Dear Mr. President
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Good writing and eye opening view on the original Gulf War
  • Enjoyable, but let's not get carried away
  • A REVELATION
  • They've missed it...
  • a clear voice
Dear Mr. President
Gabe Hudson
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0375713409
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Book Description

Everybody’s Gulf War Syndrome is a little bit different. Or so believes Larry, who returns home from Desert Storm to find his hair gone and his bones rapidly disintegrating. Then there’s Lance Corporal James Laverne of the US Marines, who grows a third ear in Kuwait. And in the audaciously comic novella “Notes from a Bunker Along Highway 8,” a Green Beret deserts his team after seeing a vision of George Washington, only to find a new calling—administering aid to wounded Iraqi civilians; he’s hindered only by the furtive nature of his mission and an unruly band of chimpanzees. Together these narratives form a bracing amalgamation of devastating humor and brilliant cultural observation, in which Gabe Hudson fearlessly explores the darker implications of American military power.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good writing and eye opening view on the original Gulf War .......2007-01-18

This book has a slant on the war and how it affected people which is different from what I have seen before. People compare it to Vonnegut or Heller, but it is original. The story of the soldier who switched into the body of his daughter made me cry. People who think that is cheap humor are idiots. When I think of our soldiers over in Iraq and Afghanistan now, who are away from their loved ones, and unable to protect them when that is probably what the want to do most, it makes me very sad and angry as well.

3 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, but let's not get carried away.......2004-08-02

By dint of a general lack of Gulf War fiction out there ("Dear Mr. President" being the first instance I've seen), this book has been touted as the equivalent of Slaughterhouse Five or Catch-22 for the Persian Gulf conflict. Hudson has occasional funny parts in his stories, but to consider him the equal of Heller or Vonnegut (or even George Saunders, who blurbs the hardcover) is silly. People are a little too eager to proclaim The Next Big Thing. Equating Hudson to Vonnegut is the equivalent of calling any author who writes a story from the perspective of a disillusioned teen as "the next J.D. Salinger!" (which happens all too frequently)

I also wonder if the book would be held in such high regard had there not been a second Gulf War, started by another Bush. It feels as though at times the book (and resulting media frenzy) is simply bashing Bush Jr. in absentia.

This is not to say that this book is without merit. Hudson has a very clear, concise writing style and I hope to see more from him. It's just that he can't possibly live up to the hype that has been built up (some of which is his fault, such as the nonexistent letter he claimed to have received from Bush calling his book "unpatriotic").

I have a pretty dark sense of humor and the stories made me grin at parts, but rarely actually laugh. The thought of a man growing an ear on his stomach as a symptom of Gulf War syndrome is sort of funny, but I get the sense from reading "Dear Mr. President" that more could have been done with that situation and with the book in general. The book is probably around 130-140 pages of actual writing, with ample spacing and title pages between stories. A few of the stories (particularly in the beginning) end before they can really take off. In the novella, "Notes from a Bunker Along Highway 8," Hudson gives himself a chance for his protagonist to develop and for us to grow attached. As the main character renames himself Help People and takes up residence in a bunker filled with chimpanzees, you get a feeling that Hudson may have been holding back a bit of his energy in the other stories. Here's to hoping he lets his mind and pen run more rampant in his future works.

4 out of 5 stars A REVELATION.......2003-10-06

Wow, Dear Mr. President is a story collection that heralds the arrival of a great new writer! Gabe Hudson, to me, is the first writer that signals a transition of generations from war fiction about Vietnam to the group of young people who fought in the first Iraqi War. Due to the overinundation of books like Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation and the almost God-like worship of writers like Ambrose, the soldiers of wars after that (Korea,Vietnam,Iraq) are not given the attention and respect that they deserve. In Dear Mr. President, we are not treated to the super, almost soviet style citizen of the fatherland that Ambrose glorified in his books, but men and women who are bashed and broken and absurd and humorous and insane and brave and trying to do the best they can.

