In June of 1957; Governor James Coleman stepped before the cameras of "Meet the Press" and was asked whether the public schools would ever be integrated. "Well; ever is a long time;" he replied; "[but] I would say that a baby born in Mississippi today will never live long enough to see an integrated school." In this extraordinary pilgrimage; Library of Congress Publishing Director W. Ralph Eubanks recaptures the feel of growing up during this tumultuous era; deep in rural Mississippi. Vividly re-creating a time and place where even small steps across the Jim Crow line became a matter of life and death; he offers eloquent testimony to a family's grace against all odds. Inspired by the 1998 declassification of files kept by the State Sovereignty Commission-an agency specifically created to maintain white supremacy-the result is a journey of discovery that leads Eubanks not only to surprising conclusions about his own family; but also to harrowing encounters with those involved in some of the era's darkest activities.
#67072 in Books 2007-02-27 2007-02-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.40 x .90 x 5.50l; .85 #File Name: 0452288193416 pages
Review
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Revolutionary change in understanding historyBy Kirill MarchukA lot of great reviews are already submitted for this item; so I will not make this one longer than it has to be.It's definitely sort of a "mind-switching" book; like "Selfish gene" by R.Dawkins; "Guns; Germs ans Steel" by J.Diamond; and some else. Here we are presented with a fascinating; "brave new" approach towards UNDERSTANDING history - not just "digging in dirty pants" of kings and barons; not just analyzing combat operations and revolutionary slogans; but rather looking THROUGH all of these to see the real-world "hardware" of history - it's hidden forces; acting from behind the curtains but still with a cruel and overwhelming inevitable effect.Shockingly sobering reading. Definitely must-read for all (both global and local) decision-makers. And I agree with one of the reviewers - Turchin has totally deserved Nobel Prize in economics.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Great companion to Historical DynamicsBy M. ZimmermanI read Peter Turchin's Historical Dynamics around five years ago. This book is billed (at least informally) as the "non-math" version. I wasn't sure if I would like this version as much since I am the rare reader that finds math arguments easier to parse than word arguments (at least in domains which I'm comfortable). However; I enjoyed the richness of detail that Turchin weaves into his story (already cognizant of the mathematical argument working hard backstage).Whether his model of historical dynamics is more useful than others is an empirical question and not thoroughly explored. However; Turchin clearly hopes to inspire others to join the fray with competing models.I am eager to revisit his earlier book with a better understanding of the details behind the equations.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Diamond watch your backBy Jeff Morrisonevolutionary biology meets history. This is a significant work in our understanding of civilization. It's on the order of Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel. Fair warning: he wonders a bit in his writing; but sometimes wondering with Mr Turkin makes for a fun walk around.
