This is a wonderful book that chronicles the role of Michigan soldiers(both men and women) in the Civil War. There are a lot of good photographs, many published only in this book, of the various Michigan soldiers and units. There is also a run-down of the major battles, and how Michigan units participated in these battles. And finally, it contains a good bibliography of Michigan Civil War books, as well as a list of Michigan monuments to the Civil War in and out of state. There is also a section on Michigan's participation durin the Civil War Centennial. All-in-all, a MUST-HAVE for Michigan Civil War historians!

In 1835, an extraordinary series of articles appeared in the New York "Sun," one of the city's newspapers. The articles told how astronomer John Herschel, with the aid of an advanced new telescope, had discovered life on earth's moon. Of course, the articles were pure fiction, and the story has become known as the Moon Hoax. The articles, written by Richard Adams Locke, were published in book form under the title "The Moon Hoax; Or, A Discovery That the Moon Has a Vast Population of Human Beings." A reproduction of an 1859 New York edition, with a new introduction by Ormond Seavey, was published by Gregg Press in 1975.

Locke's Moon Hoax is one of the most remarkable works of 19th century U.S. literature. Ormond Seavey's intro to the 1975 edition does a good job of placing the hoax in literary and cultural perspective. Seavey notes, for example, that the hoax appeared at "a time when the tall tale was first recognized as a characteristically American narrative" (p. xxiv). Seavey also makes note of the reaction of showman P.T. Barnum to the hoax, and draws a parallel between the Moon Hoax and Edgar Allan Poe's 1844 "Balloon Hoax."

The text of the hoax itself is a charming piece of literature; it could be seen as a pioneering work of science fiction. The text's flavor of authenticity is enhanced by the many technical details about the new telescope; Locke even names the glassmaking firm that allegedly created the lens for the device! Locke's descriptions of Herschel's bogus discoveries are delightful. We learn about the lunar oceans; trees; gigantic, obelisk-like amethysts; unicorn-like creatures; tailless beaver-like humanoids; and most wonderfully, "Vespertilio-homo," the winged human-like species alluded to in the book's title. "The Moon Hoax" is a marvelous book that deserves to be rediscovered by new generations of readers.

My Bondage and My Freedom, one of Douglass' several autobiographies, a very important book that should be read by anyone interested in United States history generally, or the crucial and often tragic role race has played in that history. Douglass, a former slave, was one of the few African-Americans who achieved prominence in the largely white, new england abolition movement. Douglass was an eloquent writer and (by historical accounts) speaker. His recounting of his experience as a slave, and his reflections on his role as a black former slave in America, are powerful.

Though, this book is less known to the people, I found many useful hints from the high level thought to the low level careness.

Reprint of an 1864 book detailing the service of the fictional 210th Pennsylvania, a nine-month regiment which charges on Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg and is heavily engaged at Chancellorsville just days before the expiration of their enlistment. Originally published anonymously under the guise of fiction, Mr. Arner's commentary demonstrates the connections to actual people and events in the 129th Pennsylvania (3rd Division, Fifth Corps). Offers a particularly interesting picture of the division commander, Andrew A. Humphreys.

William Wolf's book explores the diversity of theological development in the Anglican Communion by bringing together descriptions and analyses of three major Anglican thinkers'Hooker, Maurice, and Temple'to illustrate both historical development and breadth of range of what can be classified as 'Anglican' theology. Wolf concedes that there are many other theologians who might have been included; the Anglican Communion doesn't have a definitive person (apart from Jesus Christ)''the Anglican Communion sets aside no special authoritative place for a great reforming figure such as Luther or Calvin'' (p. 137) Wolf also states that 'the Communion has unfortunately produced no systematic theologians of the first rank.' (p. 137). That being said, the theological thoughts and development presented for Hooker, Maurice, and Temple illustrate the branching streams that feed Anglicanism today, a stream that continues to branch forward.

