, was not naive and played no small part in creating his own legend.”—Jay Freeman, Booklist“Any future arguments will have to reckon with the evidence and explication that Allen Barra presents in this thoughtful, careful book.”—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World“Engaging, detailed and refreshingly pugnacious. . . . Barra’s well-researched, provocative study of the man and his legend offers us a welcome opportunity to consider what our several versions of Wyatt Earp tell us about ourselves."—Richard E. Nicholls, New York Times Book Review“Barra is no garden variety deconstructionist. . . . [He] lines up the mythmaking process in his crosshairs.”—Chicago TribuneTable of ContentsIntroduction to the Bison Books EditionPrefaceIntroduction1. Wyatt: The Odyssey2. "Bloody Kansas" -- Wyatt Earp in Wichita3. On to Dodge City4. Tombstone: The Iliad5. "Three Men Hurled into Eternity"--The Streetfight in Tombstone6. Wyatt Earp on Trial7. Wyatt Earp Unleashed: The Vendetta Ride8. Putting Clothes on a Ghost: The Life and Legend of Doc Holliday9. The Lion in Autumn10. Hollywood Gunfighter11. Print the Legend12. Wyatt ReduxBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisBorn into the influential Ridge-Boudinot-Watie family, Elias Cornelius Boudinot was raised in the East after the assassination of his father, who helped found the first newspaper published by an Indian nation. This is a biography of Boudinot, a half-Cherokee, half-white man who lived on the cultural border of the two societies.Trade Review"Parins's clear and comprehensive biography should be read by anyone interested in Indian policy, Cherokee history, or the history of the American West."-Andrew Denson, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society -- Andrew Denson Register of the Kentucky Historical Society "Parins provides the facts in a straightforward manner and lets readers draw their own conclusions as to Boudinot's place in history... Elias Cornelius Boudinot is a figure who will remain controversial. He was both respected and hated in his attempt to push the Cherokee into the white world. Parins's biographical work helps us understand Boudinot's drive to be a success for himself and for his people."-Daryl Morrison, Kansas History -- Daryl Morrison Kansas History "Parins gives a full account of a man who was closely involved in the life of the western Cherokees in the last half of the 19th century."-Choice Choice "James Parins' revealing, expertly-researched, and brilliantly-written work on Elias Cornelius Boudinot should be acknowledged as a major contribution to the craft of biography as well as the fields of Cherokee studies and U.S. history."-Alice Taylor-Colbert, Arkansas Historical Quarterly Arkansas Historical Quarterly "Although [Boudinot] built his enterprises on Cherokee lands, he was more comfortable and better accepted among non-Indians in Fort Smith, Arkansas, or Washington, D.C. Parins presents this Cornelius Boudinot with humor and understanding, providing a fresh look at a complex man."-Mary Jane Warde, Western Historical Quarterly -- Mary Jane Warde Western Historical QuarterlyTable of Contents1. Background and Boyhood; 2. The Young Man in Arkansas; 3. Confederate Soldier and Congressional Delegate; 4. Peace Negotiator; 5. The Tobacco Tycoon; 6. Railroad Man; 7. The Hotelier at Vinita; 8. The Washingtonian; 9. Missionary; 10. Lawyer, Rancher, Businessman

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Book SynopsisThe honeymoon of Elizabeth Bacon and George Armstrong Custer was interrupted in 1864 by his call to duty with the Army of the Potomac. Her entreaties to be allowed to travel along set the pattern of her future life. This is the story of Elizabeth B. Custer (1842-1933), told in her own words. She was not only a housewife on the Plains; she was whatever the occasion demanded.Trade Review“This is a warmly human, first-hand account of the hardships, disappointments, fun and flattery, joys, and heartaches of women who accompanied their military husbands across the sage, up turbulent rivers, over the badlands of Dakota into the far reaches of the Western frontier, during the Indian troubles of the mid-1870s.”—Montana: The Magazine of Western HistoryTable of ContentsI. Change of StationII. A BlizzardIII. Western HospitalityIV. Cavalry on the MarchV. Camping among the SiouxVI. A Visit to the Village of "Two Bears"VII. Adventures during the Last Days of the MarchVIII. Separation and ReunionIX. Our New Home at Fort LincolnX. Incidents of Every-day LifeXI. The Burning of Our Quarters.--Carrying the MailXII. Perplexities and Pleasures of Domestic LifeXIII. A "Strong Heart" Dance!XIV. Garrison LifeXV. General Custer's Literary WorkXVI. Indian DepredationsXVII. A Day of Anxiety and TerrorXVIII. Improvements at the Post, and GardeningXIX. General Custer's LibraryXX. The Summer of the Black Hills ExpeditionXXI. Domestic TrialsXXII. Capture and Escape of Rain-in-the-FaceXXIII. Garrison AmusementsXXIV. An Indian CouncilXXV. Breaking Up of the MissouriXXVI. Curious Characters and Excursionists among UsXXVII. Religious Services.--Leave of AbsenceXXVIII. A Winter's Journey across the PlainsXXIX. Our Life's Last ChapterAppendix: With Extracts of General Custer's Letters

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Book SynopsisA memoir written by a performer and manager of Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West tour in EuropeTrade Reviewhttp://abcofreading.blogspot.com/2010/09/perfect-book-review-and-lunch.html“This edition of Charles Griffin’s memoir offers a singular perspective on the international mass entertainment spectacle that was Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Griffin’s travel narrative helps account for the extraordinary appeal of the Wild West mythology among European audiences, offering details about “Buffalo Bill” Cody, his business operation, and its cultural context unavailable anywhere else. As an authentic reproduction, with the benefit of Dixon’s extensive research, this edition will be a key resource for scholars while also appealing to a more general audience.”—Frank Christianson, editor of the forthcoming edition, The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill"Although Griffin was an amazing man in his own right, his book is most important because he explores the European culture that eagerly sought Buffalo Bill's presentation of the story of America's Wild West and he lets the reader experience the European setting in which the performances played out."—Loren Pospisil, Nebraska History Table of ContentsList of Illustrations 000Series Editor's Preface 000Introduction 000About this Edition 000Four Years in Europe with Buffalo Bill 000I. 1903II. Summer 1903III. Winter 19031904IV. 1904V. Winter 19041905VI. 1905VII. Winter 19051906VIII. 1906IX. 19061907Official Roster of Buffalo Bill's Wild WestProgramme of Buffalo Bill's Wild WestAppendix: Buffalo Bill's Wild West in Europe, 19021906Notes to Introduction 000Bibliography 000