In "The Cure as I Found It", a soldier returned from the Gulf War must decide if the rules he learned in the special forces, namely to maim and kill, can be used against a neighborhood bully as he deals with the horrors of war in his nightmares.
Among the best stories is "Sneak and Peek Outside Baghdad" about a reconaissance mission which finds that the worst aspects of American hip-hop culture have transferred to Iraq even as one soldier remembers his lover left in the US. "Those Words Were Yours Not Mine" is about a blind woman named Valerie Hackett, whose 19 year old son is killed in the War. On his person is found a letter which she can't read. After asking a lot of people to read it to her, she senses that they are all lying to her, concealing the dreadful contents from her. So she hires someone at the hospital she's staying in to read it and learns about her son's disastrous marriage, of infidelity and betrayal. The last story, a novella called "Notes from a Bunker Along Highway 8" is a plea for peace and brotherhood as a Green Beret, shocked by the blood and guts he sees, gathers up a wounded comrade and abandons the war, holding up in a bunker with a bunch of lab apes, venturing out to the surface to help out wounded civilians and keeping his friend a virtual prisoner in his insane fantasies.

This was a great great book. The stories are funny, horrible, psycho, and masterful at times. He writes like Chuck Palahniuk, if Chuck had something to write about. Gabe has a war. With war comes atrocity, insanity, and absurdity. It's about time someone not only caught up to history, but overtaken it. Ironically, just as this book comes out, we are again engaged in Iraq (some would say we were never disengaged) and so the very issues the men and women deal with in this book might as well be set in the present. Hudson might just evolve into a great writer. We'll see.

5 out of 5 stars They've missed it..........2003-08-12

I've been pretty disappointed with most of the negative reviews of this book posted here so far. First, there's the contention that the book isn't funny at all. How is a story about an ear growing out of a man's chest not funny? I think people are expecting this to be some kind of historical account of Gulf War 1. I mean, looking at the "customers who bought this item also bought" section, it seems as though most of the people who are reading this book are expecting some kind of political statement. I think the stories in the collection are stories first and historical accounts second, if not third or fourth. I think the major problem with most of these reviews is that they seem to be written by people who have no familiarity with what's being written today. Sure, this ain't a John Jakes historical novel, but if it were, it wouldn't be as brilliant as it is.

Also, there are many comparisons made between these stories and O'Brian's stories about the Vietnam War, and I think this collection far surpasses The Things They Carried. I, personally, do not consider myself a fan of war fiction, and this book appealed to me nevertheless. With Roth, it's war first and character second, and Dear Mr. President is the opposite. So yeah, if you jarheads wants to read some deep gut military prose, then you won't like this. But if you want to read some beautiful modern writing, I'm talking about really beautiful, near-perfect storytelling, then I suggest you get this book.

5 out of 5 stars a clear voice.......2003-05-02

I picked up this book because I read Hudson's short piece in the New Yorker (from one of the summer fiction issues) and loved it. Gabe Hudson writes with clarity, creativity, and great confidence. Of course, this book is bound to make some people irritated ... but that should not reflect at all the great voice of this young writer. Highly recommended, even for those who are wary of Hudson and his sense of humor (have some of the people ... never heard of sarcasm, wit, and facetiousness?).
Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of the National Archives
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Short but cute
  • A special look at American history and culture, through the eyes of the people
  • Wow!
  • The National Archives Opens Its Treasure Trove
  • Dear Mr. President; Letters to the Oval Office
Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of the National Archives

Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | 20th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 142620020X
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Book Description

"The letters provide a nostalgic timeline of American history told through the words and feelings of Americans, from regular folks to kings." —Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Dec. '05

"There are more than 80 letters, reflecting both our history and our very American sense that when we speak, our president should listen." —The Arizona Republic, Dec. '05

Drawn from the extensive holdings of the National Archives—which includes all of the Presidential libraries—these carefully chosen letters remind us that ours is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders. Most of the letters come from working citizens; others were written by notable figures: John Glenn, Elvis Presley, Walt Disney, Ho Chi Minh, Nikita Kruschev, Upton Sinclair, John Steinbeck, Robert Kennedy, and many more.

