Book Review Archives - Robert Redd Historian & Author

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Lost Attractions of Florida Book Review

Thank you for your interest in my book review of Lost Attractions of Florida written by Dr. James C. Clark.

Clark, James C. Lost Attractions of Florida. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2023. 186 pages, 155 pages of text. B/W images, index, bibliography. ISBN 9781467145954, $23.99.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Dr. Clark is a friend of mine and Arcadia Publishing has published several of my own books. These relationships do not factor into this review. I purchased this book and it was not provided by the author or publisher. There may be affiliate links included in this post.

From the time a reader picks up this book, they are swept away with waves of nostalgia and memory. From pirate ships to the old west; from southern belles to bathing beauties and hunks on water skis the diversity of lost Florida attractions is shown in full color on the cover. Not enough? Flip to the back cover and find alligators, ostriches, and a wonder house. How can you not be enthused to sit down with a cup of coffee (or tea, or whatever) and read a few pages, only to find yourself half way through.

Author James C. Clark, a senior lecturer in history at the University of Central Florida, and a regular commentator on local, state, and national politics, has penned a brief, yet highly readable and enjoyable look at many attractions Florida residents may have forgotten about, or for newer transplants, have probably never heard of.

Readers are given an introduction to how Florida tourism has evolved. From the days of William Bartram and James Audubon through Henry Flagler’s railroads, to the egalitarianism of the automobile, Florida has been a magnet for tourists, some looking to save their health, some looking to get away from the northern winters, and some, looking to make a quick buck. From real estate hucksters to the tin can tourist there has been a place for everyone.

The real interest of this book however are the attractions. Clark has divided his text into several convenient chapters, including the Panhandle, Cypress Gardens, Circus World, and the Never Were Attractions. These are each short, generally half a dozen pages or so.

Then we get into the real meat of the book, Disney Attractions, Universal Attractions, and the longest chapter, and the one that will bring back the most memories for Floridians, the Vanishing Attractions.

With technology developing at such a rapid pace, and with new movies, both animated and live action, being released constantly to a new batch of demanding viewers, Disney and Universal are constantly making “upgrades” to their parks. I use quotations because for those of us who remember the parks from years ago, attractions such as Captain Eo, the Main Street Electrical Parade, the original ride at the Norway Pavilion, the Great Movie Ride, Kongfrontation, and so many more, are just distant memories, often replaced with attractions we can’t relate to. The Disney and Universal chapters will make you wistful if you were a theme park junkie.

The Vanishing Attractions chapter will bring back even more memories. Whether it be Six Gun Territory (Florida even brought in the wild west), Mystery Fun House, or Ross Allen’s Reptile Institute, Florida had an attraction for everyone. Whether you were interested in deer or ostriches, classic cars or Native Americans, you could probably find it during your drive through Florida.

Things changed with the coming of I-95 and other major roadways, but things most changed with the wider availability of affordable air travel. Visitors can easily fly directly to their destination whether that be Orlando, Miami, Tampa, or other cities with a major airport. If behind the wheel, drivers are now whisked along at 70 plus miles per hour to their destination, seldom leaving the interstate other than for gas or food. For a funny, yet highly insightful look at the family road trip, please see my review Don’t Make Me Pull Over, written by Richard Ratay.

Today, these “roadside attractions” as they are often referred to, have a hard time competing. As Clark astutely points out, Disney and Universal have done a masterful job of keeping their visitors on property. Disney has expanded to four major parks, plus multiple other diversions such as water parks, shopping, mini golf, and more. Their internal transportation systems makes it so you can park your rental car at your resort hotel and only get in it to head back to the airport. Or better yet, don’t rent a car. Instead, take shuttle buses to and from your hotel. Universal works on the same system and with plans to open a new park shortly, many visitors no longer have extra days available in their vacation itinerary to explore what else Orlando and the rest of Florida have to offer.

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My only very minor criticism of the book is the shortness of each attraction description, particularly in the Vanishing Attractions chapter. This is only because I personally wanted more. The descriptions and information Dr. Clark has provided are perfectly appropriate for a book of this nature. It’s not meant to go into detail about Sunken Gardens. Rather, it is a reminder that these type attractions were around, many of them successful for years. It is for us the reader, to make the effort to seek out additional information if we choose.

Filled with dozens of interesting b/w photos, this is a book that anyone with an interest in theme park or roadside attractions history should be interested in. For the casual reader or new resident to Florida, this is a quick read and fascinating way to take a look back into an an often forgotten, but important, part of Florida history.

Recommended!

