Bill and Daisy Dorgan ran the popular Dorgan’s Café on Main Street in Bradford; Illinois; for almost 50 years. Legend has it that Bill bought a six-year-old 1926 Ford Model T for his daughter Darlene; who immediately organized a summer vacation; inviting several girlfriends to join her camping in Devil’s Lake; Wisconsin. Seven more summer trips; from 1936 through 1942; took these “twenty-something†girls through 44 states; Canada; and Mexico in an era when such travel by a group of coeds was not common. These gals seemed to find adventure at every turn; attending World’s Fairs in New York and San Francisco and traveling to Canada to see the Dionne Quintuplets. Los Angeles; New Orleans; Atlanta; Washington; D.C.; Toronto; and Montreal were all visited. They slept in jails and schoolyards along the way. They made the acquaintance of movies stars and moguls; as well as dignitaries and corporate leaders. There was a special; enduring relationship that developed between the girls and Henry Ford; who met with them twice. Most Model T’s were black; but not Darlene’s! She painted it silver; and on each trip; hand-painted red signage—called “Lizzie Labelingâ€â€”adorned the hood; fenders; and doors; telling the story of where the girls had been or were going. The car was nicknamed the Silver Streak. At first; the girls referred to themselves as the Bradford Model T Girls. Later they called themselves the Gypsy Coeds; a name that seemed to fit them well. There was a strong kindred spirit among the girls and an equally strong love for the old Model T that carried them on their road trips. Relive those eight adventurous summer vacations recreated from diaries; letters; newspaper accounts; and interviews; and learn how the author eventually found the Silver Streak; a true piece of Americana; and returned it to Central Illinois.
#810649 in Books Cook Michael 2016-12-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.10 x 6.00l; .0 #File Name: 0691173346568 pagesAncient Religions Modern Politics The Islamic Case in Comparative Perspective
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An important and compelling workBy Mario FuscoGiven our times; and with so much of the rhetoric concerning our relations with Islam reeking of ignorance; dogmatism and fear; this is an absolutely compelling and fascinating book. It should be required reading for anyone trying to make sense of today’s headlines; particularly for those who are in a position to influence policy towards the Islamic world. In places the reading does get a little laborious for those who are not specialists in the field (such as myself); but the rewards of perseverance are considerable.No doubt a scholar would find any number of technical minutiae to challenge; but the overall import of this work is undeniable. At the risk of sounding presumptuous; and supposing that Prof. Cook reads these reviews; I am going to make a suggestion: lose the comparative focus and concentrate on Islam; perhaps with an abridged version of this work. I say this because; against the background of today’s headlines; the sections on Hinduism and Catholicism; though fascinating; are really peripheral. A slimmer volume with somewhat less of an academic edge would be less taxing; would result in a wider readership; and would constitute a valuable contribution to the ongoing Islam vs. West dialogue/conflict. And happily the present work is so organized that an abridgment would not be unduly taxing.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A powerful exploration of Islam's special advantages in current third-world political mobilizationBy Stephen RoopA fascinating comparative study seeking to explain why and how Islam provides a more coherent and actively used framework for political action in developing Muslim countries than Roman Catholicism in Latin America or Hinduism in India. Cook is a well-known expert in Islam and not afraid to stake out new territory--witness some work from earlier years from which he has since backed away. His book's weight comes from skillfully deployed comparative theorizing and dazzling sourcing. And it could not be more timely. But it is a dense read and not for the faint of heart. Those who persist; though; will be challenged and illuminated by every chapter because of Cook's rigor and imaginative posing of questions. Mainly his work is limited to the Sunni religious revival. (One shortcoming: there is far too little about the timing of the Islamic revival: third-world development has been underway for more than a century; so why is Islam only recently so to the fore?) Cook is abundantly careful to reject the Islamic revival = violent jihad equation so beloved of American neo-cons. Islam has a complex history and there are many possible strands for activists and ideologists to tap. For those Westerners smugly convinced the obvious solution is that Islam must have its Reformation; Cook convincingly counters with the reminder that the western Reformation brought on centuries of fanatacism; intolerance and wholesale slaughter. There are some odd omissions--Indonesia; for example; which would have helped Cook elucidate his "many strands" argument. Cook explores nary at all the grapplings of a few Islamic scholars with questions like feminism and religious pluralism; perhaps feminism is not a vigorous strand in the complex Muslim tradition but respect in Muslim theology for people of the Book; and respect among more hard-headed and practical men for adherents of other religions; are parts of Muslim history even most well-read non-specialists know about. But these grapplings have no widespread following outside of academe and often deracinated intellectual circles and it's what's on the ground that is Cook's concern.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy John DonohueAn engaging reflection on a current problem.