Grouped thematically, the sections cover such topics as civil rights, the Cold War, physical fitness, joblessness, World War II, western expansion, and the space race. An introduction by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and essays by Dwight Young evoke the tenor of the times in which the letters were written. A wonderful gift book for any American, Dear Mr. President is both enlightening and fun to read.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Short but cute.......2007-08-04

This is a compilation of letters written to the White House on a variety of subjects from, for the most part, well-known people. The letters are short, not really substantive, but fun to read.

4 out of 5 stars A special look at American history and culture, through the eyes of the people.......2006-12-17

This book was pretty good. It did at times seemed a bit vague and I felt there could have been more to it. It was very interesting and a great way to see how people put their emotions on paper to our presidents throughout history. It really shows how people were feeling in times of great struggle and great triumph and how by writing a letter to the president, they were taking part in their nation and trying to make an impact. It was an amazing way to look at some of the National Archives treasures.

5 out of 5 stars Wow!.......2006-07-21

Very interesting book. Makes a great gift idea for those on your list that are hard to buy for. The letter from Fidel Castro when he was a young boy was facinating. A nice coffee table book but this one you will want to read.

5 out of 5 stars The National Archives Opens Its Treasure Trove.......2006-06-25

Dear Prospective Book Buyer,

Anyone who's ever visited the National Archives temple in D.C. has probably wondered what unknown treasures are hidden away in its recesses. In that respect, this book -- a collection of letters written to a variety of presidents (and their wives) -- is a genuine gem.

Reading through these, I was struck at the excellent job the book's editors had done in getting a wide variety of material from throughout our nation's history. In emotional tone they range from children asking for help with cleaning their rooms ("My mom says it's a federal disaster zone") to bereaved mothers sharing poignant remembrances about their sons lost to war. Kudos also to Dwight Young for his informative and often witty commentary that accompanies and illuminates the manuscripts.

Particularly interesting is the variety of stationery used throughout the years, all faithfully reproduced here in their original form, with accompanying translations when necessary. Letters are written in crayon, or beautiful calligraphy, or are carved into wood blocks, and one is even painted. One of my favorites was a witty letter from Churchill to FDR typed on the British prime minister's spare and elegant letterhead.

Best regards,
Bart King
Portland, Oregon

5 out of 5 stars Dear Mr. President; Letters to the Oval Office .......2006-03-17

A great insight to the culture, personalities, and word usage in the early history of the United States.
My Dear Mr. Stalin: The Complete Correspondence of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph V. Stalin
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Really insightful! Fantastic read and research book
  • Because of its importance....its glimpse
  • In Black and White--the Betrayal of Poland
My Dear Mr. Stalin: The Complete Correspondence of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph V. Stalin

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Roosevelt, Franklin D.Roosevelt, Franklin D. | ( R ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0300108540

Book Description

My Dear Mr. Stalin is the first publication that contains the complete correspondence between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph V. Stalin. This collection of more than three hundred hot-war messages, never before fully available in any language, is an invaluable primary source for understanding the relationship that developed between these two great world leaders during a time of supreme world crisis.

The correspondence, secret at the time, begins with a letter Roosevelt wrote to Stalin offering aid to the Soviet Union following Hitler’s surprise attack in 1941. It ends with a message that was an attempt to minimize the differences between the two leaders, approved by Roosevelt only minutes before his death in 1945. The book traces the evolution of their unique relationship, revealing the statesmanship of the two men and their thinking about the grave events of their time. An informative introduction to the volume and generous annotations set the letters in context.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Really insightful! Fantastic read and research book.......2006-06-22

This is a really good resource book to have. A friend gave it to me as a gift, and jsut as I thought I already knew everything about WWII, this book surprises me with new facts straight from Stalin and Roosevelt themselves! The book guides you through each president's thought process and how they dance through political fires with wit and strategy. Roosevelt is much more fascinating now that I see how he thinks. I wished this book has some pictures I can refer to. That will be even better. Highly recommended if you want to read about 2 impt leaders and WWII.

5 out of 5 stars Because of its importance....its glimpse .......2006-03-06

If in content,not in tone, I completely agree with the review by Col. Szych. The story of the complete betrayal of the Polish nation is rarely taken up, and it is tremendous in its historical significance.

