Page 12 - Palm City Spotlight - May '21

Page 12, Palm City Spotlight

Book Review

Souvenir Nation: Relics, Queen Elizabeth II’s handwritten note to President Eisenhower historical relics,

Keepsakes, And Curios From containing her recipe for drop scones; thoughts about love from curios and
John Steinbeck to his son; a job application from Leonardo da
keepsakes from
The Smithsonian’s National Vinci; a design brief from Mick Jagger to Andy Warhol for an the museum’s
album cover; a 12-year-old Fidel Castro’s note to U.S. President
vast collection
Museum Of American History Franklin D. Roosevelt ... and so many more, almost every one in photos and
of these reproduced visually in the original handwriting – a truly full explanatory
By Nils A. Shapiro handsome, sumptuously designed volume with a ribbon place texts in a double
marker. I discovered both this and Wise Trees while shopping at spread for each.
My tip to book lovers: different times with my wife, Linda, in furniture stores (!), both The fact that
Never stop looking! books literally placed on coffee tables for purposes of adding these examples
elegance to the display settings. Intrigued by the subject matter, range so widely,
Regular readers of this I convinced the owners to let me purchase them at the cover from the
monthly column know by prices, which in the case of Letters of Note was $40. interesting to the
now, this being my 186th At the other extreme was another book, Spoiled Brats, a bizarre, is what
such review, that I have a collection of short stories which I purchased at a neighborhood makes this book
great love for books on a Dollar Tree, and which turned out to be one of the most hilarious so much fun –
wide range of subjects, and reads ever – for just one dollar! I confess I had never until then and the discussions it inspires so stimulating! Here are just a
that I take advantage of every heard of its author, Simon Rich – widely considered to be one few examples of the too-many-to-list-here, all of which are on
opportunity to add to the rather large collection in my home of America’s greatest humorists – but recommended it highly display in the Smithsonian’s collection:
office library. It is possible that I may never get to read all of the in this column and have since purchased one of his more recent - The table-top desk on which Thomas Jefferson wrote the
volumes already on those shelves, but that doesn’t stop me from books, Hits and Misses, at full price, loved it just as much, and Declaration of Independence;
fitting in more when I find new ones that tempt me. recently reviewed it here. - Towel used as a flag of truce. Half of the dish towel that
Sometimes I come across such books in the most unexpected Which brings me to this month’s title, and the point I want a Confederate horseman carried from General Robert E. Lee to
places. Several have earned past reviews in this column, among to make about why it pays to look for interesting books at every Union General Philip H. Sheridan asking him to halt his advance
them two stunningly beautiful, lavish, oversized, photo-and-text opportunity. so that Lee could surrender his troops to end the Civil War. He
volumes that are referred to in the trade as coffee table books Once again, Souvenir Nation was one of those remarkable had no other flag.
because they are often displayed in homes to impress guests as “finds” just staring me in the face as I walked the aisles of - Napoleon’s napkin, embroidered with his initials, which
examples of one’s “aesthetic” taste. a neighborhood Dollar Tree store browsing for toothpaste, he gave to wealthy American William Bayard, who was visiting
One of these was Wise Trees, a world tour of more than 50 shampoo, light bulbs and other odds and ends. A visually him on the day Napoleon left exile on the island of Elba on Feb.
trees that have historic importance, including the Magna Carta interesting design and the name – Smithsonian National Museum 26, 1815.
Yew near Windsor, England (between 2,000 and 2,500 years of American History – on the cover was sufficient to attract my - Hair of persons of distinction and hair of the presidents.
old) under whose branches in 1215 King John signed the Magna attention, and when I flipped through the pages and realized the Several dozen locks of hair clipped from presidents George
Carta; and the Flower of Kent Apple in Lincolnshire, England, nature of the contents I was hooked. This much fun for $1? Washington to Franklin Pierce, and from such distinguished
which still grows in the orchard of the descendants of Sir Isaac But it wasn’t until several weeks later, when I took the time to Americans as Professor Samuel F.B. Morse, Sculptor Clark
Newton, and from which fell the apple that inspired in him the actually look through the book and appreciate its uniqueness (and Mills, Generals Winfield Scott and Sam Houston, Senators Henry
theory of universal gravity. its value at this 176-page hardcover’s original price of $24.95), Clay and Jefferson Davis, and others.
The other book was Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection that I decided to bring it to the attention of this column’s readers. - Laura Keene’s bloodstained cuff, worn at Ford’s
of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience. Arranged For this is a certain “conversation starter,” a book you will want Theater. Laura Keene was an actress waiting in the wings,
as what its compiler describes as “a museum of letters,” this to share with friends at every get-together – one that offers the ready to come onstage when John Wilkes Booth brushed past her
collection includes 125 private and often intimate writings: same kind of Ripley’s Believe-it-or-Not appeal which for decades after shooting President Lincoln and jumping from the balcony.
has fascinated millions. Hearing that the president needed water, she ran to fill a glass
The author, William and brought it to him, holding his head in her lap and getting her
L. Bird, Jr. is a historian dress bloodied in the process. Her cuff is in the collection.
and curator at the - Cake pieces from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Birthday
National Museum of Ball. On Jan. 30, 1934, 6,000 birthday balls were held in 3,600
American History, communities throughout the U.S. to celebrate the president’s
Smithsonian Institution. birthday as part of a fundraising campaign for charities. In
After a fascinating, Washington, D.C., Will Rogers hosted the main event. Eleanor
comprehensive opening Roosevelt cut the large, multicolored birthday cake. Two boxes of
section about the the cake were taken home by the parents of Tillie N. Oberheim,
history and background who donated them to the museum, where they are today on
leading to the display in their original boxes.
establishment in 1850 - Photograph, Dewey-Truman necktie poll, Harvey’s
of the extraordinary department store. We are all familiar with the photo of Harry
organization we S. Truman grinning broadly as he held up the newspaper with the
know today as “the headline prematurely – and inaccurately – announcing Dewey’s
Smithsonian” – which victory over him in the presidential election. The Smithsonian
incredibly began in the collection includes another photograph, this one of a Nashville,
home of one man who Tennessee clothing store window that showed the results of its
decided to collect what own kind of election poll: Dewey neckties had sold out, while
he felt were important Truman ties were still available for half-price! It seems that
souvenirs of American Thomas E. Dewey won everyplace but where it counted!
With nothing else available, half of a common dish towel was carried by a Confederate horseman life – the author Whether for knowledge, reference, excitement or fun, look
as a flag of truce from General Robert E. Lee to Union General Philip H. Sheridan, so that Lee presents more than 50 for books everywhere you go.
could surrender to end the Civil War. of the most astonishing

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