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Posted on October 2, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Book Review: Counter Culture The American Coffee Shop Waitress

Thank you for your interest in my book review of Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress written by Candacy A. Taylor.

Taylor, Candacy A. Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress. Ithica: Cornell University Press. 2009. 142 pages, 136 pages of text. Bibliography, color photos. ISBN 9780801474408. $21.50.

When we think of the American coffee shop waitress the image of Florence Jean Castleberry from the television show Alice may come to mind. Older, big hair, gum chewing, wise cracking. Candacy A. Taylor works on dispelling these stereotypes (well, at least to a degree), and provides us a real insight into these women, in her fascinating book, Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress.

Candacy Taylor. Image courtesy https://www.taylormadeculture.com/Book Review Coffee Shop Waitress — Candacy Taylor. Image courtesy https://www.taylormadeculture.com/

Taylor is an award winning author, photographer, and cultural documentarian. She has appeared in numerous media outlets and has worked with the Smithsonian, under Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at Harvard University, and more.

The idea for this book came from Taylor’s own time working as a waitress in San Francisco. Sitting with her fellow waitresses discussing the trials, tribulations, and physical demands of serving the public and the other aspects of the job, she wondered how women twice her age dealt with job.

For “lifers,” as they are often called, what were their views on their job? What were their dreams? How did they deal with the physical demands of walking miles every shift, often with heavy trays for eight to ten hour shifts? How did they deal with aging in a field often seen as being for the young, uneducated, and often for the attractive? How did women in small coffee shops handle life?

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Over a period of several years, Taylor logged over 26,000 miles criss crossing the country, interviewing and documenting almost sixty waitresses from more than forty restaurants, in various parts of the country. These women’s stories are interwoven with Taylor’s own photography to paint a portrait of women’s lives that many look down upon, or feel sorry for, or wonder what went wrong that they are still working, often well into their seventies.

What we discover is, nothing went wrong. These “lifers” have chosen their path. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. They don’t feel life has dealt them a bad hand to play. Many are quite financially secure, perhaps more secure than their patrons. The hours can be long and the work exhausting, but for many of these women it keeps them physically fit and mentally engaged. We discover a work ethic that many of their youthful counterparts do not understand. For many of these women they can’t imagine their life having turned out any other way.

In her work, Ms. Taylor covers major facets associated with waitressing, no matter age or where they work. While some topics, such as “refusing to retire” or “counter culture” may be most associated with coffee shop atmospheres, other topics such as the tricks of the trade, the importance of developing regular customers, the stigma of being a waitress, the generation gap, and T.I.P.S. (who knew this developed as an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service) are universal.

While the book does have a structure to it, the story is essentially the women themselves. They drive the story. We learn of their lives. We learn their struggles. We learn their joys and pains. They are human. They make mistakes. They enjoy successes. For the coffee shop waitress, they can form relationships that go beyond serving a customer on a regular basis. They become parts of small town community. They become de facto members of their regulars families. They become the restaurant they work at.

Without these “lifers” the culture of a coffee shop or diner is radically different. Change is not often welcome by regulars or the waitresses themselves. For the coffee shop regular, there is a comfort in having your favorite waitress knows your breakfast order and is placing it before you even take a seat. Attempts by management to make updates are often met with opposition, particularly if that involves favorite waitresses. Whoa to the manager who changes menus or employee work schedules. These women know their role so well, they have often turned down management roles in favor of the stability of their regular customers.

Taylor’s work is now more than a decade old. It would be interesting for her to attempt an updated look at coffee shop waitresses. The women who she interviewed have almost all gone to the great diner in the sky. How are current coffee shop waitresses in comparison to those of twenty years ago. In eating at the type of restaurant described in this book today, I can see many similarities. I would hardly be called a regular at any place, but the regulars are easy to pick out. However, I would be interested to see if these women consider themselves happy with their life. Would they call themselves financially stable as many in the book stated. How do they deal with the physical and emotional demands of the job.

Customer attitudes have changed. Financial realities have changed. Businesses and management goals have changed. Technology has changed. How have waitresses changed in reaction.

This book is highly recommended for a look at a cultural institution, that while evolving, is still in many ways the same as it was decades ago.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Posted on August 9, 2024August 2, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Vicksburg National Cemetery Book Review Images of America

Thank you for taking time to read my book review of Vicksburg National Cemetery, a release in the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing.

Joyner, Elizabeth Hoxie. Vicksburg National Cemetery (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2024. B/W photos. ISBN 9781467161084, $24.99.

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of this book. This review is completely independent of their generosity.

