Kentucky is most commonly associated with horses, tobacco fields,
bourbon, and coal mines. There is much more to the state, though, than
stories of feuding families and Colonel Sanders' famous fried chicken.
Kentucky has a rich and often compelling history, and James C. Klotter
and Freda C. Klotter introduce readers to an exciting story that spans
12,000 years, looking at the lives of Kentuckians from Native Americans
to astronauts. The Klotters examine all aspects of the state's history
-- its geography, government, social life, cultural achievements,
education, and economy. A Concise History of Kentucky recounts the
events of the deadly frontier wars of the state's early history, the
divisive Civil War, and the shocking assassination of a governor in
1900. The book tells of Kentucky's leaders from Daniel Boone and Henry
Clay to Abraham Lincoln, Mary Breckinridge, and Muhammad Ali. The
authors also highlight the lives of Kentuckians, both famous and
ordinary, to give a voice to history. The Klotters explore Kentuckians'
accomplishments in government, medicine, politics, and the arts. They
describe the writing and music that flowered across the state, and they
profile the individuals who worked to secure equal rights for women and
African Americans. The book explains what it was like to work in the
coal mines and explains the daily routine on a nineteenth-century farm.
The authors bring Kentucky's story to the twenty-first century and talk
about the state's modern economy, where auto manufacturing jobs are
replacing traditional agricultural work. A collaboration of the state
historian and an experienced educator, A Concise History of Kentucky is
the best single resource for Kentuckians new and old who want to learn
more about the past, present, and future of the Bluegrass State.