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Book SynopsisA giant of Holocaust history (one of Yad Vashem's honoured Righteous Among the Nations) and yet so little known.Trade Review"A remarkable work of research, translation, and recovery that tells the story of an unlikely, long-overlooked heroine."—Ned Stuckey-French, Fourth Genre"Epistolophilia is not a typical biography, and Šimaitė was not a typical World War II hero. For readers looking for an unconventional account of the World War II and post-war eras, as well as those interested in women's life writing, Epistolophilia is a nuanced and compelling work."—ForeWord Reviews"Sukys draws liberally from thousands of pages of correspondence and numerous diaries to create a portrait of a deeply thoughtful woman trying to make sense of history and her own life by putting it all to paper. Also of Lithuanian descent, Sukys's own meditations on the power of letters and writing make this a powerful testament to the confluence of history and individual lives and passions."—Publishers Weekly"Sukys is to be commended for providing us with this testament and story of a little known hero, who might otherwise have been overlooked."—Abe Novick, Baltimore Jewish Times"A startling paradox that while Simaite died at 76 before completing her memoirs, Sukys is able to capture Simaite's story while successfully writing an unexpected memoir of her own."—Meredith Wood Bahuriak, PLOP! Review"Sukys is to be commended for providing us with this testament and story of a little known hero. . . . The writing is done with care and precision bringing to life a woman who we might have otherwise overlooked."—Jerusalem Post "A mosaic of Šimaitė’s life, Epistolophilia enables readers to create a three-dimensional person with the little information available."—Mélanie Grondin, Montreal Review of Books “An intelligent, humane, and noble book that rescues from obscurity an intelligent, humane, and noble woman. It stands as a testament to the power of reading, writing, compassion, and extraordinary courage.”—David Bezmozgis, author of The Free World“With this searching, nuanced biography, Julija Šukys introduces the English-speaking world to a genuine heroine of the Holocaust, while at the same time raising vital questions about the role of trauma, poverty, and ill health on women’s literary production.”—Susan Olding, author of Pathologies: A Life in Essays“This is an important new take on the legacy of the Holocaust. Eloquent and elegantly written, it reads like a Sebald text but with a voice profoundly its own.”—Laura Levitt, professor of Religion, Jewish Studies, and Gender at Temple UniversityTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments A Note on Place Names Part One1. The Woman in the Park 2. Vilnius 3. Correspondence 4. Ona Šimaite's Letters to Marijona Cilvinaite, 19571958 5. Caregiving and Letters Part Two6. A Childhood Tale 7. Russian Letters 8. Everyday Writings Part Three9. Ghetto 10. Mowszowicz 11. Letters to Kazys Jakubenas, 19411943 12. Destruction of the Ghetto Part Four13. Kazys 14. Kazys's Death 15. Alfonsas's Theory Part Five16. Catholicism, Sex, and Sin 17. Mothering Part Six18. Ludelange 19. Freedom 20. Toulouse 21. Letters to New York 22. La Courtine Part Seven23. The Ghetto Library 24. Librarians 25. Writing a Woman's Life Part Eight26. Aldute 27. Family Letters 28. Soviet Schizophrenia 29. Death in Vilnius 30. Paris 1968 31. Single and Crazy Part Nine32. Cormeilles 33. October Works Cited

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Book SynopsisExplores the intriguing life of the real d'Estoc, explaining why others came to doubt the "experts" and following the threads of evidence that the latter overlookedTrade Review“Learned, funny, enlightening, and provocative in terms of what [this book] reveals not only about the past but about how we think in the present about the past and how we think about knowledge in general.”—Janet Beizer, professor of Romance languages and literatures at Harvard University and author of Thinking through the Mothers: Reimagining Women’s Biographies“A research odyssey that addresses nothing less than the importance of the humanities to education and to life.”—Carol Mossman, professor of French at the University of Maryland and author of Writing with a Vengeance: The Countess de Chabrillan’s Rise from Prostitution"A truly exquisite volume. . . . Conversational, erudite, and inspired: this book is exceptional."—Choice"Finding the Woman Who Didn’t Exist is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. It can appeal, on the one hand, to those interested in biographies that are also good stories. On the other, its observations of scholarship can be useful both for those who are established in the field and can even serve as a primer for those in the beginning phases of scholarship, especially when it concerns primary sources."—Richard Shryock, Contemporary French CivilizationTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. To Hell and Back (the Present)2. Gisèle d'Estoc and World War II (the 1930s)3. A Storm in a Teacup and a Bomb in a Flowerpot (the 1890s)4. An Interlude (No Time in Particular)5. Gisèle d'Estoc When She Was Real (the 1870s)6. Gisèle d'Estoc and Who She Wasn't (the 1960s)AfterwordChronologyNotesWorks Cited

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Book SynopsisPresents the author's ode to his days on the Continental Divide and the story of his experiences making a living in the not so wild but not yet tamed West. This title introduces some of the most charming characters in western literature.Trade Review“One Man’s West is a silver knife that slices through time. We should be grateful David Lavender had the acumen to record his memories of that time and to Bison Books for keeping them in print.”—Colorado Central Magazine"Believe me, David Lavender can write. He can make you laugh; he can make people come alive in print."—Book Week“[Lavender’s] story is realistic and readable. . . . He [does not] spread any gloss on the hardships. He does, however, put on record some of the most engaging characters in the modern literature of the West. He makes it understandable why he says that, after damning the country mightily, one comes to an absurd affection for the particular part of it he has most reason to hate.”—New York Times“A true classic. . . This is a book worth reading. It is also worth revisiting, if you have already ‘been there.’ This edition is enhanced by an introduction by David G. Lavender, the author’s son, and an afterword by David W. Lavender, his grandson.”—Journal of Arizona HistoryTable of ContentsPart One - THE MOUNTAINSI Winter TrailII Boarding at Timber LineIII UndergroundIV A Bath for EasterV Summer PastoralVI High-Altitude Athletics Part Two - STOCK TRAILSVII The Long WaitVIII Moving UpIX Greasy SackX SandrockXI Mormon CowboyXII Summer AgainXIII Ropes, Guns, and Practical JokesXIV Bunch GrassXV Crrazy as a SheepherderXVI Canyon CampXVII Christmas in the RimrockXVIII Uranium

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Book SynopsisFor more than a century, Americans have been captivated by the legend of General George Armstrong Custer. But, the various truths of Custer's life and last stand prove elusive. Custer's life spans two great eras of American history. This work offers an account of life and legend of this controversial figure.Trade Review"Provocative, boldly theoretical, marked by often keen analysis, and beautifully written... No one who writes on Custer in the future will be able to ignore [Barnett's] book."--Paul Andrew Hutton, Civil War Times "There is much unusual and useful information about life on the plains, Indian warfare, the danger and fear of captivity by Indians, and especially, the relationship between Custer and his wife."--New York Times Book Review "The fine account of his 'mythic afterlife' makes Ms. Barnett's book unique."--Byron Farwell, Washington Times "A sharp, original, and engaging study of Custer's life and myth which ... includes a first-rate account of the Little Bighorn."--Plain Dealer

