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A mothers’ pilgrimage
This year is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. I’ve long found the years during and after World War I particularly interesting. That’s been especially true for books set in England, where World War I profoundly changed so many things that British people had thought were constants in their world. I’ve…
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A history all Americans should read
Paul O’Connor has used the wintry weather as a good time to catch up on a book he missed when it was first published, to considerable acclaim. He’s so impressed he wants to spread the word. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS. By Isabel Wilkerson. Vintage Books. 538 pages. $16.95, softcover.…
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One summer, many stories
Do interesting vignettes from a common era make for a compelling read? Paul O’Connor, journalist, professor, gentleman and history buff, among other distinctions, takes a look at Bill Bryson’s latest book. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor ONE SUMMER: AMERICA, 1927. By Bill Bryson. Doubleday. 456 pages $28.95. In the span of one summer, give…
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The lowdown on the blues
Stephen Wishnevsky, a musician himself as well as a luthier and an author, has discovered a 2004 book well worth the reading. Reviewed by Stephen Wishnevsky ESCAPING THE DELTA: ROBERT JOHNSON AND THE INVENTION OF THE BLUES By Elijah Wald. Amistad, 2004. 368 pages. Elijah Wald is that rarity, a music writer who is a…
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Piracy, smuggling and other great American traditions
Steve Wishnevsky finds a good dose of cold, hard, enlightening facts in a recent history that describes the growth of America in terms other than those we celebrate on the Fourth of July. Reviewed by Stephen Wishnevsky SMUGGLER NATION: HOW ILLICIT TRADE MADE AMERICA. By Peter Andreas. Oxford University Press. 472 pages. Here is another…
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Forgotten history
History is important not only in itself, but also in the way it affects the present. Paul O’Connor reminds us of that in his review of a “fascinating“ book about a part of history Americans have too often overlooked. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor FREEDOM NATIONAL: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865.…
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FDR, commander in chief
Paul O’Connor, when he’s not commenting on the shenanigans in our state government or teaching aspiring journalists, is a devoted student of American history. Here he takes a look at a new book about Franklin D. Roosevelt and World War II. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor ROOSEVELT’S CENTURIONS: FDR AND THE COMMANDERS HE LED TO…
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North Carolina and the KKK?!
The KKK in North Carolina? White hoods and crosses may not be much in evidence these days, but Tom Dillon reviews a book that argues that the Klan’s legacy is strong in today’s political climate. Reviewed by Tom Dillon KLANSVILLE, U.S.A.. By David Cunningham. Oxford University Press. 337 pages, $29.95 hardback The biggest political gathering…
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Taking fresh aim at Gettysburg
A century and a half later, one might think that everything useful has been written about Gettysburg, that massive, bloody and crucial Civil War battle. But Paul O’Connor finds that a new book published in time for the battle’s sesquicentennial offers many fresh insights. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor. GETTYSBURG: THE LAST INVASION. By Allen…
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Understanding 1776
Paul O’Connor, contributing editor, is wandering the United States this summer, listening to audio books that enrich his travels, and reviewing those books for Briar Patch. Here’s a look back at 1776, just in time for Independence Day enlightenment. By Paul T. O’Connor REVOLUTIONARY SUMMER: The Birth of American Independence. By Joseph J. Ellis. Read…