Richard Hooker
Hooker was alive and active as a theologian during a tumultuous period in the development of the Church of England as a distinct body. Politics entered into church affairs on a grand scale; the idea that church and state issues were one in the same was as strong in England in the sixteenth century as it ever was in any continental kingdom or empire. Religious tolerance was a new concept, imperfectly conceived; the idea that each kingdom must be united in religious practice was strong. Hooker was an active apologist for the Church of England, his main opponent being the Puritan factions. 'Hooker's magnum opus was addressed to Puritans who attacked the church of England in the name of a purer, more scriptural ecclesiastical settlement.' (p. 9)

F.D. Maurice
Maurice would agree with Hooker that prayer is social action. Working in the nineteenth century, Maurice was exposed to the social ills that befell England as an imperial power in simultaneous growth and decay. The situation in society was deteriorating. 'Maurice saw that this social breakdown was rooted in a theological breakdown.' (p. 50) Maurice was unique in that he lived a prophetic life (and, like many prophetic persons, was often disliked for his prophecy). He made 'Christology the starting point of all Christian theology and ethics' and made Christ the central focus of all he said and did. (p. 49) Maurice made the Gospel the centrepoint of his educational philosophy, as well as the call not for revolution, but for regeneration of English society upon a truly Christian foundation. (pp. 64-67)

Maurice's view of theology is, like Hooker and Temple, rooted firmly in the communal action of the Book of Common Prayer. 'The Prayer Book becomes the key for understanding the views of the Church of England on the six signs of the Catholic Church,' these six signs being baptism, creeds, forms of worship, eucharist, ordained ministry, and the Bible. (p. 61) This practical and tradition approach was in keeping with the general spirit of the English society. 'Maurice expressed both English empiricism against the conceptualism of continental thinkers and the Anglican's respect for historical institutions as points of departure for theological analysis.' (p. 72)

William Temple
Temple was, in the words of G.B. Shaw, 'a realised impossibility.' A man born and raised in the church, he rose to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury and made the broad church appeal for Anglicanism that renewed its spirit for the mid-twentieth century. 'The general tendency of his faith and theology was toward a more catholic or orthodox position. But this was always balanced by his concern for freedom in doctrine and by his generally liberal attitude of mind.' (p. 104) Temple saw an intimate connection with God through Jesus Christ, perhaps thinking in proto-process theological terms by believing that 'because of Jesus' perfect union and communion with God, it can be asserted that in him God has a real experience of human life, suffering and death.' (p. 112) For Temple, this communion and experience is worked out both individually and communally''the inner unity of complete personality and the outer unity of a perfected fellowship as wide as humanity.' (p. 117)

Temple felt it important to be open to new ideas and developments modernity (perhaps a reaction to having been raised in an era with the expectation of long-term stability and subsequently living in a world turned upside-down by warfare and other social change). Temple felt that freedom of churches and freedom of individuals for inquiry and development, with the guidance of the Spirit, was more important than a rigid adherence to tradition. 'Temple was quite open to the new truth and insights of the modern world and to the critical and constructive use of reason in Christian faith and life. this can be seen clearly in his commitment to philosophic truth.' (p. 133) This, coupled with his call to social action by the church and the working out of Christian faith in everyday life and action, made Temple a major ecumenical figure.

The Current Spirit of Anglicanism
A key word for the current spirit of Anglicanism is comprehensiveness. Anglicanism incorporates catholics and protestants, literalists and agnostics, high church, low church, broad church, in all ways these terms can be defined. 'The Anglican synthesis is the affirmation of a paradoxical unity, a prophetic intuition that Catholicism and Protestantism'are not ultimately irreconcilable.' (p. 143)

The current spirit of Anglicanism is largely based upon Scripture, tradition and reason, with definitions of these three varying a great deal. The authority of Scripture is important, but this does not mean a literalist view. The authority of tradition, best summed up by adherence to the Book of Common Prayer's liturgical forms, is locally adaptable. Reason is used to interpret both the authority of Scripture and of tradition, but must be held in restraint by these as well. 'The spirit of Anglicanism ought in its rich resources to find the wisdom to retain its identity and yet to develop through constructive change to meet the demands of the fast-approaching world of the twenty-first century.' (p. 187)

