"This is an important book about an important public official, G. Mennen 'Soapy' Williams---an unabashed liberal, a true humanitarian, and a great patriot." ---George McGovern "Soapy Williams had a deep talent not only to compel but on occasion to repel." ---John Kenneth Galbraith "Thomas Noer has written a model biography of a fascinating political figure. He brings Williams to life with all his contradictions, old-fashioned qualities, and admirable idealism." ---Robert Divine, George W. Littlefield Professor Emeritus in American History, University of Texas "G. Mennen 'Soapy' Williams was not only a giant in the 20th century history of the Michigan Democratic Party, the history of the state of Michigan and our nation-he was a giant ahead of his time. Throughout his long and extremely distinguished career as Governor of Michigan, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, Soapy maintained an unwavering commitment to equality, justice and civil rights for all people." ---Senator Carl Levin In this first complete biography of G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams, author Thomas Noer brings to life the story of one of the most controversial and colorful politicians in twentieth-century American politics and a giant in the Michigan Democratic Party. In 1948, winning a stunning upset, Williams became Michigan's second Democratic governor since the Civil War and was reelected five times. He served under Kennedy and Johnson as Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, briefly held the post of U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, and was a member of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1970 to 1986, serving as Chief Justice in his last term. Sporting his instantly recognizable trademark green and white polka-dot bow tie, Williams was a flamboyant character. He was also known for his energetic campaign style: he could say "hello" in seventeen languages, would shake hands with as many as five thousand factory workers a day, and made seemingly endless diplomatic trips to Africa. All of this captured the attention of the media and the public and made Williams into a celebrity. Beneath his showy public persona, however, Williams also made important contributions to American diplomatic and political history. He built an unrivaled political machine in Michigan, bringing organized labor, African Americans, and ethnic groups into a new coalition; influenced the shift in American policy toward support for African independence; and wrote landmark decisions as a jurist on the Michigan Supreme Court. The fascinating story of a complex and complicated man, Soapy will introduce one of the great American political figures of the twentieth century to a new generation of readers.

First published in 1958, this book is a biography of Fort Worth businessman Earnest O. (Soapy) Gillam, who rose from humble beginnings to become America’s best known independent soap manufacturer. “‘Every generation or so, someone should sit down and sum up the history of a family so it can be passed down to future generations.’ “The man who spoke these words early in 1957 was Earnest О. Gillam, the subject of this book. His words are the reason for this book, written at his request to “sum up” his life and times and to put into permanent record all that is known of his ancestors “There was a note of urgency in Gillam’s decision to publish this book He is the last of his family likely to bear the name of Gillam. His sisters gave birth to boys, but he and his brothers have no male lineage to perpetuate the Gillam name. So his branch of the Gillam family will end with his death. At least, the part of family bearing the name of Gillam will end. “The remarkable history of the Gillams in general, and E. O. Gillam in particular, made this publication a must—a must for a permanent history of this remarkable family, and a must to emphasize once again that Horatio Alger-type men are still to be found in our land. For Gillam started life during the hardest times imaginable—on the frontier of Kansas—and by tireless” efforts of body and mind, managed to accumulate a fortune. “He spent years gathering information for this book, a lifetime in fact....”—C. A. Sellers

In 1897, the Klondike Gold Rush brought thousands of hopeful prospectors to the North. With them came many scoundrels and swindlers who were willing to do whatever it took to separate unsuspecting targets from their hard-earned cash. No swindler was more successful at his craft than Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, who ruled Skagway, Alaska with a quick hand and a scheming mind. This book explores his most outrageous escapades.

The Soapy-Dope, a mean ol' monster who lives in a chuckhole beside the road, likes to scare happy little woodland animals. He jumps out of his hole and startles everyone who happens to walk by. Well, what goes around comes around, and the Soapy-Dope gets what he deserves. But, as with everything in nature, he still serves a vital purpose.

Henry Neil "Soapy" Castles grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and became involved in its pioneering auto racing scene at an early age. Graduating from soapbox derby cars to midgets and sprints and finally to stock cars, he sometimes crashed, sometimes won, saw friends die horribly, and became a champion. Eventually he left the racetrack for Hollywood where he became a stuntman working alongside such stars as Rory Calhoun, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Richard Pryor and Andy Griffith. In the 1990s, groundwater contamination at Castle's truck repair business from an Exxon oil storage facility cost him an eye and most of his lungs. His decade-long class action lawsuit won him millions in compensation.

Come Spend the day with good ole Soapy Shrimp Boat on the Bayou! See what happens when one slimy shrimp wiggles his way aboard the glistening clean Cajun crew. Crack up with the chaos that ensues as characters clash in this comic adventure! Kim Dowers is a Southern Louisiana author and illustrator who resides with her husband in Southwest Louisiana. Kim is the third oldest child in a family of 14. She has a Masters degree in Education Administration. She is also a childrens church minister at the church she attends. Kim has previously illustrated three childrens books for author Jody Carroll. They are Mitsy Morgan: Six Monkeys Past Midnight, Mitsy Morgan: The Lemonade List, and The Adventures of Marty Morgan in Pirate Paradise. Several of the books are known world-wide. Kim is a speaker at various events and enjoys landscaping, crabbing, floundering, fishing with her husband, reads every chance she gets, and loves to collect old duck decoys. Her vivid personality has attracted children for years and her ability to liven up a room is unmatched. Kims bright bold illustrations convey a fun and imaginative world that children can join in and relate to. Kim plans to continue her Louisiana series with Choupique Bayou Books, sharing the love of the Cajun culture she enjoys so much. Choupique Bayou Books is proud to introduce their new partners Mitsy Morgan Books, and BIC Media Solutions!