Rest in Peace Barney Rosset

Barney Rosset,89, died Tuesday after going under a double heart valve transplant in Manhattan, New York. Mr. Rosette was an accomplished publisher who brought Beat poets, French Surrealist, German Expressionist and dramatist literature to light her in the United States.  Rosset introduced American readers to many significant writers, including Nobel Prize winners: Samuel Beckett, Pablo Neruda, Octavio Paz, Kenzaburo Oe and Harold Pinter.

Mr. Rosset was undoubtedly a controversial figure in the literary world.  His autobiographical publications of Che Guevara, Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh, at a time when Communism and racial instability rocked the U.S, made him a target to the authorities and radicals at the time. He was sued many times and received death threats on a regular basis, at one point his office was bombed in Greenwich Village. But still Mr. Rosset continued publishing literature that his mainstream competitors dared not touch.

Say what you will about the man, his ideas and passion however will carry on through his admirers. 

Happy Birthday George Washington!

Today marks our first President, George Washington, 280th birthday! His accomplishments have filled volumes of books; his name and face have been placed everywhere from bridges to monuments to buildings to our nation’s currency.  George Washington became our nation’s first president unanimously after defeating the British during the American Revolutionary War. His leadership style established many rituals of government that are still in use today such as using a cabinet system and delivering an inaugural address. He held the office of president from 1789 – 1797 in which he oversaw the creation of a national government and maintained a string neutral stance to the wars raging in Europe and most importantly established a legacy that is still emulated until this day.  

To learn more about George Washington's legacy look for our up coming US Constitution For Beginners.

Black,Hispanic,Asian,Arab,White,Klingon, Borg History Months? Are they relevant?

With racial inequality still in question we must wonder are months such as Black History and National Hispanic Heritage Month relevant in today’s society? In an interview with 60 minutes Mike Wallace, Morgan Freeman adamantly despised the fact that we still have a Black History Month The video since its inception has gone viral with over 1 million views to much delight and dismay. In the video Morgan Freeman expressed his opinion by stating “you’re going to relegate my history to a month?” he continued “what do you do with yours? Which month is white history month?” two questions, that to many, certainly makes sense. Freeman then asked Mike Wallace, who is of the Jewish faith, “which month is Jewish month?” to which Wallace replied “there isn’t one” Freeman then asked “do you want one?” Wallace quickly replied with “no, I don’t want one.” So does the question of race really need to be asked in this globalized society? Or are we still stuck in the 18^th century enlightened era? What do our followers think?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABE!

Two days from now I’ll be celebrating my birthday along with my birthday brother Abraham Lincoln and oh what a night it’ll be!

Abraham Lincoln entered into politics during the 1830’s with his first campaign for the Illinois General Assembly.  Spectators to the elections claimed he was “strong enough to intimidate any rival.” Keeping with this reputation he halted his speech to aid a supporter who was being attacked by a supporter of an opponent.  Lincoln grabbed the assailant by his neck and trousers and like a rag doll threw him out to the amazement of the crowd. But lacking the education and funding needed to run a campaign, he placed eighth out of thirteen candidates.

Lincoln returned to politics during the 1850’s, a time where the division between pro and anti-slavery started threatening the stability of the Union. As a leading figure in the new Republican Party, Lincoln was viewed as politically moderate, even on the issues of slavery. Lincoln encouraged the restriction of slavery to the states in which it already existed and disapproved the practice spreading to newly formed states. During the 1858 senatorial race, as southern secession sentiment was brewing, Lincoln warned, a house divided against itself cannot stand. He lost the senatorial race but won national recognition as a strong political force.

As a presidential candidate in the election of 1860, Lincoln attempted to ease tension and reassure slaveholding interest that although he favored abolition, he had no intention in ending the practice in slave states and prioritized keeping the union together with new states.  His victory was only short lived as he was handed a ticking time bomb. His compromises with the slave holding south failed to stop South Carolina from separating from the Union thus prompting Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas to follow with the ordinance of secession. Soon after the Civil war began.

As the Union fell into the abyss of civil war, Lincoln shifted closer to siding with the abolitionist movement. He has stated “ If I could save the union without freeing any slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union” two years later he would sign the Emancipation Proclamation.  The document freed slaves in all the Confederate States, but did not make abolition illegal.

April 14 1865, at approximately 1865, Abraham Lincoln, while attending a play in Ford’s Theater, would be assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.  The Nation was casted in sorrow. For three weeks his funeral train brought his body throughout the Union.  His memorial was proclaimed to be “The greatest funeral in the history of the United States.” Abraham Lincoln is remembered as the Great Emancipator and the president who preserved the Union.  So a salute to you sir and a very happy birthday.

To learn more about President Lincoln’s contributions to the United States, check out Black History For Beginners and our upcoming US Constitution For Beginners.

Women's History

For Beginners is proud to announce the C-Span Book TV interview of Revenge of the Women’s Studies Professor, written by Bonnie J. Morris, Ph. D., airing the weekends of February 2012 - first airings will be this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., and Monday at 1:00 a.m. Dr. Morris is author of the upcoming WOMEN'S HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS.

January 27th Marks the Seven Centuries Dante Has Been in Exile

In the 14^th century Florentine republic, the masses were at odds when it came to Pope Boniface VIII. Half of the public praised the papacy, a faction known as the Black Guelphs, while the other half, known as the White Guelphs, saw him as a nosey jerk of a neighbor.

In response to the continuing feud, Pope Boniface VIII appointed Charles de Valois, brother of French king Philip IV, to re-establish peace in the city-state. This decision led Dante Alighieri along with other White Guelphs to make an appearance before the Pope in Rome. While Dante and the Pope met, Charles de Valois was given secret orders to lay siege on Florence and establish a pro-papal government.

The move worked and the White Guelphs were overthrown by Charles de Valois and the Black Guelphs who in turn was banished from Florence and was slapped with a hefty fine by Pope Boniface VIII for being within Rome’s city limits.

Dante, of course, would not let this go unpunished. What better way to enact your revenge on Florence and the papacy? Well, by writing the most widely and influential works of literature in the western world. La Divina Commedia or Divine Comedy personally vilified Pope Boniface VIII by damning him to the pit who’s sin was simony, the act of paying for a place in office.

Dante would continue to live the rest of his life in exile until his death in Ravenna where he remained buried until this day.  After Dante became world famous with his epic poem, Florence has spent the next 700 years begging the city of Revenna to return his remains, every time the adamantly decline. Finally in 2008 the city of Florence pardoned Dante and awarded his heirs the cities highest honor, the Golden Florin. Keeping with Dante’s disdain for Florence, his last descendant, Serego Alighieri, boycotted the ceremony.  I’m sure Dante is chuckling away in the afterlife. 

To learn more about Dante's life check out Dante For Beginners.