This is a fascinating look at a politican best remembered for the $800,000 he left in a shoebox (more or less) in a shabby Springfield hotel room. But Paul Powell was more than that. He was a product of a unique time and place and became a political force that for a time revolved as a "twin-sun" with the Chicago Daley Machine. This book explains how Southern Illinois shaped Powell and how his roots affected his role in Illinois politics. It's also a fascinating look at racetrack politics - a convergence that sent Gov. Otto Kerner to prison. Bob Hartley knows his stuff and has written a very readable account of a very fascinating man.

The books says that the author is a professor of ethics in upstate New York. The good news is that he doesn't write like a professor! At least most of the professors I know. I was able not only to understand what he was saying, but to mentally dialogue with the work as I went along. The book is about Paul Ramsey, the late ethicist from Princeton who was a prolific writer who also believed that one's religion could be a positive force when thinking about moral issues. I read a good deal of books on ethics and postmodernism, and I found the author's presentation of Ramsey a refreshing change from some of the densely-packed (and nearly impossible to understand) volumes I've recently plowed through.

McKenzie covers Ramsey's views on medical and political ethics, and traces his thought back to his Protestant roots. Besides the references to relevant issues like cloning, I guess what I liked the most was the author's final chapter where he made the case that Ramsey's way of doing ethics is a good fit for religious or spiritual people talking about morality today. You don't have to check either your brains or your religious tradition at the door. This is a good read. I do recommend it.

In Christopher Bing's treatment of "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," he makes the argument that Revere ended up being immortalized in Wordsworth's famous poem because lots of words rhyme with "Revere" and not much with "Dawes." Thus Paul Revere is famous and William Dawes is a historical footnote. However, in this juvenile biography by Gail Sakurai, young readers will discover that there was much more to Revere's patriotic involvement in the American Revolution than his famous ride. As one of the Sons of Liberty he participated in the Boston Tea Party, and as a silversmith and engraver he did a rendition of the Boston Massacre and printed the currency for the Massachusetts government. Although he served in the Colonial Army, it was his reputation as "Bold Revere," that made him the most trusted and dependable messenger for the rebels in Boston and led to him being chosen for the midnight ride that immortalized him in American history textbooks. This book is illustrated with historic paintings and etchings, several by Revere, as well as photographs historic sites involved with the Midnight Ride and a teapot he designed and crafted. Sakurai's book does a nice job of letting us know what Revere's reputation was in his own time. Consequently, we learn a bit more about what it was like for the colonial revolutionaries in Boston who are not remembered as Founding Fathers (like John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, etc.).

Sullivan uses primary sources to make Paul Revere's life and times come to life in this fine addition to the new In Their Own Words series. Partly biography, partly a detailed history of the American Revolution, the book explains the famous patriot's role in a young colony's fight for freedom. Revere is well-known for his career as a silversmith and his midnight ride from Boston to Lexington to warn colonists of the impending arrival of British soldiers; Sullivan also brings to light Revere's part in the Boston Tea Party, designed and printed money, and was a shrewd businessman who owned and operated a gunpowder factory and a copper mill.
Primary sources include letters, poems and documents. Longfellow's famous poem that immortalized Paul Revere is included. The illustrations include a map of Revere's route on April 18, 1775, photographs of Revere's silver, a reproduction of his famous portrait commissioned by John Singleton Cooper, and many illustrations and portraits, including Revere's own drawings.
The book includes a chronology, an index, a bibliography, further reading, and additional resources such as the Paul Revere House in Boston MA. Photo credits are listed. Sullivan has a distinct talent for making scholarly research accessible to young students in an engaging and interesting way, and sets an excellent example for crediting sources. Highly recommended.

This book was my daughter's all time favorite. It is easy to read and provides an introduction to the childhood of this famous American. This book is fiction, allthough based on fact, and is fast paced, exciting reading for your 7-10 year old. We have purchased all the titles by this author!

Stallones, as always, produced a winner. Great stuff.

What can I say? Paul Robeson put his money where his mouth is. He gave up millions for what he believed in and stood his ground. He fought for Black freedom and also took up the cause for poor whites and workers. Whether you agree with him or not, this man is one of America's greatest heroes! It is amazing how his life and contributions are overlooked. Buy this book and read about a great American hero.

Provocative essays, never-before-published photographs, Robeson-inspired artwork, and a comprehensive chronology are the pleasures of this first-rate text. Developed as a companion to a multimedia exhibition celebrating Robeson's centennial birthday, _Artist and Citizen_ is a must-read. Curator and editor Jeffrey Stewart has succeeded in providing a careful, comprehensive, sophisticated, yet accessible view of one of the major figures of the 20th century. Essayists include those whom we readily associate with Robeson and his era: Lloyd L. Brown, Martin Duberman, David Levering Lewis, and John Hope Franklin. The reader also learns from those who bring the unique perspectives of their fields such as economist Julianne Malveaux, film scholars Ed Guerrero and Mark A. Reid, legal scholar and social critic Derrick Bell, and photography historian Deborah Willis among others. The essayists explore Robeson's upbringing, athletic exploits, political philosophies and alliances, artistic career, and commitment to social justice with an eye on understanding Robeson's challenges and legacies, his life as a "work of art and politics," and the meaning of this hero and icon. In the introduction, Stewart stakes out his claims for the book. "We see ourselves as heirs to Robeson not in following any particular ideology that he espoused, but in practicing the intellectual integrity he lived...Hence, in this volume is a chorus of diverse voices, not all of whom sing Robeson's praises, but which rather raise the kinds of concerns that he himself voiced during his long and fruitful life." _Paul Robeson: Artist and Citizen_ lives up to Stewart's claims. It is an essential text for anyone interested in Robeson, race and class matters, art and politics, or the remarkable life lived.

This excellent biography of the great Paul Robeson chronicles his life as the son of a runaway slave beginning in the 1890s to his disappearance from public life in the early 1960s. This book is wonderful for reluctant readers because it is interesting AND easy to read.

The wide time span covered by Paul's life covers many of the most tumultous years in American history. This book covers many important historical and personal themes such as hypocracy of the federal government (democracy in the 1910s-1950s) and society, search for acceptance as an individual and performer, desire and struggle for social justice, and hatred and opposition to fascism.

Paul's activist stance is a wonderful example for all young readers, no matter their ethnicity. His life was lived to the fullest, and his legacy is an important one in African-American history specifically and American history generally.

This bio is a great way to introduce young readers to the strange times of McCarthyism and how these times affected individuals such as Mr. Robeson. It is also a wonderful way to introduce young and old readers to a positive role model who was actively seeking positive changes in our federal government and our global community.

Paul Robeson's life story is a great way to show readers the importance of keeping an open mind and keeping open opportunities to make new friends, despite the consequences (Paul's relationship with communist Russia).

Read on!