Wayne State Univ. Press

Arab Detroit 9/11; life in the terror decade.

Following up on the 2000 study Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream, Abraham (anthropology, Henry Ford Community College), Howell (history and Arab-American studies, U. of Michigan), and Shryock (anthropology, U. of Michigan) present 15 articles exploring the shifting social, cultural, economic, and political landscape experienced by Arab-American populations of Detroit, home to some of the largest populations of Arab-Americans in the country, in the wake of al-Qaeda's attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 and the subsequent declaration of the "war on terror." Including contributions from historians, political scientists, anthropologists, and sociologists, as well as poets and memoirists of Arab Detroit, the contributions offer a current ethno-national and religious demographic portrait of Arab Detroit; descriptions of everyday life as Arab Detroit dealt with suspicion and hostility from the wider community and government authorities as a result of the "war on terror;" and analysis of issues of citizenship, inclusion, and exclusion in Arab-American experiences of Detroit in what the editors label the "terror decade." (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Detroitland; a collection of movers, shakers, lost souls, and history makers from Detroit's past.

Celebrating the glory days of the city, this collection offers feature-length historical articles by the author that have appeared in periodicals such as Detroit Monthly, Hour Detroit, Michigan History, and the Sunday magazine section of the Detroit News; most of the articles have been updated and expanded. Each chapter covers a personality, event, or era during 100 years of Detroit history, profiling human interest stories as well as politicians, criminals, sports figures, and Motown musicians. The not-quite-coffee-table (7x10 inches) book includes b&w historical photos. Bak has written other books on Detroit history. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The fall and recapture of Detroit in the War of 1812; in defense of William Hull.

Brigadier General William Hull was sentenced to death for his surrender at Detroit two months after the declaration of the War of 1812. This book takes a fresh look at the surrender and Hull's stated reasons for it. It explores the causes of the War of 1812 and describes the settlement of Detroit on the eve of the war, then recounts Hull's career, the trek to Detroit, the ill-fated invasion of Canada, and the surrender and its consequences for Detroit. The author investigates Hull's 1814 court martial and questions the validity of the final verdict. The book includes b&w historical illustrations and maps, a chronology, and appendices of historical writings and speeches. Yanik is retired from General Motors. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Ghost writers; us haunting them; contemporary Michigan literature.

Funny, frightening, friendly, and feared; ghosts and the houses they haunt make for fascinating stories. Told around campfires, circulated amongst friends, and brought to life on film, the stories captivate believers and non-believers. This collection of 12 tales reflects the efforts of editors Taylor and Kasischke (English and fine arts, U. of Michigan) to find new ghost stories. The haunting tales are written by Michigan poets and storytellers and visit lighthouses, museums, farm houses, mansions, and all the usual ghostly hideouts to take the reader on a journey through the State's history and geography. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

A trip to the country.

In introducing their translation of Voyage de Campagne (A Trip to the Country, 1699) by Henriette Julie de Castelnau (1668-1716), Gerthner (French, Oklahoma State U.) and Stedman (French, U. of North Carolina at Charlotte) provide a biographical sketch and guide to her writings. They argue that the novel's plot, challenging Louis the XIV's monopoly on aristocratic culture in late 17th century France, helped pave the way for French Enlightenment critiques of social institutions. Includes a selected bibliography and portrait of Comtesse de Murat. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)