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Book SynopsisGives an account of everyday life in Algeria during decolonization. This journal captures the heartbreak of a writer profoundly aware of the social and political turmoil of the time. It is suitable for those interested in the history of European colonialism and the tragedies of contemporary Algeria.Trade Review"[Feraoun] passionately examines the human condition with all its flaws and nobility, yet he occasionally describes events with an eerie detachment. Since he was assassinated by a French terrorist group just three days before the cease-fire that ended the war, his account is especially poignant. An emotionally draining and important work."-Booklist Booklist "As a chronicle of what the break meant when it was taking place on the village streets and in the countryside, in the homes of the people most directly affected by its endless cruelty, the journal that Feraoun kept, at the urging of his friend Robles, somewhat irregularly, from 1955 until 1961, is indispensable. It is also entirely without philosophical affectation, a profound and concrete commentary on issues that would arise again in the 'north-south' crises in the following decades, of which the Algerian revolution was, on might say, the laboratory. After years of anti-colonial and post-colonial theory, Feraoun's journal is truly refreshing to read. In its pages a genuinely free man reflects on relations of power between the conqueror and the conquered, on the place of intellectuals and teachers in a political war, on the effect of repression and resistance on families and neighbors, friends and communities. The simplicity with which Feraoun approached these terrible events was a literary strategy, a literary accomplishment--and proof that he had a better grasp of the meaning of his country's history than did most commentators in Paris and elsewhere. Keeping his journal, moreover, was an act of courage: people where arrested and killed for less overt expressions of sympathy for the rebellion... [Feraoun and Camus] both learned French with the simplicity and the clarity that characterize that language's best prose: they are the kinds of writers who seem, when you first encounter them, easy to read, and turn out to be far more difficult to understand. They always say much more than you thought they said. This is, of course, one definition of classical literature; and both Camus, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, and Feraoun, who is probably the most widely-read French-language Algerian writer of the century (after Camus), were part of the French canon by the late 1950s... Tersely and eloquently, Feraoun summed up in the pages of his journal the injustice of the colonial system, but unlike the Paris intellectuals he did not dwell upon it, preferring to keep notes on what actually happened to actual people with whom he was acquainted... Feraoun's journal became one of the most important books to emerge from the Algerian conflict. It is an essential human document, a real war book... The Algerian war ... remains an unavoidable reference point in the debate over the kind of world we will live in. And this debate was foreshadowed in Feraoun's journal, as in the polemical writings of Camus and Amrouche. For this reason, the publication of this English translation of Feraoun's Journal is very welcome."-New Republic New Republic "Feraoun's painfully candid yet engaging journal of the French-Algerian War constitutes an unusually poignant record of one of Africa's cruelest colonial conflicts and one of twentieth-century France's darkest moments. Journal, 1955-1962 will surely supplant Frantz Fanon as the definitive text on French Algeria in particular and on colonialism in general."-Julia Clancy-Smith, author of Rebel and Saint: Muslim Notables, Populist Protest, Colonial Encounters (Algeria and Tunisia, 1800-1904) -- Julia Clancy-Smith

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Book SynopsisProvides an account of Cassidy's life.Trade Review"[Patterson] deftly separates mythology from actual events, bringing the story of Butch Cassidy up to date with all the most recent discoveries. This lively read is well researched and definitive."—Choice"For those who wish the most complete and readable summary of all that has thus far been written on Butch Cassidy, Richard Patterson's biography of him presently stands as that work"—Utah Historical Quarterly

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Book SynopsisDavy Crockett has been America's best-known folk hero for at least 160 years. This biography of Crockett includes an introduction by Michael Lofaro.

