Second annual Airship Awards announced at Steamcon III in Seatle

The winners of the second annual Airship Awards were named during an awards banquet during the Steamcon III steampunk convention in Seattle.

The Airship Awards were first awarded last year at Steamcon II and are given annually “to recognize the best and brightest in the steampunk community.”

Nominees for this year’s round of Airship Awards were solicited online from the world at large and were announced in early August. The winners were selected by a vote of the registered members of Steamcon III with voting ending on Sept. 30. Airship Awards are currently awarded in five categories – Written, Visual, Aural, Community Contributor and Potpourri.

This year’s slate of winners included the following:

Written – “Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel” by Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine

Visual – Joe Benitez

Aural – Vagabond Opera

Community Contributor – Jordan Block, Sepiachord

Potpourri – Rise of Æster RPG

It’s All Your Fault Award – K.W. Jeter, for coining the term “steampunk”

Nominees in the Written category can include “any written piece of work, including, but not limited to, novels, short stories, blogs, screen plays, etc.” The other nominees in this category this year included “The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack” by Mark Hodder, “Camera Obscura” by Lavie Tidhar and “The Half Made World” by Felix Gilman.

Nominees in the Visual category can include “any visual piece of work, including but not limited to 2D art, 3D art, digital art, fashion design, website design, making/modding, short film (by an individual).” The other nominees in this category this year included James Ng, Myke Amend and Adam Smith.

Nominees in the Aural category can include “any aural piece of work, including but not limited to bands, songs, musicians, music videos, etc.” The other nominees in this category this year included Professor Elemental, Unwoman and Steam Powered Giraffe.

Nominees in the Community Contributor category can include “an individual who is outspoken and supportive in the steampunk community, including but not limited to a Blogger, event organizer, convention runner, scholar, speaker etc.” The other nominees in this category this year included Ay-leen the Peacemaker – Beyond Victoriana; Lia Keyes – The Steampunk Writers and Artists Guild; and Suzanne Lazear – Steamed.

Nominees in the Potpourri category can include “anything not yet covered, including but not limited to game design/designer, acting troupes, short film (by a group), movie, television, etc.” The other nominees in this category this year included Clockwork Cabaret and Unhallowed Metropolis RPG.

The innaugural Airship Awards were presented at Steamcon II on Nov. 19, 2010 and what follows is a list of the winners and nominees of the 2010 Airship Awards.

Written:
• Winner: "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" by Alan Moore
• "Boneshaker" by Cherie Priest
• "Mainspring" by Jay Lake
• "Soulless" by Gail Carriger

Visual:
• Winner: Jake von Slatt
• Paul Guinan
• Richard Nagy
• Haruo Suekichi

Aural:
• Winner: Abney Park
• The Clockwork Dolls
• Extraordinary Contraptions
• The Men that Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing

Community Contributor:
• Winner: Captain Robert Brown of Abney Park
• GD Falksen
• Mike Perschon
• Jake Von Slatt

Potpourri:
• Winner: Girl Genius
• Deadlands Role Playing Game
• The League of STEAM
• The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

In the end, which of the written works mentioned above have you read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more information about the Airship Awards and Steamcon, visit Steamcon’s official Web site at www.steamcon.org.

How many of 'Fangoria's 300 Best Horror Films' have you watched?

In the spirit of Halloween, I posted an interesting best-of list on Oct. 8 that a friend e-mailed me called “Fangoria’s 101 Best Horror Movies That You’ve Never Seen.”

That list featured a number of outstanding horror movies, but more than a few of them were obscure and unfamiliar to those who responded to the post.

A few days later, another friend sent me a similar best-of list called “Fangoria’s 300 Best Horror Films,” which was originally published in January 2010 in Fangoria’s 300th issue. For those of you unfamiliar with Fangoria, it’s an internationally distributed U.S. film fan magazine that has specialized in covering the horror genre since 1979.

