Like my previous look at my library list [1], I thought it worthwhile to explain the sort of books I am reading to show some of the research topics I am exploring and some of the book reviews that (hopefully) will be posted on this blog in due time. My reading will be somewhat prolonged and heavy, as the Tampa-Hillsborough Library System, for reasons known only to them, decided to deliver 14 of the 19 books I put on hold on the same day to the local ghetto branch library, which gives me some very heavy reading assignments to follow for the coming weeks. For convenience I have divided up the list of books into topics so that the reasons and purpose of my research may be obvious.
The American Civil War
A topic of perennial interest in my reading, this particular subject became of even heavier interest when I signed up to write 3 articles for the Encyclopedia of the U.S. Civil War [2], so I sought to find the best available sources to add to my understanding of Florida and the Civil War, as well as augment my own reading on the causes of the Civil War to better refute neo-Confederates who are (to a man) willfully ignorant of the Civil War’s origins in slavery:
Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War, by Charles B. Dew
When I heard about a book that showed what the advocates of secession in the South preached to the voters on the eve of secession in late 1860 and early 1861, given the obscurity of their work and the importance of seeing what arguments were used to sway the voters of the deep South, I knew I had to read this book for myself. I eagerly look forward to reading and reviewing this book and gaining a better knowledge of the primary documentation about these men and their evil work in sowing discord.
Days of Defiance: Sumter, Secession, and the Coming of the Civil War, by Maury Klien
Any book that examines the origins of the Civil War with an eye towards history and not propaganda is going to be of interest to me. I’m curious to see what this book has to offer to further my knowledge of the early period of the Civil War.
In addition to this, I’m still waiting on the arrival of three books on Florida and the Civil War to use as sources for my encyclopedia entries on the Battles of Natural Bridge and Fort Brooke.
Geology
Though I must admit to not having read as much popular geology (if such a genre exists in nonfiction writing), the warm recommendations of the work of John McPhee in the book Cadillac Desert [3] [4] [5] piqued my interest, so I put a couple of his books on hold to look at:
Annals of the Former World, by John McPhee
This book is supposed to contain a unified collection of works by this popular geologists, and is going to be a big book that will take a while to read. I’m looking forward to it, especially as geology happens to be one of my favorite scientific disciplines.
The Control of Nature, by John McPhee
This is the work of his I first heard of, and my considerable interests in the often ineffectual ways in which mankind tries to control nature for his own benefit, including the possibly quixotic efforts of the U.S. Corps of Engineers to stop the Mississippi from leaving Baton Rouge and New Orleans high and dry by diverting its course, made this book a highly sought after one for my own personal reading. I look forward to reading and reviewing this one.
Obscure Music History
Having already commented on my search for obscure music history books elsewhere [6], I feel it superfluous to discuss here, though those two books finally arrived as well for me to pick up, read, and review.
Timelines of History
Having been a fan of the Headlines in History set [7] [8], I put the last four books of the series on hold so that I may complete the set. Those will be read and reviewed in due time, I hope:
Headlines in History: The 1000’s, by Brenda Stalcup (book editor)
Headlines in History: The 1600’s, by Louise I. Gerdes (book editor)
Headlines in History: The 1800’s, by James Miller (book editor)
Headlines in History: The 1900’s, by James Miller (book editor)
I’m hoping that all four of these books are more like the excellent volumes of the 1400’s and 1500’s and less like the disappointing and Eurocentric effort of the 1700’s. We shall see, though.
Obscure History
The next three books on my reading list are books that are definitely obscure ones that relate to research interests and personal interests of mine. They range from military history to cultural history, but all of them are definitely obscure.
The Foure Bookes of Martiall Policye, by Flavius Vegetius Renatus
My interest in the De Re Militari [9] ought to be well known, and this fascinating translation of that seminal work of military history ought to be a very worthwhile read as a primary source of the importance of Vegetius’ work even in the early modern period of England.
Ethiopia: The Unknown Land, a Historical and Cultural Guide, by Stuart Munro-Hay
Given my interest in reading about the Horn of Africa [10] [11] [12], I thought this book a useful addition to my collection to understand the relationship of Ethiopia with the Somali problem, as hopefully it will provide some historical context to how Ethiopia came to rule over the Ogaden region and its impact on the troubled history of its neighboring nations.
The Southern Indians: The Story of the Civilized Tribes Before Removal, by R.S. Cotterill
As a descendant of Cherokee Indians who fled from the U.S. Army and escaped the Trail of Tears by settling in the area of Ohiopile, Pennsylvania, intermarrying with the local population, I am profoundly interested in the culture and civilization of the Cherokee and other civilized tribes whose land was stolen by greedy wannabe plantation owners who could not co-exist with other cultures and who wished to farm the rich river bottomlands for their own selfish profit through the exploitation of others. It should be noted that part of my hostility to the Southern antebellum plantation culture is personal–they stole my family’s land, and that is something I take very seriously.
Writing For Fun And Profit
Finally, I put two books on hold on freelance writing for profit (given the voluminous nature of my writing output, something most of you can probably attest to), but only one of the books has come in so far:
Getting Started As A Freelance Writer, by Robert W. Bly
I’m always looking for handy ways of turning my obscure and esoteric interests into practical fruits, and hopefully this book will provide some useful tips on doing so. It looks like I have a lot of reading ahead of me, which is a good thing, as it is something I greatly enjoy [13].
[1] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/a-look-at-my-library-list/
[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/a-walking-encyclopedia/
[3] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/book-review-cadillac-desert/
[8] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/book-review-headlines-in-history-the-1500s/
[9] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/book-review-published-in-de-re-militari/
[10] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/book-review-the-horn-of-africa/
[11] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/book-review-somalia-the-missed-opportunities/
[12] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/11/21/book-review-cultures-of-the-world-somalia/
[13] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/a-review-of-my-strengths-finder-report/
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