The Siege of Vicksburg is usually thought of as the forgotten relative of the Battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg had all the glamour, including Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Three days worth of fighting and a visit later in 1863 from President Abraham Lincoln, and his few appropriate remarks, have forever sealed Gettysburg as the pivotal, turning point of the American Civil War.

Countering this eastern centric interpretation are those who feel that the leadership of Ulysses S. Grant, the siege of Vicksburg, and ultimately taking control of the entire Mississippi River are the events that truly turned the war in the favor of the Union.

No matter your interpretation of the events of June and July 1863, there can be no doubt that actions at Vicksburg played a crucial role in the outcome of the war over the remaining two years. Readers wanting to know everything there is to know about the Siege of Vicksburg (or as close as you can get to everything) are referred to the work of Civil War scholar Timothy B. Smith.

The Book Itself

Elizabeth Hoxie Joyner is taking us on a visual tour of Vicksburg National Cemetery. This is not meant to be a history of the siege, though you will learn a bit in the short chapter introductions.

It is important to remember that this is Vicksburg NATIONAL Cemetery and contains burials from not only the Civil War but from other engagements. Chapters include

Establishment of Vicksburg National Cemetery: Creation of a Lasting Tribute
The Drum Beat and the Cannon Roared: Mexican War and Civil War Soldiers
Duty, Honor, Country: Spanish-American War through Korean War
Remembered with Honor and Respect: Vietnam War 1955-1975
Vicksburg National Cemetery Superintendents: Guardians of the Hallowed Ground

The images are heavy on headstones as might be anticipated. Readers will also find images of soldiers, nurses, cemetery landscapes, battlefield action, ships that men might have served on, military honors, and more. There are modern and vintage photos with period engravings sprinkled throughout.

The author is a retired Museum Curator at Vicksburg National Military Park. Ms. Joyner well prepared to have put together a book such as this.

Resources

For those wishing to learn more about Vicksburg National Military Park, please use THIS LINK.

Readers can find a listing of over 5,000 burials at Vicksburg National Cemetery by visiting FINDAGRAVE. While more than 17,000 are interred here, the vast majority from the Civil War era were unable to be identified. Those considered “famous” by Findagrave standards include Embury Dufree Osband, a brevet brigadier general, and a cenotaph recognizing congressman Robert Blair Campbell, who is buried in London.

To learn more about the National Cemetery Administration, find a listing of national cemeteries, and to apply online for interment in a national cemetery, please use THIS LINK.

Final Thoughts

For those interested in cemetery history, national cemeteries, or the Siege of Vicksburg, this is a recommended title. A reader can skim or read this book in any order. The captions are short, in keeping with the series, allowing readers who only have a few minutes to pick this up and not worry about time.

Arcadia books have increased in price over the last several years. They still offer a good value for the casual reader and they often make excellent souvenirs or keepsakes from a visit.

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If you would like to read more of my reviews of Arcadia Publishing titles, please click THIS LINK.

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Posted on April 19, 2024April 18, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site Book Review

Lipscomb, Colby and Derrick Brown. Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. 2024. 128 pages, b/w photos. ISBN 9781467160766, $24.99.

The Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing provides readers/viewers with a formula ready way to learn a brief history of a selected topic. Some teach more history than others and some titles are more needed than others. I think the argument can be made that Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site is a photo history that is needed.

Authors Colby Lipscomb and Derrick Brown have decades of experience at the battlefield as visitors and, currently, as staff members and this experience shows in their treatment of the material. As the authors themselves note, the book is not meant to be a retelling of the Battle of Bentonville, nor is it meant to be a history of the Bentonville community. Rather, “it is the authors’ fervent desire that these images relay the story of the struggles, victories, and labor that went into the creation of Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site and making it the place it is.

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Chapters

Authors Lipscomb and Brown cover a wide swath of ground in a concise 128 pages that can easily be consumed in a single sitting. Chapter one is titled The Battlefield, as should be expected. Maps, period engravings, and photos of the primary players comprise the majority of the chapter.

The community of Bentonville and battlefield monuments and memorials are chapters two and three. These chapters contain a nice mixture of vintage and modern images. The Goldsboro Rifles monument takes center stage with several nice images throughout the years. This monument was erected by veterans of the battle years before the Historic Site was created . Begun in 1894 and unveiled in 1895, the marker is in memory of the Confederate dead.

The Harper House, built in 1855, served as the home to John and Amy Harper. During the war, Union troops occupied the home. The use it as a temporary hospital for troops from Sherman’s XIV Army Corps. This structure is the only war era building still standing at the site and as such it plays a significant role in this book. Images include former inhabitants, grounds, the home through the years, and renovation efforts. For me, however, the chapter went on too long, reaching twenty-four pages.

