Free and Bargain Non-Fiction in July 2014

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by avantman42

The Battle for the Rhine 1944: Arnhem and the Ardennes, the Campaign in Europe

Free at Amazon UK / Amazon.com

and Amazon Canada


by Robin Neillands

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by avantman42

The Battle for the Rhine 1944: Arnhem and the Ardennes, the Campaign in Europe

Free at Amazon UK / Amazon.com

Fantastic find! Large number of pages, written by a well-rated, prolific military history writer, and free! It would be icing on the cake if it was Whispersync'd, at a reasonable price, sometime in the future.

[GtrsRGr8]

Those of us down here in the South (southeastern United States) who are edumucated, correctly know the War as the "War of Northern Aggression," not the "Civil War," but other than that this looks to be a pretty good book.(ha)

Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War. By Tim Rowland. Rated 4 stars from 23 reviews at the present moment. Print list price $14.95; digital list price $14.95; Kindle price now $1.99. http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Obscur...+the+Civil+War. The Whispersync companion is only $2.99.

Book Description
Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War is an entertaining look at the Civil War stories that don’t get told, and the misadventures you haven’t read about in history books. Share in all the humorous and strange events that took place behind the scenes of some of the most famous Civil War moments. Picture a pedestal in a public park with no statue on top; Rowland’s book explains that when the members of the New York Monument Commission went to hire a sculptor to finish the statue, they were shocked to discover that there was no money left in the agency’s accounts to pay for the project. The money for the statue of Dan Sickles had been stolen—stolen by former monument committee chairman Dan Sickles!

Brig. Gen. Philip Kearny was the son of a New York tycoon who had helped found the New York Stock Exchange, and who groomed his boy to be a force on Wall Street. The younger Kearny decided his call was to be a force on the field of battle, so despite a law degree and an inheritance of better than $1 million, he joined the U.S. Army and studied cavalry tactics in France. His dashing figure in the saddle earned him the name of Kearny the Magnificent, probably because Kearny rode with a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other while holding the horse’s reins in his teeth. This habit proved useful after he lost his left arm in the Mexican War, because he was able to continue to wave his sword with all the menace to which he was accustomed while still guiding his horse.

[Smartie]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Those of us down here in the South (southeastern United States) who are edumucated, correctly know the War as the "War of Northern Aggression," not the "Civil War," but other than that this looks to be a pretty good book.(ha)

Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War. By Tim Rowland. Rated 4 stars from 23 reviews at the present moment. Print list price $14.95; digital list price $14.95; Kindle price now $1.99. http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Obscur...+the+Civil+War. The Whispersync companion is only $2.99.

Book Description
Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War is an entertaining look at the Civil War stories that don’t get told, and the misadventures you haven’t read about in history books. Share in all the humorous and strange events that took place behind the scenes of some of the most famous Civil War moments. Picture a pedestal in a public park with no statue on top; Rowland’s book explains that when the members of the New York Monument Commission went to hire a sculptor to finish the statue, they were shocked to discover that there was no money left in the agency’s accounts to pay for the project. The money for the statue of Dan Sickles had been stolen—stolen by former monument committee chairman Dan Sickles!

Brig. Gen. Philip Kearny was the son of a New York tycoon who had helped found the New York Stock Exchange, and who groomed his boy to be a force on Wall Street. The younger Kearny decided his call was to be a force on the field of battle, so despite a law degree and an inheritance of better than $1 million, he joined the U.S. Army and studied cavalry tactics in France. His dashing figure in the saddle earned him the name of Kearny the Magnificent, probably because Kearny rode with a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other while holding the horse’s reins in his teeth. This habit proved useful after he lost his left arm in the Mexican War, because he was able to continue to wave his sword with all the menace to which he was accustomed while still guiding his horse.

Thanks.

Don't really know Civil War history and really want to understand. could anyone recommend a kindle book about civil war. I am more interesting in politics side instead of military action. Thanks

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Smartie

Thanks.

Don't really know Civil War history and really want to understand. could anyone recommend a kindle book about civil war. I am more interesting in politics side instead of military action. Thanks

Some books to consider...

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner

Ordeal of the Union by Allan Nevins (8 volumes and perhaps a bit pro union. Covers all aspects. Political, economic, military, etc.)

