Alabama Books

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: The American Classic, in Words and Photographs, of Three Tenant Families in the Deep South

James Agee, Walker Evans

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Artists, A-Z -> ( D-F ) -> Evans, Walker
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Just what kind of book is Let Us Now Praise Famous Men? It contains many things: poems; confessional reveries; disquisitions on the proper way to listen to Beethoven; snippets of dialogue, both real and imagined; a lengthy response to a survey from the Partisan Review; exhaustive catalogs of furniture, clothing, objects, and smells. And then there are Walker Evans's famously stark portraits of depression-era sharecroppers--photographs that both stand apart from and reinforce James Agee's words.

Assigned to do a story for Fortune magazine about sharecroppers in the Deep South, Agee and Evans spent four weeks living with a poor white tenant family, winning the Burroughs's trust and immersing themselves in a sharecropper's daily existence. Given a first draft of the resulting article, the editors at Fortune quite understandably threw up their hands--as did several other editors who subsequently worked with a later book-length manuscript. The writing was contrary. It refused to accommodate itself to the reader, and at times it positively bristled with hostility. (What other book could take Marx as the epigraph and then announce: "These words are quoted here to mislead those who will be misled by them"?) Response to the book was puzzled or unfriendly, and Let Us Now Praise Famous Men sputtered out of print only a few short years after its publication. It took the 1960s, and a vogue for social justice, to bring Agee's masterwork the audience it deserved.

Yet the book is far more interesting--aesthetically and morally--than the sort of guilty-liberal tract for which it is often mistaken. On an existential level, Agee's text is a deeply felt examination of what it means to suffer, to struggle to live in spite of suffering. On a personal level, it is the painful, beautifully written portrait of one man's obsession. In its collaboration with Evans's photographs, the book is also a groundbreaking experiment in form. In the end, however, it is more than merely the sum of its parts. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men is, quite simply, a book unlike any other, simmering with anger and beauty and mystery. --Mary Park

Hiking Alabama, 3rd: A Guide to Alabama's Greatest Hiking Adventures (State Hiking Series)

Joe Cuhaj

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Hiking Alabama 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

We have researched hiking books and bought some but this is the BEST we've found yet. It's very detailed and reader friendly. The maps are great!! If you want a GREAT hiking guide, buy this one. The biggest help throughout the book is the fact that you are given "ratings" of diffuculty and the mileage. Believe it or not, there are guides out there that do give give these 2 basic pieces of very much needed information.

Editorial Review:

The premier guide to over 48 of the greatest hikes in the state. This one-of-a-kind guide to the "State of Surprises" takes hikers to the summits of the last of the Appalachian Mountain chain, the deep and wild canyons and rivers of Central Alabama, and the pristine white beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Walk along the beaches of Gulf Shores with a variety of endangered species of wildlife, visit towering waterfalls at the Sipsey Wilderness, climb the rocky cliffs of the highest mountain in the state, Cheaha Mountain. Revised and updated, Hiking Alabama takes readers to these and many more of the state's hidden hiking destinations, giving them a most unique look into the state's history, culture, and its incredible beauty. Inside hikers will find: detailed maps, accurate route profiles showing the ups and downs of each hike, tips on equipment, trip planning, hiking with dogs and children, accurate directions, difficulty ratings, trail contacts, and more.

Alabama Off the Beaten Path, 8th (Off the Beaten Path Series)

Gay N. Martin

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Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> Regions -> South -> East South Central
Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> States -> Alabama

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great book! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I found so many exciting things to see and do in Alabama thanks to this book that I decided to take a vacation there. I also really enjoyed the author's style and insights.

Great book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very good book, nice to see all the things we have here in Alabama. Good book to have to plan a vacation.

Wonderful! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We have used this book extensively and turned up all kinds of hidden treasures and places.

Editorial Review:

Led by this guide, locals and visitors alike will discover offbeat attractions such as the Old Monroe Courthouse, historic Heritage Park, the Boll Weevil Monument, and the Slick Lizard Smokehouse.

