The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans

Book Description

It is a spring morning in New Orleans, 1843. In the Spanish Quarter, on a street lined with flophouses and gambling dens, Madame Carl recognizes a face from her past. It is the face of a German girl, Sally Miller, who disappeared twenty-five years earlier. But the young woman is property, the slave of a nearby cabaret owner. She has no memory of a "white" past. Yet her resemblance to her mother is striking, and she bears two telltale birthmarks. In brilliant novelistic detail, award-winning historian John Bailey reconstructs the exotic sights, sounds, and smells of mid-nineteenth-century New Orleans, as well as the incredible twists and turns of Sally Miller's celebrated and sensational case. Did Miller, as her relatives sought to prove, arrive from Germany under perilous circumstances as an indentured servant or was she, as her master claimed, part African, and a slave for life? A tour de force of investigative history that reads like a suspense novel, The Lost German Slave Girl is a fascinating exploration of slavery and its laws, a brilliant reconstruction of mid-nineteenth-century New Orleans, and a riveting courtroom drama. It is also an unforgettable portrait of a young woman in pursuit of freedom.

Customer Reviews:

The Lost German Slave Girl.......2007-10-04

I think the most faqscinating thing about this book is the research and details of the slavery life prior to the "War of the Northern Aggression" (otherwise known as The Civil War.) To have lived and worked in any situation in lower Louisiana in the early days must have been terribly oppressive to all--even slave owners. Salome Muller lived a terrible life as a slave---not really knowing almost from day to day where she might live.

Enthralling!.......2007-08-12

John Bailey writes: "The law may have designated slaves as property, but legislation has never been able to change human nature." And the human nature Bailey chronicles in the history of "The Lost German Slave Girl" is fired with passion, intrigue, and suspense. I couldn't put it down--the story of Sally Miller's quest for freedom enslaved my full attention. Enthralling history, beautifully written.

Absolutely fascinating.......2007-05-19

My wife recommended this book and, once I picked it up, it was hard to put down.

The many ways in which the legal and social systems of the slave-holding South parsed levels of "black taint" are truly bizarre. And yet the author makes you realize they were utterly logical once the insanity of slavery was accepted as the law of the land.

The book reads like a thriller and I, at least, was on the edge of my seat wondering how it would come out until the very end.

deserves ten stars!!!.......2006-11-22

Really interesting story. Lots of twists and turns. I just came back from New Orleans a few days ago. I had read the book before and I got to visit the Presbytere and the Cabildo where the trials actually took place!

Excellent Book!.......2006-11-21

I loved this book. I don't know why other reviewers didn't like the end - the book is based on actual events - the author really couldn't make the ending to fit "happily ever after." Regardless, I couldn't put this book down and at the same time, I learned a lot about the legal ramifications of slavery. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Wonder in ordinary lives
A Coming of Age Story
unique coming of age tale
One of Alice Hoffman's best
A very nice story, easily read in just a few hours.

Local Girls
Alice Hoffman
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0425174344

Amazon.com

More than a collection of short stories, yet not quite a novel, Local Girls occupies an undefined territory between these two forms. The local girls in question are Gretel Samuelson, her best friend, Jill, her mother, Franny, and Franny's cousin Margot--four characters who weave in and out of each of the 15 related stories that chronicle the rocky years of Gretel's adolescence. That hers will be a tough row to hoe is immediately apparent in the first story, "Dear Diary," in which Alice Hoffman introduces the Samuelson family just as they are being swallowed up by the fissures that have cracked them apart. "Long before the plane touched down in Miami we could hear our parents arguing," Gretel tells us of a family vacation to Florida; "and at the hotel room they locked themselves in their room. If you ask me, working so hard at being married can backfire." It is the end of the marriage that has lasting ramifications, however, as we discover in later stories: Gretel's brilliant older brother, Jason, becomes a drug addict; their mother must battle cancer alone; and Gretel becomes involved in a destructive relationship with a drug dealer. All pretty depressing plot points, to be sure, yet Hoffman's luminous prose combined with Gretel's tart and funny perspective keeps the reader eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

In fact, Gretel and her family and friends are so compelling, so endearing, that the reader wishes Hoffman had chosen to give the Samuelsons a novel instead of this series of stories. In reading about Jason's descent from A student with an acceptance letter from Harvard to working in the produce section at the local supermarket and shooting heroin, for example, one can't help but feel that a lot of his motivations happen between stories; and Gretel's difficult relationship (or lack thereof) with her father and new stepmother functions mainly as a plot device, leaving the reader wanting so much more. And yet, if one is to judge the success of a book by the reader's reluctance to be done with it, then Local Girls is successful, for Hoffman has created a world so enticing that one is willing to overlook the minor flaws. At the end of the title story, as the now-grown Gretel and Jill discuss two teenage girls in the neighborhood who recently committed suicide, Jill remarks: "They should have just waited. That's all they had to do. They would have grown up and everything would have been all right." The same might be said of reading Local Girls. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

The New York Times bestselling author's first collection of short fiction.