The list was compiled by Fangoria’s staff and “other horror icons.” Movie fans, especially horror fans, will be familiar with many of the titles that made this list. Without further ado, here they are:

1. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
2. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
3. Alice, Sweet Alice (1977)
4. Alien (1979)
5. Aliens (1986)
6. Alligator (1980)
7. Altered States (1980)
8. Amer (2009)
9. American Psycho (2000)
10. An American Werewolf in London (1981)

11. Angel Heart (1987)
12. Antichrist (2009)
13. Audition (1999)
14. Bad Taste (1988)
15. The Bad Seed (1956)
16. Basket Case (1982)
17. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
18. The Beyond (1981)
19. The Birds (1963)
20. The Black Cat (1934)

21. Black Christmas (1974)
22. Black Sabbath (1963)
23. Black Sunday (1961)
24. Black Swan (2010)
25. Blacula (1972)
26. Blade II (2002)
27. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
28. The Blob (1958)
29. The Blob (1988)
30. Blood and Black Lace (1964)

31. Blood Feast (1963)
32. Bloody Pit of Horror (1965)
33. Blue Velvet (1986)
34. Brain Damage (1988)
35. The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1959)
36. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
37. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
38. Brides of Dracula (1961)
39. The Brood (1979)
40. Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

41. Bubba Ho-Tep (2003)
42. A Bucket of Blood (1959)
43. The Burrowers (2009)
44. CHUD (1985)
45. Cabin Fever (2003)
46. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
47. Candyman (1992)
48. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
49. Carnival of Souls (1962)
50. Carrie (1976)

51. Cat People (1942)
52. Cat People (1982)
53. Cemetery Man (1994)
54. The Changeling (1980)
55. Child's Play (1988)
56. The Children (2009)
57. Children of the Corn (1984)
58. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
59. City of the Living Dead (1980)
60. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

61. Cloverfield (2008)
62. The Company of Wolves (1985)
63. Count Dracula's Great Love (1972)
64. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
65. Creepshow (1982)
66. Cronos (1992)
67. Cube (1997)
68. Cujo (1983)
69. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
70. Curse of the Demon (1957)

71. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
72. Dagon (2002)
73. Daughters of Darkness (1971)
74. Dawn of the Dead (1979)
75. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
76. The Day of the Beast (1995)
77. Day of the Dead (1985)
78. The Day of the Triffids (1963)
79. Dead Alive (1992)
80. Dead Calm (1989)

81. Dead Ringers (1988)
82. The Dead Zone (1983)
83. Deathdream (1974)
84. Deep Red (1975)
85. Demon Knight (1995)
86. Demon Seed (1977)
87. Demons (1985)
88. The Descent (2005)
89. The Devils (1971)
90. The Devil Rides Out (1968)

91. The Devil's Backbone (2001)
92. The Devil's Rejects (2005)
93. Diabolique (1955)
94. Don't Deliver Us From Evil (1971)
95. Don't Look Now (1973)
96. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)
97. Dracula (1931)
98. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
99. Dressed to Kill (1980)
100. Dust Devil (1992)

101. Eraserhead (1978)
102. The Evil Dead (1983)
103. Evil Dead II (1987)
104. The Exorcist (1973)
105. Eyes Without a Face (1960)
106. The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
107. The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
108. Fiend Without a Face (1958)
109. The Fly (1958)
110. The Fly (1986)

111. The Fog (1980)
112. Frankenstein (1931)
113. Freaks (1932)
114. Frenzy (1972)
115. Friday the 13th (1980)
116. Fright Night (1985)
117. The Frighteners (1996)
118. Frightmare (1972)
119. From Beyond (1986)
120. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

121. Funny Games (1997)
122. Ginger Snaps (2001)
123. Godzilla (1954)
124. Gremlins (1984)
125. Grindhouse (2007)
126. Halloween (1978)
127. Hatchet (2006)
128. The Haunting (1963)
129. Haxan (1922)
130. Hellraiser (1987)

131. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
132. High Tension (2003)
133. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
134. The Hitcher (1986)
135. Horror Express (1972)
136. Horror Hotel (1960)
137. Horror of Dracula (1958)
138. Horror Rises from the Tomb (1973)
139. The Host (2006)
140. Hostel: Part II (2007)

141. House (1977)
142. House of Dark Shadows (1970)
143. The House of the Devil (2008)
144. House of Wax (1955)
145. The Howling (1081)
146. The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2010)
147. I Drink Your Blood (1970)
148. I Sell the Dead (2009)
149. I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
150. I Stand Alone (1999)