The chapter titled Establishing a Historic Site brings to life the 1950s and 60s efforts to create the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site. With images as diverse the signing of the property document, to parades, to fieldwork, and the development of the visitor’s center, this is a fascinating chapter. Several images show just how far museum exhibits have come in the last sixty years.

Programs and events are a key part of any historic site and Bentonville has been an active participant since inception. From a special Boy Scout badge to the development and expansion of annual reenactments, and the arrival of army staff rides, Bentonville is eager to share an accurate and true history of the battle and the events surrounding it. This enthusiasm leads to the final chapter, Bentonville in the 21st Century.

In 1999, the opening of a new visitor’s center allowed the battlefield to welcome more guests than they had previously encountered. The “Dean of Civil War HIstorians,” Ed Bearss; “the unofficial mayor of Bentonville,” Tim Westbrook; and Eric Wittenberg, among others set the stage for the modern Bentonville park . With ongoing archaeological work, reinterpretations, and archival research, Bentonville is not an overlooked, end of the war, encounter. Visitors will learn of the 80,000 soldiers who fought here on March 19-21, 1865.

This book helps provide a gateway for readers wanting to learn more about the waning days of the Confederacy. Through this easy to navigate volume, readers will find themselves developing an interest in this late war conflict. They can then move to full battle treatments. Recommended.

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Recommendations

This book is not meant to be a retelling of the Battle of Bentonville. The authors do make two suggestions for readers interesting in learning more about this battle.

Mark L. Bradley authored the book Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville. Recommended by the authors as a companion book is Moore’s Historical Guide to the Battle of Bentonville. Both books are going on 30 years old.

For readers seeking a modern look at the battle in a concise and accessible format are referred to Calamity in Carolina: The Battles of Averasboro and Bentonville, March 1865. As part of the established Emerging Civil War series, this book is short, but full of detail, and comes with a budget friendly price of less than $20.

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of this book.

Click THIS LINK to read additional posts about books published by Arcadia Publishing/History Press.

If you are interested in soldiers from North Carolina, you should read my post on Charles George, a member of the East Band of the Cherokee Tribe who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War. CLICK HERE to read more.

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Posted on April 5, 2024July 14, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Texas Coastal Defense in the Civil War Book Release

Arcadia Publishing New Release

Arcadia Publishing continues their role of releasing geographically specific works of history with their new book release Texas Coastal Defense in the Civil War written by William Nelson Fox.

From the publisher

Navigate the often-overlooked history of the resolute defense of the Texas coast during the Civil War.

With volumes written on the Civil War, little attention has been given to the defense of the Texas coast. Most military-aged Texans had been dispatched across the Mississippi, but those left behind resolutely weathered naval bombardments and repulsed invasion attempts. It was only at the end of the conflict that Federal troops were able to make their way into South Texas, as the Confederacy prepared its last stand at Caney Creek and the Brazos River. From famous battles to obscure skirmishes, William Nelson Fox provides an account of the Lone Star State’s defensive strategies during the Civil War.

159 pages. Bibliography, index, notes, b/w photos. ISBN 9781467155618. Cover price $24.99.

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of this book. A review will be forthcoming.

Thank you for reading my post announcing Texas Coastal Defense in the Civil War. This new book release from Arcadia Publishing will add to the growing literature on the role of Texas and naval affairs during the Civil War years. Read my reviews of other Arcadia Publishing titles using THIS LINK.

This post may contain affiliate links including Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence views and opinions provided in my blog.

Galveston and the Civil War James M. Schmidt — For those interested in Galveston, TX during the Civil War, I recommend this excellent volume written by **James M. Schmidt**, and published by Arcadia Publishing.

Posted on April 1, 2024August 27, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Little(r) Museums of Paris Book Review

Jacobs, Emma. Little(r) Museums of Paris An Illustrated Guide to the City’s Hidden Gems. New York: Running Press. 2019. ISBN 9780762466399. $20. 192 pages. Index, bibliography, drawings.

Planning a trip to Paris can prove to be an overwhelming task. How much time do I need? How to get there? Where to stay? Where to eat? Should I rent a car? What are the must see destinations?

While she can’t answer those questions for you, author Emma Jacobs can provide you with some off the beaten path alternatives that most visitors to Paris will never even know about. If you crave the unknown, less crowded, local flavor type of destinations, this is a book you have to read before visiting Paris.

What to Expect

In a book that is whimsical, yet serious; travel guide, yet travel writing; and brief, yet thorough, Emma Jacobs holds our hand through some locations that Rick Steves will not guide you to. With that in mind, this guide (if you want to call it that) is ideal for travelers who have visited Paris and seen the major sites. Maybe you are one of those travelers who doesn’t care to see the Eiffel Tower (gasp and shame on you). Or maybe you want to see Paris like a local might. If this sounds like how you travel, step on in.