Alice Hoffman is at her haunting, thought-provoking best with these interconnected stories about a Long Island family, the Samuelsons, and the lessons in survival and transformation that life brings to every family.

"Pulls the reader in effortlessly...Hoffman has the power to make you really laugh and really cry." --USA Today

"Moving and deadpan funny...Epiphanies about passion, pain, and resiliency induce smiles and shivers in equal measure." --Entertainment Weekly

Customer Reviews:

Wonder in ordinary lives.......2007-08-03

Local Girls, Alice Hoffman
A sad piece. There is Gretel, who tells the story, Jason her brother, Franny their divorced mother, and cousin Margot, and a few friends. There is illness, death, lives ruined and/or wasted. With every quick turn of the page you'll be fairly shouting, NO! Don't do that, do this! As always, Hoffman flashes us some hope: healthy children born to perhaps a more hopeful existence, and Gretel's great escape. Not a book to read if you are in a low mood already. Still, the writing is brilliant.

A Coming of Age Story.......2007-04-05

Reality is invaded by a variety of magical elements straight out of the fairy tales as the story about a teenager and her family unfolds.

unique coming of age tale.......2007-03-18

This book is written in a different format from her other novels. Rather than a straightforward plot, it consists of chapters which take place in the same small New Hampshire town loosely tied together. They center around Gretel Samuelson, a sensitive but bored teen, her flamboyant best friend Jill, and their extended families beginning the summer after Gretel's parents have divorced. We learn about Jason, Gretel's older brother, who is Harvard-bound but has unexpectedly lost his motivation, Gretel's Grandma Frieda, mother and cousin Margot. As usual, magic realism abounds: a farmhouse covered with roses; a ghost seeking revenge on her daughter's ex-husband; a great horned owl; and a stepmother straight out of a fairy tale. As usual, Hoffman writes vividly and poetically about the mysteries of everyday life and the shifting alliances between families and friends in crisis.

One of Alice Hoffman's best.......2006-07-24

Alice Hoffman continues to amaze me with her versatile writing. Each book is unique yet somehow the same. The feelings expressed through the main character are oaverwhelming and sometimes beautiful. When the point of view changed I got confused but when my confusion cleared I found the prose linking grandmother to mother to daughter simply precious.

A very nice story, easily read in just a few hours........2006-05-17

The abrupt changes in point-of-view from the 1st person to the 3rd person for no apparent reason was rather disconcerting. And the unfolding of events as a series of short stories gave it a clipped and superficial feel. Yet in spite of these "issues", Alice Hoffman beautifully tells the sad, coming-of-age story of a young lady and her torn apart family. And in a way, it was nice to use my own imagination and creativity to mentally fill in the details as the story flowed quickly along. As a Long Islander, I think the book is authentic to this area and timeframe.

The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened the West

Average customer rating:

Fascinating footnote on history
Fascinating Slice of History
The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened The West
A Delicious Slice of America's History!
Fascinating true stories of women who shaped western history

The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened the West
Lesley Poling-Kempes
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569249261

Book Description

Interviews, historical research, and photos recreate the Harvey Girl experience of women who came to the west to work as waitresses, but many stayed and settled, founding cattle and mining towns.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating footnote on history.......2006-12-24

I had heard of Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls and their role in civilizing the American West, but I never knew much about the subject. Recently, on a trip to the Grand Canyon, my wife and I wandered into Bright Angel Lodge, one of the last surviving Harvey hotel/restaurants (although the Harvey family sold what was left of the chain many years ago). Inside was a memory room full of old photos and memorabilia, including the Harvey Girls. With my interest piqued, I bought "The Harvey Girls" by Lesley Poling-Kempes. The book is well written, giving a fascinating look at how Fred Harvey developed and ran dozens of hotels and restaurants along the routes of the Santa Fe Railroad in the west and southwest.

