An original study of monuments to the civil rights movement and African American history that have been erected in the U.S. South over the past three decades; this powerful work explores how commemorative structures have been used to assert the presence of black Americans in contemporary Southern society. The author cogently argues that these public memorials; ranging from the famous to the obscure; have emerged from; and speak directly to; the regionrsquo;s complex racial politics since monument builders have had to contend with widely varied interpretations of the African American past as well as a continuing presence of white supremacist attitudes and monuments.
#382825 in eBooks 2009-03-06 2010-01-26File Name: B0017SUYPA
Review
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. is one of the best books Ive ever readBy CustomerThis. too. is one of the best books Ive ever read.. It gives a blow-by-blow account of the making of a violin. but also one can learn about the characters of Sam Zygmuntowicz of Brooklyn. NY (the luthier). Eugene Drucker (of the Emerson Quartet). the intended recipient. and of Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. the best known luthier ;2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. An Engaging Look at the World of LuthiersBy Marooned72Ive only just started playing the violin so I am a neophyte in this arena. but Ive always been taken by the craftsmanship it takes to construct this instrument. John Marchese takes the reader through an enjoyable journey into the world of the luthier. those from the 1700s and today. The heart of the book is Marcheses experience with one renowned luthier who takes on a job building a new violin for a legendary performer. one who is extremely picky. Along the way. the author gives us the history of the violin. the men who made their craft famous and even a city which is indelibly linked to the instrument.I have to admit. I was concerned that Marchese would delve too much into the history of music. and I was not looking forward to a music appreciation class. However. this thankfully was not the case as the story moves along. providing just enough historical perspective to paint the perfect backdrop to move the narrative forward. Perhaps my only complaint is that after getting all the way to the end of the book and the actual finish to the violin build things felt rushed. Its almost as if the author got tired at this point and decided to wrap it up. Maybe Im being too harsh. but the sense of this is the only thing that kept me from giving it a five-star rating.Ultimately. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves violin music (or violins or just music) or reading about true craftsmen at work.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Good ReadBy B.P.I love reading about craftsmanship on any level. and I thought this book helped capture the essence of searching for that level of skill and accomplish that truly fine craftsmen search for. I also thought the looking back at Stradivarius was insightful. as was the artists final opinion of the violin that was made for him. A quick read. but very well written.
