Book Description

Beginning with Jung's earliest correspondence to associates of the psychoanalytic period and ending shortly before his death, the 935 letters selected for these two volumes offer a running commentary on his creativity. The recipients of the letters include Mircea Eliade, Sigmund Freud, Esther Harding, James Joyce, Karl Kernyi, Erich Neumann, Maud Oakes, Herbert Read, Upton Sinclair, and Father Victor White. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Confusion about which book this is
Amazon's presentation on this Web page is very confusing as there are two completely different books being referred to here under the title "C.G. Jung":

C.G. Jung: Letters Vol.2 1951-1961, and
C.G. Jung: Word and Image [a biography].

The ISBN number used for this Web page is 0691097240, which refers to volume 2 of Letters (1951-1961). However, when you click on the "Paperback Edition" link, it takes you to Word and Image; ISBN: 0691018472! The Book Description obviously thinks this is the Letters book, but the reviews are clearly also referring to Word and Image.

This is all especially confusing for those looking for a used version of Letters Vol.2 and who are tantalized by the lower prices for an apparent paperback version. Jung's two-volume Letters collection has never come out in paperback and the used paperback that is actually being offered is Word and Image!

It might be time for Amazon to fix this discrepancy before someone receives a different book than the one he thought he was ordering.

A Guided Tour to Carl Jung
This is a biography of Carl Jung (1875-1961), but so much more than that. It traces his life and professional development, drawing on letters and extensive quotes from the Collected Works. It is profusely illustrated, not only with photographs of Jung and the relevant people and places in his life, but also with his drawings. After Jung's break with Freud in the early 1910's, Jung went through a about a decade of professional isolation and rich personal growth. During that time, he kept a journal called the "Red Book", which he decorated with drawing and paintings based on his dreams and active imagination. Many striking images from the Red Book are reproduced in this volume: a drawing of Philemon, Jung's inner spiritual guide; the viscerally disquieting "Meeting with the Shadow"; and a singularly captivating image, "The Light at the Heart of Darkness". Photos of Jung in his travels and at his house in Bollingen round out this engaging visual tour of Jung's contribution. This is a wonderful introduction to Jung's life and work, especially for someone of an artistic inclination.

mind-blowing, dogma-shattering
A very fine collection...with plenty of glimpses at Jung's trans-analytic speculations and personal reactions. Soulful and, in places, very funny too. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Definitive Insight into the 60's
Richard N. Goodwin gives a detailed analysis on of the most intriguing and eventful era's in U.S. history. His personal account and experience with the most powerful leaders was strikingly fascinating. The book begins with a brief description of his childhood. From Goodwin's Anti-Semitic dilemmas to his scholastic achievement that lead to his admission to New York's Columbia University. After his graduating at the top of his class at Harvard Law School,he received a clerical job working for a Supreme Court justice. To the justice's disgusts, Goodwin decides to work on a presidential campaign for then Mass. Senator, John F. Kennedy. Richard N. Goodwin proceeds through his exciting and successful election of 1960. JFK awarded Goodwin for his splendid work on the campaign , as a top consultant to Latin America. After the assasination, he is forced to work with LBJ. Not content at first, he sees Johnson under a different limelight. The author is more pleased and optimistic about Johnson, only to be let down with Vietnam. LBJ's erratic behavior and his paranoid personality, leads to an early exit from The White House. I highly recommend this book to to individual's who enjoy reading about contemporary American History. As someone who was fortunate to be born a decade later , I was still able to appreciate the historical significance Goodwin's rise and fall within the political arena.

Great read, but not what you may expect
Richard Goodwin clerked for a Supreme Court justice, played an important role in the politics of the 1960's, and was personally acquainted with JFK, RFK, LBJ, and Eugene McCarthy. As such, one might imagine that he's got some great stories to tell. And he does. But, lest you get the wrong idea, let me tell you some things you won't find in Remembering America.

Like some others, I bought the book after seeing the movie Quiz Show, to read more about the Van Doren scandal. And, yes, the book is about Van Doren; it's also about a lot of other things, and the quiz show scandal of the late 1950's is only a small part. There's a lot more here than that.

So many books written about JFK and RFK idolize them and give them godlike status. Goodwin clearly admires them both, and is not an impartial judge of either - but in all fairness, I don't believe he would claim to be unbiased. But, if you're looking for effusive, gushing praise of the Kennedys, a la Pierre Salinger, you'll probably find Remembering America a disappointment. Goodwin presents fairly well-rounded portraits of both men.

Perhaps you want historical analysis, complete with graphs, footnotes, and scholarly reasoning. This isn't it. This is Goodwin's own recollections over his career, include his brief (and hilarious) Army service; his admiration of, and later pity for, Johnson; his shock and grief when Robert Kennedy (who had become a close friend by then) was assassinated; his personal impressions, memories of, and anecdotes about a wide variety of significant people, from Felix Frankfurter to Che Guevara.

Maybe you want "the voice of the sixties," complete with all the garbage that often passes these days for political and historical thought about that period: self-indulgence, combined with the sanctimonious suggestion that the baby boomers were the only people ever to be troubled by or try to change the world around them, topped with the arrogant idea that they are always right. Nope, you won't find that here either. Goodwin does recall that decade as turbulent, exciting, and volatile; I wouldn't be surprised if he considered those years the best times in his life. But he does not consider the era or people to be sacred.

So what's here to like? A hell of a lot.

A speechwriter for Presidents remembers the sixties
Through Dick Goodwin's masterful retelling of this chapter in history, we are given the opportunity to be a fly on the wall inside the political machinery of one of the most exciting and, at the same time disappointing, decades in our history.

