Our Kentucky: A Study of the Bluegrass State

By James C. Klotter

Book Overview

Originally published in 1992 in conjunction with Kentucky's bicentennial observations and designed for use in the high school classroom, Our Kentucky remains one of the most concise, well-written introductions to the Bluegrass State. While the focus is on history, specialists in other fields contribute chapters that provide a comprehensive description of Kentucky's people and their past, present, and future. This expanded edition brings the scholarship up to date, ensuring the book's continued availability for students and general readers.

State historian James C. Klotter, together with a teachers' advisory group, has gathered nineteen authorities on the Commonwealth, each of whom has written a section in his or her area of expertise. The topics range widely, from architecture to women's rights, from Native Americans to Kentucky's future--and much in between. Well-respected authors from various disciplines--including geography, history, literature, religion, journalism, education, and political science--have crafted concise and stimulating chapters that help explain the state's past, present, and future.

Designed for use in the Kentucky Studies high school elective course, the book has been praised for covering so many aspects of Kentucky life and for bringing together such a wide array of writers. A special feature is the inclusion of seventeen award-winning essays written by high school students. These brief "sidebars" demonstrate the level of work that can be done by today's young Kentuckians. The combination of essays by students, chapters by experts, and a generous selection of photographs and original documents results in a book that will inform and delight all Kentucky readers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813121450
• ISBN13: 9780813121451
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 2.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.0" x 10.0"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A New History for the Commonwealth

Our Kentucky, appeared in 1993 as the first new Kentucky History text in over two decades. Since that time it has more or less become the standard text for high school Kentucky History students. The book contains sections written by several of the most distinguished Kentucky Historians including Lowell Harrison, William Ellis, Robert Ireland and Thomas D. Clark. Our Kentucky, provides a survey of the highlights of the states history up until 1993 in a more or less chronological order. The book is fairly well written yet, as stated earlier it is a survey which hits only the high points and thus leaves out quite a bit of rather important information about the Bluegrass State. The sister book of Our Kentucky, The New History of Kentucky is much more thorough and is used in most college level studies of the Bluegrass State.