The Civil War: A Narrative by Shelby Foote (3 volumes and perhaps a bit pro confederacy, Covers all aspects, very "readable" history)

The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 by David M Potter

The Dred Scott Case: Its Significance in American Law and Politics by Don E. Fehrenbacher

The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War by Michael F. Holt

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson (good one volume overall history covering all aspects)

[Smartie]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Some books to consider...

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner

Ordeal of the Union by Allan Nevins (8 volumes and perhaps a bit pro union. Covers all aspects. Political, economic, military, etc.)

The Civil War: A Narrative by Shelby Foote (3 volumes and perhaps a bit pro confederacy, Covers all aspects, very "readable" history)

The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 by David M Potter

The Dred Scott Case: Its Significance in American Law and Politics by Don E. Fehrenbacher

The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War by Michael F. Holt

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson (good one volume overall history covering all aspects)

Thank you!

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Some books to consider...

The Civil War: A Narrative by Shelby Foote (3 volumes and perhaps a bit pro confederacy, Covers all aspects, very "readable" history)

He's a Southern boy and his bias shows, but he's not a Lost Causer and the books are definitely readable.

Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson (good one volume overall history covering all aspects)

• Anything by James M. McPherson.
• Anything by Bruce Catton.
• A Fateful Lightning by Allen C. Guelzo.
• Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Mostly centered on Abraham Lincoln and his Cabinet, but an amazing read.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

He's a Southern boy and his bias shows, but he's not a Lost Causer and the books are definitely readable.

• Anything by James M. McPherson.
• Anything by Bruce Catton.
• A Fateful Lightning by Allen C. Guelzo.
• Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Mostly centered on Abraham Lincoln and his Cabinet, but an amazing read.

Bias? Bias?

Suh, the good Southern boy of whom you refer, like so many other valiant oppressed Confederates, is simply trying to correct the lies, half-truths, innuendos, misconceptions, misstatements, prevarications, fictions, inaccuracies, calumnies, distortions, aspersions, falsities, deceptions, inventions, deceptions (oops, I said that already), slanders, subterfuges, fraudulences, vilifications, obloquies, and fibs foisted on a credulous Northern audience by the Yankee politicians and publishing houses since the end of the Confederate States of America's noble struggle for freedom and liberty in THE War.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Bias? Bias?

Suh, the good Southern boy of whom you refer, like so many other valiant oppressed Confederates, is simply trying to correct the lies, half-truths, innuendos, misconceptions, misstatements, prevarications, fictions, inaccuracies, calumnies, distortions, aspersions, falsities, deceptions, inventions, deceptions (oops, I said that already), slanders, subterfuges, fraudulences, vilifications, obloquies, and fibs foisted on a credulous Northern audience by the Yankee politicians and publishing houses since the end of the Confederate States of America's noble struggle for freedom and liberty in THE War.

<off topic>
Sigh.. I know you're kidding (I hope), but the Lost Cause/War of Northern Aggression/War for Southern Independence folks just need to get a grip. The Civil War has been over for nearly 150 years.
</off topic>

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

<off topic>
Sigh.. I know you're kidding (I hope), but the Lost Cause/War of Northern Aggression/War for Southern Independence folks just need to get a grip. The Civil War has been over for nearly 150 years.
</off topic>

Yes, it was very much tongue-in-cheek.

You are right about some Southerners, though. I've lived in the South for much of my life and there are quite a few individuals who are still "fighting" the Civil War, nearly 150 years since its end (over 150 years from its beginning), evidenced by bumper stickers, t-shirts, Confederate battle flags flying from poles in the beds of pickup trucks, window stickers, license plates, et al. There are some who genuinely feel like what Hank Williams, Jr. sang facetiously, "If the South had a won, we'd have it made" (or something to that effect).

In the defense of others, I think that this is just the way that some Southerners choose to express their pride in being Southerners. These displays are usually not racist in nature--like one bumper sticker, with a Confederate battle flag on it, says, "Heritage, Not Hate." Still, I know that this kind of display is genuinely offensive, and maybe even hurtful, to some people and I wish that these Southerners would find some other way to express their Southern pride.

The South is interesting.