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Book SynopsisNASA pioneer George M. Low’s remarkable life, accomplishments, and legacy as a key visionary and leader. Trade Review"The result of Jurek's extensive research and careful use of detail is a comprehensive portrait of a figure vastly greater in significance than in name recognition."—Publishers Weekly“The Ultimate Engineer should be required reading for all students in engineering cohorts, as it shows how a student with modest, some might say even turbulent, beginnings became one of the key figures in getting humanity off the planet, into Earth orbit, and far beyond.”—Emily Carney, AdAstra Magazine"The book blossoms. The risky decision to fly Apollo 8 to the moon ahead of schedule? Largely down to George Low. How the fallout from the Apollo 15 covers scandal may have scuttled Low’s chances at steering NASA into a glorious future? Original, and intriguing. Preparations for the first joint flight by America and the Soviet Union? Fascinating. Best of all, Jurek expertly leads the reader through the strange paradox of NASA’s decline . . . . NASA’s years under President Nixon, Ford, and Carter, and its much-delayed space shuttle development are not often chronicled in books. This is probably because much of it is a sad tale of decline, of NASA’s wilderness years. For this reason, the book fills an important gap."—Francis French, author and space historian"This well-researched book is as much a history of NASA as a biography of George Low, and as such is an important contribution to the history of the agency. Jurek's detailed book will appeal to both fans and scholars of NASA and of the engineers like Low who make the agency's spaceflights work."—Sara R. Tompson, Library Journal"In his engaging biography, The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA’s Visionary Leader George M. Low, Richard Jurek follows Low’s life from his early years in Austria as Europe slid toward World War II, through his family’s move to the United States and his military service at the end of the war, followed by his education and long service at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA. . . . The Ultimate Engineer is an important introduction to life and work of George Low."—Christopher Gainor, Quest"We have been fortunate to have had many outstanding individuals move through the space program over the years—being key players in the numerous manned and unmanned systems. George M. Low was one that I was aware of (based on some of his specific actions), such as the Apollo 8 decision. But without an in-depth biography, many of us don’t know the true significance of an individual. This book by author Richard Jurek provides an excellent survey of Low’s life work and is filled with quotes that bring the personal perspective."—Ted Spitzmiller, National Space Society“It took four hundred thousand people for NASA to reach the moon, but one was absolutely essential: a soft-spoken, brilliant engineer named George Low. As this detailed, well-written account reveals, from Apollo’s very conception to its recovery from tragedy to its historic triumphs, Low was Apollo’s essential man.”—Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon“George Low is one of the unsung heroes of spaceflight, but there’s never been a thorough examination of his life and the important contributions he made to Apollo and other NASA programs. The Ultimate Engineer finally fills this huge gap in human spaceflight history!”—Peter King, correspondent for CBS News Radio“The real book about NASA and human spaceflight should be about George Low.”—George W. S. Abbey, former director of the Johnson Space Center“This Austrian immigrant, a specialist in aerodynamics, proved to be the perfect leader of the Apollo spacecraft engineering team—as well as a key political operator in America’s human space programs from Mercury to the space shuttle. In The Ultimate Engineer Richard Jurek tells Low’s unique and inspiring story, filling a huge hole in the history.”—Michael Cassutt, novelist, screenwriter, and coauthor of Deke! and We Have CaptureTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword Introduction 1. New Beginnings 2. A Man in Space, Soonest 3. Toward a Worthy Goal 4. The Longest Days 5. Post-Apollo 6. Giving Back to the Future Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book asks how people can act in the face of competing pressures-the American ideal of self-reliance and a communal value of helping those in need-and explores the stories of two famous community organizers, Jane Addams and Barack Obama, to develop present-day lessons for improving our communities.Trade Review"What distinguishes this book from a number of others is its sociological perspective and comparative approach. By comparing the extraordinary lives of Addams and Obama, Schneiderhan convincingly shows that their struggles are not only personal challenges but also snapshots of social obstacles. The author artfully analyzes the choices made by Addams and Obama in light of their social contexts, and highlights how these two people accessible and pleasant manner, which is not very common in today's academic world . . . Highly recommended."—J. Li, CHOICE"You wouldn't think there would be many similarities between a wealthy Illinois woman [Jane Addams] and a young, mix-raced political activist [Barack Obama], but their characters and the paths they followed bind them together . . . Schneiderhan is wise to present these biographies back to back rather than point out commonalities one after another. He shows how these two illuminated the American dream even though race and gender loomed large to prevent them . . . His work, like theirs, is inspiring"—Kirkus"How should we balance the pulls of individualism and community, of realism and idealism? This is the American dilemma. Erik Schneiderhan shows how two Americans—Jane Addams and Barack Obama—struggled to resolve this dilemma for themselves, and helps us all to think about how we each can respond creatively in our own lives. This book is a must read for thoughtful citizens."—Philip Gorski, Yale University"Jane Addams is a remarkable figure in our history, and the contemporary story of Barack Obama helps us understand why. Taken together, their stories provide an opportunity for deep reflection on what it means to organize for change."—Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future"What do those who seek to make a better world actually do? In The Size of Others' Burdens, Erik Schneiderhan reconstructs the paths taken by two community organizers, Jane Addams and Barack Obama, illuminating how obstacles and contradictions prompted strategic creativity. The result is a book that is at once engaging, inspiring, and a challenge to move from analysis to action."—Elisabeth Clemens, coeditor of Politics and Partnerships: The Role of Voluntary Associations in America's Political Past and Present"The lives of Jane Addams and Barack Obama show how great achievements may come from grappling with ambivalence, not from crystalline clarity. A lesson of particular importance for those who work to bring change within a profoundly unequal society, it is nowhere more true than in navigating the American dilemma where poverty and racism coexist in a society of plenty and partial freedoms. The Size of Others' Burdens deserves to be widely read."—Craig Calhoun, President, London School of Economics and Political ScienceTable of ContentsContents and Abstracts1An American's Dilemma chapter abstractThis chapter presents an overview of the book's main premise: that the struggle between promoting individual responsibility and helping others in the community has been a hallmark of American culture. It introduces the two main empirical subjects of the book—Jane Addams and Barack Obama—and paints in broad brushstrokes their shared successes and struggles as they tried to do community work in Chicago. 2The Right to Be Heard chapter abstractThis chapter looks at the early life of Jane Addams before she founded Hull-House. It shows how her cultivation of privilege, her extensive travel, and her college education all contributed to her constructing a social self that did not conform to traditional gender norms. The chapter also sets the stage in Chicago by developing a portrait of existing charity organizations and showing how Addams and her friend Ellen Gates Starr launched a new and different way of helping others at Hull-House. 3The Chicago Scheme chapter abstractThis chapter starts with the opening of Hull-House in 1889 and goes on to illuminate some of the key successes and struggles of Jane Addams as she tried to help her neighbors in the Nineteenth Ward of Chicago. It shows how Addams's independent and creative work shifted in the early 1890s to include charity organization methods, a more hard-nosed approach to helping others. 4A Clash of Ethical Standards chapter abstractThis chapter begins in 1894, with Jane Addams struggling to meet the needs of the seemingly endless number of neighbors requiring her help. Hull-House did not have the capacity to address the needs of the city so Addams helped found the Chicago Bureau of Charities (CBC). Her work on behalf of the CBC is contrasted with her efforts at Hull-House, emphasizing her dilemmas as she tried to adjudicate between two very different approaches to helping others. The chapter also chronicles Addams's increasing involvement with Chicago elites, as she entered into politics and needed to raise funds to support her charitable work. It concludes with a brief summary of the three Addams chapters. 5Wake Up! It's Morning in America chapter abstractThis chapter looks at the early life of Barack Obama. It shows how his childhood in Indonesia and Hawaii, his elite education, and his extensive travel contributed to his constructing a social self and line of action that did not conform to traditional social expectations. The chapter illuminates Obama's struggles with the dilemma of making a difference in the world versus making a living. It concludes by tracing his trajectory from New York to Chicago, where he would begin his community organizing with the Developing Communities Project. 6A Big City with Big Problems chapter abstractIn this chapter, the Chicago community work of Barack Obama is presented. The chapter shows how his creativity and experimentalism helped the Developing Communities Project make a difference in people's lives. It also shows how Obama's efforts were stymied, illuminating his struggles to empower community members with limited resources. It concludes with Obama's decision to leave Chicago and attend Harvard Law School so that he might make a difference on a larger scale. 7Balancing a Hard Head with a Big Heart chapter abstractThis chapter spans several years in Obama's life—from his time at Harvard to his return to Chicago as a political organizer at Project Vote! and his experiences as a lawyer and University of Chicago lecturer. It shows his efforts to balance his own individual goals with his desire to make a difference in Chicago. And it shows how his new wife Michelle contributed to the development of connections to Chicago elites, connections that proved helpful as Obama decided to run for the Illinois State Senate. The chapter concludes with a brief summary of the main ideas of the three Obama chapters. 8Mixing on the Thronged and Common Road chapter abstractThis chapter begins with a précis, briefly highlighting some key points of the biographies of Addams and Obama after the time period examined in the book. The chapter then returns to the theme of the American's Dilemma, illustrating how Addams and Obama dealt with their everyday struggles to balance their individual and collective goals. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how the examples of Addams and Obama might inform our own efforts to move beyond our own social dilemmas and contribute to community growth. Appendix: On Methods and Theory chapter abstractThe appendix, more academic in tone, discusses the primary and secondary sources for the data on Addams and Obama. It then moves on to a presentation of the main theory underpinning the book's analysis, including ideas from Sartre, Merton, Lynd, Dewey, and Sumner, to name but a few.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"With nuance, precision, and admiration, Tamir Sorek tells the story of Tawfiq Zayyad's complicated and heroic life, and with it, the story of an ongoing catastrophe and the Palestinian people's unceasing battle for survival and dignity. The Optimist pays homage to resistance, radical politics, and the struggle for social mobility, all of which typified Zayyad's long career. A bold and important achievement."—Orit Bashkin, University of Chicago, author of Impossible Exodus: Iraqi Jews in Israel"Tamir Sorek provides a richly detailed excursion into the life and work of an eminent 'organic intellectual,' who found in language a means for recovery after Israel's colonial erasure of Palestine. The Optimist is valuable to anyone interested in encountering fusions between Marxism and Messianism, Jewishness and Arabness, Christianity and Islam, childhood and adulthood, the prosaic and the poetic, the political and the personal."—Khaled Furani, Tel Aviv University, author of Silencing the Sea: Secular Rhythms in Palestinian Poetry"The Optimist is a deftly written biography that will fascinate readers already familiar with the broad contours of Tawfiq Zayyad's life as well as those encountering him for the first time. Tamir Sorek provides fresh insight into how someone can maintain hope in a region too often characterized as hopeless."—Maha Nassar, author of Brothers Apart: Palestinian Citizens of Israel and the Arab World"[Tamir Sorek] presents an unprecedented, in-depth exploration of the life and work of Tawfiq Zayyad....The Optimist is a must read."—Naim Mousa, Mondoweiss"This sympathetic and informative biography is a welcome celebration of [Tawfiq Zayyad's] memory as well as a valuable contribution to our understanding of Palestinian history."—John Green, Morning Star Online"Tamir Sorek has written a superb biography of Tawfiq Zayyad... The imperative for Zayyad, as Sorek shows, was (and, presumably, would be) to organize and mobilize against conditions and policies of oppression by taking advantage of every non-violent opportunity for struggle."—Ian S. Lustick, International Journal of Middle East Studies"The Optimist is more than an excellent biography of Zayyad. It offers a comprehensive account of the ICP, from its early formations to its conceptions, contested ideology, and hierarchal structure. The book is also highly recommended for its insightful political history of Palestinian citizens of Israel under the enduring communist leadership throughout the second half of the twentieth century."—Nadeem Karkabi, Journal of Palestine Studies"In chapter after chapter, Sorek reveals deep strata of Zayyad's personality as a political leader and his motivations in persisting in fighting for Palestinian rights."—Sheren Falah Saab, HaaretzTable of ContentsPrologue 1. Communism and Anticolonialism 2. Steadfastness 3. Badges of Modernity 4. In the Crossfire 5. Municipal Struggles 6. National Leadership 7. Children in the Battlefield 8. A Secular Holy Warrior 9. A Spoke in the Wheel of History 10. Oslo: The Sky Is the Limit