Ms. Poling-Kempes did a nice job of researching the life and times of the Harvey houses and the Harvey Girls who worked in them. A number of factors resulted in the gradual demise of the Harvey houses, and most of them have been destroyed, but "The Harvey Girls" very effectively recreates the era, and the numerous old photos in the book contribute greatly to imagining how it was in those days.

Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls may not have singlehandedly tamed the West, but they certainly made a significant contribution, and Ms. Poling-Kempes deserves an "A" for documenting this fascinating footnote on the history of the American West.

Highly recommended reading for history buffs!

Fascinating Slice of History.......2003-08-09

I have traveled throughout the Southwest for the last 20 years, and have seen references to the Harvey Girls here and there. I finally decided to read this book out of curiosity, and discovered an incredible story that is entirely left out of our history books. The story of these young women who brought gentility to the West, leaving their families and homes far behind, is fascinating and enlightening. This book is a page-turner, and the history of the Santa Fe Railroad and the Harvey Houses is something that should not be lost in the mists of time. Ms. Poling-Kempes is a gifted and entertaining writer, and I look forward to reading her other books on the Southwest.

The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened The West.......2003-07-18

As someone who likes the Santa Fe and Fred Harvey, this book added a new dimension to my knowledge. I applaud Ms. Poling-Kempes' research, and I truly think the oral form she used was the correct way to bring the memories of former Harvey Girls to life. I believe this book could be used as suggested reading in an American History class, as it shows one facet of the development of the west. Also, it shows in places, the goodness of these largely unsung women (and even a few Harvey officials who were men), the goodness this country is rightly proud. I would recommend this book to anyone who has even a passing interest in this era of the West, railroads, and even of fine food service. I tip my cap to Ms. Poling-Kempes for a very worthwhile bood.

A Delicious Slice of America's History!.......2003-01-23

This is a wonderful history book disguised as a fast-moving novel.I had no knowledge of Fred Harvey's enterprises,or of the Harvey Girls,and how they affected the settling of the West along the routes of the Sante Fe Railroad. I've read extensively about the settling of the American West, but why have these people not been recognized before now? Lesley Poling-Kempes has done this country a great service by doing her extensive research on the subject of these gutsy ladies who had the courage to hop a train and set out on their own, into the uncertain world of the old West.If you enjoy reading about strong women, the settling of the American West,American entrepeneurship, or the power of the role of the railroads in shaping America, you'll enjoy this fast-paced read.It's something totally fresh and new for history buffs.

Fascinating true stories of women who shaped western history.......1999-10-10

From the 1880's to the 1950's, the Harvey Girls went west to work in Fred Harvey's restaurants along the Santa Fe railway--from Chicago to Los Angeles.

At a time when there were "no ladies west of Dodge City and no women west of Albuquerque", they came as waitresses, but many stayed and settled, founding the struggling cattle and mining towns that dotted the region.

Poling-Kempes has created the gold standard for writing and reporting on women in the west. Aside from 10 years research, archival studies, photo retrieval, the author contacted in person and by telephone and correspondence some eighty former employees that once totaled 100,00.

This unique, unduplicated history is alive with color and original narrative. Major reviews by the NY Times, American Heritage, Parade. Writing in the Washington Post Book World Jonathon Yardley sums it up

"A story that seems to have completely vanished from the national memory; for giving it new life, Poling-Kempes deserves gratitude and praise."

Poling-Kempes has other titles on this theme:Far From Home--West By Rail With The Harvey Girls and The Golden Era--West by Rail With the Harvey Girls. Illustrations for this paper doll history are by famous fashion illustrator Lynette C. Ross. Books available from Texas Tech University Press 1-800-832-4042.

Book Description

In the mid-1960s, Winberg Chai, a young academic and the son of Chinese immigrants, married an Irish-American artist. In Hapa Girl ("hapa" is Hawaiian for "mixed") their daughter tells the story of this loving family as they moved from Southern California to New York to a South Dakota farm by the 1980s. In their new Midwestern home, the family finds itself the object of unwelcome attention, which swiftly escalates to violence. The Chais are suddenly socially isolated and barely able to cope with the tension that arises from daily incidents of racial animosity, including random acts of cruelty.

May-lee Chai's memoir ends in China, where she arrives just in time to witness a riot and demonstrations. Here she realizes that the rural Americans' "fears of change, of economic uncertainty, of racial anxiety, of the unknowable future compared to the known past were the same as China's. And I realized finally that it had not been my fault."