The list of material sent from US to Russia alone is facinating.
Long before Pearl Harbor we were in it up to our eyebrows. They were marching on our boots and behind our armour, but such a small sacrifice was asked of us by comparison----

US lost 405,000 of her people
RUSSIA lost 27,000,000------that millions....
and then....that madman.....well, I hope you know the rest....

5 out of 5 stars In Black and White--the Betrayal of Poland.......2006-01-24

The review you posted by Publishers Weekly literally made me want to gag. This book is not a "history junkie's delight"; it is the essence of Poland's 50 year nightmare from 1939 to 1989.

As a retried U.S. military officer and Polish-American baby-boomer whose father fought at places like Iwo Jima during WWII, I have great interest in the betrayal of Poland during WWII. Anyone who knows about the Katyn Forest Massacre (done by Dear Mr. Stalin), the Warsaw Rising of 44 (when Dear Mr. Stalin refused to allow the Allies to come to the aid of the people of Warsaw) and the mass deportations and genocide against the Polish people, will be highly interested in this book.

A great percentage of the letters are about the "Polish Problem." And I am afraid the Polish Problem still exists today whereby people glorify the contributions of the Soviet Union led by a mass-murderer whilst at the same time being almost totally ignorant of the contributions of Poland to the defeat of Nazi Germany. The effectiveness and impact of Poles of the 1st Polish Armored Division, the two Polish Fighter Squadrons during the Battle of Britain, and the Poish heroics and sacrifices at places like Monte Cassino are either unknown or minimized. To this, add the contributions of hundreds of thousands of Polish Americans, sons and grandsons of Poland, like my father and more famous (maybe not so famous) Polish Americans like Col Gabreski and Lt Col Urban.

At Amazon.com, you stock books like "A Question of Honor" which should be read by all those who want to truly know what wartime misery is all about. Shame on anyone who tries to varnish or glorify the abject misery that Stalin (not Hitler) brought to his own people but especially to the Polish nation.
Dear Mr. Lincoln: Letters to the President
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • What life was like during the Civil War...
  • A different, but excellent book on Abraham Lincoln
  • "I culd a gaht a job!"
Dear Mr. Lincoln: Letters to the President

Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | 19th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Lincoln, AbrahamLincoln, Abraham | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0809326868

Book Description

During the Civil War, Americans felt themselves to be on intimate terms with their commander in chief, sending President Abraham Lincoln between two hundred and five hundred pieces of mail every day—letters that expressed the concerns, aspirations, grievances, and obsessions of the nation. Ranging from weighty political tomes to greetings accompanying homespun gifts, the letters reflect the pulse of the country in a time of upheaval. This illuminating collection includes straightforward correspondence from ordinary Americans requesting autographs and favors as well as pleas from the influential, such as the anguished open letter from New York Tribune publisher Horace Greeley imploring Lincoln to end his “remiss” policy of caution on emancipation. This new paperback edition, featuring twenty-two illustrations, portrays a president clearly eager to review and respond to the advice, criticism, and requests of the nation’s citizens.







Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars What life was like during the Civil War..........2000-08-21

This is a fascinating book of letters to Abe Lincoln by people from all walks of life. Some are terribly moving as the one by the widow of a veteran asking for a referral. Some are eye openers filled with hate that are comical until one pauses to think of the consequences. There are even mundane letters such as the one from ex-president Buchanan asking for a set of his history books to be returned. In reading this book one can often be transposed to a different era, a different mindset, and a different century. This is the grist mill of history. I am so saddened that this book is out of print. Thank goodness I ordered my copy from Amazon.com about 1.5 years ago. If you can possibly get this volume somewhere grab it. Well worth your perusal.

5 out of 5 stars A different, but excellent book on Abraham Lincoln.......1998-06-22

I found "Dear Mr. Lincoln" to be facinating because it contains correspondence Lincoln received from the famous to the unknown; from the educated to the illiterate; from wealthy white men, to poor ex-slaves and women. It also includes letters from children, and many other people during Lincoln's era. Much of this material is funny, some sad, but always interesting. "Dear Mr. Lincoln" is a definite buy for serious Lincoln fans.

