New Releases by James Lincoln Collier

Discusses attitudes and events that led up to the Civil War, particularly the institution of slavery.

Discusses the events and personalities that shaped this country, from the hotly contested election of 1800 that brought Thomas Jefferson into office through the westward expansion to the War of 1812 and James Madison''s presidency.

Johnny made a promise to his father, who was wounded fighting for the South. He promised to take care of the family and not run off to fight. Without Pa, Johnny’s family can barely scrape by. But when there’s an offer to take his mules and wagon on a bold mission to supply the Rebel troops, Johnny can’t resist. Then he’s captured by a Yankee—Cush, a runaway slave. Johnny doesn’t like taking orders from a black. But he’s got no choice. He’s bound for prison camp, tormented by his broken promise and wondering what will become of his family and himself.

Traces the rags-to-riches career of the clarinetist and his role in popularizing jazz music in the post-Depression 1930s, assesses his elusive personality, and reevaluates dozens of his landmark recordings

In this book the author debunks two myths which he believes have distorted both the nature of American culture and the process by which jazz evolved from a local New Orleans music into a national and international phenomenon. The first myth is that jazz, a music of the black ghetto, was either ignored or deprecated by the American people, with the exception of a handful of enlightened white critics and musicians. The second myth is that it was first taken seriously by Europeans. The chief topics addressed in the six essays are the favorable reception of jazz, both live and recorded, by some segments of the American listening and dancing public, even from the very beginning; jazz journalism between 1925 and 1940 in both Europe and the United States; the contributions of some early and unjustly forgotten American writers (Abbe Niles, Carl Van Vechten, R. D. Darrell); the works of Robert Goffin and Hugues Panassié; and the actual conditions of the reception of American jazz performers in Europe. The author concludes that there were a great many Americans who liked jazz from the beginning, that the European critics do not deserve their reputation, that the idea that American performers were appreciated more in Europe than in their own country is a case of mass deception, and that the primary responsibility for creating the myth of European priority in the appreciation of jazz was the American political left.

Carrie has been a kitchen slave in Sam Fraunces''s tavern in New York City for as long as she can remember. But after she narrowly escapes a kidnapper, Carrie becomes more curious about her mysterious past. After all, she doesn''t even know her own last name. When her friend Dan Arabus comes to town, he talks about his dream of buying his mother''s freedom with the Continental notes his father left him. Deciding to help Dan discover how much the notes are worth, Carrie finds herself eavesdropping on Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and President Washington himself. What''s more, Carrie also stumbles upon the startling truth about her own family.

Young people search for hominids on another planet similar to Earth and experience all the dangers Earth possessed in prehistoric times.

Describes string and wind instruments easily assembled from household items which are not only fun to play but also demonstrate basic music theory.