The current economic crisis we now find ourselves in are a reminder that we are not invincible. No matter how high we climb as a nation, we should always remember that it takes just one slip to fall. We have had many slips in the past few years. But the troubles we now have aren't our first big stumble. The stock market crash of 1929 put millions out of work, huge sums of money seemed to just disappear, and the entire world spiraled into a terrible depression. Sound familiar? We can only hope that the situation we are in doesn't get so bad, even though it doesn't look promising. But one thing hard times does is to force people to try a little harder to get the job done. The Depression demanded a lot of our leaders at that time, and some met the task, and the demands, head on. The foremost of these leaders was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many of his contemporaries thought him to be shallow, not up to the task at hand, and somewhat inexperienced, even though he was governor of New York prior to his election as president. I believe he proved his critics wrong, and surprised his surporters with his decision making and leadership abilities. There is a familiar ring to this as well, as we have just elected a president many believe to be too inexperienced, and an unproven leader as well. I pray that he steps up to the plate as FDR did.
Conrad Black has written an excellent book about FDR titled "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom". He has gone into the most minute detail about FDR's upbringing, education, early career in politics and business, his polio affliction and recovery, and his career as governor and president. It is a big book, nearly 1300 pages, but so far (I'm about half way through ) it is worth the struggle. Much has been written about FDR, but this is the most information about him I have seen in one volume. Conrad Black does a good job of being objective. There is no hero worship here. He gives a good deal of the dirt, but he is fair, and treats his subject with the respect he deserves. The good with the bad.
Abook that was just released in September 2008 that I want to get is "The Forever War", by David Filkins. It is a first person account of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with some history of the Afghan-Soviet war and Al-Qaeda thrown in. I heard the book reviewed and the author interveiwed on NPR a couple of weeks ago. I thik it will be a good read.
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Found your link through our mutual blogging friend the Ga Mtn Man and Beyond.
ReplyDeleteRon Rash's NY times featured and Pub Weekly top ten for 2008, novel Serena is a must read for you; about timber industry in WNC in 30's
And I think you'll like the collection of essays Our Lincoln, by Foner.
Sfox
Lived in Hayesville 59-62; in Bama now
Thanks for the references. It is funny that you should recomend a novel obut the timber industry in the area. I am extremely interested in industry of western NC in general, and the timber industry in particular. My grandfather was a logger/sawmiller in the '20's, '30's, and '40's, in northeast Ga. Logged with oxen and mules, and later on with a steam genie.
ReplyDeleteLincoln is my favorite pres. I am always looking for anything about him, so I will check this out. Thanks.
I had an aunt that lived in Hayseville, from the early '50's 'til she passed in 2005, I believe. She actually lived in Shooting Creek, or as we say in the mountains, Shootin' Creek. She and her husband ran a store for several years in Shooting Creek, I think it closed sometime around '62 or '63.