First, a couple of things that differentiate this book from a standard travel guide. The book is in hardcover format. It’s not a traditional hardcover size but it’s hardcover none the less and a bit more difficult to take with you during a days excursion. Second are the illustrations. This is not your standard travel guide that is packed with color photos. Rather, these are Jacobs own watercolor illustrations. I might have like to have some color photos included but the illustrations are charming and well thought out.

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What is Included

The book is divided into nine chapters, listed below

Marvels & Machines
History
Architecture & Design
Around the World
Time Capsules
Artists & Ateliers
Stage & Page
Science & Medicine
On the Outskirts

Each chapter contains multiple listings. All listings contain some basic information. This includes the museum name in both French and English. The address, phone number, and website are listed as are the hours of operation and admission fees.

Perhaps the most useful piece of information however is that Jacobs provides readers with the nearest Metro location. This information is crucial in trying to actually visit each location. Remember above when I asked about renting a car. Having been to Paris, here’s my advice, DON’T. Public transportation is readily available. The Metro is more reliable than buses, which are often well off schedule. Traffic in Paris can be a nightmare. If you aren’t familiar with the city and don’t have a good handle on the language, do not rent a car.

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Examples

Musee Curie — The **Curie Museum** is located in the third and last laboratory used by Marie Curie, the Curie pavilion of the Paris Radium Institute, built between 1912 and 1915. Consisting of a permanent exhibition space and a resource center historical, it offers the public the opportunity to discover the history of the Curie family, radioactivity and its first applications.

So, one issue I did have with this book is trying to determine just what is meant by “little(r).” Jacobs doesn’t supply a true definition of the term. She kind of punts on a definition in her introduction. Here she states, “luckily, a city with a museum the size of the Louvre left me a lot of flexibility in defining small.” I worked at a true small museum. A small museum does not have millions of artifacts or the budgets many of these facilities would appear to have. Potato, potahto.

Museums such as Musee des Arts Forains (Museum of Fairground Arts) focus on the whimsical such as carousels, arcade games, wax figures, and the like.

If you are interested in fashion, a visit to the Musee Yves Saint Laurent (Yves Saint Laurent Museum) has to be on your list.

Paris is known for its art and art lovers will find plenty to enjoy in this book. A visit to the Musee Rodin (Rodin Museum) will satisfy any fan. You can see the famous Liberty Leading the People during a visit to the Louvre, or you can visit the Musee National Eugene Delacroix, and learn much more about the artist.

I could go on, but I think you are getting the picture here. There are museums for every style and taste in Paris. And while the author admits this book is no where near comprehensive, you could live for a year in Paris and not cover all the museums she has provided.

Some Cautionary Notes

As with any travel guide there are some cautions to be aware of. Travel guides can age poorly. This one is probably no exception.

Jacobs lists open hours and admission prices. Please remember, this book was published BEFORE the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of that information could have changed in the ensuing years. It’s best to check the official website for each museum to confirm. I spot checked about a dozen of the sites from the book and with only 2 exceptions, all translated automatically to English. The others showed the option to do so with a click of the mouse.

An issue with the set up of the book by topic becomes the difficulty in planning to see several museums in a single day. It takes some work to determine museums that are within reasonable proximity to each other. Jacobs does provide several brief itineraries to close out the book. You have to reference these back to the text. It might have been nice to have these nearby destinations referenced in the individual listings as well.

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Takeaways

Overall, I found this to be a worthwhile read. The book can be read cover to cover, as I did, or piecemeal based upon your interests.

This book is ideal for someone planning an extended stay in Paris, or for experienced visitors who are seeking adventure outside of the standard sites recommended everywhere else.

The price of the book is very reasonable at $20. The format makes it good for keeping on your shelf but maybe not for day to day wandering throughout the city. As with any travel guide, some information can become outdated, but you all know how to use Google to verify the information provided.

Recommended.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog.

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Posted on August 27, 2023September 20, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Book Review–Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty

Book Review—Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty

Leerhsen, Charles. Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty. New York: Simon and Schuster. 2015. ISBN 9781451645798 (paperback). $18.99. Index, b/w photos. 449 pages, 404 pages of text.

Winner of the Casey Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year as awarded by Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine, Ty Cobb, A Terrible Beauty is a book all baseball fans and historians should read.

