by William E. Ramsey [978.225 Ram]
This one caught my eye on the "new books display" and I'm glad I took a look. Picture Essays is a marvelous photographic treasure trove of Omaha and Nebraska history. Ramsey, a photojournalist for over fifty years in the Omaha area, has compiled an impressive collection of images that chronicle the history of that city (and beyond). Each photograph is accompanied by a personal essay by Ramsey, reminiscing about historical factoids associated with the images or about the circumstances in which the images were shot. His memories are shared in a folksy, matter-of-fact manner, not like a dry historical tome. Major national celebrities and sports figures are featured, but more impressively, Ramsey has celebrated the lives of people known mainly for their works in Eastern Nebraska, with particular emphasis on Boys Town and the churches of Omaha. A small percentage of the images within come from Ramsey's travels across the country and across the world, but mostly, this is a love letter to the river city and its storied history. This is not exactly a book I'd sit down and read cover to cover, but for anyone who's fascinated by Omaha, I'd recommend browsing this one -- a perfect "coffee table" book to inspire a bit of reminiscing of your own! [We don't have as many books in our collection on Omaha history as we do Lincoln, but for those interested in the Capital City's history, told in a folksy way like this one, I'd recommend the books by Mary Jane Nielsen and Jim McKee.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library
Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?
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