151. I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
152. In a Glass Cage
153. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
154. The Innocents (1961)
155. Inside (2007)
156. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
157. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
158. The Invisible Man (1933)
159. Island of Lost Souls (1933)
160. It's Alive (1974)

161. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
162. Jaws (1975)
163. Kill, Baby...Kill (1966)
164. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
165. King Kong (1933)
166. Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
167. Kwaidan (1964)
168. The Lair of the White Worm (1988)
169. Land of the Dead (2005)
170. The Last House on the Left (1972)

171. The Last Man on Earth (1964)
172. The Last Wave (1977)
173. Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
174. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)
175. Let the Right One In (2008)
176. Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
177. Lifeforce (1985)
178. The Living and the Dead (2006)
179. The Living Dead Girl (1982)
180. The Lost Boys (1987)

181. Lost Highway (1997)
182. The Man Who Laughs (1928)
183. Maniac (1981)
184. Martin (1977)
185. Martyrs (2008)
186. The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
187. May (2002)
188. The Mist (2007)
189. Ms. 45 (1981)
190. The Nameless (1999)

191. The Nanny (1965)
192. Near Dark (1987)
193. Nekromantik (1987)
194. Night of the Creeps (1986)
195. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
196. The Night Walker (1964)
197. Nightbreed (1990)
198. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
199. Nosferatu (1922)
200. Nosferatu the Vampire (1979)

201. The Omen (1976)
202. Onibaba (1964)
203. Open Water (2004)
204. Opera (1987)
205. Orphan (2009)
206. The Orphanage (2007)
207. The Others (2001)
208. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
209. Parents (1986)
210. Peeping Tom (1960)

211. Pet Sematary (1989)
212. Phantasm (1979)
213. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
214. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
215. Phenomena (1985)
216. Piranha (1978)
217. The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
218. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
219. Poltergeist (1982)
220. The Prophecy (1995)

221. Psycho (1960)
222. Psychomania (1973)
223. Pulse (2001)
224. Pumpkinhead (1988)
225. Q (1982)
226. Race With the Devil (1975)
227. Raw Meat (1972)
228. Re-Animator (1985)
229. [REC] (2007)
230. Red White & Blue (2010)

231. Repulsion (1965)
232. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
233. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
234. The Ring (2002)
235. Ringu (1998)
236. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
237. Salem's Lot (1979)
238. Santa Sangre (1989)
239. Saw (2004)
240. Scream (1996)

241. The Sentinel (1977)
242. Session 9 (2001)
243. Se7en (1995)
244. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
245. The Shining (1980)
246. Shivers (1975)
247. The Shout (1978)
248. The Signal (2007)
249. The Silence of the Lambs (1981)
250. Silent Hill (2005)

251. Silent Scream (1980)
252. Sisters (1973)
253. The Sixth Sense (1999)
254. Slither (2006)
255. Spider Baby (1964)
256. Squirm (1976)
257. Stagefright (1987)
258. The Stepfather (1987)
259. The Strangers (2008)
260. Street Trash (1987)

261. Suspiria (1977)
262. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
263. Tales from the Crypt (1972)
264. Tales from the Hood (1995)
265. Targets (1968)
266. The Tenant (1976)
267. Tetsuo (1989)
268. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
269. Theater of Blood (1973)
270. Them! (1954)

271. Them (2006)
272. They Came Back (2004)
273. The Thing (1982)
274. The Thing From Another World (1951)
275. The Tingler (1959)
276. Tombs of the Blind Dead (1971)
277. Tremors (1990)
278. Triangle (2009)
279. Trick 'r Treat (2008)
280. 28 Days Later (2002)

281. 28 Weeks Later (2007)
282. Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971)
283. Un Chien Andelou (1929)
284. Uzumaki (2000)
285. Valhalla Rising (2010)
286. The Vampire Lovers (1970)
287. Vampyres (1974)
288. The Vanishing (1988)
289. Videodrome (1983)
290. Village of the Damned (1960)

291. Wendigo (2002)
292. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
293. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
294. Who Could Kill a Child? (1976)
295. The Wicker Man (1973)
296. Willard (1971)
297. Witchfinder General (1968)
298. Wolf Creek (2005)
299. The Wolf Man (1943)
300. Zombie (1979)

In the end, how many of these movies have you watched? Which did you like or dislike and why? Which would you recommend and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

R.A. Salvatore's 'Neverwinter Saga, Book II' makes best-sellers list

It’s Sunday, so that means that it’s time for my weekly review of this week’s Publishers Weekly Best-Seller List. According to the list, we’ve got one new book at the top of the four major best-seller lists this week.