Ty Cobb--courtesy Library of CongressTy Cobb A Terrible Beauty written by Charles Leehrsen — Ty Cobb–Courtesy Library of Congress

On the Mount Rushmore of baseball immortality, you will find Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach. When your career batting numbers include lines such as 4,189 hits, twelve batting titles, a career .366 batting average, and nearly 1,000 stolen bases, immortality is yours. In Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty, author Charless Leehrsen takes on the monumental task of rehabilitating Cobb’s tarnished legacy.

Along with his batting prowess however, Cobb has another reputation that is not so glamorous. It is this reputation for fighting, having a short temper, being cheap, claims of his being a dirty player, and racism that former Sports Illustrated editor, Charles Leerhsen attempts to combat in his revisionist biography of Cobb. As reviewer John Williams stated in the New York Times with the books release, “Cobb’s image is not a fixer-upper; it’s a Superfund site.”

Leerhsen has a major bone to pick with Al Stump. Stump, a man with a not so clean reputation himself, was the co-author of Cobb’s autobiography My Life in Baseball, and then more scathing works in True magazine and later the book, Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball, and comes in for repeated criticism, some of it deserved, from Leerhsen. The movie Cobb, based upon Stump’s work is given its share of criticism as well. In his note on sources he states the movie “was no help at all.”

In A Terrible Beauty, we learn of the difficulties Cobb had when breaking into professional baseball. The bullying and hazing of the day are things I hope would never be tolerated in locker rooms today. Some of it bordered on what might be called criminal. Cobb also had to deal with the murder of his father. A murder committed by his mother under mysterious and questionable circumstances.

While Cobb did have many difficulties, these do not allow a biographer to excuse away in any manner Cobb’s actions. He would fight seemingly anyone; from teammates and opponents, to umpires, to team staff, hotel workers, and even fans who catcalled him from the bleachers. Cobb’s admitted actions would probably lead to his banishment from the game today and more lawsuits than his lawyers could attend to.

In trying to bolster Cobb’s reputation, Leerhsen is at times not willing to place blame where it seems to belong, at Cobb’s feet. An example are multiple interactions with Bungy Cummings, an African American groundskeeper, who may have had a liking for alcohol.

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In 1906, what looks to have probably started as a harmless interaction between Cummings and Cobb led to a violent fight with teammate Charlie Schmidt. Schmidt claimed to have seen Cobb choking the wife of Schmidt, who was trying to stop Cobb from beating her husband. Leerhsen seems to shake off the episode calling Cummings a drunk. Cobb is forgiven because “It’s worth noting I think [Leerhsen is the I] that he [Cobb] didn’t claim that beating up Cummings and his wife was permissible because there were Negroes who had become too familiar or aggressive (as is sometimes alleged or suggested); what he said, rather, was that he did not beat them up.” This is a claim that seems most improbable. Schmidt is condemned as a man who had fought with Cobb on at least two prior occasions, thus seemingly making him in the wrong by default.

Cobb is deemed to have not been racist for his praise of stars such as Willie Mays. In 1952, regarding Black players in Major League Baseball, Cobb stated, “The Negro should be accepted and not grudgingly but wholeheartedly.” Easy for him to have said twenty-four years into retirement and five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Would a Georgia born and bred Cobb have made such a comment during his playing days?

So, what do we make of Leerhsen’s book? Well, first, I have several editorial complaints that should in no way reflect upon Leerhsen, his research, or the text of this book. First is the lack of a formal bibliography. This is a massive oversight on the part of the publisher. The two page “Note on Sources” that is included is unacceptable. What this “Note” is, is two long unusable paragraphs listing secondary sources. The first paragraph includes works on Cobb (with further bashing of Stump of course.) The second is “Other books I consulted,” a listing of authors and book titles in no conceivable order.

My second issue is what pass for endnotes. Rather than have standard endnotes, what readers are presented with is each chapter receiving a single paragraph of text with page numbers and a very brief comment where material came from. If this material is not included in the “Note on Sources” you are left even further mystified. These paragraphs are difficult and not user friendly, nor are they endnotes. I get not having footnotes, though those are most convenient for readers, and I am happy enough to at least have traditional endnotes. This type of notation should be avoided by all publishers.

After reading Leerhsen what am I left with? First, I am left with the nagging feeling I should have read all of Stump’s works prior. Because A Terrible Beauty is so focused on countering much of what has been written about Cobb, a grasp of that literature would have helped.

Secondly, it seems clear that the author has done plenty of research. While a majority seems to come from newspapers, which often have their own slant, Leerhsen is able to combat much of the reputation Cobb has been given (I hesitate to say earned after reading this book.) I would use the reputation for having been a dirty player as an example here. Instances of Cobb being involved in a “spiking” seem to have been rare. Players of the day do not seem to have universally considered him a dirty player. Did you want to have Cobb barreling down on you while stealing a base or stretching a hit? Probably not; does it appear he went out of his way to injure opposing players, no.