A good read about the 1960's
This book is a good overview of the 1960's from a man who was heavily involved in the politics of the time. It is not a book which comes without its biases as Mr. Goodwin definitely portrays himself in a light which is glorious. If a reader can look beyond his self glorifying rhetoric, they will find good insights of this extremely important era.

A look at a time from a different point of view; excellent.
This is a great book by Richard Goodwin who's place in history is unique to no one other. He was envolved deeply in the quiz show scandal of the late 1950's, the Kennedy and Johnson administrations as well as Mccarthy's and Robert Kennedy's run for the white house in 1968. I highly recommend tis book for all interested in that era as America lost it's simplicity. ... Read more

Book Description

"Wherever you find a firehouse, you will likely find a firedog or a story of one."

Working dogs are an often-overlooked segment of the canine population. The Firefighter’s Best Friend provides a rare look into a specific type of these dogs—those who have lived or currently live in the firehouses of Chicago. From the mutts in the 1870s who led the horse-drawn fire wagons, to citywide heroes, to the contemporary dogs that provide security, assistance, and companionship to today’s firefighters, the history and lore of Chicago firedogs is as rich as the city’s cultural heritage.

Whether at a fire, in the firehouse, or on the public relations circuit, these mascots play an important role in the day-to-day functioning of the Chicago Fire Department. They climb ladders, sound the alarms, fight fires, save children, break up fights, roll hose, exterminate vermin, protect property, and donate blood. And these public servants can play as hard as they work. . . playing basketball, visiting taverns and ballparks, socializing with neighborhood dogs, starring in the news, dining in style, and even hopping rides on the "L" and buses all by themselves. Trevor Orsigner and Drew Orsinger take readers on a tour of Chicago firehouses in their quest to document the lives and legends of every known Chicago firedog past and present.

As seen inDog & Kennel and Animal Fair magazines, and in the popular Dogs with Jobs television series.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance "I Am Me Camp" for children who have been hospitalized for burn injuries, a cause near to the hearts of Chicago firefighters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Firedog Heros
In the past few years, firefighters have gotten increased, and deserved, attention and respect. But what of "that firefighter who is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year"? That is the way Commissioner James T. Joyce of the Chicago Fire Department describes the firehouse dog in the introduction to _The Firefighter's Best Friend: Lives and Legends of Chicago Firehouse Dogs_ (Lake Claremont Press) by Trevor J. Orsinger and Drew F. Orsinger. It is no exaggeration to say that these dogs are for the most part not ornaments, not pets, but working dogs, busy with their responsibilities and taking them seriously. The authors are not firemen, but like many people, they admire firemen, and they realized that though there are volumes to record the history of the Chicago Fire Department, there were none devoted to its dogs. For some reason Chicago has a lot of these dogs, perhaps more than anywhere, and the stories here are funny, loving, and inspiring.

It is commonly thought that firedogs are just for show, good public relations for fire departments. They do get trotted out for photo ops and in parades, but many of the dogs here have valued roles as real worker dogs. Engine 30 has a dog named Thirty, a Dalmatian that has made 14,000 runs over the past nine years. Once on the scene, many dogs are eager to get into the work, helping to haul hoses or even entering buildings that are on fire. Many of the dogs are useful ratters. Dogs who stay in the firehouse are charged with guarding the valuables the firemen leave behind. It is significant that Chicago firehouse dogs do not have normal dog lifespans. Some of them die in the line of duty, boldly accompanying their men into burning buildings. Bruno of Engine 19 died from cancer caused by repeated smoke inhalation. Dogs do fall off speeding engines. Rags of Engine 24 stepped into water that had been electrified by a fallen wire and died, but his death ensured that his firemen avoided the same fate. One dog after another here is described as meeting death by being hit by a car at the scene. Sometimes dogs are too slow to move out and are run over by their own trucks, and more than one has been killed by being shut in the big firehouse door. Sometimes the fire station is in a bad part of town and the residents attack the dogs as symbols of authority. The other great hazard is obesity; the firemen all love to give their dogs table scraps.

There are lots of fine pictures here of dogs happily sitting on their engines, climbing ladders, marching in parades, posing for formal pictures with their crews, obligingly wearing fire hats, and being petted by guys who love them. There are plenty of dogs named Smokey here, and also Sparky, Ashes, and even Arson. There are stories of the far less successful firepig, fireduck, firegoose, and firegoat. There are great stories of heroic dogs, and if one or two have become exaggerated in the retelling by the firemen, that is only a tribute to the love and respect the firehouse crews bear for their mascots. ... Read more

Book Description

Puts to rest the unfounded allegations surrounding Jefferson and Sally Hemings. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Interesting.
Note to the last reviewer concerning her note to the previous reviewer. This book was revised to include the DNA evidence, and if looked at closely, the DNA evidence reveals a common male ancestor, which might have been Thomas Jefferson, but might also have been his nephew as Dabney and others have argued all along.

I believe it was Thomas Jefferson myself, and we may yet prove it, but to say that the DNA tests proved this is fallacy.

"The Jefferson Scandals" Revisited
Note to a previous reviewer: Virginius Dabney was a man. He was a longtime Virginia newspaper editor and died shortly after "The Jefferson Scandals" was published. He was unquestionably a sincere gentleman and passionate in his defense of Jefferson's honor and purity. He didn't live to see the definitive DNA evidence that confirms the Sally Hemings relationship. The consistent denials of the affair by Jefferson apologists, in my opinion, involve more than a tinge of racism. These same scholars have no problem affirming Jefferson's liaison with Maria Cosway, who was probably much less virtuous than Sally Hemings. It is entertaining, however, to read Dabney's book with Fawn Brodie's back-to-back. We eagerly await an up-to-date Jefferson biography that fully explores the new evidence.