"Shock Wave" by John Sandford replaced "The Affair: A Reacher Novel" by Lee Child as the No. 1 book on the hardcover fiction best-sellers list.

"Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard retained the top spot on the hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list.

"Cross Fire" by James Patterson remained the No. 1 book on the mass market paperback best-sellers list.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett retained the top spot on the trade paperbacks best-sellers list.

There are five books on this week’s hardcover fiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They (along with their place on the list) include "Shock Wave" by John Sandford (1), "Survivors" by James Wesley, Rawles (3), "Neverwinter Saga, Book II" by R.A. Salvatore (4), "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman (10) and "Lionheart" by Sharon Kay Penman (12).

There are five books on this week’s hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "Boomerang" by Michael Lewis (2), "I Never Thought I'd See the Day!" by David Jeremiah (3), "Seriously I'm Kidding" by Ellen DeGeneres (4), "This Is Herman Cain!" by Herman Cain (6) and "The Ultimate Question 2.0." by Fred Reichheld with Rob Markey (8).

There are four books on this week’s mass market paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on that list last week. They include "The Confession" by John Grisham (8), "Western Skies" by Nora Roberts (9), "Towers of Midnight" by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (11) and "Dark Peril" by Christine Feehan (14).

There are four books on this week’s trade paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "The Fifth Witness" by Michael Connelly (9), "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson (11), "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls (14) and "At Home" by Bill Bryson (15).

As a reminder, I’m posting these lists each Sunday because they, as a whole, represent a great, contemporary recommended reading list. These lists are initially released each week on Thursday, and if you’re interested in reading them then, visit Publishers Weekly’s Web site at www.publishersweekly.com. Below you’ll find all four of this week’s best-seller lists.

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Shock Wave" by John Sandford
2. "The Affair: A Reacher Novel" by Lee Child
3. "Survivors" by James Wesley, Rawles
4. "Neverwinter Saga, Book II" by R.A. Salvatore
5. "Lethal" by Sandra Brown
6. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
7. "1225 Christmas Tree Lane" by Debbie Macomber
8. "Aleph" by Paulo Coelho
9. "A Dance With Dragons" by George R.R. Martin
10. "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman
11. "Feast Day of Fools: A Novel" by James Lee Burke
12. "Lionheart" by Sharon Kay Penman
13. "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach
14. "Son of Stone" by Stuart Woods
15. "Nightwoods: A Novel" by Charles Frazier

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
2. "Boomerang" by Michael Lewis
3. "I Never Thought I'd See the Day!" by David Jeremiah
4. "Seriously I'm Kidding" by Ellen DeGeneres
5. "Every Day a Friday" by Joel Osteen
6. "This Is Herman Cain!" by Herman Cain
7. "Jacqueline Kennedy" foreword by Caroline Kennedy
8. "The Ultimate Question 2.0." by Fred Reichheld with Rob Markey
9. "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
10. "That Used to Be Us" by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum
11. "EntreLeadership" by Dave Ramsey
12. "Confidence Men" by Ron Suskind
13. "Destiny of the Republic" by Candice Millard
14. "Go the F--k to Sleep" by Adam Mansbach
15. "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Cross Fire" by James Patterson
2. "Miracle Cure" by Harlan Coben
3. "In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster: A Cynster Novel" by Stephanie Laurens
4. "Christmas at Timberwoods" by Fern Michaels
5. "Bad Blood: A Virgil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford
6. "Only His" by Susan Mallery
7. "Legacy: A Novel" by Danielle Steel
8. "The Confession" by John Grisham
9. "Western Skies" by Nora Roberts
10. "Full Dark, No Stars" by Stephen King
11. "Towers of Midnight" by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
12. "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
13. "The Darkest Surrender" by Gena Showalter
14. "Dark Peril" by Christine Feehan
15. "The Unquiet" by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan & Mary Kay McComas