Customer Reviews:

self-centered drama.......2007-09-11

I am sure that Ms. Chai earned an A+ in creative writing class for her novel. I was in school with the author and her brother for a couple of years. In fact, I had my senior pictures taken at her mother's studio. She did a nice job and was a fun lady. I knew she was married to a Chinese man. I couldn't have cared less. It made no difference to me. I am sure that I speak for most of us in town. We had plenty going on in our own lives to get too worked up about someone elses ethnic background. There is no question that most of us were of European descent. With the Univ of SD in town, we were exposed to other cultures. It wasn't like we were the United Nations, but we were far from the 'dueling banjos' of "Deliverance." There are a few bad apples in our town-- like any town on the planet. It is certainly humbling to read of her experience in our town. The violence in the halls at school, locking all the doors to the school, attractive girls opting to get poor grades to date the cool guys, etc. Her creative juices got the best of her. Hopefully, this spiteful piece of half-truths/ fiction was therapeutic or lucrative for the author.

Fiction?.......2007-06-16

I grew up in the town depicted in Ms. Chai's book. Vermillion is NOT a town of racial bigotry. We are a typical midwestern town with typical midwestern people. I would caution the reader: This book is, at best, 98 percent fiction. Specifically, I feel I need to address the scene regarding the suicide of a young high school boy. The events regarding this incident are totally false. Yes, the young man commited suicide; this event was devastating for his family and friends. For Ms. Chai to portray a suicide based upon information she receieved from her mother (who wasn't even living in Vermillion at the time), is completely unprofessional.

If you want to explore the issue of racism and bigotry in the midwest, I suggest you look for another, more credible source.

A compelling, unusual story.......2007-06-13

I found Hapa Girl to be a compelling story told by an engaging writer. The book just flew by, to the point where I wished it were a little longer. I liked that she told her personal story in the context of her family's history and of American history. Although I've read books about biracial families, immigrants, and small-town racial bigotry before, this story is still unusual and fresh. While she is a talented story teller, my only criticism is that the memoir's narrative arc is inconsistent, and the emphasis seemed to shift throughout the book. I think a longer version to fill in some of the blanks would remedy that.

Wonderful Love Story of the Struggles of A Multi-Ethnic Family In Rural America.......2007-04-25

I really found Hapa Girl to be an extremely moving memoir. I related
to so many of the issues this book describes. And I entirely disagree
with the reviewer who said this was *bitter.* I thought the writing was
funny and uplifting despite the many sad episodes that the family had
to endure. Perhaps the reviewer has never had to personally face
prejudice. But if you've been judged by your appearance or faced
bigotry and violence, or even if you simply oppose bigotry, I think
this memoir will resonate with you! I thought the writing was wonderful
and will recommend this to my friends and family. This is a story about
love ultimately triumphing over evil!*

Another one of my favorite book from this author is The Girl from Purple Mountain: Love, Honor, War, and One Family's Journey from China to America

Intense and didactic.......2007-04-20

The emotional journey May Lee Chai must have encountered while writing the
story is intense.

This is about how love will triumph over bigotry.
As a Chinese immigrant myself, I've encounter prejudice. Before picking up
this book without too much expectation, but what happened next was two days
of non-stop reading, I simply couldn't put it down, the pages turned
themselves.

Scarlett's Sisters: Young Women in the Old South

Average customer rating:

Scarlett's Sisters: Young Women in the Old South
Anya Jabour
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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Southern Sons: Becoming Men in the New Nation

ASIN: 0807831018

Book Description

Scarlett's Sisters explores the meaning of nineteenth-century southern womanhood from the vantage point of the celebrated fictional character's flesh-and-blood counterparts: young, elite, white women. Anya Jabour demonstrates that southern girls and young women faced a major turning point when the Civil War forced them to assume new roles and responsibilities as independent women. By tracing the lives of young white women in a society in flux, Jabour reveals how the South's old social order was maintained and a new one created as southern girls and young women learned, questioned, and ultimately changed what it meant to be a southern lady.

Good Time Girls: Of the Alaska/ Yukon Gold Rush

Average customer rating:

Best Of The West!
Not Real Interesting
Interesting side to the "gold miners"
Fun history of the world's (c)oldest profession in AK
Good Time Girls? should be called Good Time Guys

Good Time Girls: Of the Alaska/ Yukon Gold Rush
Lael Morgan
Manufacturer: Epicenter Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Canadian | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Western Provinces | Regional Canada | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0945397763

Book Description

Morgan offers an authentic and deliciously humorous account of the prostitutes and other "disreputable" women who were the earliest female pioneers of the Far North.

