After the Civil War, freed Black people were looking for a place to call their own. They had heard of Bleeding Kansas' fight against slavery and trave
After the Civil War, freed Black people were looking for a place to call their own. They had heard of Bleeding Kansas' fight against slavery and traveled where they could own a piece of land and make a life for themselves and their families.
I was wanting more from this book, but by page nine, I knew the author couldn't be a Kansan and wouldn't be able to do the story justice. I checked his bio to find he lived in New York City. I'm sure he can write authoritatively about New York, but it takes a Kansan to understand Kansas.
As one of the interviewed members of Nicodemus said, after living in Denver, Colorado, and Washington, D. C., "I came back to be close to my family and to be close to the land. There's an affinity to the land even if you don't farm. When you live in a rural area like western Kansas, you know you are a part of this planet, Earth, something larger than yourself. That love of the land and the open skies, coupled with the strong heritage of Nicodemus, compelled me to return."
The history and background of the town were necessary to understand Nicodemus, but the interviews of the Nicodemus citizens were the best part of the book. I wish they'd been expanded. There is much more to tell than this slim book relates.
Another person of Nicodemus said, "This land has meaning for me. It's around me and in me; it still speaks back to me." That was the story I wanted to read. I hope, someday, someone from Nicodemus will attempt to tell the story of their town, land, and people. ...more
Adler's fun, quirky book gave me flashbacks to the '60s and '70s, with his choice of font styles and page layouts. It certainly lives up to its name aAdler's fun, quirky book gave me flashbacks to the '60s and '70s, with his choice of font styles and page layouts. It certainly lives up to its name as the interior designs are vibrant with color. This is unlikely the book in which most homeowners would find meaningful design advice, but it's an entertaining read and the photos are luscious. And, now, I'll start calling tan neutrals "chambeige."...more
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