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4A ♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2008 OPINION More notable books from the past Here are some more good books from my reading past. I com mend them to you. The Stem of Jesse by Will D. Campbell. Read from July 5, 1996 to July 6, 1996. This book was given to me by my good friend, Johnny Mitchell, Vice- President, Mercer University. It is about the 1963 integration of Mercer University by Sam Oni, an African. It is also about other campus problems and societal problems - drugs, war pro tests, etc. - during the 1960’5. As I was a University of Georgia stu dent (1960-1965) during these times, I could really relate to the described events. This is a very good book! I read it in Washington County at the “Walker home place” on Friday and Saturday prior to the annual Walker Family Reunion. Andersonville by William Marvel. Finished Oct. 27, 1996. This book was given to me by my friend, Steve Lakis, when he visited Perry (and Andersonville) in May of 1996. It is the story of the Union prisoners of war incarcerated at Andersonville in Sumter County during the Civil War. This is a fascinating book that gave me a new appreciation of the horrors and hardships of war. Also, I felt that the author gave a very balanced view of the deprivations suffered by the prisoners, and the attempts of the cap tors to provide for the prisoners’ needs. I highly recommend this book! Corps Values by Zell Miller. Finished May 25, 1997. This is an excellent little book. Janice purchased it for me at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta on May 24, 1997. We went shopping with our Miami friends, Andy and Kathleen Blank. I read it in its entirety the next day, Sunday, May 25, 1997. According to the author, Gov. Zell Miller, everything you need to know he learned in the Marines. There are 12 brief chapters on Neatness, Punctuality, Brotherhood, Persistence, "...I'm really getting tired of Sonny and his fishing stories." To bail is to fail; logo loco I don’t know about you, but every time I hear the word “bailout” it turns my stomach in disgust. If the concept itself didn’t get you, the stories that are now surfacing should do the trick. A story that some of the top level managers who benefit ted went right out and took a $400,000 sabbatical. Reports that those banks which received the money are refusing to disclose what they’re spending it on. Et cetera. It makes me sick. I’ll bet at least 90 percent of you out there (you people who live in the “real world”) have a bailout story - a time in your life you really needed the government’s help; but of course did not receive it. I remember my first assignment in Greece. A young airman with a fam ily forced to reside outside the gates (a shortage of housing). We were so poor. “How poor were you?” We were so poor our basic mode of transporta tion to and from the grocery store on base (three miles one way was a fair estimate) was a red wagon (to carry the groceries and an approximate 1- year-old). (No, we didn’t buy him at the grocery store.) At one point and time I recall some- Larry Walker Columnist lwalker@whgb-law.com Pride, Respect, Shame, Responsibility, Achievement, Courage, Discipline, and Loyalty. This is a good resource book for future talks or speeches. In fact, my niece, Mary Kathryn Walker, quoted from this ’book when she made the salutatorian address at the Westfield graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 30, 1997.1 hope to get Governor Miller to inscribe this book for me. Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara. Read from July 5, 1997 to July 14, 1997. Excellent book! One of the best I have ever read! This book highlights the lives of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Winfield Scott Hancock, and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin in the days prior to Gettysburg as written about by his father (now deceased), Michael Shaara, in the book The Killer Angels (which I read about 3/4’s of). I bought this book at the airport in Atlanta prior to our departure for Italy and finished it as we returned home from Rome. While a novel, I feel that the book was a realistic account of what did or could have happened. To me, Stonewall Jackson is the most interesting character, with General Lee being next*- wonder why I favor those two? The Woolfolk Tragedy by Carolyn DeLoach. Finished Jan. 11, 1998. My brother, David, gave me this book for Christmas, 1997. It is about the mur der of nine people (axed to death) on Aug. 6, 1887 in Bibb County, Georgia, and the subsequent trials and execu tion. The first trials took place in Bibb County, and the final trial and execu- Don Moncrief Managing Editor donm@evansnewspapers.com thing happened to our checking account stateside. We ran into one of those: One checked bounced and because it bounced there was not enough money to cover another ... and let the domi noes fall where they may. Before long I was looking at something like S3OO in the red. Where was my bailout? Where was my federal government? I can just imagine. “What, no bailout sarge?” “Bailout! I’ll give you bailout. I’ll bail you right out of the military.” Some have said: “Oh but our econ omy would have failed if we had not bailed them out.” Really. That makes the presumption the money is actually going to trickle down into the economy. Aren’t there stories out there of how many have used it in the past to fund their millionaire life- te H * muff nm tion took place in Houston County (Perry), with Tom Woolfolk finally being hung in Perry on October 29, 1890. As I had heard about the “Woolfolk family murders” all of my life, and as the hanging took place in Perry, I found the book to be very interesting. Who