William Frederick Foster, portrait of a painter is a thorough, well written monograph on an outstanding painter and illustrator. As with all of Phyllis Barton's books and articles, one finds an in-depth study of her subjects. This book took over ten years of research to begin writing. Exhaustive studies were done from France to the National Archives. Foster was best known as an illustrator whose career was interrupted by World War I. Mrs. Barton has interviewed many people who were connected to Foster in some way - even locating his favorite model, his daughter and others who knew him. She has examined letters and tried also to see all existing paintings. He was best known for figural work, but did occassional landscapes and even some mural work in co-operation with Willy Pogany at the little known Hearst Estate of Wintoon near Mt. Shasta and the McCloud River. One can learn a lot from studying the draftsmanship and deft painterly technique of the rogueish Foster. Three Foster paintings are in the Gardena High School collection in Gardena, California and were purchased by students as graduating gifts to the school many years ago when the students held Purchase Prize Exhibitions. An interesting note is that just today, I heard of a Foster painting that has been returned to Los Angeles City College after being held by someone to protect it for many years. This one is one of the rare landscapes Foster did. I have not seen it yet, but intend to soon. A final note on this brief coment is that the author Phyllis Settacase Barton died on April 12, 2000 after a long illness with cancer. Her ninth book: The Pictus Orbis Sambo ( a critical study and publishing history of the Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman) was published in Dec. 1999 for the centennial of that book and details over 300 illustrators who illustrated it plus much, much more. Some other books by Ms. Barton are Cecil Bell (ashcan school artist), Sassone (Marco), and Dizurski. She also wrote many articles for Southwest Art Magazine.

From the very first page of The Nomination, you will find yourself asking questions. Slowly, Williams weaves a tale that will ultimately provide the answers you are seeking. The book opens with an election celebration party. As a result of the election, new political opportunities emerge for several African American politicians.

Through this enjoyable novel, Williams addresses a myriad of serious political issues, especially those relating to African Americans. He also explores such issues as crime, substance abuse, and family values. Ultimately, this is a story about choices and sacrifices that will have you wondering whether political success is worth it's price tag. I was impressed by how well the author was able to demonstrate how the character's personal lives were influenced by their career choices or the career choices of family members. I also appreciated the fact that although this book had it's share of scandal and characters that seemingly did not have a moral bone in their body, the author also included a primary character that acted on his beliefs and values. This provided a wonderful balance among the male characters in the book. The only thing I disliked about the book was the fact that there were so many weak female characters. In spite of this, I felt I could understand, relate to and feel for all the characters in some way.

Williams has written a sharp political mystery that is indeed a page turner. It is pleasant to read a political novel featuring a cast of African American characters. Even though this was a work of fiction, I felt as if I got an inside look at what African American political life is like. Read this book with caution, because once you pick it up you will not want to put it down until you have read the last page.

-Reviewed by Stacey Seay

I was pulled into the characters, events, locations and was kept on edge. The story line had movie rights written all over it. I could visualize everything I read and I am a first time reader. With the current events that is going on in the Whtie House and the Washington Metropolitan Area, the author captured the political climate in the African American community as it exist across the country, the essence of the drug culture and street life. Although "The Nomination" is a fiction, it is quite believable. This is a must read. Looking forward to the author's next novel.

This book was a page turner ! What a look at the hidden agendas inside political life. Kept me going right through with all the twists...An author to watch. A very good read..