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Book SynopsisThe hero of the War of 1812, the conqueror of Mexico City, and Abraham Lincoln's top soldier during the first six months of the Civil War, General Winfield Scott was a seminal force in the early American republic. John Eisenhower explores how Scott, who served under fourteen presidents, played a leading role in the development of the US Army.

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Book SynopsisEnhances our understanding of Gene Autry as a western folk hero who, during critical times of economic recovery and international crisis, readily assumed the role of public diplomat, skilfully using his talents to persuade a marginalized populace to embrace a nationalist agenda.Trade ReviewIn this fascinating, definitive account of America's favorite singing cowboy, Michael Duchemin reveals Gene Autry as one of the most important cultural figures of the Great Depression years."" - Peter Stanfield, author of Horse Opera: The Strange History of the Singing Cowboy

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisDelphus E. Carpenter (1877-1951) was Colorado's commissioner of interstate streams during a time when water rights were a legal battleground for western states. In Silver Fox of the Rockies, Daniel Tyler tells Carpenter's story and that of the great interstate water compacts he helped create.

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Book SynopsisThe notorious Parr family manipulated local politics in South Texas for decades. In this first comprehensive study of the Parr family's political activities, Anthony Carrozza reveals the innermost workings of the Parr dynasty, a political machine that drove South Texas politics for more than seventy years.Trade Review“Many of the Parrs’ corrupt actions never made it into court records, and they and their minions knew better than to keep written records of their own. Their enemies were too afraid to do so. Most newspaper stories originated with reporters who were on the scene and able to find eyewitnesses who would talk—often anonymously, in the dead of night, out in the brush. Anthony Carrozza makes use of newspaper accounts and court records in this comprehensive, fully documented history of the incredibly venal eighty-year Parr dynasty in deep South Texas. It will appeal to both scholarly and general audiences, as well as anyone fascinated by Texas or political history.” - George Norris Green, author of The Establishment in Texas Politics: The Primitive Years, 1938-1957“Richly detailed, The Dukes of Duval County presents the most thoroughly documented account of Duval politics available. Carrozza’s depictions of county corruption range from commissioners’ courtrooms to livestock shows, and his portraits of the Parrs are incisive. Even his description of the 1948 Box 13 investigation reads like a suspense novel. This book is a valuable addition to any collection of Texas history.” - Mary Jo O’Rear, author of Storm over the Bay: The People of Corpus Christi and Their Port“While the story of the Parrs and Duval County is an old one in Texas, much of what is told is incomplete. Anthony Carrozza’s work is thorough, and he provides solid scholarship, bringing life and color to one of the most shameful and honorable times and places in Texas history. Simply put, The Dukes of Duval County is good history and a good read. The Parrs and their story are covered so completely that this work will be the standard on them for years to come.” - Larry P. Knight, editor of The Journal of South Texas

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Book SynopsisSince the early 1800s, the violent exploits of ‘El Indio’ Rafael through the settlements of northern New Spain have become the stuff of myth and legend. In Son of Vengeance, Bradley Folsom sets out to find the real Rafael - to extract the true story from the scant historical record and superabundance of speculation.

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Book SynopsisSince the early 1800s, the violent exploits of ‘El Indio’ Rafael through the settlements of northern New Spain have become the stuff of myth and legend. In Son of Vengeance, Bradley Folsom sets out to find the real Rafael - to extract the true story from the scant historical record and superabundance of speculation.