Alabama Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series)

Andy Duncan

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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> State & Local -> Alabama
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fun Read! Odd But True Facts About Alabama! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Even if you're an Alabama native, you're sure to learn some fun new facts about the state! Fun to read and a great source of ideas for unusual vacation destinations!

YES, THEY ARE TRUE...AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is just a killer compilation of qirky stuff in Alabama, stuff I didnt even know! and i've been here for 33 years. Screw those 'Off the Beaten Path Books' just go for the roadside oddities books instead.

Alabama Curiosities 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A "Can't Put It Down" kind of book. Gave one as a gift and it almost broke up that marriage! Lots of facinating stuff. A great investment. Be ready to get hooked.

Editorial Review:

Discover Alabama's curious underside with this oddly entertaining little guide! Travelers with a taste for the bizarre, tacky, and hilarious can visit the Coon Dog Cemetery, learn about the cattle-mutilation mystery, view the world's largest boll weevil, and feast on Drunken Chicken (marinated in Schlitz). Only a true Southerner could capture the essence of these and other authentic Alabama phenomena, and Andy Duncan does his home state proud.

Alabama Atlas and Gazetteer (Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Good detailed maps! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I wanted to get this atlas, especially to help us find places to go camping and hiking.. It's not always easy to find campgrounds or primitive campsites (since they're not always located in clearly identified campgrounds), so having these detailed maps is very useful for that. We recently used the atlas when we camped in the Catskill Mountains region, and I was glad we had these maps to help us out.

Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

These are fantastic maps! I have several others, and use them quite often. I don't know of another one that will be better than this one.

Editorial Review:

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about a State! These Atlas & Gazetteer Books give you detailed geographical information, GPS grids, complete travelways for fishing and hunting areas (indexed by type of game), hiking, canoeing... even seaplane routes, for Pete's sake! Large 11 x 15 1/2" soft cover books, most topographical. Select State. *Note- Florida, Maine, Michigan and Ohio are Non-topographical maps (elevations not shown) but with same information otherwise. Atlas & Gazetteer

Moundville (Alabama The Forge of History)

John Blitz

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> History & Criticism -> Regional -> Native American
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> Native American -> General
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> Native American -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

This is an inaugural pocket guide from our new series of illustrated guidebooks.In the 13th century, Moundville was one of the largest Native American settlements north of Mexico. Spread over 325 acres were 29 earthen mounds arranged around a great plaza, a mile-long stockade, and hundreds of dwellings for thousands of people. Moundville, in size and complexity second only to the Cahokia site in Illinois, was a heavily populated town, as well as a political and religious center.Moundville was sustained by tribute of food and labor provided by the people who lived in the nearby floodplain as well as other smaller mound centers. The immediate area appears to have been thickly populated, but by about A.D. 1350, Moundville retained only ceremonial and political functions. A decline ensued, and by the 1500s the area was abandoned. By the time the first Europeans reached the Southeast in the 1540s, the precise links between Moundville's inhabitants and what became the historic Native American tribes had become a mystery.Illustrated with 50 color photos, maps, and figures, "Moundville" tells the story of the ancient people who lived there, the modern struggle to save the site from destruction, and the scientific saga of the archaeologists who brought the story to life. "Moundville" is the book to read before, during, or after a visit to Alabama's prehistoric metropolis."Alabama, The Forge Of History" is designed for general readers, this new series will publish richly illustrated guidebooks to Alabama's premier historical sites prepared by experts in their field. Future publications include guidebooks to the sites of the Creek War of 1812-1814, Birmingham area iron and steel industry sites, the USS Alabama, and the Alabama Capitol complex.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Birmingham: Including Tuscaloosa, Sipsey Wilderness, Talladega National Forest, and Shelby County

Russell Helms

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Subjects -> Travel -> United States -> Regions -> South -> East South Central

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Finally! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

As a new citizen to Birmingham I was anxious to explore the city and its surroundings. After conquering the trails of Oak Mountain, Ruffner Mountain and Little River, I was eager to move on to bigger, better more!
A good compilation of local trails in detail. The difficult choice now is which one do I tackle next weekend?