Slavery was known as a "peculiar institution". By broadcasting such labels for slavery, the southern slave owners were able to downplay the severity of the subjugation of slaves in this "peculiar institution". However, in 1845 a runaway slave by the name of Frederick Douglass was published his narrative which showed the extent of the cruelty within of the oppressive the institution of American slavery. Douglass gives a powerful portrayal of his personal struggle against the tyranny of himself and his fellow slaves. By depicting his personal story regarding the horrors of slavery, Douglass testified to the injustices of the slave institution and conveyed an urgent message of the time for prompt abolition.
Douglass leaves out no detail as he portrays the brutal means in which slaves were forced into subjugation. In order to maintain order and to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity from his slave, an owner used the fear of the ever-present whip against his slaves. Over, and over again throughout the Narrative, Douglass gives account of severe beatings, cruel tortures, and unjust murders of slaves. The message is evident. Slavery dehumanized African Americans.
From the introduction of his early experience, Douglass portrays the burdens of slavery. The reader is forced to cope with the fact that he has no tangible background. Slavery has robbed him of the precious moments of his childhood. He was raised in the same manner as one would raise an animal. In his early years he had no knowledge of time-he did not even know when he was born. He is also forced to scrounge for food in the same fashion as a pig digs for slop. The saddest insight is the alienation of Douglass from his family. He has no connection with his parents and when his mother dies he was untouched. On hearing of her death he states, "I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" (19). The bond between mother and child is the strongest bulwark for children and to be robbed of this and to not care demonstrates just how severe slavery was to Douglass and countless others who faced the same fate. In the entire slave experience, the only escape from the repression was through sorrowful singing. As Douglass states, "every tone was a testimony against slavery..." and "slaves sing the most when they are unhappy" (29). Only through music could slaves find comfort in dealing with their anguish.
Douglass's first witness of brutality is the telling of his Aunt Hester's beating. The narration is powerfully effective through terrible detail. The cursing of the overseer, the shrieks of his aunt, and the horrible effects the whip upon her flesh is almost as agonizing the reader of the Narrative as it was to his unfortunate aunt. The fact that this terrible instance is a common occurrence makes it a heavier burden upon the reader's soul.
As if the beatings were not enough, slaves were also murdered on a whim. Douglass tells of Gore, a meticulously cold taskmaster who blew out the brains of a poor slave by the name of Demby. The chilliness of Gore's is terrible due the fact that he kills with the sympathy of a butcher.
Upon hearing about this, one would speculate that the authorities would deal with such barbaric acts justly. However, as Douglass recounts in the story Mrs. Hicks, the murderess that killed a slave girl for not moving fast enough, the law officials were hesitant to enforce the rights of the slave and would intentionally overlook such matters. This is primarily due to the fact that a slave owning society could not allow the rights of the slave to be upheld to the same level as a white man. To do such a thing would threaten the stability of their superiority. This is further illustrated in Douglass's struggle against the shipyard workers, when he fled to his master and told him of the attack his master stated that he could not hold up Douglass or even a thousand blacks testimony. The lack of protection under the law and the unwillingness of the whites to give the slaves a voice allowed the whites to completely dominate the slaves without the fear of accountability for their actions.
The worst aspect of slavery is found in the religious nature of the subjugation of slaves. The cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. The incident that shaped Douglass's understanding of the mentality of religious slaveholders was when he was placed under the authority of Mr. Freeland. In this situation, he was able to see the difference between the so-called "religious slave-holders" and "non-religious slave-holders." Douglass felt that the "non-religious slave-holders" were less brutal because they did not reprimand their slaves based on a Divine command. Instead they were more concerned about reprimanding the slaves when the slaves did wrong as opposed to whenever they felt that the Lord professed a beating.
The Narrative and Selected Writings is a powerful testimony to the struggles American slaves faced. Through the writings of men such as Frederick Douglass, abolitionists were given fuel to the bonfire of the Abolition Movement. Douglass honest testimony helped to bring out the truth about slavery. Abolitionists now had evidence to back their claim that the "peculiar institution" was in fact an institution of evil.

"Keep the black man away from the books, keep us ignorant, and we would always be his slaves... Come hell or high water - even if it cost me my life - I was determined to read," wrote Frederick Douglass.
This fiery autobiography, written as anti-slavery propaganda, told of his struggle to gain freedom, identified his "owner", and became a 19th century antional bestseller. Long before Uncle Tom's Cabin opened the eyes of sentimental Northerners to the evils of slavery, Douglass' chronicle inspired the small abolitionist movement and challenged the conscience of the United States to live up to the heroic ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence... "all men are created equal."
The publication of this masterpiece also forced Douglass into exile in England for two years to avoid capture by slave traders. British supporters eventually "purchased" Douglass allowing this great American to return to the United States and live in freedom.
While the battle against slavery was won almost 150 years ago, this autobiography's remains a very powerful tool against racism, ignorance, and historical amnesia. This book should be required reading, for all American schoolchildren, in the middle school and excerpts should be constantly used in high school and college courses. Adult literacy centers should find this story a powerful inspiration too.