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Book SynopsisGiven his background - growing up in the border state of Missouri - President Truman was an unlikely champion of civil rights. Yet it was he who energized the modern civil rights movement. Michael Gardner analyses Truman's speeches and the appointments he made of like-minded civil rights activists.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An excellent reference for students of autobiography, an essential text for students of American autobiography, and the central critical work for students of modern American autobiography." * James Olney *"Stone displays a breadth of scholarship that is impressive. There are scores of allusions to lives other than the ones under discussion, and there are frequent references . . . which make this a truly interdisciplinary study and for which Stone should be strongly commended." * Literature and History *

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Book SynopsisPioneering historian, sociologist, editor, novelist, poet, and organizer, W. E. B. Du Bois was one of the foremost African American intellectuals of the twentieth century. While Du Bois is remembered for his monumental contributions to scholarship and civil rights activism, the spiritual aspects of his work have been misunderstood, even negated. W. E. B. Du Bois, American Prophet, the first religious biography of this leader, illuminates the spirituality that is essential to understanding his efforts and achievements in the political and intellectual world.Often labeled an atheist, Du Bois was in fact deeply and creatively involved with religion. Historian Edward J. Blum reveals how spirituality was central to Du Bois''s approach to Marxism, pan-Africanism, and nuclear disarmament, his support for black churches, and his reckoning of the spiritual wage of white supremacy. His writings, teachings, and prayers served as articles of faith for fellow activists of his day, fTrade Review"Blum's work powerfully evokes both the spirit and substance of Du Bois's moral vision in ways that will greatly benefit students and scholars of American religious and intellectual history for years to come." * Journal of American History *"From comprehensive and original archival research, Blum reveals a Du Bois who from the beginning to the end of his career was obsessed with religion, its rhetoric, typologies, practices, and moral virtues. This book-really, an intervention-is long overdue." * Callaloo *"A greater tribute to the man cannot be found, even in the works of the most seasoned Du Bois scholars." * Church History *"Blum illuminates the entire range of Du Bois's writings, showing him as a prophetic thinker at times, a deliverer of jeremiads, a composer of creeds, an appreciator of the spirituality of everyday folk, and a visionary who anticipated trends in black theology and womanist theology. A truly valuable contribution to African American and American religious history." * Paul Harvey, University of Colorado *"In this eloquent and penetrating book, Edward Blum explores a crucial but neglected aspect of the life and times of W. E. B. Du Bois: the intersection of race and religion. . . . He gives us, as no one else has, a new Du Bois. It is a signal accomplishment and should be required reading for anyone interested in American protest literature and the role of religion in social reform." * John Stauffer, author of The Black Hearts of Men *"Edward Blum has offered us a remarkably fresh, provocative, and searching reading of Du Bois, one that places religion and spirituality at the center of his thought and sensibilities. But he has offered us something more as well: an important engagement with religion and the construction of race-of blackness and whiteness-in America." * Steven Hahn, author of A Nation under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration *"While W. E. B. Du Bois's many prescient ideas on race and the color line are often quoted, he is rarely characterized in the sacred prophetic sense. In this first comprehensive study of the religious meaning and biblical references in Du Bois's writings, Edward Blum brilliantly and movingly renders the complex soul of this intellectual giant, who demanded his people's deliverance from a sin-sick world of racial injustice." * Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, author of Righteous Discontent: The Women's Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880-1920 *"With this book Edward J. Blum solidified his reputation as one of the most singular and innovative scholars writing on religion and race today." * Journal of Southern History *Table of ContentsIntroduction. Rethinking W.E.B. Du Bois, Rethinking Religion and Race 1. The Hero with a Black Face: Autobiography and the Mythology of the Self 2. Race as Cosmic Sight in The Souls of Black Folk 3. A Dark Monk Who Wrote History and Sociology: The Spiritual Wage of whiteness, the Black Church, and Mystical Africa 4. Black Messiahs and Murderous Whites: Violence and Faith in Literary Expression 5. Christ Was a Communist: Religion for an Aging Leftist Epilogue. The Passing of the Prophet Notes Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisJoseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain, claimed that he had never wanted the overpowering roles thrust upon him by his illustrious younger brother Napoleon. Left to his own devices, he would probably have been a lawyer in his native Corsica, a country gentleman with leisure to read the great literature he treasured and oversee the maintenance of his property. When Napoleon's downfall forced Joseph into exile, he was able to become that country gentleman at last, but in a place he could scarcely have imagined. It comes as a surprise to most people that Joseph spent seventeen years in the United States following Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. In The Man Who Had Been King, Patricia Tyson Stroud has written a rich accountdrawing on unpublished Bonaparte family lettersof this American exile, much of it passed in regal splendor high above the banks of the Delaware River in New Jersey. Upon his escape from France in 1815, Joseph arrived in the new land with a fortune in hand and short

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Book SynopsisRepresenting a lifetime of research by the dean of Franklin scholars, this seven-volume biography will give enthusiasts and scholars an important resource for understanding Benjamin Franklin's character and place in American history. This first volume chronicles the early years of Franklin, from his birth to his marriage in 1730.Trade Review"Recent books on Ben Franklin abound. However, this work, in the classic multivolume 'life and times' genre, is especially valuable. Highly recommended." * Choice *"Veteran Franklin scholar Lemay offers a highly detailed examination of one of the most fascinating of America's founders." * Publishers Weekly *"Lemay's final output will do for the popular interest in our revolution and early founding what Douglas Southall Freeman's magisterial Lee's Lieutenants did for our fixation on the Civil War. . . . I can't wait for Mr. Lemay's next volumes." * Washington Times *"Under Mr. Lemay's narrative spell, Franklin emerges as the greatest of Americans. . . . It takes an awesome biography to do justice to such a man, and that is exactly what Mr. Lemay is writing." * New York Sun *"The authoritative compendium of Franklin's remarkable exploits and contributions." * Times Higher Education Supplement *"Lemay's magnificent opus manages to be accessible and interesting for the general reader while also valuable for the specialist. . . . For readers who want to luxuriate in the life and times of a fascinating man and who enjoy seeing how an expert historian examines evidence and reaches conclusions, this biography is indispensable. Highly recommended." * Library Journal (starred review) *"This colossal study . . . does for Franklin what Dumas Malone did for Thomas Jefferson. In sheer comprehensiveness, it surpasses any previous (and, one imagines, future) treatment. When completed, it promises to provide just about as complete a factual account of Franklin's life as it is possible to put together." * Journal of American History *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface PART I. BOSTON: YOUTH, 1706-1723 Prologue: Quandary 1. Boston 2. Child to Adolescent 3. Printer's Devil 4. Massachusetts Controversies, 1716-1723 5. Nathaniel Gardner and the Couranteers 6. James Franklin: America's First Newspaperman 7. Silence Dogood in Context 8. "Saucy and Provoking": Franklin Takes Charge 9. Assessing Franklin as a Youth, to Age Seventeen PART II. ADRIFT, AGE SEVENTEEN TO TWENTY-FOUR, 1723-1730 10. The Runaway 11. The Water American: London Escapades 12. At Sea, 1726 13. Merchant to Master Printer, 1726-1728 14. The Junto 15. Business, 1728-1730, and "Articles of Religion" 16. The Busy-Body 17. Paper Currency 18. Journalist 19. Assessing Franklin, Age Seventeen to Twenty-four Appendix: New Attributions Sources and Documentation List of Abbreviations Notes Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisAscending from obscurity and without dynastic credentials, Nadir Shah tried and failed to establish his right to rule the people of Iran from the 1720s until 1747. This biography of Nadir tells how Nadir Shah's novel strategies influenced successive rulers of Iran in their own defense of power.Trade ReviewAn extremely important work... Tucker masterfully investigates the question of Nadir Shah's political legitimacy in light of certain key events in his career. In doing so, he critically evaluates primary sources, thereby highlighting the crucial issues of historiography in understanding this history. - Sholeh A. Quinn, Ohio University