5 out of 5 stars "I culd a gaht a job!".......1997-07-28

From the distant cousin who, based upon Abe's knowing him so well, "wulda thot I culd a gaht a job!" to the ministers who sought to pray to the political leaders who sought to have their advice taken to heart, this is a wonderful view of Civil War America. The letters are of course the focal point of the book. But it is what they say in their totality rather than individually that impresses. Lincoln heard from all facets of his nation. (And this was before e-mail and telephones!) He heard little of approval and much of dis-approval from critique to hatred. A great mass of mothers seeking draft exemptions, fathers wanting postmasters' jobs, and preachers seeking to show him the light bombarded the Presidential desk. Some were poignant. A few were even wise. All, in total, were America. Equally fascinating is the first portion of the book which is a thumbnail but thorough history of the Presidential "staff" which eventually grew to three people in number! A great book!
Dear Mr. President
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Dear Mr. President
    Stuart Hample
    Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    LiteratureLiterature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books | Action & Adventure | Children's Literature Guides | Classics by Age | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | General | Humorous | Literary Criticism & Collections | Poetry | Popular Culture | Read-Aloud | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Short Story Collections
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    ASIN: 156305504X

    Book Description

    From the co-author of the bestselling Children's Letters to God and Grandma, Grandpa & Me and author of Me and My Dad and My Mom's the Best Mom, here are dozens of funny, honest, and touching letters children from all over the country wrote to President Clinton.

    "Dear Mr. Clinton, When you come into a room and they clap every time does it mean they really like you or do the just do it because you are the President and they fear your power?" --Jo Anne

    "Dear President Clinton, What do you think about Woman to be the President-like Hillary after you? Would you feel funny to be the first man?" --Sarah L.M., 4th Grade

    They express hope, offer advice, openly plea for a better world. Over 54,000 copies in print.
    Dear Mr. President: Theodore Roosevelt Letters from a Young Coal Miner (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • wonderful
    • This book is terrific!
    • Bully!! for Jennifer Armstrong
    • Premise for book is ill-conceived
    Dear Mr. President: Theodore Roosevelt Letters from a Young Coal Miner (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)
    Jennifer Armstrong
    Manufacturer: Winslowhouse International
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    1900s1900s | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
    United StatesUnited States | Fiction | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 1890817279

    Book Description

    In fictionalized letters between a president and a child who lived during his administration, events, places, personalities, and the spirit of a time come alive. At the turn of the 20th century, industrial cities from Maine to Virginia ran on coal dug from mines. In this fictional account, Frank Kovacs's father has been injured, and Frank, at age 8, must quit school and begin work in the mines. Frank knows that anyone can write to the president - so, when he is 13, he does. President Theodore Roosevelt promptly responds. Thus begins the exchange between Frank, describing his life in the mines, and the president, expressing concern for a boy the age of one of his sons. Young readers will be moved by Frank's plight, gain insight into the 26th president of the United States, and learn about the issues of his time. The Dear Mr. President series features: meticulous research; award-winning children's book authors; extensive photographs; maps, primary source material, timelines, and presidential profiles; and elegant design. After reading each book - or while reading the letters - children can explore the subjects further at the Winslow Press virtual library (winslowpress.com), where they are encouraged to ask questions, seek further information, and interact with both the past and the present. Prompts throughout each book lead readers to the Web site if they wish to learn more about a particular idea raised in the letters.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars wonderful.......2001-08-07

    i am someone who likes the letter format of books and this book has it. if you like books in letter fomat than this is a good book to read and at the end it has information on thedore roosevelt. i rated this 5 stars

    5 out of 5 stars This book is terrific!.......2001-06-20

    My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. What a wonderful way to provide a glimpse into the past. My daughter, age 10, had no difficulty in telling fiction from non-fiction. The design of the book is incredible. We were particularly impressed by the use of web prompts through out the book. A visit to the Winslow Press website is a must. There is nothing else out there like it on the web.

