As strong and fiery as undiluted Irish whiskey.--New York Times Book Review

Traces several branches of the Parrish/Parish family, believed to have emigrated from Yorkshire, England before 1640. These branches begin with Robert Parrish (married in 1678 to Cicely Jadwin), John Parish (married Hannah Jewell in 1664), and Edward Parrish (married in 1660 to Clara). Descendants and relatives lived in Maryland, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and elsewhere.

Residents of antebellum northwest Louisiana held strong pro-Union sentiments, and the Pierson family of Bienville Parish, Louisiana, were no exception, opposing secession in 1861. Yet once war began, the region contributed its full share of support to the southern army, and four of William H. Pierson's eight sons enlisted. Ranging from the early battles of the Trans-Mississippi to the epic battles of the Army of Northern Virginia, and from the brutal trenches of Vicksburg to provost guard duty in north Louisiana, this extensive collection of Civil War letters, written by three of the Pierson brothers, offers riveting glimpses of almost every variety of experience faced by Confederate soldiers. Prolific letter writers, the Piersons were educated, observant, and well placed to comment not only on the battles and campaigns of their regiments but also on their commanding officers, the effect of political activity on soldier morale, being taken captive, and, most of all, their entire family's understanding of and commitment to the Confederate cause.

After 1949 the Chinese Communists carried out land reform, the collectivization of agriculture, and the formation of people's communes. The new economic and political organizations that emerged have made peasant life more comfortable and secure, but many economic and status differentials and traditional customs remain resistant to change. Focusing on rural Kwangtung province, William L. Parish and Martin King Whyte examine the rural work-incentive system, village equality and inequality, rural health care and education, marriage customs, and the position of women, among other topics, to determine what and how much of the traditional Chinese ways of life is left in Communist China.

Amelia Bedelia, the housekeeper with a literal mind, merrily upsets the household when she "dresses" the chicken and "trims" the steak with ribbons and lace.

A monograph on Keith Sonnier, the revolutionary pioneer of the Process Art movement, this book documents five decades of the artist's prolific and ever-evolving exploration of three-dimensional art. One of the first artists to use light, specifically neon, as a form of sculpture, Keith Sonnier changed our ideas of what sculpture is and could be. From his early pieces such as Rat Tail Exercise and the Ba-O-Ba series to his most recent luminous neon-based series, this book explores the progression and influence of Sonnier's oeuvre. Essays in the book look at Sonnier's numerous public art projects, including a kilometer-long installation at the Munich airport, his relationship with his native Louisiana culture, and the architectural influences in his work. One of the art world's most productive figures, Sonnier continues to redefine the parameters of sculpture. This beautiful monograph celebrates an artist who has never ceased experimenting--and never stopped astonishing his audience. Published in association with the Parrish Art Museum