Author: Jeffrey M. Rhodes

1Old Year and The New

By William Henry Rhodes

William Henry Rhodes will long be remembered by his contemporaries at the Bar of California as a man of rare genius, exemplary habits, high honor, and gentle manners, with wit and humor unexcelled. His writings are illumined by powerful fancy, scientific knowledge, and a reasoning power which gave to his most weird imaginations the similitude of truth and the apparel of facts. W.H.L.B. (from the In Memoriam of the book)

2Bransford Of Rainbow Range

By Eugene Manlove Rhodes

A genuine cowboy who speaks a bit of Greek? Ditto a bit of The Litany? And more than a little verse, including (would you believe?) Alice In Wonderland. What kind of young man do we have here? And a young woman who matches him without effort? And a definitely literate narrator with his tongue firmly inserted in cheek. There’s a bank robbery and an attempted murder. A desperate ride across the desert and a warm welcome by good Mexican friends. It’s all a great deal of fun. Eugene Manlove Rhodes (1869 – 1934) was an American writer, nicknamed the "cowboy chronicler". He lived in south central New Mexico when the first cattle ranching and cowboys arrived in the area; when he moved to New York with his wife in 1899, he wrote stories of the American West that set the image of cowboy life in that era. Originally Published under the title of Bransford In Arcadia Or The Little Eohippus (1913). Note: eohippus, which plays a part all through the story, is the small prehistoric five-toed ancestor of the modern-day horse. - Summary by david wales

Superbly written, this overview of the Civil War, won a Pulitzer Prize in History in 1918. Rhodes covers not only the battles and the generals of the war but gives us a good deal of insight into the politics, economics, international relations and the strategy/thinking of the times. When at times he brings forth an opinion it is clearly stated, so as not to be confused with the facts. Comprehensive and enjoyable, you will find this History of the Civil War both illuminating and captivating.<br><br> NOTE: Footnotes will not be read but can be found online at https://archive.org/details/historycivilwar01rhodgoog/mode/2up. (Summary by Celine Major)