The Frontiersmen

I am currently reading The Frontiersmen by Allan W Eckert. It is a "narrative history" of the opening of Kentucky and the great Northwest Territory -- Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota -- during the period 1755 to 1836, through events of the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. It is the first of six in the series titled "The Winning of America."
Allan W. Eckert is a historian, naturalist, novelist, poet, screenwriter, and playwright. Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but has been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended university. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous distinguished books for children and adults. Seven of his books have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in literature. One of his novels tells how the Great Auk went extinct.
Eckert has sparked controversy with his "hidden dialogue" technique. After many years of research on a topic, he has felt free to recreate historical conversations and thoughts in what some critics have considered to be "an entertaining blend of fact and fiction" purporting to be a straight biography. His colorful evocations of history have been praised as more accessible than drier, more strictly factual, accounts. I enjoy his writing, and do not quibble about whether the speaker actually used those exact words.

You can learn more at his website.

The Frontiersmen is one of numerous books written by Eckert that have been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Here is a list of all his books:

1. The Writer's Digest Course in Article Writing, 1962
2. The Great Auk, 1963
3. A Time of Terror: The Great Dayton Flood, 1965
4. *The Silent Sky:The Incredible Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, 1965
5. The Writer's Digest Course in Short Story Writing, 1965
6. Wild Season, 1967
7. The Frontiersmen, 1967
8. Bayou Backwaters, 1967
9. *The Crossbreed, 1968
10. Blue Jacket: War Chief of the Shawnees, 1968
11. *The King Snake, 1968
12. *The Dreaming Tree, 1968
13. Wilderness Empire, 1968
14. In Search of a Whale, 1969
15. The Conquerors, 1970
16. Incident at Hawk's Hill, 1971
17. *The Court-Martial of Daniel Boone, 1973
18. The Owls of North America, 1973
19. *Tecumseh!, 1975
20. *The HAB Theory, 1976
21. The Wilderness War, 1978
22. The Wading Birds of North America, 1978
23. *Savage Journey, 1979
24. *Song of the Wild, 1980
25. Whattizzit?, 1981
26. Gateway to Empire, 1982
27. *Johnny Logan: Shawnee Spy, 1982
28. *The Dark Green Tunnel, 1983
29. *The Wand, 1984
30. *The Scarlet Mansion, 1985
31. *Earth Treasures - Northeastern Quadrant, 1985
32. *Earth Treasures - Southeastern Quadrant, 1985
33. *Earth Treasures - Northwestern Quadrant, 1986
34. *Earth Treasures - Southwestern Quadrant, 1987
35. Twilight Of Empire, 1988
36. A Sorrow in Our Heart:: The Life of Tecumseh, 1992
37. That Dark and Bloody River: Chronicles of the Ohio River Valley, 1995
38. The World of Opals, 1997
39. Return to Hawk's Hill, 1998

The Lincoln's Favorite Kid

The Lincoln family as represented at the new Lincoln museum in Springfield. Tad is the youngest of the Lincoln's four boys, and the one you hear the most about, mainly because of his antics in the White House. (see my previous blog post) Robert, the oldest, was more of a Todd than a Lincoln, and never really developed much of a relationship with his father.
The second child, Eddie, died a month before his fourth birthday. The Lincolns described him as a warm-hearted, loving child.It was the Lincoln's third child, William Wallace, called Willie, that I believe was their most special gift. The development of the railroads allowed Lincoln to spend the weekends at home with his kids, and he became very fond of Willie. Once, after watching Willie solve an interpersonal problem, Lincoln remarked that he (Lincoln) solved problems the same way. Those who knew the boy considered him intelligent, generous, and kind.
Willie was described as being "of great mental activity, unusual intelligence, wonderful memory, methodical, frank and loving, a counterpart of his father, save that he was handsome." Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote: “He was an avid reader, a budding writer, and generally sweet-tempered, all reminiscent of his father.”


Willie tragically died of typhoid fever at age 11. Abraham said, "My poor boy. He was too good for this earth. God has called him home. I know that he is much better off in heaven, but then we loved him so. It is hard, hard to have him die!"

A Day at the Zoo

Here are some photos of this mornings trip to the zoo.

General Grant & Sherman - The Trees

Grant fought Sherman in the 1860's for the honor of being the biggest tree in the world. General Grant was discovered in 1862 in what was to become Kings Canyon National Park, and 17 years later General Sherman was discovered, and dominated what was to be Sequoia National Park.

In 1921 a team of surveyors were hired to settle the question of which was the bigger giant. Sherman's 274 feet, and greater overall greater volume, compared to Grant's 267 feet, makes it not only the champion between the two, but the biggest living thing is the whole world.

Green and White Day

The basketball Boys move to the National championship game!
Unbelievable
Earlier we watched the baseball team sweep Northwestern in the first games at the new McLane Stadium. To make things even better, East Lansing's own, Nolan Moody, threw a complete game no-hitter.
Unbelievable

Some more photos from the game.........

Oh, the Places We've Gone!

We have just updated our map of North and Central America. The black lines are roads that Leslie and Tom traveled together, while the brown lines are Leslie solo, and the blue lines are Tom solo. If you double click on the maps they get larger.

Not All My Heroes Have Been Cowboys

This is a photographic tribute to my all time favorite ball player: Ryne Sandberg. To learn more about him go here. My prediction for the 2009 baseball season follow the photos.

From that rookie year as a Phillie to that first year as a skinny 3rd baseman, to getting moved to 2nd base, and becoming the all time best at that position, to the MVP season of 1984, to the rest of a Hall of Fame career, and now managing in the minors, first at Peoria, and this year with the Tennessee Smokies, and hopefully soon with the Cubs.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am.
Ryne Sandberg

I was in awe every time I walked on to the field.
Ryne Sandberg

I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform.
Ryne Sandberg

Predictions for 2009
National League
East
1. Mets: No choke this year
2. Phillies: Almost impossible to repeat
3. Braves: Improved, could be a factor
4. Florida: good young pitching, but not ready yet
5. Nationals: at the bottom and staying there
Central
1. Cubs: They win for 3rd year in a row, but it is close
2. Cardinals: The rivalry really heats up this year
3. Reds: Improving despite Dusty
4. Brewers: They had their chance last year
5. Pirates: Up out of last place, a baby step
6. Astros: One great pitcher, and nobody else
West
1. Dodgers: Manny makes the difference
2. Giants: Good pitching overcomes everything else
3. Rockies: The surprise team of the league
4. Diamondbacks: Everything falls apart for them
5. Padres: Worst team and without hopeful signs
American League
East
1. Yankees: Order is restored in the baseball world
2.Red Sox: This race goes right down to the wire
3. Rays: Good again, but fade in August
4. Orioles: Have a good year, just in the wrong division
5. Blue Jays: Not enough pitching to compete
Central
1. Indians: They are good every other year, 2 ex Cubs help
2. Twins: They always find a way with sound fundamentals
3. Tigers: Just too many question marks with pitching
4. Royals: Watch out could really put it together
5. White Sox: Where all Cubs fans put them
West
1. Angels: Should cruise easily again
2. Athletics: Added the missing pieces, its possible
3. Texas: Best bats, worst pitching
4. Mariners: A lot better, but still in last place