Customer Reviews:

Best Of The West!.......2006-06-15

The Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush, a time at the turn of the century, when the gold camps were booming and the dust flowed like wine. Leaving behind law and many of the constraints of the Post-Victorian era, men and women went north to find adventure and wealth. Most found death among the cold frozen mountains and rivers but a few survived to find money, power and, sometimes, even love.
The women found it easier to mine the miners then to mine the mines. Women couldn't work claims in most cases and most of the normal jobs didn't pay well.
If a woman wanted the wealth and adventure she was searching for she ended up becoming a Good Time Girl. Men outnumbered women ten to one and were always willing to pay for the company. Dance hall girls and prostitutes were among the pioneers who opened the new regions, became rich entrepreneurs and powerful women who, in some cases, changed the towns for the better.
But their history cannot be written in a vacuum. As many of them left behind no written records we have to use police logs, old photos and stories left behind by the more respectable women and men of the cities. The book deals with the conditions and events that made the Far North so much different from the lower forty-eight states where many of the women came from. Why did the cities, in many cases, allow a red light district? Why did they give them police protection? How did the women influence the towns and change the very future of the frontier? Why did so many women turn to be Good Time Girls?
With tons of humor, happy endings and sad ones, the chapters within this book give a detailed look at the history of the independent women who faced hardships, lost fortunes and the dangers of a wild land to find a future.

Not Real Interesting.......2005-10-27

I was disappointed in this book, it seemed more like a history of the men of the Yukon and Gold Rush . There were some stories about some of these women in there, but they were not very interesting to me, just sort of dry and lacking the quality that you could see and picture the people-which is a quality I look for in books of a historical nature. If you like just a history of cut and dry facts about the Gold Rush and the men etc., this might be ok, but overall, the book failed to be interesting to me.

Interesting side to the "gold miners".......2004-09-29

Well, the men mined the gold, and the women mined the miners. All had unhealthy jobs but it would appear that more womem made money than the men from this book. It is also interesting that many of the women ended their trade by marrying the miners. So while to some they were "soiled doves" to the miners they were princesses.

Still interesting that the town tollerated this business until very recently. An enjoyable read.

Fun history of the world's (c)oldest profession in AK.......2001-10-10

I bought this book at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks bookstore. My dad, Class of '51 at UAF (we were there for his 50th reunion), had told me some stories about "The Line" and he had had his first job with the gold mining operations, so I was curious. There's not a lot of gory detail here. It's about people and places, but it's quite a colorful history. Though never officially legal, prostitution was tolerated and it flourished in Alaska for more than 50 years. And some very famous characters pop up, like Wyatt Earp and the "Birdman of Alcatraz". Definitely worth the time.

Good Time Girls? should be called Good Time Guys.......2001-06-04

I cruised Alaska this summer and took a facinating tour of the Skagway Red Light district. After the tour, I wanted to learn more, thusly I hit a bookstore and found this book. I was thrilled to find it, as I recognized several of the names (Klondike Kate, PeaHull Annie, etc) and was looking forward to finding out more. The book promised not to leave out any "lusty and licentious parts". That couldn't be more wrong.

I found out more information about the men of the Kondike and their wenching habits, than the actual women themselves. In this case, my wonderfully guided tour gave me more information about how the women actually conducted their business (lots of interesting info about their personal hygene that are no where to be found in this book. what kind of book on prostitution doesn't talk about birth control methods and their ways of preventing VD? VD is barely brought up).

If I wanted to read about the men of the Klondike, I could pick up any random book in the Klondike History section of any bookstore. The women are often the ones forgotten about, and deserve better treatement in the annuls of history, most especially in a book supposedly about those women. If you want some good information on this type of history, go up to Alaska and take any one of the amazing Red Light District tours. Don't waste your money on this book.

