Nature lovers are sure to enjoy The Eight Master Lessons of Nature: What Nature Teaches Us About Living Well in the World, by Gary Ferguson. So should anyone worried by the global coronavirus pandemic and the dramatic changes in our world. People often see humans as outside of nature, rather than fundamentally connected to it. […]
Books
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s everybody reading?
During the weeks of staying home, hunkering down and keeping safe, people have binged on shows like “Tiger King,” created colorful paisley designs in adult coloring books, tried new recipes, exercised more and opened up a good book – or two or three. Reading is always the go-to activity no matter what is happening around […]
Posted inArts & Culture
U of I protests of the 1960s
Radicals in the Heartland: the 1960s Student Protest Movement at the University of Illinois by Michael V. Metz gives an insightful, well-documented analysis of events that shaped each year of the 1960s at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana campus. The account is juxtaposed against what was occurring nationwide regarding the Vietnam War, civil rights, freedom […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Roadside Americans
“I have hitchhiked a couple times. But that’s not why I wrote the book,” said Springfield native Jack Reid of his new book, Roadside Americans: The Rise and Fall of Hitchhiking in a Changing Nation. The nonfiction history was just featured on a list by Smithsonian Magazine of newly released titles to “read while you’re […]
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A murder mystery set in St. Louis
In addition to his writing career, William Stage’s personal biography includes a unique life. In addition to military service in Vietnam, Stage served with the United States Air Force Reserve during Operation Desert Storm. After graduation from college he was driving ambulances in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when he was recruited by the Centers for Disease […]
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Civil war letters
In Their Letters – In Their Words – Illinois Civil War Soldiers Write Home, by Mark Flotow. SIU Press, 2019, 302 pages, $26.50. May be purchased at Books on the Square, Barnes and Noble, online at SIU Press or at markflotow.net. What did the Civil War soldiers from Illinois write home about? Enlisting? Camp life? […]
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Rahm is not the best messenger for mayors
THE NATION CITY: Why Mayors Are Now Running the World, by Rahm Emanuel. Alfred A. Knopf, 2020. The 2020 campaign season is upon us in splendor and glory. It is remarkable for several reasons, including the presence of two former mayors in the political mix. The office of mayor has rarely been deemed a steppingstone […]
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Scientist in search of a spiritual higher power
A Spiritual Hypothesis: An Inquiry into Abnormal and Paranormal Behavior, by Daniel Punzak. 809 pages. AuthorHouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2017. Throughout recorded history, scientific minds have considered religious people to be superstitious. At the same time, those with spiritual feelings have considered science to be somewhat heretical. Now, Daniel Punzak, a Springfield resident, has published a […]
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“New power” is taking over the world
This fascinating book explains the shift from old power to new power and how this is impacting politics, business and everyday life. Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms describe “new power” as open, participatory, bottom-up and peer-driven. With new power, there is a belief in the wisdom of the crowd, transparency and a more open decision-making […]
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A parable for impeachment week
It looks like a children’s book with its colorful illustrations; it reads like a children’s book with its rhyming couplets. But look closer. It is obvious that Brent Bohlen’s The Parable of the Peacock: A Read-Aloud Picture Book for 2020 Voters is for adults. The blurb on the jacket says it’s “a satirical look at […]
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Guy Fawkes and you guys
Four hundred years ago “guy” referred to an arch-villain; today the word has come into common usage: “hey, guy,” “that guy” and “you guys.” Allan Metcalf, retired professor of English at MacMurray College, traces the story of Guy Fawkes and the evolution of the word “guy” through the centuries to its use as a second-person […]
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A gift guide for book lovers
Books, old and new, in all genres, from local writers and famous established authors, provide great holiday gifts. You can find many selections at Springfield historic site gift shops, including the Lincoln Home Visitor Center, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Dana-Thomas House or at a bookstore such as Books on the Square in […]
