Bøger udgivet af Parke Press

Nowhere do we learn more about history - as it actually happened - than from letters. This newly discovered trove of letters home by Louisiana-born Paul Mimms Potts, Jr., in Europe during World War I, are naturally full of love and longing, the universal substance of soldiers' letters home. But additionally, this V.M.I-educated young aviator describes in detail his education and development as a flyer, creating a narrative which parallels the rapidly evolving aviation experiment by the U.S. Air Service. The "Foggiani," an elite band of American Expeditionary Force flyers in Italy, also included Fiorello La Guardia, then a U. S. Congressman. Some of their exploits and adventures, as well as near-misses, are revealed in these letters to Shirley which, although censored for critical war information, permit us a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of these plucky flyers. Discovered by Lt. Potts' daughter, Marion Potts Clayton, these letters had lain unread by anyone but his wife since the War. Encouraged by her husband, Howard, Mrs. Clayton has now made these letters available to everyone interested in the history of the aviation industry or the U.S. role in World War I.

This memoir by George Benjamin West, compiled and edited by Parke Rouse, Jr., offers us a young man's personal story centered around the wartime occupation by United States Army troops on the Virginia Peninsula. The narrative's events are the true experiences of West, about 22 years old when the conflict began in April 1861. His middle-aged recounting of youthful exploits and the war-related travails of his family offer the reader details of Virginia domestic life during the war - Southern at war's outbreak, but soon occupied by Union troops for the duration. For most Peninsula residents, the Union troops were invaders whose mission was to change the status quo in ways both important and trivial. West also describes life in Newport News during postwar Reconstruction, which was a time of upheaval and, for many, much opportunity. We still have much to learn about those changes.

Hal Sacks, 30-year Book Review Editor for the biweekly Jewish News of Southeastern Virginia, has penned reviews on books with themes of politics, history, Israel and the Holocaust that are enlightening, comprehensive and, best of all, understandable. His reviews of memoirs and biographies manage to vividly portray the subjects' lives. And Hal knows his way around the kitchen, so his takes on cookbooks are written from a cook's perspective! When it comes to his fiction reviews, he deftly offers just enough details to entice readers, and yet not enough to spoil the fun of the read. Not one to shy away from opinion, Hal has also written essays and articles on topics dear to his heart, several of which we have also included. Because these reviews were initially written for a Jewish audience, most have some sort of a Jewish connection, i.e., the author or topic, but not all. This really is a book for everyone.