Average customer rating:

An upbeat, well-researched and enthralling introduction

Bold Women in Michigan History (Bold Women) (Bold Women) (Bold Women)
Virginai Law Burns
Manufacturer: Mountain Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Look and See With Me: Michigan (Look and See With Me)

ASIN: 087842525X
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Product Description

It takes people of all kinds to shape a place. Abolitionists. Trade unionists. Artists. Scientists. Soldiers. Explorers. Traders. Crusaders. Senators. Designers. Michigan had all of these-and all of them, in this book at least, were women. Written for young adults, Bold Women in Michigan History tells the stories of thirteen extraordinary women. Long before the existence of high-tech weatherproof gear, Madame de Cadillac paddled a canoe across two great lakes to help her husband found Detroit. Magdelaine LaFramboise grew rich as a fur trader. Disguised as a man, Emma Edmonds fought for two years in the Civil War. Lucy Thurman, Waunetta Dominic, and Delia Villegas Vorhauer fought other battles-for rights and social justice for their families and communities. Myra Wolfgang, the "Battling Belle of Detroit," picketed and struck. Sippie Wallace-sang-and lived-the blues. And Pearl Kendrick and Grace Eldering labored over a vaccine that would save millions of lives. The DPT (diptheria, pertussis, and tetanus) shot is still used today. Perfect for school, recreational reading, and the history shelf, Bold Women in Michigan History is a resource for kids-and adults-who like good stories about real people who made a difference.

Customer Reviews:

An upbeat, well-researched and enthralling introduction.......2007-01-06

Written by former teacher Virginia Law Burns especially for young adults, Bold Women in Michigan History collects the true stories of courageous women who helped make Michigan the proud state it is today. From fur traders and poets to soldiers and senators, each woman's unique contribution is recounted in a brief biography, with black-and-white illustrations or photographs. Individuals profiled include Cora Brown, the first black woman in the state senate; artist Marguerite de Angeli; Genevieve Gillette, champion of Michigan parks; and many more. An upbeat, well-researched and enthralling introduction to the role great women have played in Michigan state history.

Girl in the Gold Camp: A True Account of an Alaska Adventure, 1909-1910

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Girl in the Gold Camp: A True Account of an Alaska Adventure, 1909-1910
Peggy Rouch Dodson
Manufacturer: Epicenter Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Hi There, Boys and Girls!: America's Local Children's TV Programs

Average customer rating:

Don't Touch that Dial
Finally Local Kids TV Has A Voice!
great book-excellent information-very fun to read!!
First, You Visit Your Own Local Stations...
Remember growing up in front of the T.V.?

Hi There, Boys and Girls!: America's Local Children's TV Programs
Tim Hollis
Manufacturer: University Press of Mississippi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1578063957

Customer Reviews:

Don't Touch that Dial.......2007-01-23

I cannot understand the sort of reviewers who rush to point out tiny omissions in otherwise exhaustive studies, particularly in the area of popular culture. Some of them apparently are actually paid to do so, and in my view they have watched too much Watergate and Sixty Minutes. For example, Ira Gallen dug up all the old commercials he showed on his retro New York TV show; contrary to the general view, advertisers didn't keep the reels after the commercials ran, and in compiling his collections, Gallen was plowing new territory. Relative to, say, dinosaurs, radio and TV have only been with us for a short while and it's all been about making it up as you go along.

That TV broadcasting began as local programming, and then mostly in New York, is extremely significant but often overlooked by those looking backwards with modern lenses. Shows were owned by ad agencies and developed for sponsors, not networks. Jay Ward's Crusader Rabbit and cliff-hangers like Col. Bleep and Clutch Cargo were the only early TV cartoons before the syndication of Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies and Terrytoons and the entrance of William Hanna and Joe Barbera into TV 'toons with Ruff and Reddy.

Early TV carried over from radio and the triple reel style of the moviehouse, which would generally show a cartoon or short and newsreel along with the featured films. Live hosts were expected to pitch and endorse the sponsor's product and, whether clown, cowboy or cosmic captain, to intersperse the performance and patter with cartoons. The demise of the live host came when the few bad apples began to hold the studios for ransom. Execs soon realized they could order cartoons by the foot to fill the programming blocks. Eventually the insatiable appetite for cartoons ballooned Hanna- Barbera into a behemoth cartoon factory with shows running on all three networks, with a bust following that boom and a decline in quality in the 'seventies and 'eighties, only to be regained after the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the cartoon renaissance of the 'nineties.

TV now is like wallpaper that viewers can change at whim, and animation so ubiquitous, good, bad and ugly, viewed as it is as fodder for kids, or more recently, as an "extreme" way to jazz up overdone to death "adult" programming, that its freshness is nearly gone. The current audience expectation of endless entertainment served up in spoon-sized doses masks for instance, the amount of homework done by Paul Reubens in reviving for Pee-Wee's Playhouse the local feel of live host TV.

