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In 1903 the R.R. Donnelley Co. of Chicago published an edition of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; they did not offer it for sale. They gave the copies to valued employees, suppliers, and customers. They wished it to be a dignified and value gift. They planned it as an annual project. The first few editions were the sorts of books that few would actually read. But in 1911 they began to publish works dealing with the early days of Chicago and expanded into early Western Americana. Milo Milton Quaife, librarian of the Detroit Public Library and historian, became editor, a position he would hold for the next forty years. Publications were long forgotten and out of print works or previously unpublished manuscripts. They have never sold these books; they are still published as gifts at Christmas every year. They're very worthwhile for the survivalist, particularly for background information.
There is a secondary market. Years ago I would find them in used bookstores at various crossroads. Today the priimary venues are ebay and amazon. They've become easier to find but prices are higher. Many, however, are still real bargains. Some are now available in other less expensive editions. I've appended a link to the Donnelley website. Take a look. Almost all of these belong in your library. Even those few of the early editions that seem less than useful make fascinating reading. There are some specialist dealers as well.
Interesting. The collection of inaugural addresses would be fascinating, especially to compare against latter day ones!
I note that there were some publications about fur traders. Don't know if you've ever been this far east, but near Chadron, NE, is a "Fur-Trader's Museum" that is a tiny nondescript cement-block building off of Highway 20. Once inside, they have a very up-to-date video depiction about what life was like for fur-traders, as well as lots of exhibitions. DH and I are very into history, and the applications of historical lifestyles to today's world. We spent three hours there, just learning about what life was like for not only the fur traders, but the military and Indians as well as the "city people", and how the politics of expansion affected everyone. The changes in the weaponry over the years was particularly interesting.
Interesting. The collection of inaugural addresses would be fascinating, especially to compare against latter day ones!
I don't have the two early volumes but have read a few in scattered places. I was very favorably impressed by those of Pierce and Buchanan, those two widely excoriated presidents just before The War Between The States. There were no secessions under their watches because they treated the states as sovereign states. Lincoln would have been more comfortable with Franklin Roosevelt and William Clinton. I do have the recent volume but have been selective in my reading lest I upset myself too much reading the eructions of Roosevelt, Kennedy, et al.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SCGranny
I note that there were some publications about fur traders. Don't know if you've ever been this far east, but near Chadron, NE, is a "Fur-Trader's Museum" that is a tiny nondescript cement-block building off of Highway 20. Once inside, they have a very up-to-date video depiction about what life was like for fur-traders, as well as lots of exhibitions. DH and I are very into history, and the applications of historical lifestyles to today's world. We spent three hours there, just learning about what life was like for not only the fur traders, but the military and Indians as well as the "city people", and how the politics of expansion affected everyone. The changes in the weaponry over the years was particularly interesting.
Oh yes, I've been that far east. I was born in Illinois but born a Westerner nonetheless. I haven't been to the museum in Chadron but have put it on my list; it sounds fascinating. I have been to Pioneer Village at Minden and would go again. I was a boy the first time I was there and it was only with great difficulty that I persuaded my parents to take the time to go there. But they enjoyed it as much as I did. We spent the best part of two days.
Milo Milton Quaife was very interested in the fur trade and the early years of the Nineteenth Century in generalso found several once obscure works to include in the series. I highly recommend them.
As people moved west the light Kentucky rifle saw less and less use as it was replaced by the much more powerful Hawken. The Indians preferred flintlocks as they didn't need to find caps.
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