Runs Georgia? by Calvin Kytle and James A. Mac Kay. Finished Dec. 9, 1998. This book was written around 1948, and is about Georgia’s “two Governor Controversy” and other political matters of that time. Fascinating book that explains to me why we as Georgians are, politically, the way we are. Very useful and very interesting! I enjoyed it very much and will recommend it to others who are interested in Georgia politics and Georgia history. In Search of Atticus Finch by Mike Papantonio. Finished Dec. 26, 1998. This book was given to me by Bryant Culpepper two days before Christmas, and I finished it one day afterwards. I found it to be interesting and full of good advice. It is sub-titled “A Motivational Book for Lawyers”, but I believe the advice and lessons apply equally to most “Type A personalities” in business in 1998. The gist of the book is that we should try to live our lives as did Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Interestingly, Atticus was not only a lawyer, he was also a state legislator. The forward by Morris Dees is excel lent and is worth reading, even if you do not read the book. Good book! King of the World by David Remnick. Finished Dec. 27, 1998. Mrs. Knighton, Janice’s mother, gave me this book for Christmas, 1998. I got it on Dec. 25 and finished it on Dec. 27 (Janice’s birthday). It was that good. The book is about Cassius Clay, initially, and Muhammad Ali, later. Frankly, when I opened the package, See WALKER, page 6A styles? Not to be a scrooge or anything but you do know (quick turn your kids away) Santa’s not real don’t you? And now we also have stories like this: One person told me he believes his company is using the fear of the economy as a way to be a cheap skate when it comes to benefits for its employees. Raises have been frozen. But: “Based on the way they’re oper ating, there’s no indication the compa ny is suffering at all,” he said. “In fact the opposite. We appear to be prosper ing. And they ‘spend’, ‘spend’, ‘spend’ when it comes to everything else ... equipment, supplies, ‘their’ salaries, just not on us.” And the auto industry. I couldn’t believe when I saw a report on TV that the average auto worker makes $75 and hour. I defer back to my air man days. Things didn’t change much in the 20 years I was in. Airmen were always - and remain I’m sure - at the bottom rung of the ladder. That’s just the way it goes, I suppose. And yet these are the same people - the military in general I’m refer ring to now - who defend our country. These are the same people we send to the frontlines and who die for you, See MONCRIEF, page $A "One voice con make a difference" Praise for Sonny’s, the community as a whole Another “praise report” (note: If you’ve got another or another or another, please give us a call), this one from the recent 21st Century Partnership meeting. It’s a praise for Sonny’s Barbecue but it’s also a praise for all in the community who have ever supported our troops overseas. It began with Chairman Mark Byrd as he closed out the meeting. “I ask that we keep in our thoughts those that are on the frontlines defending our freedom, away from their families, in places far from home.” Followed partnership liaison member Ron Carbon: “I want to add one thing I shared with Brad (Fink, Owner of Sonny’s Barbecue) ear lier. We got to feed the airmen at the Airmen’s - Ministry Center with the Warner Robins Military Affairs Committee. “And this past time we did this Wednesday night, there was a young man there and he said: ‘You know, I’m going to happen to be home this Christmas’ ... We happened to be feeding Sonny’s that night as we always do, and it was pulled pork and macaroni and cheese ... And this young man he said, ‘You know, I’m going to get to eat at home this Christmas with my families. But you know, the last two Christmases, I’ve gotten to be over there and we’ve gotten frozen dinners of pulled pork and macaroni and cheese.’ And he said, ‘You wouldn’t believe how much it means to have a package from home for Christmas, somebody we know, somebody from the local community.’ “And I just wanted to share that with you, not only because I’m so very proud of Brad but also just to let you know: Those young women who are over there really do have it in their hearts when they get something from you and they really do appreciate the time and effort you put out of sharing your lives with them.” Partnership Liaison Member Mary Therese Tebbe offered more thanks to Fink as well as added that he just doesn’t do it for the holidays but pretty much anytime he’s asked when it’s in support of the troops. Also, “Tetratech, they call the base, they say: ‘Who's deployed? Who can we send packages to?’ And they do this all year long. “And I know so many others do that too. And I know I don’t say it enough, but ‘thank you for what you do. It really does make a difference. And boy howdy does it show. The community means everything.’” - Don Moncrief/for the Editorial Board Letters to the editor There are three ways to submit: E-mail it to hhj@evansnewspapers.com, mail it to Houston Home Journal at 1210 Washington St., Perry, GA 31069, or drop it off at the same location between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Letters should not exceed 500 words and must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number (the last two not print ed). The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject letters for reasons of gram mar, punctuation, taste and brevity. Ilous ton Houmal Reader information 1210 Washington St P.O. Box 1910 Perry, GA 31069 478-987-1823 See us online at www.hhjnews.com ■ Foy S. Evans 1919-2008 ■ President - editor and publisher: Daniel F. 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