[Apache]

There are those who still have not given up. I live in South Georgia and see it all the time. I was at a Bluegrass concert and one of the bands started playing Dixie. Half of the audience got up and took their hats off. They then proceeded to threaten the other half if they did not get up and show respect for the flag.
Apache

[jgaiser]

Save your Dixie cups. The South will rise again.

Ok.. Now I'm done.. Back to non-fiction books.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Save your Dixie cups. The South will rise again.

Heaven forbid! But some are trying. Two examples:

1. Recent case in point: In July 2014, two Florida policemen were found to have KKK ties.
2. An ongoing issue, even in the 21st Century (and not just in the South): sundown towns.

RE:

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Yes, it was very much tongue-in-cheek.

You are right about some Southerners, though. I've lived in the South for much of my life and there are quite a few individuals who are still "fighting" the Civil War, nearly 150 years since its end (over 150 years from its beginning), evidenced by bumper stickers, t-shirts, Confederate battle flags flying from poles in the beds of pickup trucks, window stickers, license plates, et al. There are some who genuinely feel like what Hank Williams, Jr. sang facetiously, "If the South had a won, we'd have it made" (or something to that effect).

In the defense of others, I think that this is just the way that some Southerners choose to express their pride in being Southerners. These displays are usually not racist in nature--like one bumper sticker, with a Confederate battle flag on it, says, "Heritage, Not Hate." Still, I know that this kind of display is genuinely offensive, and maybe even hurtful, to some people and I wish that these Southerners would find some other way to express their Southern pride.

The South is interesting.

Using the phrase "Heritage, Not Hate" in conjunction with the Confederate flag is disingenuous. Those who don't think so and defenders of those who use that phrase and/or display the Confederate flag should make it a point to learn or refresh their understanding of the reasons why the Confederacy (aka "slave states") seceded from the Union and fought the Civil War, the actual history and symbolism of the Confederate flag, and ways that flag has been used even recently to protest school desegregation. Here are some salient, fast facts about that symbol's history and intended meaning:

1. The flag's design underwent multiple iterations. The first ("The Stars and Bars") was deemed too similar to the Union flag and was replaced by the second ("The Stainless Banner"), which the Savannah Morning News described as follows: "As a people we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause."
2. The second design was abandoned in favor of the current "Blood Stained Banner" because "the pure white field of the Second National flag could be mistaken as a flag of truce: when hanging limp in no wind, the flag's Southern Cross canton could accidentally stay hidden, so the flag could mistakenly appear all white."

Here's a respected book on the subject:
The Confederate Battle Flag: America's Most Embattled Emblem by John M. Coski (2005)
Current Kindle Price: $12.60

Book Description:

In recent years, the Confederate flag has become as much a news item as a Civil War relic. Intense public debates have erupted over Confederate flags flying atop state capitols, being incorporated into state flags, waving from dormitory windows, or adorning the T-shirts and jeans of public school children. To some, this piece of cloth is a symbol of white supremacy and enduring racial injustice; to others, it represents a rich Southern heritage and an essential link to a glorious past. Polarizing Americans, these "flag wars" reveal the profound--and still unhealed--schisms that have plagued the country since the Civil War.


The Confederate Battle Flag is the first comprehensive history of this contested symbol. Transcending conventional partisanship, John Coski reveals the flag's origins as one of many banners unfurled on the battlefields of the Civil War. He shows how it emerged as the preeminent representation of the Confederacy and was transformed into a cultural icon from Reconstruction on, becoming an aggressively racist symbol only after World War II and during the Civil Rights movement. We gain unique insight into the fine line between the flag's use as a historical emblem and as an invocation of the Confederate nation and all it stood for. Pursuing the flag's conflicting meanings, Coski suggests how this provocative artifact, which has been viewed with pride, fear, anger, nostalgia, and disgust, might ultimately provide Americans with the common ground of a shared and complex history.

Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01722-1.

[avantman42]

Can we please move discussion of the US south to another thread?

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Apache

There are those who still have not given up. I live in South Georgia and see it all the time. I was at a Bluegrass concert and one of the bands started playing Dixie. Half of the audience got up and took their hats off. They then proceeded to threaten the other half if they did not get up and show respect for the flag.
Apache

Well, of course, it was a bluegrass concert. Something else, like a rock and roll concert, would have much more sensible people. hahahah