I might like to have seen a bit about Cobb’s legacy, especially in the Royston, GA area. Cobb’s burial location is discussed. This is a must see if you are travelling through town.

At the end of the day, who is the real Tyrus Raymond Cobb? Is it the violent, racist, possibly alcoholic of Al Stump; or the more moderate, misunderstood, Cobb of Charles Leerhsen? It is probably somewhere in between, but Leerhsen has done a commendable job in righting some of the past wrongs we have assumed true of Ty Cobb.

You may find all of Charles Leerhsen’s books using THIS LINK.

Bowman, GA is located just a short drive from Royston, GA, where Cobb called home. Here are some sites you should see if you visit Bowman. Use this link for my recommendations.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence views and opinions shared in my posts.

Baseball America Magazine Subscription – $86.99
from: Magazine Values

Posted on June 28, 2023January 6, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Book Review–Battle of Gettysburg Timothy J. Orr

Orr, Timothy J. and Illustrated by Steve Noon. The Battle of Gettysburg 1863 (1) The
First Day. New York: Osprey Publishing, 2022. ISBN 9781472848499, $24.00. 96
pages, color and b/w images, maps, index, bibliographyy

Orr, Timothy J. and Illustrated by Steve Noon. The Battle of Gettysburg 1863 (2) The
Second Day. New York: Osprey Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9781472854643, $25.00.
96 pages, color and b/w images, maps, index, bibliography.

The Third Day volume will be following, most likely in early 2024.

The Osprey Campaign series should be familiar to readers of military history.
These books follow a template format that has proven successful. The books come
in at 96 pages and include a significant number of illustrations. While maps are
included it’s hard to say that a military history book can ever have enough maps.
For these titles, however, space is at a premium in order to include as much content
as possible.

The First Day covers events and actions on July 1, 1863, as would be expected.
Author Timothy J. Orr also includes helpful background material including a
chapter titled “The Invasion of Pennsylvania.” This chapter, coupled with brief
chapters on the opposing commanders, opposing armies, and opposing plans, help
orient readers into the complex actions set to occur throughout the first days of
July.

The meat of The First Day is of course the action on the field. In one long chapter,
broken up with chapter sub-headings, Orr concisely discusses actions at Oak Ridge,
McPherson’s Ridge, Seminary Ridge, the Union retreat, Cemetery Hill, and the
actions after nightfall.

In volume two, The Second Day, Orr follows a similar blueprint with a single, long
chapter covering actions at Hunterstown and Benner’s Hill, Little Round Top,
Devil’s Den, the Rose Wheat Field, the “Valley of Death,”, the Peach Orchard,
Cemetery Ridge, Culp’s Hill, and Cemetery Hill. A brief separate chapter covers
nightfall actions.

I have a few observations on this series. The first, as previously mentioned, is the
need for as many maps as possible. For a new student of the battle, being able to
accurately place troops, along with understanding the topography, is crucial. I
would recommend picking up a copy of The Maps of Gettysburg, from the
excellent historian Bradley Gottfried or a copy of Gettysburg Campaign Atlas, a
very convenient, spiral bound book by Phillip Laino. These sources will prove
invaluable in understanding the battle and supplement the maps included in the
books.

The 3D depiction maps created by Steve Noon are quite nice. The problem being,
due to their size, they spread over two pages and the binding breaks them up.
These maps include a nice breakdown of events being shown, including legends
allowing readers to locate where a specific regiment is located. The 3D effect helps
show woods and tree locations and helps viewers understand the terrain facing
soldiers.

Other maps included in these volumes are perhaps more familiar to those interested
in the Civil War. They have the appearance of the maps produced by the American
Battlefield Trust.

Both volumes contain an Order of Battle. These listings showing command
structure from Corps, to Division, to Brigade, and then listings of regiments in a
brigade, are extremely useful. These Orders can be a lifesaver in trying to
understand who was sent into battle along with where and who they are fighting
with and against. Bravo to Orr and Osprey for including this information.

A final observation is that these volumes are a perfect gateway for readers new to
the battle. There isn’t new ground being covered here and I didn’t finish feeling
there were new interpretations or material being presented. There is no problem
with that and that’s not what these books are for. With fighting as complex as the
three-day battle (not including the advance and retreat) was, for a new reader it can
be easy to be overwhelmed when picking up Coddington, Sears, or Trudeau. There
are publishers out there making a living off Gettysburg “micro-histories,” aimed at
covering every inch of battlefield, every brigade, if not regiment, and every officer where enough material can be
located.