Opening with a brief history, Hollis follows with a discussion of shows in every state of the union. Bits may be missing, but the hosts I remember from growing up in Seattle-- J. P. Patches and Stan Boreson-- were among those present. More fascinating is reading about the hosts I didn't see, which cartoons they had in common and the like. Travel back, then, to the days of its inception, when local TV was the only game in town, with live hosts who cared about kids (and some who didn't) making it up as they went along.

Finally Local Kids TV Has A Voice!.......2003-10-19

Very few tv history books have looked at Local Kids shows as an important part of the genre'.Until now,Birmingham,Al.based kids tv historian:Tim Hollis takes a look at this forgoten aspect of tv history.In his second book:"Hi There!:Boys & Girls!".He covers the history of the many children's programs that have entertained and informed young viewers on many tv stations all over this country.

The book looks at the humble beginngs of kids programs from the latter days of radio.To the period before and following
WWII,when tv broadcasts were limited to the early evening hours.
To the first kids shows that were broadcast during the mid to late 1940's and then into the vintage period of local kids shows:The 1950's into the 1960's.

The story continues into the 1970's.As Mr.Hollis looks at the decline of local kids tv(Which was caused by three factions:The introduction of reruns of cartoons and filmed puppet adventure shows from overseas.Which took over the local

live kids shows timeslots,the complaints from parential pressure
groups and from station execs about certain kids tv comedy performers.Who objected to the humor that these biased censors felt were unacceptable to the young viewers and forced the per-
formers off the air and finally.The ruling by Peggy Charren's ACT and other censor groups to force broadcasters to stop using
their local kids tv hosts/performers from promoting questionable
sponsors on their shows and to create,produce and air educational kids tv shows to the speifications of the tv censors).

Some tv stations were able to weather the storm caused by
Mrs.Charren's ACT and continue to create,produce and air fun kids tv shows:WNEW TV Ch.5 continued to present The Bob McCallister Version of"Wonderama"well into the late 1970's,Chief
Traynor Halftown hosted a Saturday morning version of his popular musical/variety kids show on WFIL TV Ch.6 in Philly,Pa. right up to the end of the 20th century and WGN TV Ch.9 Chicago,
Ill.'s"Bozo Show"remained on the air until the circus closed down for good in the summer of 2001.

The era attempted a comeback in the 1980's with the de-
regulation by The Regan admin.Which allowed Broadcasters to do their own tv shows without any interference from the US Government and from Mrs.Charren.

Some kid tv performers of the past:Chuck McCann,"Casey Jones"(Roger Awsumb) and "Cousin Cliff"Holman were able to make a successful comeback during this time.

While "Hi There!:Boys & Girls"doesn't recall all of the local kids tv shows of the past.It does look back at the programs that were popular with many young people from all over the USA and takes a look at the creation,development and the
successful rapport that these many talented,creative and caring
performers and personalities had with their loyal fans and
studio audiences.

The book also has a bibliography ,listing it's research sources(I was one of the contributors of info about The NYC Kids TV Shows)and a collection of rare photos from the many local kids tv shows of the past.

For anyone,who wants to know more about their favorite local kids tv shows and relive the memories of spending time with:"Happy Herb",Carol Corbett,Sally Starr,Johnny Ginger,Chuck McCann,Paul Tripp,Sandy Becker,Cllelan("Axel")Card,"Officer"/"Police Chief Joe"Bolton,Herb Sheldon,"Bozo","Johnny Jellybean"(Bill Britten And Keith Hefner),"Uncle Joe"Bova,"Uncle Al"Lewis,"Skipper Frank"Herman,"Pandora", "Woodrow The Woodsman"(The Late Clay Conroy),"Harlow Hickenlooper"(Hal Fryer),"Chucko The Clown"(Charlie Runyon)"Andy Starr"(Bob Bell),"Skipper Chuck"Zink,"Capt.Jet"(Stan Sawyer,Joe Silver And Dal McKennon),Sonny Fox,"Carmen The Nurse"(Mary Davies),"Captain Allen"Swift,"The Merry Mailman"(Ray Heatherton)"Cousin Cliff"Holman,Soupy Sales,"DJ Kat"and Ray Forrest?

This is the one book to have this Christmas/Hanakah!

Bravo Tim!