    5 out of 5 stars Bully!! for Jennifer Armstrong.......2001-06-15

    My name is John Olsen. I am a very big Theodore Roosevelt fan. I collect T.R. items and have study many of his writings. Jennifer Armstrong has written this book so convincingly well that I almost thought T.R. had actually written these letters. As explained in the beginning of the book, one of her major resources for the book was Roosevelt's own "Letters to His Children." So, while T.R. never had a pen pal who was a young coal miner, I am almost certain that it could have easily happened. T.R. was exactly that type of person. He was a big kid himself and would have been thrilled to have written to such a person as the young coal miner in the story. The book is filled with references to many of the exciting events of the life of Theodore Roosevelt, one of our greatest Presidents ever. Furthermore, there are detailed explanations of numerous words relating to mining and Polish culture. I strongly recommend this book for those who want to get their pre-teens excited about history and Presidents. I rather like the "Dear Mr. President" concept as a means to excite young people about Presidents. I look forward to reading the others in this series. Just remember who this book was written for and don't overanalyze it. Enjoy it!!

    1 out of 5 stars Premise for book is ill-conceived.......2001-03-08

    In my creative writing classes during college, we were taught a rule about historical fiction. That was, you cannot take a widely known historical figure and make them do things that everyone knows they did not do. I think this "Dear Mr. President" series is ill-conceived. They are a set of books full of letters that we know were never written by our presidents. The whole premise just does not stand up well from a historical fiction point of view. Whereas you or I may be able to take this with a grain of salt, what about the readers, aged 9-12, for whom these books are recommended? I'm not convinced that they have the background to understand the division between history and historical fiction of this type. What do you think? Finally, I'm also not convinced by the "Polishness" of the Polish boy writing letters to the President. It's not enough to simply ascribe a "working class" accent/grammar to this character. If he is indeed a Polish immigrant, he would have speech characteristics that are specific to his Polish background. Simply making the character sound uneducated is not giving proper credit to the fact that he is an ESL speaker.
    Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A young girl corresponds with President Jefferson.
    Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)
    Jennifer Armstrong
    Manufacturer: Winslowhouse International
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    1800s1800s | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 1890817309

    Book Description

    In fictionalized letters between a president and a child who lived during his administration, events, places, personalities, and the spirit of a time come alive. At the beginning of the 1800s, America was a brand-new country and President Thomas Jefferson - architect, musician, scholar, inventor, and family man - was at the helm. Amelia Hornsby, the 12-year-old fictitious letter writer of this Dear Mr. President book, lives in Philadelphia. When she suspects that someone is spying on Jefferson, she writes to warn him. The "spy" turns out to be Jefferson's personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, preparing for the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. Once Amelia learns the secret, she and the president continue to correspond as a tumultuous time in American history unfolds. The Dear Mr. President series features: meticulous research; award-winning children's book authors; extensive photographs; maps, primary source material, timelines, and presidential profiles; and elegant design. After reading each book - or while reading the letters - children can explore the subjects further at the Winslow Press virtual library (winslowpress.com), where they are encouraged to ask questions, seek further information, and interact with both the past and the present. Prompts throughout each book lead readers to the Web site if they wish to learn more about a particular idea raised in the letters.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A young girl corresponds with President Jefferson........2001-01-20

    Amelia Hornsby is a twelve-year-old schoolgirl living in Philadelphia in 1803. She soon plans to join her widowed father on the frontier in Pittsburgh, but in the meantime she's living with his friend, Dr. Rush. When she suspects a visitor of being a foreign spy, she writes to President Thomas Jefferson, who, to her surprise writes back, telling her that the visitor is his secretary Meriwether Lewis, who will soon lead an expedition to the Pacific coast with the help of William Clark. Even after Amelia goes to live in Pittsburgh, she continues to correspond with the President. This was a fascinating book, written in the form of letters between Amelia and President Jefferson, that reveals what life might have been like for an educated, inquisitive young girl in the early 1800s.
    Dear Mr. President: John Quincy Adams: Letters from a Southern Planter's Son
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Dear Mr. President: John Quincy Adams: Letters from a Southern Planter's Son
      Steven Kroll
      Manufacturer: Winslow House
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      1800s1800s | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      Similar Items:
      1. Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.) Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)
      2. The Pioneers Go West (Landmark Books) The Pioneers Go West (Landmark Books)
      3. Narcissa Whitman : Brave Pioneer (Easy Biographies) Narcissa Whitman : Brave Pioneer (Easy Biographies)
      4. The Boy in the Alamo The Boy in the Alamo
      5. The Flying Ensign: Greencoats Against Napoleon (Budget Bks) The Flying Ensign: Greencoats Against Napoleon (Budget Bks)