Because the format of the Campaigns series is fixed, these books allow for enough
detail to be valuable to new readers while the bibliographies provide an excellent
listing of materials for those seeking additional detail and information.

Thank you to Osprey Publishing for providing complimentary review copies of
both books.

If you would like to read more of my book reviews, please use THIS LINK to find them.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and
make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This
commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and
opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate
programs or sponsors providing products.

Take the "Reluctant Witness" walking tour and learn more about the town of Gettysburg in addition to the battle itself. — Join Ken Rich and his The Reluctant Witness walking tour to learn more about the town of Gettysburg along with plenty of battle history. Click the image above or **THIS LINK** to learn more and book your own tour.

Posted on June 1, 2023May 27, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

Library Additions June 2023 (1) Mercer University Press and more

Library Additions June 2023 (1)

We will start June 2023 off with a couple of new additions to the library. Both of these books were purchased by me and are not provided by a publisher or distributor.

Ross, Peter. A Tomb with a View: The Stories and Glories of Graveyards. London: Headline Publishing. 2020. ISBN 9781472267788, 352 pages, index, selected bibliography, b/w photos. $17.99.

Enter a grave new world of fascination and delight as award-winning writer Peter Ross uncovers the stories and glories of graveyards. Who are London’s outcast dead and why is David Bowie their guardian angel? What is the remarkable truth about Phoebe Hessel, who disguised herself as a man to fight alongside her sweetheart, and went on to live in the reigns of five monarchs? Why is a Bristol cemetery the perfect wedding venue for goths?

All of these sorrowful mysteries – and many more – are answered in A Tomb with A View, a book for anyone who has ever wandered through a field of crooked headstones and wondered about the lives and deaths of those who lie beneath.

So push open the rusting gate, push back the ivy, and take a look inside.

Waters, Zack C. A Wilderness of Destruction: Confederate Guerrillas in East and South Florida, 1986-1865. Macon: Mercer University Press. 2023. ISBN 9780881468816. 259 pages, index, bibliography, foot notes, b/w photos. $39.00.

Modern historians have consistently treated Florida as a military backwater. Despite that assessment, Rebel guerrillas blocked repeated Union attempts to establish a stronghold in the Florida’s interior. After the “abandonment” of Florida by the Confederate government, in early 1862, Gov. John Milton organized guerrilla units to protect the state’s citizens. These irregular companies kept Union forces largely confined to a few coastal outposts (St. Augustine, Fernandina, and Ft. Myers), though the state’s citizens suffered greatly from the depredations of Unionist units.

After the Federals capture of Vicksburg, the South’s only significant source of beef were the vast herds in Florida. It fell to the state’s Rebel partisans to protect the state’s interior, thereby keeping open routes for the delivery of longhorns to the South’s major armies. Skirmishes and battles raged throughout Florida, but the flow of beef cattle halted only after Appomattox.

I do receive a very generous “thank you” in the acknowledgements but those of you who know me understand I have purchased this book for my Florida Civil War library without hesitation. Zack is an excellent historian and this is a book covering an important part of the Florida Civil War history.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

The Book Itself

Resources

Final Thoughts

If you would like to read more of my reviews of Arcadia Publishing titles, please click THIS LINK.

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Chapters

Recommendations

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of this book.

Click THIS LINK to read additional posts about books published by Arcadia Publishing/History Press.

If you are interested in soldiers from North Carolina, you should read my post on Charles George, a member of the East Band of the Cherokee Tribe who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War. CLICK HERE to read more.

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Arcadia Publishing New Release

From the publisher

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of this book. A review will be forthcoming.

What to Expect

What is Included

Examples

Some Cautionary Notes

Takeaways

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Book Review—Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty

Leerhsen, Charles. Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty. New York: Simon and Schuster. 2015. ISBN 9781451645798 (paperback). $18.99. Index, b/w photos. 449 pages, 404 pages of text.

Winner of the Casey Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year as awarded by Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine, Ty Cobb, A Terrible Beauty is a book all baseball fans and historians should read.

Bowman, GA is located just a short drive from Royston, GA, where Cobb called home. Here are some sites you should see if you visit Bowman. Use this link for my recommendations.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence views and opinions shared in my posts.

Thank you to Osprey Publishing for providing complimentary review copies of both books.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Contact

get started

Monthly Newsletter

Thank you to Osprey Publishing for providing complimentary review copies of
both books.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and
make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This
commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and
opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate
programs or sponsors providing products.