Perhaps more so than any other account, Douglass gives us a look into the life of a slave. I enjoy this book on many level. Douglass writes honestly and in a factual tone. He does mince his words when he describes the brutality of slavery. Douglass demonstrates that he is an intelligent man despite his lack of education. He taight himself to read. To our youth, this demonstrates the value of education. Douglass also show Americans manipulated the work of God even in his time. Yet, Douglass found strength in that God. I think the quality I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Douglass does not see himself as a hero, but as an average slave. This is not a typical characteristic of an autobiography. I read this book for the second time coming and going on 3 hour flights. The book is a short read, but well worth your time to read of atriumph of the human spirit.

I'd suggest to anyone reading this "because its a masterpiece", to get over it. That's no reason to read, or worse, recommend a book. Read it because you want to try out Gaddis' style which is quite a change from the norm.

The reviewer who equated it to listening to the radio is pretty close, in my opinion, although I feel its more like listening to other people talking on the train (or perhaps watching a Robert Altman movie with a blindfold on) in that conversations can be broken off just when you think they are getting interesting.

Reading Gaddis can be like watching television, with someone else holding the remote. If you can't watch movies that way, you'll hate this book.

If you haven't read any Gaddis, read "A Frolic of His Own" first - I was astonished at the way he managed to manipulate my impressions of people solely on the way he let me hear them talk, and then as time went on, I discovered that I actually quite liked those despicable characters after all - and the beating the legal profession gets is far easier to understand (and sympathise with) than the capitalists in JR.

If you find Frolic heavy going, you probably won't like JR. If you find JR heavy going, don't touch The Recognitions. The only reason I bothered with JR, after reading Recognitions, was because I had read Frolic first.

Don't read JR because you're expecting a savage attack on capitalism, although it is that. Don't read it because you want to see how schools are becoming profit-centers first, and educators second, although it shows that. Don't read it because someone said its a picture of an America that was (is?), although perhaps it is.

Read it because its a good book. Difficult to read, sure, especially for the TV Guide generation, but worth it in the end, and very funny especially to those of us with a cynical bent.

"... because even if we can't um, if we can't rise to his level, no at least we can, we can drag him down to ours ..."

-- Bast, on humanizing Mozart (I think it was, anyway ;-)

A masterful foray into what makes American great (and grate), by a novelist who has amply earned his stripes as an underappreciated, even obscure presence in American literature. People often give up on "JR"--both letters capital--because this horrifyingly funny book requires that you spend time learning how to read it, all in the name of intensifying your reading experience. Most of "JR" is dialogue; there are no chapter or section breaks to speak of; speakers are only rarely identified. Still, the book sings, and the overall power of its chorus obscures the fact that you don't always know who the soloists are. In simple terms, it is a book about counterfeiting that pretends to be a host of other things--as of course it should. And Enormous and complex pleasures await readers new to Gaddis. Readers wanting more information about this wonderful novelist would be well-advised to investigate Steven Moore's book on Gaddis for Twayne Publishers, entitled simply "William Gaddis." Moore makes Gaddis's plenty seem manageable, and he writes extraordinarily beautiful criticism. While I cannot speak to this novel's greatness, and wouldn't want to, I can say that of the hundreds of novels I have read down the years, this is my favorite, as well as the second-funniest book to which I have been privy.

Gaddis' 'JR' has my nomination for the best American novel of the last half of the 20th century. It is also one of the two or three funniest American novels I can remember reading, right up there with 'Lolita'. It is composed entirely in dialogue, without any breaks at all, and it is sometimes difficult to tell who is talking, but once into the rhythm of the talk, it becomes clearer. It also helps to have an MBA or some business background, as the business deals it describes, to hilarious effect, are sometimes very intricate. It is the story of an 11-year old school kid wheeler-dealer who builds a gigantic paper empire 'bubble' from some army surplus items ordered from a comic book. He manages to involve various adults, including his teacher, in his capitalist schemes. It is a savage and entirely prescient view of America, foreseeing much of the present stock market madness (and it fact its comic hyperbole does not seem so wild now in light of our own real world stock market 'irrational exuberence'). It is unequalled as a depiction of the warping influences in people's lives caused by the capitalist ethic, where serious artists are devalued by the dictates of the market. If you enjoy Pynchon, Barth, or Joseph McElroy (another undeservedly unknown American writer) you will like Gaddis. This is a book to come back to again---read it now before our stock market bubble bursts!