An Interesting Rebutal to Brodie
The Jefferson/Sally Hemmings story has recently been accepted as fact. Before you accept Fawn Brodie's account (which re-fueld this 200 year old speculation) or the TV movie which recently told a highly inaccurate version, please read Dabney's smart little book. Dabney takes on Brodie point by point. I don't claim to know the truth of what, if anything, went on between Jefferson and Sally... But frankly, nobody else knows either. All these accounts are speculative at best. I am not a fan of Thomas Jefferson. Still, it seems wrong to trash him with a scandal two hundred years old that can't be proven one way or the other, inspite of DNA testing.

all in all a good read
This book was mostly an okay one except that she was a bit repetitous and extremely harsh on Fawn Brodie's book Thomas Jefferson:an Intimate History. I have not read Brodie's book but from how Dabney puts it, it is rubbish, lacking in evidence, untruthful, and just plain nonsense. You almost got the sense that she didn't really like Brodie for more than just her book. Some of Dabney's sarcastic comments are quite funny, if not a bit harsh at times. But it is an intersting book if you like history and Thomas Jefferson. ... Read more

Book Description

(series copy)

These encyclopedic companions are browsable, invaluable individual guides to authors and their works. Useful for students, but written with the general reader in mind, they are clear, concise, accessible, and supply the basic cultural, historical, biographical and critical information so crucial to an appreciation and enjoyment of the primary works. Each is arranged in an A-Z fashion and presents and explains the terms, people, places, and concepts encountered in the literary worlds of James Joyce, Mark Twain, and Virginia Woolf.

As a keen explorer of the mundane material of everyday life, James Joyce ranks high in the canon of modernist writers. He is arguably the most influential writer of the twentieth-century, and may be the most read, studied, and taught of all modern writers. The James Joyce A-Z is the ideal companion to Joyce's life and work. Over 800 concise entries relating to all aspects of Joyce are gathered here in one easy-to-use volume of impressive scope. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Context For the Classics
Essential to understanding the writtings of Joyce is understanding the world he lived in. Bear in mind that all of his works were, more or less, either autobiographical, or were about the world he lived in. This compilation of the many details of Joyces life shows us the minutia that made up books like "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man," "Ulysses," and "Finnegans Wake." If properly used, this provides the key to interpreting the dense allusions and motives of his impressive body of work. After perhaps the works of Tindall, Bishop and Campbell, this is the most usefull book you can get to help understand the works of Joyce.

Wide-ranging, well-written browsing material!
Presents, in alphabetical order, brief (one paragraph to about 2 pages) synopses and explanations of people, places, themes, and phrases form several of Joyce's works, including his major novels and his poetry. Wonderful as either a tool for decoding Joyce, or as "skimming material." It's a treat to just wander through these pages, seeing explanations for 'Finnegan' across from those for "Dubliners," a biography of T.S. Eliot one page after a description of the fictional "Earwicker."

Includes over 800 entries, illustrations, synopses of books and chapters, biographies of Joyce and his contemporaries, bibliography, a very useful index, as well as the text of Jude Woolsey's ruling to lift the ban on "Ulysses." The writing is clear, wide-ranging, and complete without bogging the reader down in minutiae. Not as thorough as the encyclopedic "Ulysses Annotated," but very useful in disentangling Joyce and his works without great effort! Written by a Professor of Theology and English at Molloy College (and vice president of the James Joyce Society), and a professor of English at Marquette University.

Tons of fascinating information, plus guide to Ulysses!

Elvis, the Beatles and Marilyn Monroe have received the A to Z treatment in which every aspect of their lives and works have been reordered alphabetically, so it was only a matter of time that the mania would spread to lesser figures in our popular culture, in this case Mark Twain, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

This series of three books, originally published by Facts On File and now updated and reprinted by Oxford University Press, combines facts culled from the writers' lives and works, shakes them up thoroughly, and recasts them into easily locatable entries. The result is an addictive pleasure, a page-turning odyessy for anyone interested in learning more about their favorite writer.

At 304 pages, the Joyce volume is the smallest of the trio, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up by offering extensive commentaries on "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake." Those who have tried to read these modernist (or post-modernist, the argument still rages) classics have quickly recognized the need for assistance. For "Ulysses," the Joyce volume reprints Joyce's chart that lists each chapter's time frame, location, symbols, technics, organs, art and correspondences to the original. Each chapter is given its own entry, which describes the action, Joyce's intentions, and clairifies points of Dublin's history. As one who attempted "Ulysses" solo, and suffered for his sin, I can speak with authority that this volume would have saved me a great deal of agony. I only wish they had abandoned their schema and combined the chapter descriptions into a single, lengthy appendix.

No detail is too small to escape the editors. There are also entries on Gustave Flaubert, an influence on Joyce's writing style; Throwaway, the race horse whose victory in the Ascot Gold Cup figures in "Ulysses," and the Volta Cinema, Dublin's first movie theater, which Joyce helped to open.

In short, this guide can help the Joyce reader move through the complexities of his work without feeling like you've earned a Ph.D in comparative literature while you're doing so.

