Customer Reviews

A New History of Kentucky

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From the initial publication of _A History of Kentucky_ in 1937 to its final sixth edition in 1977 (and its subsequent reprinting in 1988), Thomas D. Clark has been the reigning Dean of Kentucky history. While in its time Clark's work represented a valuable contribution to understanding the commonwealth's past, by the 1990's its was clear that a fresh approach to the state's history was needed. Thus it is with great pleasure that students of Kentucky history now have Harrison and Klotter's comprehensive volume.

Those familiar with this region's historiography will find the authors familiar contributors to this state's historical literature; their collaboration is, therefore, a fortuitous combination of clear writing and scholarly expertise.

The book is divided into three parts: Kentucky before 1820; Kentucky, 1820-1865; and Kentucky after 1865. More than just a chronicle of familiar themes like frontier settlement, battles, agrarianism, and politics, this history covers social and cultural changes, economics, and urbanization. In addition, readers will appreciate the authors' excellent bibliography, a newly compiled and much needed addition to any Kentucky scholar's library. The bibliography alone is worth the price of the book.

The deficits of this book are few, although larger illustrations would have nicely enhanced a lively and informative text. Also, the authors coverage of the health care sciences in Kentucky is rather weak (an area often ignored and badly in need of considerable scholarly attention) and their failure to mention the important WPA monograph _Medicine and Its Development in Kentucky_ (1949) in their otherwise fine bibliography is an unfortunate oversight. Again, however, these are relatively minor matters.

This book has much in its favor. Its perspective is fresh and authoritative, its research thorough, and its coverage expansive. This would obviously make an excellent text for college-level courses in Kentucky history, but it should also be read and enjoyed by everyone interested in this most interesting of states

Focusing primarily on the intricacies of political history with occasional forays into the realm of socioeconomics, this book is notably dry. Because it covers several centuries in one not especially long volume, it doesn't seem to have been possible for the authors to describe any one topic in enough detail to really draw the reader in. The emphasis is almost completely on small details of elections and campaigns. The history of women and minorities is slotted in here and there, though this reader found it interesting that the authors feel the need to make a statement about the immorality of slavery while not feeling obliged to comment on the forcible taking of land from Native Americans. I would have liked to have seen a chapter on the natural environments and topography of the state so as to understand the ecosystems in which people have lived, but ecological history doesn't seem to have been an interest of the authors'. Overall, this is useful as an introductory volume but is really not what I'd call exciting or engaging. Perhaps the book's greatest fault is its dearth of useful maps. There's no good relief map and the maps overall are scanty and simplistic.

A welcome new history of the first state to be established west of the Appalachians, it is written in an engaging style. Each period of Kentucky's history is throughly covered. The index allows for a quick search of key events and persons. The book is very comprehensive overall. While the authors provide a "history from the bottom up" approach in that they look beyond just the "famous men" of the Commonwealth, other minorities are missing. My only criticism would be that the authors should have explored the impact of hispanic immigration into the state in the chapter covering the 1990's (this is a relatively recent phenomenon), as well as the incipient gay rights movement represented by the Fairness Alliance in Louisville. These are a part of social history that needed to be explored. Well, hopefully in the next edition of the book. Since this volume appeared, both of these subjects have received extensive coverage in the press. History is being made by both groups in the Blue Grass state as we go into 2000 and beyond, history for the next edition of "A New History of Kentucky"

As both an admirer of history and a person who traces his family ancestry back to Kentucky for well over 200 years, A New History of Kentucky provided hours upon hours of enjoyable reading. The book's easy-to-follow style means that it does not "read like a history text", and the modular design permits either a complete cover to cover read (as I did), or a more focused study of particular areas in history.

And without doubt, the book's focus on underlying, consistent themes throughout Kentucky's historical developments provides a higher level of utility and modern-day relevance than other texts on the state that I have studied, whether it be frontier-oriented nature of the people, the (unfortunate) lack of emphasis on education, power struggles between eastern and western regions, the interplay of Southern and Midwestern cultural elements, the effects of tobacco, the perennial dominance of Louisville, or many others. The sections covering modern political developments were particularly well-developed, and the last section - providing an integration of Kentucky's past with its needs for the future - was both highly uplifting and of critical urgency.

I took a class at Morehead State University entitled "History of Kentucky", and this book was chosen as one of the textbooks. We weren't required to read the entire text, using it as more of a reference than anything else, but I opted to slog through the entire book nonetheless. There's an incredible amount of information about Kentucky, starting with pre-history and continuing to the present day. As one review already stated, the book is a bit dry. I guess you'd have to expect that from a comprehensive academic text such as this. You must have more than a passing interest in the state to get enjoyment from it, but I heartily recommend this purchase to all Kentuckians interested in the development of their state.

This book was shipped exactally as stated in the description. I would do business with seller again if needed.

I was excited to read a new history of Kentucky, but I was VERY disappointed with the efforts of Harrison/Klotter. While the two historians are well-known and well-respected, they did an unfortunate job in telling the history of Kentucky. They have done what any good historian will not do, judged the past by the present, in assuming that Kentucky, in the past, was comparable to Kentucky today. It saddens me to think that the children of Kentucky will grow up reading this book, and one that I fear robs them of their history and heritage. The book does nothing for Kentucky!

Spohie a thirteen-year-old girl goes on a sailing trip all summer. Her adoption-mother is worried sick about her while she is gone. She goes with her two adoptive cousins and her three adoptive uncles. They are sailing from America to Ireland to get to her grandpa Bompie's house. They make it to Bompie's house and Bompie tells them his stories from when he was a child.

On a scale from 1-10 I would give this book a 7 because it is about her life. It is a very good book. It has good details and strong words. This book has intresting characters and good settings that a lot of books don't have. I would recommend this book for kids the ages 8-12 years of age.