Tag: american history

Book Review, featured, History, Non-fiction, Western

Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N Blain

This book may be illegal in your state. If you live in Texas, Florida or any assorted U.S. states with Republican governments, it may be difficult to find Four Hundred Souls in your public library, school library, even at your local college or university library. This is just the sort of book Texas Governor Abbot and Florida Governor DeSantis have in mind when they complain … Continue reading Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N Blain

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Book Review, featured, History, Non-fiction, Rants

Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

History is problematic. American history is very problematic. I only recently started reading American history seriously. During the last three years of my teaching career, I kept trying to get an 8th grade history position. If I had, I might still be teaching. The closest I came was teaching it via Zoom during lockdown. Prior to that my historical interest was ancient and Medieval, largely … Continue reading Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

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Book Review, History, Noir, Non-fiction

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

I come to this book by way of the recent television series. Both are very good. The television series, while based on a true crime, is largely fiction. The producers created entire characters and storylines to flesh out the historical plotline into multiple episodes. The book fleshes out its true crime story with a fascinating history of Mormonism focused on the religions violent past and … Continue reading Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

james b chester2 Comments
Book Review, History, Non-fiction

A Nation Rising by Kenneth C. Davis

History is not for the feint of heart.  It’s contentious. It’s a constant struggle.  One need look no further than the recent decision of the Texas State Board of Education to see just how contentious history is in America.  William Faulkner once said, “The past is never dead.  It’s not even past.” But that’s what makes it such interesting reading. A Nation Rising by Kenneth C. Davis … Continue reading A Nation Rising by Kenneth C. Davis

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Book Review, Non-fiction

The Lost German Slave Girl by John Bailey

The Lost German Slave Girl by John Bailey tells the incredible true story of Sally Miller and her fight for freedom in New Orleans of the 1840’s. While in her 20’s Sally Miller was discovered by a local German woman who recognized her as Salome Mueller, a German redemptioner last seen some 20 years prior when a ship load of German immigrants arrived in New … Continue reading The Lost German Slave Girl by John Bailey

james b chester3 Comments