(...)

great book-excellent information-very fun to read!!.......2003-06-09

This book was so much fun to read! I can't believe all the info Hollis was able to uncover. His passion for the subject of kids shows is obvious, as is his excellent and humorous writing style. The book is a must for every 'kid' over the age of 35 who grew up watching TV. All of us can find a pleasant memory or two here. It's fascinating to read about the origins of these shows, and sadly, their demise. There is something here for either the nostalgia or history buff.

First, You Visit Your Own Local Stations..........2002-09-29

Tim has truly done a tremendous amount of homework putting together this walk down memory lane (three years' worth).Sure, not every station is mentioned; however, I am impressed by the histories, reviews and interviews he has amassed. You, the buying public have already read a couple of stories of some hometown TV personalities that went on to more fame.One sidekick, dressed as a clown, from my original hometown's affiliate, later went on to become a successful announcer on many game shows, including a short hosting job of two game shows. (Ah, ah, ah, you'll have to buy the book to find out who it is!)As the author wrote on this announcer/host, "Perhaps being a clown was good training for such a show."Well done, Tim! We hope you'll continue adding more information on more editions, as they become available. Most of today's youngsters really missed out on wonderful, quality childrens' programming, mentioned in this book, and were not videotaped...it is a part of our lives we shouldn't forget!

Remember growing up in front of the T.V.?.......2002-03-24

This is one great nostalgia book! It is incredible the flood of memories that this volume brings back. Remember the hundreds of hours that you spent watching the local kid's show on T.V.? Well, I can almost guarantee that this book will open the floodgates of long negected memories- so much in my own life was linked to the time I spent watching these shows. The author really did his research, there are obscure local shows that you never hear mentioned anywhere else. In my own case it was Roddy Mac in Rockford, and Captain Vern and his Cartoon Showboat in the Quad Cities. It seems that practically no documentation, let alone tape, remains of these local shows because they were just locally produced "time fillers." Then there is the mention of the old shorts and cartoons that you forgot about (remember Roger Ramjet, Funny Company, Space Angel, or Clutch Cargo?)

What It Means to Be Southern: A Reflective Perspective from a Girl Raised Southern

Average customer rating:

Haven't read this one, but the 2nd one is wonderful!
What every Northerner transplanted to the South should know

What It Means to Be Southern: A Reflective Perspective from a Girl Raised Southern
Cecilia Budd Grimes
Manufacturer: Abram & Van Wyck Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 097083960X

Customer Reviews:

Haven't read this one, but the 2nd one is wonderful!.......2004-01-26

I tried to recommend "More About What It Means To Be Southern", the "sequel" to this book in the "proper" way. But Amazon kept telling me the ISBN was invalid. Anyone who is interested in trying to find a copy elsewhere, look for ISBN 0-9708396-1-8. I have not read the first book, but I adore the second.

The "More About..." book was given to me as a gift by my oldest friend. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Mrs. Grimes had written these wonderful little books! We grew up in the same small Southern town as Mrs. Grimes, one generation later, and knew her sons well. When I was a teenager I drove her boys home from school, and spent a good bit of time at their house. I laughed when I read her take on the imporance of church affiliation, since we attended the same church--it's so TRUE!! So, I have to admit I have some background to go with the contents. But please don't think I am biased just because I can personally relate. I have read a lot of books about the South, and this is right up there with the best of them! It's not a "deep" read by any means, and at a little less than 60 pages it is definitely meant to be a gift book, as labeled.

Though I know that it's written about Siler City, the book never says so specifically--and it could just as easily be any small town in the Southern U.S. The book talks about (among other things) how to properly make sweet tea, the importance of cooking for funerals and tending graves, a list of Southern do's and dont's, and my favorite: "Hissy Fits & Conniptions" that explains some of the finer points of oft-used Southern expressions. She even includes several truly Southern recipes to try.

If you enjoy "Southern-isms" then by all means seek out these little books. And if you grew up in the small-town South, give a copy to your old friend. It'll remind you both of how wonderful (albeit quirky) things used to be at home, bless your hearts. :)

What every Northerner transplanted to the South should know.......2003-09-17

I received this wonderful book as a gift from our VERY Southern daughter-in-law, Bless her heart! Having been transplanted to the South from Wisconsin before we even met out future daughter-in-law I was familiar with some of the sayings, customs, and foods of our new home but this book brought a new understanding. I now feel more at home in the South than in the North. I still miss a really good Friday night fish fry but the Shriners in Zebulon, NC do a great one! And I sure do like grits with lots of butter, salt and pepper, country ham, sausage biscuits and hearing, Bless your heart!

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