West Virginia: A History by John Alexander Williams
The
Story of the Mountain State Reviewer: Jim Gallen from St. Louis, Missouri, U. S. A.
"West Virginia" is a fast reading introduction to
the history of the Mountain State. Beginning with a brief section on the
region from Revolutionary times, the book quickly moves on to the Civil
War era which gave birth to West Virginia statehood.
The Unionist sentiment in the Western part of Virginia resulted, in
1863, in the only case of succession of a portion of one state from
another in American history. The Civil War in West Virginia is portrayed
both in its military and political aspects.
Williams tells the story of the evolution of West Virginia from the
political, economic and social perspectives. The fabled Hatfield-MCcoy
feud is given ample attention, as is the Hatfield who served his state as
governor and United States Senator.
In a state with an undistinguished political history, Williams
introduces the reader to a series of governors, senators and political
bosses who struggled with absentee landowners, rail and coal concerns and
labor leaders to lead West Virginia through the 19th and 20th centuries.
The story of West Virginia is a story of hope and despair, promise
and danger, fulfillment and disappointment. Through it all Williams
presents its story as a drama, partly heroic and partly tragic. Not a
partisan Mountaineer booster, Williams tells the good with the bad. For
anyone wishing to know the history of our country, state by state, this
book fills in one piece of the American mosaic in a most pleasant fashion.
Oregon Trail Stories: True Accounts of
Life in a Covered Wagon by David Klausmeyer
Respectable, educative of western emigration Reviewer: Wlliam Higgins from Laramie, Wyoming
I always enjoy reading personal accounts of the Oregon/California Trail.
Taken from actual diaries, letters, memoirs and reminisces, these are true
to life experiences from the pioneers themselves. A few to mention,
without being overly exhaustive would be: Catherine Sager Pringle and her six siblings becoming orphans of
the trail when in the course of twenty six days both parents died. They
were then taken to and raised at the Whitman Mission in Washington. Lucy Jane Hall Burnett's account of taking the disastrous Stephen
Meek Cutoff.
The insightful David Campbell reminisces traveling to California.
After burying their dead, they would have the cattle trample over the
ground to deter any Indian tendencies of digging them up for clothing.
Also, numerous brief battles in California for statehood are well
described. Patrick Breen's day to day experiences of being stranded for months
in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with the Donner Party are harrowing. James Longmire's memoirs of traveling over the continent are both
entertaining and perceptive.
Excellent.
Testament: A Soldier's Story of the
Civil War by Benson Bobrick
Testament
is a record of valor Reviewer: Robert Busko from Laurinburg, NC USA
Testament: A Soldier's Story of the Civil War by Benson Bobrick is one of
the most insightful contributions to the ever growing body of work devoted
to this war. There are other first hand accounts of combat and general
living conditions faced by soldiers of both sides....far too many to
elaborate here. However, there is something touching almost beyond words
about the letters young Benjamin "Webb" Baker wrote his mother.
Benson Bobrick does a good job in weaving Webb's (Bobrick's
great-grandfather) letters into a coherent narrative about the war. The
narrative covers Webb's entire enlistment period from 1861 to his
discharge in 1864. Civil War buffs will recognize the battles included:
Pea Ridge, Perryville, Stone's River, Chickamauga, and finally the Atlanta
victory. Perhaps of equal value are the letters themselves, neatly placed
into an appendix at the end of the book...each included in their entirety
for the casual reader to pour over and ponder.
Its all here, the descriptions of battle, of camp life, of
marching,...insights into the officers that lead these men, and a general
view of the times. The letters read true as anyone who has served in the
military will recognize. Red tape is red tape no matter the century.
I encourage Civil War buffs to read Testament. If you haven't read much on
the Civil War then this is a good book to start with.
The
Story of the Mountain State
Respectable, educative of western emigration
