In the early 1900s, Huntsville, Alabama, had more spindles than any other city in the South. Cotton fields and mills made the city a major competitor in the textile industry. Entire mill villages sprang up around the factories to house workers and their families. Many of these village buildings are now iconic community landmarks, such as the revitalized Lowe Mill arts facility and the Merrimack Mill Village Historic District. The "lintheads," a demeaning moniker villagers wore as a badge of honor, were hard workers. Their lives were fraught with hardships, from slavery and child labor to factory fires and shutdowns. They endured job-related injuries and illnesses, strikes and the Great Depression. Author Terri L. French details the lives, history and legacy of the workers.

From boot-legging to ghosts and everything in between, this collection of stories shows the other side of Huntsville and its development in unexpected ways. Utilizing illustrations and advertisements, anecdotes and stories, Tom Carney has created a virtual time machine that doesn't always land where you would expect it.

Cormac McCarthy's first novel, The Orchard Keeper, won the William Faulkner Award. His other books - Outer Dark, Child of God, Suttree, and Blood Meridian - have drawn a cult readership and the praise of such writers as Annie Dillard and Shelby Foote. "There are so many people out there who seem to have a hunger to know more about McCarthy's work," says McCarthy scholar Vereen Bell. Helping to satisfy such a need, this collection of essays, one of the few critical studies of Cormac McCarthy, introduces his work and lays the groundwork for study of an important but underrecognized American novelist, winner in 1992 of the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award for All the Pretty Horses. The essays explore McCarthy's historical and philosophical sources, grapple with the difficult task of identifying the moral center in his works, and identify continuities in his fiction. Included too is a bibliography of works by and about him. As they reflect critical perspectives on the works of this eminent writer, these essays afford a pleasing introduction to all his novels and his screenplay, "The Gardener's Son."

Harriette Arnow’s search for truth as early American settlers knew it began as a child—the old songs, handed-down stories, and proverbs that colored her world compelled her on a journey that informs her depiction of the Cumberland River Valley in Kentucky and Tennessee. Arnow drew from court records, wills, inventories, early newspapers, and unpublished manuscripts to write Seedtime on the Cumberland, which chronicles the movement of settlers away from the coast, as well as their continual refinement of the “art of pioneering.” A companion piece, this evocative history covers the same era, 1780–1803, from the first settlement in what was known as “Middle Tennessee” to the Louisiana Purchase. When Middle Tennessee was the American frontier, the men and women who settled there struggled for survival, land, and human dignity. The society they built in their new home reflected these accomplishments, vulnerabilities, and ambitions, at a time when America was experiencing great political, industrial, and social upheaval.

Huntsville is a city rich in contrasts, an intriguing blend of the historic Old South and the dynamic New South of today. Historic Huntsville: A City of New Beginnings explores this fascinating region and its rise from a frontier settlement to a center for space-age achievement. Writing with style, wit, and affection, author Elise Hopkins Stephens depicts Huntsville's history through scholarly research as well as through the memories of those who lived it. The author distills a wealth of information into a lively narrative sparked with colorful anecdotes and an obvious love of the area. Settled by rugged frontiersmen like John Hunt, and aristocratic families like the Popes who came "lock, stock, and sterling silverware" from Georgia, Huntsville had its roots in contrast, thriving on the traditions of red-blooded squatters and blue-blooded squires. Here the author traces the growth years of antebellum Huntsville and the dizzying fluctuations of the cotton economy; the pathos of the war years and the personal conflicts of those who sought simply to do what was right; the rise of the textile industry and the struggles of black and white, rich and poor, to forge a new social order. World War II and the defense industry brought dramatic changes to the area, and foretold of an exciting future as scientists of the stature of Wernher von Braun, like a new aristocracy of intellect, settled in this city of the Old South. Hundreds of illustrations bring Huntsville's past to life, while a portfolio of brilliant color photographs focuses on contemporary views of the city. Biographies of many of Huntsville's businesses and organizations are highlighted in a special chapter entitled "Chronicles of Leadership," detailing their contributions to Huntsville. An illustrated timeline of significant events further enhances the text and puts it all in perspective. For both longtime residents, newcomers and friends of Huntsville everywhere, this is a volume to be treasured. It presents a uniquely comprehensive and insightful view of Huntsville, a city rich in heritage and bright with promise. Historic Huntsville: A City of New Beginnings is a book not only to inform but to delight readers for generations to come. Book jacket.

The issues for which Katharine Dexter McCormick (1874-1967) fought are as important today as they were seventy-five years ago: birth control, sex education, abortion, equal pay for equal work, and freedom from sexual harassment. She was a driving force in the battle for the women's vote, the formation of the Women's League of Voters, the creation of Planned Parenthood, and the development of the birth control pill. McCormick stepped forward when others were afraid to act, and her unflagging fidelity to the cause made possible the social, political, and scientific achievements that today mark the difference between misery and opportunity for millions of women. Although she was born into a world of privilege with many intellectual talents, McCormick's life was not without its significant challenges. Many of the issues to which she devoted her life remain controversial and are still under attack by their opponents. Due to her modesty, McCormick neither sought nor received public accolades during her lifetime. Nonetheless, her long-time crusades and achievements revolutionized the role of women, not only in America, but throughout the world. Scientist, humanitarian, and lifelong champion of women's rights, her determination and commitment provide a pattern to inspire women today and tomorrow.

Learn the key techniques and strategies for writing haiku in English from acclaimed haiku poet, teacher, and translator Michael Dylan Welch. This book emphasizes the most effective targets for haiku poetry, ones that are usually not taught in schools. There's more to haiku, and less, than you might think. This concise book provides just the information you need to learn the art of haiku and to start becoming a haiku poet. About the Author Michael Dylan Welch has published his essays, reviews, translations, haiku, and other poetry in hundreds of journals and anthologies, and has won numerous awards for his work. He has served for many years as vice president of the Haiku Society of America, and served two terms as poet laureate of Redmond, Washington, where he also curates two poetry reading series. Michael also cofounded the Haiku North America conference (1991) and the American Haiku Archives (1996), founded the Tanka Society of America (2000), and started National Haiku Writing Month in 2010 (www.nahaiwrimo.com and on Facebook). Visit his personal website, devoted mostly to haiku, at www.graceguts.com. Endorsements "The real secret to becoming a haiku poet is to start writing haiku." From the foreword by Aubrie Cox "For many years Michael Dylan Welch's essays on haiku have guided newcomers and seasoned poets alike. With characteristic authority and humor, "Becoming a Haiku Poet" is yet another of his important contributions to the study and understanding of haiku poetry." Charles Trumbull, editor emeritus of "Modern Haiku" "Michael Dylan Welch's knowledge and experience with haiku is recognized internationally. He always has time to assist new poets starting out on the haiku path, to engage in a conversation about poetics, or to recommend a current essay or book. He never tires of answering the question: What is a haiku, anyway? "Becoming a Haiku Poet" is Michael's concise and informative answer." Terry Ann Carter, president of Haiku Canada