A to Z and then some!
This is an outstanding reference for readers ranging from those having casual interest to serious Joyceans. All of Joyce's works are covered in some depth and the material on Ulysses and Finnegans Wake is fantastic. It includes chapter outlines and summaries. The book is also very good at providing concise summaries of people, places and things in or connected to Joyce's work. I wish I had discovered this book much earlier in my academic career. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Unusual Study....
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this book. The content is highly interesting, but it's kind of a difficult read. Definitely not the lighter, "speedy" read of an Ambrose or Vidal book. Burstein is very analytical, with somewhat of a sociologial and/or psychological perspective to this analysis of Jefferson. There is a early section on Love/Emotion (?) which is a bit laborious. However, I will continue to work my way to the end, and do feel that I've gained much insight into Jefferson's background, family life, political affiliations, intellectual interests, his love of the Parisian salon-type intercourse, and so forth.
This book is definitely NOT for the reader of lighter history.
Dry and laborious at times.

good intro into all things jeffersonian
yet another broad look at jefferson, from political career, near-romantic encounters, family life, friends & correspondences. the writing is crystal clear & fast-paced. you get a snippet of tj's sharp epistolary hand. no huge controversies being discussed here altho i think there were some defenses made for the slavery issue. pick up this book. it's one of the better ones for introducing yourself to tj. good b&w photos of his favorite haunts & some skeletons in the closet. ... Read more

Book Description

"In 1963…there was no way I could have known, sitting in a classroom on that beautiful campus in Ohio, that by raising my hand I would be going to war in Vietnam and that I would see things, hear things and do things that most people cannot imagine."—James Joyce.

The author was drawn into the United States Army through ROTC, and went through training to fly helicopters in combat over Vietnam. His experiences are notable because he flew both Huey "Slicks" and Huey "Gunships": the former on defense as he flew troops into battle, and the latter on offense as he took the battle to the enemy. Through this book, the author relives his experiences flying and fighting, with special attention given to his and other pilots’ day-to-day lives—such as the smoke bombing of Disneyland, the nickname given to a United States Army–sponsored compound for prostitution. Some of the pilots Joyce served with survived the war and went on to have careers with commercial airlines, and many were killed. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

War story from a human angle
I'm not normally a reader of non-fiction war stories, especially in first person, but "Pucker Factor 10" caught my attention from the beginning all the way to the very end. Joyce brings the reader into the realm of realism, from family history, personal apprehensions, his somewhat inadvertant role as a helicopter pilot during the heat of battle, his impressions of soldiers and his humanity toward the enemy which brings chills to the reader. Meanwhile, just when I least expected, I found myself belly laughing his wit. This book is a must for anyone who enjoys true-to-lie accounts of how it was in the air trenches.

the best book
i think this is the best book ever

Best non-fiction book about Vietnam
There are few books I would read in one sitting. This is one of them. The recollectionns of Jim Joyce may open the hearts and minds of other vets who had similar experiences. Jim Joyce is an excellent writer and his recollections of the war will certainly help other vets to deal with past memories, bad and good. The book would make a fine play or even a movie. I hope he continues writing.

Coming of Age
Pucker Factor 10 was a very enjoyable journey as the author turns "of age". It flows extremely well, and has a good balance of humor and sobriety, peppered with perspective. It, of course, will resonate with the Vietnam era helicopter pilots but with those who served in any capacity in the Vietnam War---as well as those who didn't. It is entertaining, in a "Mash" sort of way. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The controversy over the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and hisAfrican American slave Sally Hemings has raged for generations. Shannon Lanier,a 20-year-old descendant of Jefferson and Hemings, was inspired to delve deeperinto the debate after attending the Monticello Association's yearly meeting in1999. On the heels of the discovery through DNA evidence of a link betweenJefferson and Hemings, excitement was running high at Jefferson's famoushomestead. Lanier, who is black, encountered Jeffersons who embraced him, andthose who wouldn't even shake his hand. He met Hemingses who looked as white asJeffersons, Jeffersons who refused to acknowledge the scientific evidence, andHemingses who were angry at having to prove their lineage. In this climate ofstirred-up emotions and racial tensions, Lanier, along with photographer JaneFeldman, decided to write this book in hopes of unraveling some of the mystery,and giving members of one of America's largest, most well-known families achance to speak. The result is a fascinating look at race relations,history--both oral and written, and family ties. The authors interview dozens ofindividuals who claim--or disclaim--shared ancestry. Many of those interviewedbelieve that, DNA testing or not, the connection between these families is apowerful symbol of America; to acknowledge the link would be a major step towardracial harmony. Eager, friendly, and astute, Lanier brings out the heartfeltthoughts and emotions of his extended family, while Feldman's photos capture theexpressions of hope and joy on their faces. (Ages 11 and older)--Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Well Done
I liked this book becasue it showed how complex African-American racial heritage is.I learned a lot about the Hemmings story and descendents.Now I have something to share with my children.

My family is looks like a gathering of the united nations even though we are all African-American.As a little girl I remember asking my aunt why she and I were so pale and she said "Honey, when we look in the mirror we know someone climed into our family tree."

The curious thing as I read reviews of books that explore Hemmings and Jefferson is that every book on Amazon.com has a review from someone connected with the Monticello Foundation.The purpose of each review seems to be to question the legitimacy of oral history of the Hemmings family and to put down any book that tries to explore this issue in any meaningful way as rehashing gossip.

I have followed this story for many years because my family has a similar oral history.And I think that the legnths the Monticello foundation go to to portray Jefferson as morally perfect goes against what men were like in his era (this is how they earned the nickname the Monticello Mafia from people who believe the oral history of the Hemmings family).Sally Hemmings was the half sister of Jefferson's wife Martha Wayles, she may have resembeled Martha.So Jefferson seemed to have had no moral difficulties becomming the son-in-law of a man who fathered half-black slave children.The Monticello society always accuses every other male in his family of fathering Sally's children.There is no record that he cut of ties with male family members because he suspected they fathered slave children.So what does that say about his morallity?