      ASIN: 1890817937

      Book Description

      Elected after one of the most bitterly fought contests in American history, John Quincy Adams faces a contentious Congress and many national problems. William Pratt, the 12-year-old son of a cotton plantation owner, writes about one of the thorniest: the removal of the Creek Indians from their tribal land in Georgia. His father, the young man reports, supports the policy, but William believes the Creek are being betrayed. The president sympathizes, yet as his letters painfully reveal, his own political muscle has been deeply cut by powerful foes.
      Dear Mr. President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Letters from a Mill Town Girl
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Dear Mr. President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Letters from a Mill Town Girl
        Elizabeth Winthrop
        Manufacturer: Winslow Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        1900s1900s | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 1890817619

        Book Description

        In his first inaugural address, Franklin Delano Roosevelt tells the American people that the only thing they have to fear is fear itself. Emma Bortoletti, the 12-year-old daughter of Italian immigrants, already knows a lot about fear. The Great Depression has hit her western Massachusetts mill town very hard, and the president's bold new programs might be making things even worse. FDR addresses her worries and reveals many of his own in an ongoing correspondence that illuminates his -- and her -- abiding faith in America.
        Abraham Lincoln: Letters from a Slave Girl (Dear  Mr. President)
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • The story of a slave girl as seen through her letters.
        Abraham Lincoln: Letters from a Slave Girl (Dear Mr. President)
        Andrea Davis Pinkney
        Manufacturer: Winslow Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        1800s1800s | Fiction | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        HistoricalHistorical | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        Pinkney, Andrea DavisPinkney, Andrea Davis | ( P ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
        Lincoln, AbrahamLincoln, Abraham | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
        Similar Items:
        1. Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.) Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm (Armstrong, Jennifer, Dear Mr. President.)

        ASIN: 1890817600

        Book Description

        The Dear Mr. President series brings history alive through fictitious correspondence between a president and a young person. Although the letters are all imagined, they are based upon meticulous historical research. Elegantly designed in two colors, the books include photographs, maps, primary source material, a presidential biography, U.S. postal history, an index, and timelines. In this latest addition to the series, the United States descends into Civil War, a 12-year-old slave on a South Carolina plantation begins corresponding with the newly inaugurated President Lincoln. Full emancipation, the president writes to her, cannot come easily in so deeply divided a nation. But her continuing appeals prod the conscience of this burdened man, and he drafts the Emancipation Proclamation that sets Lettie on the road to freedom.

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars The story of a slave girl as seen through her letters........2001-05-27

        Twelve-year-old Lettie is a slave girl living on the Tucker Plantation near Charleston, South Carolina, in 1861. It is only because of the friendship of her owner's young daughter, Katherine, that Lettie and her family have not been separated Even though Katherine taught her to read and has ensured that her father is not cruel, Lettie still longs to be free. With more questions than answers caused by the outbreak of war, she takes a daring step and writes to President Abraham Lincoln with the question she must know the answer to - when will she finally be free? This was a moving story about the cruelty of slavery as seen through the story of a spirited young girl longing to be free. Even though the letters were fictional, they seemed so real.

        Books:

        1. Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved by You? (Second Edition)
        2. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
        3. Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You
        4. Etiquette and Vitriol: The Food Chain and Other Plays
        5. Ex Machina, Vol. 2: Tag
        6. Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings
        7. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
        8. Foop!
        9. Frommer's Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Frommer's Complete)
        10. Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before

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