Medical Support of the Fifth Division in World War II (Part 2) By Harold L. Potter (1998); Presented to the Sojourners group, near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Edited and audio recording by Jim Potter Lt. Harold L. Potter Army Medical Service Corps officer insignia lapel pin The Fifth Division had a very distinguished combat record during World War I. The Red Diamond Division of WWI was remembered by many civilians of Luxembourg. General Pershing once said that the crossing of the Meuse … [Read more...] about Medical Support of the Fifth Division in World War II-Part 2
Behind the Books Blog
Medical Support of the Fifth Division in World War II-Part 1
Medical Support of the Fifth Division in World War II (Part 1) By Harold L. Potter (1998); Presented to the Sojourners group, near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Edited and audio recording by Jim Potter Lt. Harold L. Potter Army Medical Service Corps officer insignia lapel pin My military experience started on August 25, 1938, when I joined the Medical Detachment of the 130th Field Artillery Regiment of the 35th Division of the Kansas National Guard. In those days, we normally had one … [Read more...] about Medical Support of the Fifth Division in World War II-Part 1
Book Release: “Deputy Jennings Meets the Amish”
Book Release: Deputy Jennings Meets the Amish (a novella) Chapter 1: Deputy Jennings Meets Rosanna Yoder “How can this be happening to me?” thought Rosanna. Earlier, Adam, her husband, had remarked, “We sure had a gully washer overnight!” “How are my flowers?” she had asked, concerned about filling business orders prior to the upcoming holiday. “Those in bloom took a beating, but the others may come around with a break in the weather,” Adam had replied. He added, “The fierce storm has … [Read more...] about Book Release: “Deputy Jennings Meets the Amish”
Congratulations to Author Shoshanna Aaliyah
Congratulations to Author Shoshanna Aaliyah Congratulations, Shoshanna, on the recent release of your children’s book, Tobias’ Travels. You’re a first-class storyteller. We’ve never met face-to-face, but I’m the current president of District 6 of the Kansas Authors Club. Congratulations for being a published author. It’s a BIG deal! So many people talk about wanting to write a book, but so few accomplish it. Most people don’t understand; it’s work. Although we’ve never met face-to-face, I … [Read more...] about Congratulations to Author Shoshanna Aaliyah
Gravedigger’s Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town
Gravedigger's Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town by Cheryl Unruh Book Review Gravedigger’s Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town is Cheryl Unruh’s latest masterpiece, a memoir written in prose poetry that transported me to my childhood. I can smell the Folger's coffee that gave Mom an extra spark. I too, grew up with bottle caps, firecrackers, collecting stamps, and reading wanted posters at the P. O. This memoir, dedicated to Cheryl’s father, Elgie Unruh of Pawnee Rock, is … [Read more...] about Gravedigger’s Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town
31 Days (Nights)
31 Days (Nights): Memoir of Living Black in America by Reginald D. Jarrell Book Review Can you tell a book by its cover? This is a question that author Reginald D. Jarrell addresses in his just published book, 31 Days (Nights): Memoir of Living Black in America (Blue Cedar Press, 2022). The question is a theme in Jarrell’s memoir as he revisits his life as a Black man growing up in a country where the color of a person’s skin causes people, mostly Caucasian, to prejudge. Jarrell also makes … [Read more...] about 31 Days (Nights)
I Care Too Much to Watch
I Care Too Much to Watch By Jim Potter My friend told me he was going to end the call and watch the news. “Ukraine is being invaded,” he said. I was silent, knowing I would not watch the news. I care, I hurt, but I can’t hurt enough to help another. Out of my control, unable to cope with the deep, personal suffering. Instead, I help others where and when I can. Until next time, happy writing and reading. … [Read more...] about I Care Too Much to Watch
Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market
Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market I’ve just completed reading the best book ever about understanding slavery. Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market (1999) isn’t a new book, but it’s a classic. The author, Walter Johnson, brilliantly examines the slave market in New Orleans, the largest in North America during the nineteenth-century. Through exhaustive research using primary resources, Johnson shares the words of enslaved Africans or descendants of Africans, … [Read more...] about Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market
The Antebellum “Persac Map” of 1858
The Antebellum "Persac Map" of 1858 Can you love history? Am I exaggerating when I say, I do? I especially enjoy learning about history and seeing how events connect with one another. If you’re my age, you can remember traveling cross-country by automobile with your parents (or parent) on interstate highways. When we stopped for gasoline at service stations, we used the bathroom, and sometimes we’d pick up a free road map. How many of you still have a road map stuck away in a junk drawer … [Read more...] about The Antebellum “Persac Map” of 1858
In Search of “Grandfather” Collins: Kilkenny to New Orleans
In Search of "Grandfather" Collins: Kilkenny to New Orleans Charles C. Collins, also known as “Charlie,” (1845-1906) was of Irish ancestry, his grandfather having immigrated from Ireland to Louisiana before the War of 1812.[1] Jody Johnson Buck on horseback pdf Jody Johnson Buck, great-great-granddaughter of Charlie, has identified the county of Kilkenny, Ireland, as the birthplace of her Collins ancestors.[2] (Kilkenny is located seventy-five miles southwest of Dublin.) Polly Collins … [Read more...] about In Search of “Grandfather” Collins: Kilkenny to New Orleans