I have also noticed that in all this time no one has ever thought to question the paternity of his legitimate children.They always question the oral history of the Hemmings descendents which calls into question Sally's word about the identity of her children's father.Then they questioned the DNA evidence that seemes to support her word.It was wrong because it could mean any of Jefferson's male relatives could be the father even though no oral history links any other Jefferson male relatives to Sally Hemmings.So ultimatelythey are saying she lied.Is this because she was a slave?Because she was black?

But interestingly no one has ever questioned whether or not his wife could have produced children from an affair during the marriage, which means they accept her word without question.I can't believe that married women of that era did not have affairs.

I know all children in the marriage were legally and morally Jefferson's. Why do they automatically assume those children are genetically Thomas Jefferson's?

This story mirrors our societies attitudes about race. The fact that Thomas Jefferson's descendents can't face the evidence and accept the possibility that they are related to the Hemmings family mirrors a lot of the denial I encounter as African-American when I discuss my mixed genetic racial heritage.I have found that when people ask ("How can you be African-American and so pale?") they are not ready for an honest response.

Thanks to the author and her family for bringing these complex issues to light in a way that children can understand and relate to, I did not have a great tool like this to help me explain the complexities of my African-American family when I was as a child.

A fascinating re-definition of the word "family"
I am a Lutheran church librarian in Florida who bought this book for our church library.I feel it has very important things to say about the definition of family.A family can be a traditional nuclear family with a mom, dad and 2.3 kids.It can have two mothers, two fathers, step-parents, and grandparents.The people in the family can be of all different races.They do do not even have to be biologically related since they can be adopted.I want my parishioners to realize all this.A family is defined as "a group of people who love and support one another."If a particular family does not match your traditional particular concept of family, GET USED TO IT!

I was raised to appreciate and enjoy history, and I firstvisited Monticello as a middle-schooler.This book is particularly interesting in that it fleshes out the individuals who made up the family of Monticello, white, black and every shade in between.Thank you, Shannon Lanier, for writing this family history.It is a very important historical statement besides being a fascinating family genealogy.Since we have no photos of Jefferson, I especially enjoyed studying the faces of his descendants in these photos--one or two seem to be the spitting image of him.

As to whether Jefferson was a god or not, no he was not.He was human and had failings and gifts just like anyone else.He was a product of his time.That meant he did certain things indicative of that time.So what?It just makes him a more interesting person to me.Does it really help us to try to judge him by today's standards? All we can really do is to examine the man in the context of his time.This book can be enjoyed by both teens and adults and will especially interest those who liked Jefferson, the colonial era, or who like genealogy.

Jefferson and Hemmings - A peak into secret lives
I bought this book for my 12 year old nephew who wanted to understand "passing."

He had heard that people "passed into the white world" and wanted to understand this concept as he comes from a mixed race background where his Grandmother scandalised many English people when she married a Bengali in a time when Black people were still being murdered for just whistling at a white girl in the USA.

So I have got him this book which talks candidly and in a language that a twelve year old will understand about "Jefferson's Children", both legitimate and illegitimate."

All of whom walked many paths, some down the road to embracing their Anglo-African roots, others to never know their slave origins as they slipped away into the embrace of their "white roots", and just as many who would never doubt their racial purity because they were descended from the two legitimate daughters of Thomas Jefferson.

This is an excellent book for teens and adults alike; it looks at the proud descendents from this illustrious lineage as well as those who see such a bloodline as curse rather than a blessing.

I liked the fact that the book wasn't over syrupy, it was down to earth yet proud with a healthy dose of cynicism from some people both Black and White, I liked that and I think my nephew will like that too.

Of course there are many people, who will continue to deny that Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson ever had a relationship, and this is reflected in the book.

I find this curious as DNA has proven that the children of Sally Hemmings were Thomas Jefferson's offspring, and their excuses such as "Thomas loved his wife Martha too much to take up with a slave," made me smile.Sally Hemmings was his wife's half sister, and probably looked a lot like her, I leave the rest to your imagination plus the fact only Sally and her children were freed upon Thomas Jefferson's death, and also the fact that
Sally followed Thomas Jefferson back to the USA when she could have stayed in Paris a free woman of colour.

All of this is expressed in this wonderful book that should be on the shelf of every school in the USA.

I just wish we had books like this in England because we too have a secret history like the Hemmings and Jefferson relationship, born from Britain's colonisation of Africa, India and the Caribbean, we too have a legacy that needs to be told and perhaps one day it will be.

Out of bondage.
This story is catalogued as a book for teens and young adults,
but I found it great reading for an older audience. It was
written as a result of research done by twenty-year-old Shannon
Lanier, a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and his slave
Sally Hemings.With slavery as the backdrop, this book is an
attempt to combine the history of one American family. Amidst
the controversy surrounding the biography of Thomas Jefferson
and his offspring, Shannon shares his family's story.

Many descendants of Martha Jefferson and several generations of
historians have resisted the claims of kinship to Jefferson by
Hemings' offspring, and they feel these claims will tarnish his
legacy. But the information collected by Shannon is not a myth,
and it is his belief that he has found the final piece of puzzle
to complete the search for the the Hemings' family tree. Shannon
never intended to bring shame to Jefferson's legacy, but he is
aware that his research will show an unveiled look at a man many
feel is beyond reproach.

The story is told with a collection of historical essays,
interviews and family photographs, and is wonderfully illustrated
by Jane Feldman. This is not the Thomas Jefferson we studied in
school and there is the strong possibility that this particular
information may never appear in history books. Since there are no
written records of the slaves' birth, and of the period after
slavery was abolished, to substantiate Shannon's claims. The
history during these periods was memorized and told by oral
historians. But in 1998 DNA tests produced evidence that there
is a link between the Jefferson and Hemings families.