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Book SynopsisDespite serving his country for 50 years and being among the most qualified men to hold the office of president, James Monroe is an oft-forgotten Founding Father. In this book, Brook Poston reveals how Monroe attempted to craft a legacy for himself as a champion of American republicanism.Trade ReviewOffers a fresh perspective on a founding-era politician and president frequently overshadowed by his friends and rivals. . . . Poston's well-written and thoughtful overview of Monroe's muscular efforts to promote republicanism . . . elevates the achievements of this underappreciated founding figure." - Journal of American History"[Poston] writes with clarity and insight. . . . [He] shows how Monroe grew from a political neophyte to become a philosophical giant who, as president, widened his arc of influence to lead the hemisphere toward freedom and democracy." - Presidential Studies Quarterly"An engaging analysis of Monroe's values and ambitions." - Virginia Magazine of History and Biography

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Book SynopsisThis work lays out the theoretical background to Saint Thomas Aquinas' spirituality. It shows that his theology is clearly oriented towards contemplation and is as deeply spiritual as it is doctrinal.

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Book SynopsisGathering the major medieval sources for the first time, this work traces Robert of Arbrissel's multifaceted life from humble origins to dramatic death and burial. The book consists of two biographies, Robert's surviving letter, an account of Robert's preaching and two critical letters.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFrances Power Cobbe (1822-1904) was one of the most important 19th century British writers and activists. She worked to improve conditions for delinquent girls and for the sick poor, promoted university degrees for women and roused support for the Union during the American Civil War. This is her biography.Trade ReviewWritten in a clear, simple, attractive, and unpretentious style, Frances Power Cobbe includes much information that is unexpected and very interesting, about such matters as the weird Utopian religious colony, the Agapemone, which one of her brothers joined; illegitimate children; divorce; mixed-race marriage; women's suffrage and other feminist political causes; and the tribulations of the anti-vivisectionist societies. --Dorothy Mermin, author of Godiva's Ride: Women of Letters in England, 1830-1880

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Book SynopsisChristina Rossetti has come to be considered one of the major poets. ""The Letters of Christina Rossetti"" makes available all of her extant letters, almost two-thirds of which have never before been published. These letters come from over 100 private and institutional collections. The fourth and final volume covers the last eight years of her life.

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Book SynopsisOffers a collection of essays that seeks to historicize one of our nation's founding fathers. Challenging attempts to appropriate Jefferson to serve all manner of contemporary political agendas, this work argues that historians must look at Jefferson's language and life within the context of his own place and time.

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Book SynopsisThe era following the American War of Independence was one of enormous conflict for the Allegany Senecas. As the most influential Seneca leader of his time, Cornplanter led his people in war and along an often troubled path to peace. This biography traces his rise to prominence as a Seneca military leader during the American Revolution.Trade ReviewThis excellent biography should be read alongside Anthony F. C. Wallace’s Death and Rebirth of the Seneca. Recommended for academic and public libraries.

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Book SynopsisProvides an in-depth look at a turbulent period in Mexico's history. Author Acuña presents an authoritative account of the Strongman's rise to power and vividly portrays the suffering of northern Mexico's people.

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Book SynopsisThe autobiographical account of an Afro-Cuban soldier who fought in the Cuban War of Independence-available in English for the first time.Trade Review"Black soldiers played a crucial—also inadequately appreciated—role in winning Latin American independence, and nowhere more so than in Cuba. Many thanks to Mark A. Sanders for giving Ricardo Batrell’s rare and remarkable testimony a vigorous, well-contextualized, and carefully-annotated voice in English." —John Charles Chasteen, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill"In an anticolonial army that was primarily black, Ricardo Batrell was one of only two black soldiers to write his own memoir of Cuba’s final War of Independence, the riveting story of his experience as a black soldier in a war that mobilized thousands of black men and that profoundly challenged racial hierarchies and assumptions. It is also a moving account of Batrell’s sense of betrayal as the promise of that movement gave way to U.S. intervention. An unusual and wonderfully rich source, available now more widely thanks to Mark Sanders’s lively and most welcome translation." —Ada Ferrer, NYUTable of ContentsContents Ricardo Batrell and the Cuban Racial Narrative: An Introduction to A Black Soldier's Story Mark A. Sanders A Note on Translation and Editing A Black Soldier's Story: The Narrative of Ricardo Batrell and the Cuban War of Independence Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Epilogue Looking for Ricardo Batrell in Havana: An Appendix Essay Acknowledgments Translator's Notes Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSamuel Romanelli was a free spirit who spent most of his life traveling in search of adventure, knowledge, and patrons for his literary endeavors.... During a voyage to Italy in 1786, he became stranded in Gibraltar... and circumstances forced him to join a merchant traveling to Morocco. Through misadventure, he lost his passport and was retained in that country for four years, the story of which forms Travail in an Arab Land. This first-person account is an important and unique work treating the life and culture of Jews in 18th-century Morocco.; - Jewish Book News; ""This first-hand account of the author's adventures during the four years he was stranded in Morocco between 1787 and 1790 is the most vivid, accurate portrait of a Jewish community in Hebrew literature.""; - Jewish Book Guide; ""An absorbing, entertaining, and richly informative tale.... The Stillmans have provided readers with a lucid translation accompanied by helpful notes and illustrations, a brief, informative introduction, a concise bibliography and index. The text is illuminating [and] of broad interest to a wide audience."" - Choice

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Book SynopsisProvides a penetrating analysis of US Supreme Court justice John McKinley. In providing the first in depth assessment of the life and Supreme Court career of Justice McKinley, Steven Brown has given us a compelling portrait of a man active in the leading financial, legal, and political circles of his day.Trade Review“Professor Steven Brown sets out to rehabilitate McKinley's reputation and historical legacy in this engaging and accessible biography. The portrait that emerges is one of a dedicated public servant and thoughtful jurist, a far cry from the surly and unimpressive caricature that has defined McKinley's modern-day perception. . . . [Brown] also provides a rare look into the workings of the antebellum Supreme Court, particularly the travails of circuit riding prior to the development of a robust interstate transportation infrastructure. . . . Brown persuasively argues that McKinley's career and legacy deserve another look.”—Harvard Law Review “Steven Brown's splendid new work is the only book-length account of the Alabama Justice's life and years of public service--not only as a Justice, but as a practicing attouney, state legislator, state university trustee, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and U.S. Senator. The book refutes the usual assessment that McKinley was at best a very average jurist who failed to carry his share of the judicial burden and was unable to hold his own among his judicial colleagues.”—Journal of Supreme Court History “Students of southern history and Alabama history, as well as legal scholars and the state and national legal communities, will appreciate this longoverdue revision of Justice John McKinley’s historical reputation. With this book, Steven Brown has established himself as the authority on the life and times of Justice McKinley and, to a significant degree, the antebellum US Supreme Court.”—R. Volney Riser, author of Defying Disfranchisement: Black Voting Rights Activism in the Jim Crow South, 1890–1908