Portico Birmingham Magazine 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

From our local publisher, Menasha Ridge Press, this is a welcome book for all nature-lovers in Birmingham. You'll find rural and urban hikes, wildlife hikes, historic hikes and more. There are ample illustrations and the book is attractive enough to lure you out of the house to get out and make use of the great weather we enjoy neary year-round (the dog-days of July and August not included).

Editorial Review:

Part of Menasha's premier series of city hiking guides, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Birmingham profiles the area's best day hikes within roughly an hour's drive of the Birmingham metro area. Whereas many urban areas farther north experience defined hiking seasons, Birmingham’s moderate winter climate encourages hiking year-round. Helpful list of hikes in the front of the book for special interests — best hikes for children, scenic hikes, hikes good for wildlife viewing or seeing waterfalls, best hikes with historic sites and more — make it easy to select the perfect hike for trekkers of all skill levels.

Great Eastern RV Trips: A Year-Round Guide to the Best Rving in the East

Janet Groene, Gordon Groene

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

not much rv specific information 2 out of 5 stars.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This books is entitled "great eastern rv trips". however, the book does not contain much rv specific information. I think a general tourist book would cover the material that they cover better.

Editorial Review:

Guaranteed to stir wanderlust, these 20 enticing seasonal adventures steer travelers from apple butter festivals in autumnal New England to candlelit caroling for Charistmas in Colonial Willaimsburg, and more. The Groenes, longtime, fulltime Rvers, have written a guide with the comfort, needs, and concerns of RVers in mind.

Fishing the Local Waters: Gulf Shores to Panama City (Fishing the Local Waters series)

Jim Hoskins

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Subjects -> Outdoors & Nature -> Outdoor Recreation -> Fishing -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Two local fishermen share their favorite spots and special techniques in this tackle-box sized guide to angling in Florida's gulf coast waters. From inland jaunts to shore fishing to a day trip on a boat, the chapters cover everything a tourist or curious local needs for a fruitful outing. Information on the best bait, tackle, and methods are included, as are important safety tips, maps showing choice fishin' holes, and local recipes for cooking up the catch of the day. LORAN coordinates to more than 50 proven spots to drop a line are included, and a directory of fishing businesses on the Emerald Coast completes this angling guide.

And Their Children After Them: The Legacy of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

Dale Maharidge

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"A stunning sequel to the James AgeeWalker Evans' classic, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. It is at times astonishing, at all times deeply moving."-Studs Terkel

"A book that reaches into this country's heart of darkness. . . . A tragically human story more telling than a thousand polls. The photographs by Mr. Williamson are eloquent."-Herbert Mitgang, New York Times

"Mr. Williamson's photos are spellbinding and should become instant classics."-John Elvin, Washington Times

In this paperback reissue, an author/photographer team returns to the land and families captured in James Agee and Walker Evans's inimitable masterwork Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, extending the project of conscience and chronicling the traumatic decline of King Cotton. In 1936, during a brief window of national attention to the topic, Fortune magazine commissioned from Agee and Evans a story on poverty among tenant farmers in Alabama. Agee was famously ambivalent in his role, calling himself a spy and ultimately delivering a book-length manuscript unpublishable in magazine form. With this continuation of Agee and Evans's work, Maharidge and Williamson not only uncover some surprising historical secrets relating to the families and to Agee himself, but also effectively lay to rest Agee's fear that his work, from lack of reverence or resilience, would be but another offense to the humanity of its subjects.

Williamson's 90-part photo essay includes updates alongside Evans' classic originals.

Dale Maharidge (Homeland, Journey to Nowhere) has been a visiting professor of journalism at Columbia University and Stanford, and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1998.

Michael Williamson is a photographer for the Washington Post who won a second Pulitzer for his coverage of the war in Kosovo.