If nothing else, this story should produce sensitive discussions
on how we define our country based on the color of our skin. The
introduction by Lucian K. Truscott IV, a fifth generation great-
grandson of Jefferson through their daughter Martha
Jefferson-Randolph, shares his hope that this story will show us
that the worth of a person should not be determined only by what
we see.

Reviewed by aNN Brown
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A JOURNEY TOWARD RACIAL HEALING
The recently published paperback is an update of the original hardback. It adds 16 pages of interesting happenings, including a visit to the White House. Additional, outstanding artwork is also included. Many different areas are identified where educators have used the original, hardback publication for academic studies. Shannon Lanier prefaces the new pages with a statement of hope for the future of his kids, his entire family and for America. Near the end, Jane Feldman extends this as a challenge to live up to Thomas Jefferson's legacy, especially: "All men are created equal".

"Jefferson's Children" is a true story of racial togetherness. It starts with Shannon and Jane off on a cross country journey. This is a model in itself, for their backgrounds and colors are substantialy different. The journey concludes with the writings of many people of different colors and backgrounds, including some who do not claim to be descended from Thomas Jefferson. This projects one loving and caring family - all of which is a unique and outstanding model of racial togetherness.

The paperback represents a step forward in American history. As readers recognize this, they may find both the hope and the challenge for the future as Shannon and Jane have.

Those who are interested in the question of who fathered Sally Hemings children may find an analysis by the National Genealogical Society of interest. It is JEFFERSON-HEMINGS, Quarterly Journal, volume 89, number 3, published in september 2001 and is available...at subscribing libraries. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on June 22, 1995. The length of the article is 122279 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Aesthetic Autobiography: From Life to Art in Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and Anais Nin.
Author: John L. Brown
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1995
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v69Issue: n3Page: p658(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

The publication of DNA test results showing that Thomas Jefferson was probably the father of his slave Sally Hemings's children has sparked a broad but often superficial debate. The editors of this volume have assembled some of the most distinguished American historians, including three Pulitzer Prize winners, and other experts on Jefferson, his times, race, and slavery. Their essays reflect the deeper questions the relationship between Hemings and Jefferson has raised about American history and national culture.

The DNA tests would not have been conducted had there not already been strong historical evidence for the possibility of a relationship. As historians from Winthrop D. Jordan to Annette Gordon-Reed have argued, much more is at stake in this liaison than the mere question of paternity: historians must ask themselves if they are prepared to accept the full implications of our complicated racial history, a history powerfully shaped by the institution of slavery and by sex across the color line.

How, for example, does it change our understanding of American history to place Thomas Jefferson in his social context as a plantation owner who fathered white and black families both? What happens when we shift our focus from Jefferson and his white family to Sally Hemings and her children? How do we understand interracial sexual relationships in the early republic and in our own time? Can a renewed exploration of the contradiction between Jefferson's life as a slaveholder and his libertarian views yield a clearer understanding of the great political principles he articulated so eloquently and that Americans cherish?Are there moral or political lessons to be learned from the lives of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings and the way that historians and the public have attempted to explain their liaison?

Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson: History, Memory, and Civic Culture promises an open-ended discussion on the living legacy of slavery and race relations in our national culture. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A compilation of critical essays
The problem with books about history is that they are almost always an interpretation: the author's. At best the author is willing to share the conflicting evidence with his reader, at worst the author omits it and pretends it doesn't even exist. But even the most faithful author can't put everything in a book so a selection has to be made. That's why the critical reader ends up reading a lot of books about the same subject. To be able to grasp most of the material, evidence and theories that are circulating. That way he/she is able to form his/her own opinion about an issue. But if the issue is Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings the reader will likely end up digging through tons of material and will still be very confused and very indecisive. Until recently one of the only books on the topic worth reading was Anette Gordon-Reed's "Thomas Jefferson and Sally Heming: An American Controversy". Because of it's painstakingly revealing of the mistakes, omissions and lies that previous writers had committed and for it's refusal to take a final stand.

This book however was written after the 1999 DNA tests that revealed that Thomas Jefferson very likely fathered Sally's last child Eston. And that he didn't father Thomas C. Woodson. But one has to keep in mind that the recent testing still don't prove Jefferson's paternity exclusively. Another male relative from the Jefferson line could have fathered Sally's last child, since they share the same Y chromosome. The book offers a number of refreshing essays written by scholars. Each one of them looks at the relationship from his/her own field. Trying to describe and explain what this new evidence means to themselves and their previous writings and views on TJ. Sometimes describing how they fell into the trap that so many historians fell into when dealing with TJ. They also try to describe the way the American mind thought about TJ and how this new evidence will influence peoples views and opinions.

The strength of the book is that it has been written after the revealing DNA tests. It also presents a lot of authors, each with his/her specific knowledge, views and convictions. Rather than just one author. But the really weak point is that the book fails to give a clear outline and explanation of the recent DNA test. That's the chapter that it should have started with. Since that test is the core, the very foundation upon which all these "revisionist" writings build. And also because a test like this needs explanation: not everyone is familiar with cellular biology and what it really means. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1904, having known each other for only three months, a young woman named Nora Barnacle and a not yet famous writer named James Joyce left Ireland together for Europe -- unwed. So began a deep and complex partnership, and eventually a marriage, which endured for thirty-seven years.
This is the true story of Nora, the woman who, transformed by Joyce's imagination, became Molly Bloom, arguably the most famous female character in twentieth-century literature. It is also the story of Ireland, a social history encapsulated in the vivid recreation of Joyce and his small Irish entourage abroad. Ultimately it is the portrait of a relationship -- of Nora's complicated, committed, and at times shocking relationship with a hardworking, hard drinking genius and with his work.
In NORA: THE REAL LIFE OF MOLLY BLOOM, the award-winning biographer Brenda Maddox has given us a powerful new lens through which to see both James Joyce and the woman who was in turn his inspiration and his salvation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An insightful and compelling look into a life and a marriage
The story of Nora and James Joyce's unconventional relationship and how it shaped the writings of one of history's most controversial authors. This book is nothing short of riveting, both in terms of the story it is telling and the way it is told. It explores the influence Nora held over Joyce in his life and his writing and gives countless examples of how he used the experiences of those around him in his books. More than anything, this is the story of a woman struggling to hold her life and her family together in the face of hardship after hardship. A truly incredible read that I couldn't put down until the last page - I even read the bibliography! ... Read more

