Seminole Song

Seminole Song by Vella Munn is a story about the struggle of Seminole Indians and runaway slaves living in the Everglades during the 1830s. Growing up near the Everglades and a Seminole Indian reservation, I'm always drawn to books about both topics.

 The story focuses on Panther, the war chief of the Egret clan of Seminoles, Winter Rain, half Seminole and half runaway slave, Gaitor, a runaway slave who is Panther's closet confident, and Calida, a runaway house slave who escapes a cruel plantation owner and former army officer. Army generals, angered by the Seminoles who help runaway slaves, refuse to live on reservations, and conceal themselves in the swamps, offer a false treaty to the tribal chiefs. Meanwhile, the cruel plantation owner rejoins the army under the false pretense of helping the army round up the Seminole clans so he can pursue capturing Calida.

One of the unique aspects of this book is the little-known alliance between the Florida Seminole Indians and runaway slaves just prior to the Civil War. It also examines the prejudice and injustice white plantation owners and army soldiers inflicted upon both the Seminoles and the slaves struggling for freedom. From the very beginning, I was struck by the cruelty, hate,and inhumane treatment white men dispensed while they referred to the Seminoles as savages and the slaves as animals.

The Associate

The Associate by John Grisham is another vintage law thriller. If you like Grisham's books, you'll enjoy this one about a law student who ends up in the middle of a conspiracy - complete with a prestigious law firm, government defense contractors, the FBI, and dark secrets.

While I enjoyed reading the novel, I also saw it as a reflection of reality. With the financial problems, power plays, and corrupt government antics playing out in the media these days, the potential for this reality is probably just the tip of the iceberg. It was particularly chilling when the main character, Kyle, said near the end of the book that he didn't believe goons were blackmailing him. He thought they worked for "... the same government you and I send our taxes to."

In true Grisham style, he also has a Christian character in the storyline, which I always appreciate. While the last chapter answers most of the questions, it also leaves a loose end that may or may not end up in another book. How I aspire to master the art of storytelling like he has.

The Raising of a President: The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders

The Raising of a President:The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders by Doug Wead looks at the facts, families, and psychological profiles of some of our past presidents. The characteristics, circumstances, and experiences that equipped these men to lead the free world are studied in the context of understanding how it culminated into greatness instead of destruction. The lives of the presidents studied in depth include George Washington, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Most had powerful fathers - some were abusive, such as Abe Lincoln's father, while others were inspirational. Both John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush followed their father to the White House while George Washington and Teddy and Franklin D. Roosevelt lost their fathers at a young age. Mothers also left distinct marks on the future presidents. While George Washington and FDR both had willful and seemingly emotionally disturbed mothers and JFK had a cold and distant mother, Roosevelt and Bush presidents had strong mothers and Lincoln had a loving stepmother.

In the role of family dynamics, birth order varied and played a lessor role than parental influence. Franklin D. Roosevelt was an only child, John Adams and George H.W. Bush were firstborn while George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were middle children.

While the book was interesting, it gave no conclusive formula, common parenting practices, or even dysfunctional family element that substantially influenced these men and led them to the presidency. The common denominator, with the exception of Lincoln, seemed to be a desire for influence, power, or wealth ingrain in the families themselves. In the end, however, the presidents have been as diverse as the country they served.