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Book SynopsisIn an excellent addition to the Ohio Short Histories of Africa series, Robert Trent Vinson recovers the forgotten story of Albert Luthuli, Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner, who linked South African antiapartheid politics with international human rights campaigns and was a leading advocate of nonviolent civil disobedience techniques.Trade Review“Vinson provides a good introductory biography of a key figure in South African politics that is ready made for course syllabi. This book is suitable to any class that focuses on Black politics in a global dimension as well as surveys focused on apartheid South Africa.” * American Historical Review *

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Book SynopsisDescribing the life and ideas of the founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), this work is a biography of Carlos Fonseca Amador, an important and influential figure of the post-1959 revolutionary generation in Latin America.Trade Review“Good English language historical studies of modern Nicaragua can be counted on one hand. Joining this elite group, Zimmermann’s well-researched, -organized, and -written book focuses on the most important (yet oft-misunderstood) figure in the FSLN insurgency of the 1960s and 1970s, Carlos Fonseca. As such, it is welcome, indeed.”—Thomas W. Walker, Ohio University“In this century we have had to look hard not only at the great struggles for justice but at the lives of the men who led those struggles. In this well-researched biography of Carlos Fonseca, founder and indisputable leader of the FSLN until his death in battle two years before Somoza’s defeat, Matilde Zimmermann gives us a compelling portrait of someone obsessed with detail, puritanical but caring, brilliant and determined. Zimmermann asks the difficult questions and her answers are sometimes surprising. A must read for anyone interested in Nicaragua—or in the overall issue of social change.”—Margaret Randall, author of SANDINO'S DAUGHTERS and SANDINO'S DAUGHTERS REVISITED “Zimmermann does an excellent job explaining the real content of the FSLN’s internal differences, going a long way beyond the very schematic and surface readings that have appeared thus far. It is a pioneering effort and our understanding of the Sandinista revolution is substantially enriched by this study.”—Barry Carr, LaTrobe UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. Matagalpa: The Early Years, 1939-1950 12 2. A Rebellious Student, 1950-1958 28 3. The Cuban Revolution, 1958-1961 50 4. Founding the FSLN, 1960-1964 69 5. The Evolution of a Strategy, 1964-1968 88 6. Underground and Prison Life, 1968-1970 111 7. The Sandino Writings, 1970-1974 143 8. A Fractured Movement, 1972-1975 162 9. The Montana and the Death of Fonseca, 1975-1976 185 10. The Revolution of 1979 205 Epilogue 222 Notes 229 Glossary of Organization 257 Bibliography 259 Index 271

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Book SynopsisTestimonial text by a Mapuche woman, with commentary and other ethnographic interventions by a US historian.Trade Review“A landmark in the history of social movements, indigenous studies, and women’s studies, When a Flower is Reborn tells the story of the cultural regeneration of a whole people. The match between a sophisticated scholar drawn back to the country of her birth and an urbane indigenous woman organizer has engendered an entirely new form of testimonial literature, one that reads like a novel, but has the depth and breadth of the best history. This is not only an innovative book, it is a major achievement.”—Temma Kaplan, author of Crazy for Democracy: Women in Grassroots Movements“Composed of short dialogues, this testimonio is just made to be read aloud by students who will find themselves drawn into the rich personal experiences of Mapuche cultural resurgence and political activism as related by Rosa Isolde Reuque Paillalef and her family to Florencia E. Mallon. When a Flower is Reborn is a fascinating account of the renewal and transformation of Mapuche culture and community politics and social criticism as captured through one woman's participation in different social movements across Chile's political history from the early 1970s to 1997. A pathbreaking, thoughtful collaborative work on indigenous activism in Chile.“—Kay Warren, author of Indigenous Movements and Their Critics: Pan-Maya Activism in GuatemalaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Editor’s Introduction 1 1. Chanco: Family, Land, and Culture 35 2. The Mapuche Movement under Dictatorship, 1973-1989 100 3. The Transition to Democracy 175 4. The Mapuche Movement under Democracy, 1990-1998 223 Conclusion 294 Afterword 327 Glossary 337 Notes 343 Index 363

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Book SynopsisShares the life experiences of the children of 4 siblings who out of eight siblings, parents and grandparents, survived the Holocaust. It explores the ways in which these children from the same socio-cultural background have built diverse lives in GermanTrade Review“The lives of the Kalman family provide the perfect palette from which to understand the conflicts and the compromises and commitments that Jews have had to make to live not only in Germany but in the modern world.”—Sander L. Gilman, author of Jewish Frontiers: Essays on Bodies, Histories, and Identities“These interviews are valuable and frank documents. The experiences of the Kalman family are representative of many Jewish families in the period 1945–2000. Y. Michal Bodemann’s astute questions and obvious intimate acquaintance with the family bring out the problematic aspects of being Jewish in Germany today. He deals not only with questions of anti-Semitism but also with the secularization process of German Jews.”—Jack Zipes, coeditor of Unlikely History: The Changing German–Jewish Symbiosis, 1945–2000“Why did Jews choose to live in postwar Germany? Most scholars have looked for answers to this question in the official institutional history. Y. Michal Bodemann turns our view to the private sphere and thus reveals for the first time a more intimate and at the same time more complex picture of the German Jewish community as mirrored by one family.”—Michael Brenner, author of After the Holocaust: Rebuilding Jewish Lives in Postwar GermanyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Introduction: Contemporary German Jewish Life through One Family 1 Prologue: Rita Volkov, Great Aunt in Toronto 37 Part 1. Albert's Family Berthold and His Father 45 Working in the Kalmans' Firm 71 Berthold in His Life 79 Eva, Swiss Mentality, Polish Company 91 Ronnie, in and out of His Father's Shadow 108 Salek, Nordau's Jew 119 Esther, the Zionist Pioneer in Our Family 132 Gabriel, Postmodern Jew 156 Part 2. Ignaz and Dina Ignaz, Dina's Father 179 Dina, from Germany to Israel and Back 187 Johannes Rautenstrauch, A Goy in the House 218 Part 3. Jerry Guterman Jerry and the Fossils 233 Part 4. Jurek's Family Jurek, Benjamin and His Brothers 249 Jonny, a Career in Israel 256 Lilian, Staying at Home 261 Motti, the Sculptor-Rememberer 268 Glossary 279

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