Book Description

An ambitious, perceptive portrayal of a complex man, this best-selling biography broke new ground in its exploration of Jefferson's inner life. Here for the first time we meet Jefferson as a man of feeling and passion. With a novelist's skill and meticulous scholarship, Fawn M. Brodie shows Jefferson as he wrestled with issues of revolution, religion, power, race, and love--ambivalences that exerted a subtle but powerful influence on his political writing and his decision making. The portrait that results adds a whole new depth to those of the past. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

IF YOU LOVE JEFFERSON & THE TRUTH.......
American History, Thomas Jefferson, being my greater passions, I was fascinated by this book. The depth of Ms. Brodie's research is obvious, & her conclusions are thought provoking. Being also well-trained in the area of human behavior & pyschology, I would agree STRONGLY with the probable assumptions she makes about the pysche of Mr. Jefferson. What is historical fact concerning Mr. Jefferson concerning his earler years, his relationship w/ his mother, the death of his father, & his relationship to the women in his life, noticeably his wife & daughters, lends strong credence to the theories Ms. Brodie brings forth. A person w/ great insight into human behavior can always make strong probable cases. Ms.Brodie has done this admirably. I admire Mr. Jefferson more than any other man in American history, yet I also love the truth, and the key word is HUMAN. Mr. Jefferson would have the same quirks & idyosyncrasies as any other human, which when one realizes this about the greats of time, should endear them even more, that the bottom line is we are ALL human. Mention Sally Hemmings at the Monticello visitor center, & watch the fur fly. It seems as though some people want to elevate others to God-like status, & not allow themselves to admit to the humanism of the ones they admire. I'm looking forward to read Ms. Brodie's account of the life of Joseph Smith, which I will do soon.

Excellant portrait of a complex man
I have read this book several times over the past ten years, and referred back to it after reading biographies by others who often slander Ms. Brodies work. It is an excellent portrait of what Mr. Jefferson may have been like, both flattering and not so flattering, but always fascinating. I always enjoy it because it captures so many people around Jefferson so well, such as his mentor George Wythe and his father-in-law John Wayles, both who took a slave concubine after becoming widowers. This book is about relationships and their social times.

Ms. Brodie weighed in on Jefferson being the father of Sally Hemming's children when it was not popular to taint him with human emotions. She would be proved right on at least one of Ms. Hemming's children, Eston, being fathered by the same Y chromosome that Jefferson's own father carried. Unfortunately Ms. Brodie did not live to see the scientific vindication of her research and insight. The Jefferson family has long claimed that Sally's children who favored Jefferson were fathered by nephew Samuel Carr, Jefferson's sister Martha's son. But Sam couldn't pass that Jefferson Y chromosome!

This book is a must read for everyone who is interested in understanding the Sage of Montecello. It makes the world of Jefferson come to life and allow the reader to walk in the times of his day, his friendships, enemies, depressions, joys, trials, and triumphs. Brodie takes the time to richly describe the other individuals in Jefferson's life, there by providing to the reader great scholarship that is immensely personal and interesting.

No single book can capture Jefferson's philosophy and accomplishments; but this book is a must read for a study of the personality of one of the most complex and interesting men in the history of our civilization.

It is the most fun book on Jefferson and his times that one can read.

unengaging psychohistory
You take your expectations to a book, and this one badly missed the mark for what I was looking for. Rather than a portrait of TJ that delved into how his personality influenced his political life and choices, this is purely about his psychological makeup. It has very little about the times and context he lived in, which left me quite bored. Instead, the reader is treated to the debate on his relationship with the slave woman who bore him so many children, what impact the loss of his wife had on him, etc. Indeed, I was looking for something on the level of Young Man Luther by Eriksen, and this falls so short of that mark that it is awful by comparison. As such, you have all of the flaws of psychohistory - that we can never really understand someone's psychological makeup who is long dead - and yet none of the advantages of Eriksen's approach, which did treat the historical context while being so splendidly evocative about life in general. Brodie apparently just doesn't have that kind of depth.

Recommended only as a useful perspective for specialists who might benefit from this kind of speculative enterprise. I do not believe that many general readers who want to know about TJ's life and times would enjoy this.

Absolutely Awful Revisionist Misrepresentation
My title for this review says it in a nutshell. One star for being reasonably well written/edited. But, why are some of these authors so intent on trying to defame Jefferson by twisting history the way Jefferson's original slanderer, Callender, did? It is certainly not good objective history. I would not want to lead any young reader down the wrong path with this revisionist history based on weak, weak opinion and speculation.

Where no woman had gone before
This book besides having been distinguishly recognized, is bold, daring, extensively researched, and very good. The book does not basically center around Jefferson's alleged affair with Sally Hemings. Brodie attempts to describe events from Jefferson's birth through his retirement and demise as the Sage of Monticello. She discusses his childhood experiences in moving in the same house, along with his parents with relatives that had lost their father, how he must have later felt when he also lost his own father in his youth, and his subsequent living with his mother. Brodie goes on to describe the impeccable education he received and the mentors he attributed it to. Also mentioned is Jefferson's training as an accomplished violinist, his love for books and reading, the books he collected and the personal libraries he established and lost, first to fire and later in life from having to sell it to the Library of Congress to help pay for personal debts.

