James C. Klotter

At the end of World War II, many thousands of Jewish Holocaust survivors immigrated to the United States from Europe in search of a new beginning. Most settled in major metropolitan areas, usually in predominantly Jewish communities, where proximity to co-religionists offered a measure of cultural and social support. However, some survivors settled in rural areas throughout the country, including in Kentucky, where they encountered an entirely different set of circumstances. Although much scholarship has been devoted to Holocaust survivors living in urban contexts, little has been written about them in the context of their experiences in rural America. Using excerpts from oral history interviews and documentary portrait photography, author Arwen Donahue and photographer Rebecca Gayle Howell tell the fascinating stories of nine of these survivors in a unique work of history and contemporary art. The book focuses on the survivors' lives after their liberation from Nazi concentration camps, illuminating their reasons for settling in Kentucky, their initial reactions to American culture, and their reflections on integrating into rural American life.

Charismatic, charming, and one of the best orators of his era, Henry Clay seemed to have it all. He offered a comprehensive plan of change for America, and directed national affairs as Speaker of the House, Secretary of State to John Quincy Adams--the man he put in office--and acknowledged leader of the Whig party. As the broker of the Missouri Compromise and Compromise of 1850, Henry Clay fought to keep a young nation united when westward expansion and slavery threatened to tear it apart. Yet, despite all that talent and all those real assets, Henry Clay never became president. Three times he received Electoral College votes, twice more he sought his party's nomination, but he lost each time. Alongside fellow senatorial greats, Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun, Clay was in the mix almost every moment from 1824 to 1848. Given his prominence, perhaps the years should be termed not the Jacksonian Era but rather the Age of Clay. This book is not a biography, though many biographical elements inform it, for only by knowing Clay the man can we understand Clay the politician. Instead, it uses new research and offers a more focused, nuanced explanation of Clay's programs and politics to provide answers to the question of why the man they called "The Great Rejected" never won the presidency but did win the accolades of history. James Klotter's fresh outlook reveal that the best monument to Henry Clay is the fact that the United States remains one country, one nation, one example of a successful democracy, still working, still changing, still reflecting his spirit. The appeal of Henry Clay and his emphasis on compromise still resonate in a society seeking less partisanship and more efforts at conciliation.

To most people, the word "Kentucky" is likely to inspire thoughts of Derby Day, burley tobacco fields, feuding Appalachian families, coal mines, and Colonel Sanders' famous fried chicken. There is much more, however, to the Bluegrass State's rich but often unexplored history than mint juleps and the Hatfields and McCoys. In A Concise History of Kentucky, authors James C. Klotter and Freda C. Klotter introduce readers to a captivating story that spans 12,000 years of Kentucky lives, from Native Americans to astronauts. All facets of Kentucky history are explored -- geography, government, social structure, culture, education, and the economy -- recounting unique historic events such as the deadly frontier wars, the assassination of a governor, and the birth of Bluegrass music. The book features profiles of famous Kentuckians such as Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, Loretta Lynn, and Muhammad Ali, as well as ordinary citizens. A joint collaboration of the state historian of Kentucky and an experienced educator, A Concise History of Kentucky is an authoritative, readable story that will educate and entertain newcomers to Kentucky history and those who simply want to learn more about the Commonwealth.

When attorney John Jay Cornelison severely beat Kentucky Superior Court judge Richard Reid in public on April 16, 1884, for allegedly injuring hisJames C. Klotter crafts a detective story, using historical, medical, legal, and psychological clues to piece together answers to the tragedy that followed.""This book is a gem. . . . Klotter's astute organisation and gripping narrative add to the book's appeal. . . . [He] has written a fascinating book that will be of interest to a wide audience."" - American Historical Review""A moving story well told, it does force the reader to reflect on our own era and consider whether we value leaders who respect the rule of law or those who believe that honor demands swift and bloody vengeance no matter the costs."" - Ohio Valley History""A rich and compelling work that offers fresh insights into the tense interplay among religion, law, and honor in the American South.""- Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

The first comprehensive history of the state since the publication of Thomas D. Clark's landmark History of Kentucky over sixty years ago. A New History of Kentucky brings the Commonwealth to life, from Pikeville to the Purchase, from Covington to Corbin, this account reveals Kentucky's many faces and deep traditions. Lowell Harrison, professor emeritus of history at Western Kentucky University, is the author of many books, including George Rogers Clark and the War in the West, The Civil War in Kentucky, Kentucky's Road to Statehood, Lincoln of Kentucky, and Kentucky's Governors.