Brodie also discusses Jefferson's political life, from his exceptional writing of the Declaration of Independence, and how his subsequent views against slavery in the original composition of the Declaration of Independence were ommitted against his will. However, Brodie does seem to feel that later in life Jefferson abandoned or too severely compromised his views against slavery. Brodie also mentions his near capture from British troops while he was governor of Virginia, and his lifelong friendship with Lafeyette that resulted from the revoulutionary war. She also discusses the events which occured in his life during his appointment as minister of France, the group of friends he associated with while in Paris, and the beautiful women that fascinated him there. Bodie goes on to mention Jefferson's political clashes with Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and the off and on again friendship with John Adams. Brodie details how Jefferson goes on to achieve perhaps his most well known political victory and presidential triumph from the acquisition of the Louisianna Territory. She presents Jefferson as an extraordinay man capable of ordinary emotions.

Brodie makes a good attempt to present detailed information about Jefferson's family life from the time he married and the limited descriptions that are known about his wife and the decade of marriage they enjoyed which was unfortunately ended by her death at a young age. Brodie emphasize how fond Jefferson was of his daughters and grandchildren, and how deeply affected he was by the lost of loved ones he endured during his lifetime. Jefferson's returns to Monticello are described as opportunites he cherished which allowed him to relax, polish his thoughts, and spend time with his family while enjoying the splendor of Monticello's nature on daily horseback rides he took on a favorite horse named Eagle.

Some of Brodie's speculations about Hemings I believe she puts a little too much thought into, such as her description of the increased use of the word mulatto in Jefferson's notes during his trip in 1788 which was the spring after Hemings arrival in Paris. Brodie describes Jefferson's excessive use of the word mulatto in his notes as subconscious thoughts about Hemings. Another theory which seems distant is when Jefferson was writing to Maria Cosway about the noses of Strausburg. Jefferson's mentioning of the nose in this letter, Brodie believes were additionanl personal thoughts he was having about Hemings which focused on the traits she may have had in her nose from a negro ancestor. In actuality, Jefferson's thoughts at the time were of a more explicit nature.

However, I believe most of Brodies theories regarding Hemings are well thought out and within reason. Particularly when she mentions the other thoughts that Jefferson may have been having about Hemings during his 1788 trip. While on the trip Jefferson writes to Cosway in the same letter about the delicious feeling that a painting of Abraham receving a young slave girl as concubine from his wife Sarah gave him. I believe Brodie was right in theorizing that it could have possibly been an analogy of what was going on in his personal life at the time.

I think it is relevant in wondering who was Jefferson buying a locket for the following fall within the same time frame he revisted one of his romantic hangouts he had shared with Maria Cosway. It does not seem appropriate that he would take his daughters to a place he described so romantically in his My Head and My Heart letter to Maria Cosway. Maria Cosway, who was in England at the time, was a lady he was possibly having an affair with, and in the most intimate letter he ever wrote, and possibly one of the most intimate letters ever written, he recalls very fondly to Maria the very special moments they had shared there.

Brodie also raises a good point in wondering why Jefferson just started paying Hemings a salary in December of 1788 after she had already been in Paris for over a year. Particularly when some believe that Hemings was an igorant slave girl with limited skills, or that she may have lived at another location, up until four months of there departure from Paris. If she lived at another location, how was Jefferson able to evaluate her work to determine it met a standard deserving of a salary?

One of the most relevant questions raised by Brodie is why would Jefferson in the month of April 1789 apparently buy Hemings a new wardrobe of clothes. Perhaps it was in prepartation of an alleged planning of the introduction of his daughter Martha into society in the following months. But the fact is that during the same month that Jefferson bought the clothes he already had boxes packed and was preparing to leave at any moment pending notification of permission of his request to return to America.

The basis of allegations from a previous reviewer about Brodie being incorrect about a Jefferson, Hemings affair possibly having originated in Paris due to a lack of DNA evidence to confirm that Tom Woodson was Jefferson's son is unsubstantiated. This is because there is no documented proof that Tom Woodson was a biological son of Sally Hemings. Apparently, neither Thomas Jefferson or Sally Hemings ever stated, wrote, or suggested that Tom Woodson was a biological son of Sally Hemings. There are no records of a Tom Woodson ever having lived at Monticello. Sally Hemingses own son Madison alleged that the child conceived in Paris died shortly after birth.

I think the main reason for the rejection from various people of this book is because it goes against the norm of previous biographies written before the publishing of Brodie's biography and against present day propaganda of defenders of Jefferson today who would like to believe that Jefferson was as Mr. Spock in Star Trek. As in comparison to Mr. Spock, Jefferson is incapable of succombing to an intimate relationship where he could not be in control of his personal feelings. This seemed to have been that because such feelings, left too vulnerable could ultimately destroy him. As a result he thought too logically about the events which affected his life to subject himself to an intimate error or to an intimate relationship at all. Consequently, some have concluded, as Brodie did not, that Jefferson remained celibant for over four decades between the death of his wife and his own death. However, Brodie could see that like Mr. Spock, Jefferson had a side to him that was also human, and he sometimes very well may have succombed to human emotions he could not control. Brodie's human assessment of Jefferson possibly removed all obstacles which would have led to traditional conclusions and cleared the way for her to write, which was for her time, a fresh, new, perspective which became known as an atypical, and intimate portrait of Jefferson. Brodie then proceeded where no woman had gone before. ... Read more