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
2. "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent
3. "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay
4. "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game" by Michael Lewis
5. "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese
6. "Room" by Emma Donoghue
7. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
8. "Cleopatra" by Stacy Schiff
9. "The Fifth Witness" by Michael Connelly
10. "The Sixth Man" by David Baldacci
11. "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson
12. "Freedom: A Novel" by Jonathan Franzen
13. "Dead or Alive" by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood
14. "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
15. "At Home" by Bill Bryson

In the end, let me know if you’ve had a chance to read any of these books. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

2011 National Book Award finalists announced during radio broadcast

The finalists for the 2011 National Book Awards were announced Wednesday in Portland, Oregon.

This year’s announcement was a little unusual. The finalists were announced by past National Book Award winners, past finalists and judges in front of a live audience during the Oregon Public Broadcasting morning radio show, Think Out Loud, which is broadcast from the new Literary Arts Center in Portland.

Five finalists were announced in the fiction category. They were:

- “The Sojourn” by Andrew Krivak
- “The Tiger’s Wife” by Téa Obreht
- “The Buddha in the Attic” by Julie Otsuka
- “Binocular Vision” by Edith Pearlman
- “Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward

Five finalists were also named in the nonfiction category. They included:

- “The Convert: A Tale of Exile and Extremism” by Deborah Baker
- “Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution” by Mary Gabriel
- “The Swerve: How the World Became Modern” by Stephen Greenblatt
- “Malcolm X: A Live of Reinvention” by Manning Marable
- “Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout” by Lauren Redniss

Finalists in the poetry category were:

- “Head Off & Split” by Nikky Finney
- “The Chameleon Couch” by Yusef Komunyakaa
- “Double Shadow” by Carl Phillips
- “Tonight No Poetry Will Serve: Poems 2007-2010” by Adrienne Rich
- “Devotions” by Bruce Smith

Six finalists were named in the young people’s literature category. They were:

- “Chime” by Franny Billingsley
- “My Name Is Not Easy” by Debby Dahl Edwardson
- “Inside Out and Back Again” by Thanhha Lai
- “Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy” by Albert Marrin
- “Shine” by Lauren Myracle
- “Okay for Now” by Gary D. Schmidt

This year’s slate of winners will be announced on Nov. 16 at the 62nd National Book Awards Benefit Dinner and Ceremony in New York City, and actor John Lithgow is set to host the event. Winners receive $10,000 and a bronze statue, and finalists receive $1,000 and a bronze medal.

For more information about the finalists mentioned above and past winners and finalists, visit www.nationalbook.org.

Before I close this thing out today, I want to also mention that the good folks at Amazon.com, one of the world’s largest (if not THE largest) online booksellers, released on Thursday its Best Books of October list.

Books that made the list included:

1. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
2. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
3. The Great Sea by David Abulafia
4. Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks
5. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
6. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
7. Nightwoods by Charles Frazier
8. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi
9. Into the Silence by Wade Davis
10. Cain by Jose Saramago

In the end, how many of the books mentioned above have you had the chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Which books would you pick to win this year’s round of National Book Awards? Let us know in the comments section below.

Celebrate the Navy's 236th birthday with this recommended reading list

Yesterday – Oct. 13, 2011 – was the 236th birthday of the United States Navy.

On that day, over two centuries ago, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia voted to outfit two ships with guns and crews and sent them on three month missions to intercept British ammunition transports to America. From those humble beginnings, the Navy has developed into the most technologically advanced fighting force in the world.

I admit to a lifelong interest in the Navy and life on the high seas, and a couple of years ago I struck gold when I ran across a brochure that detailed the U.S. Navy’s Professional Reading Program. For anyone interested in learning more about the Navy, you’d be hard pressed to find a better group of books about the Navy.

According to the Navy Reading Web site, www.navyreading.navy.mil, the Navy Professional Reading Program was developed to “encourage a life-long habit of reading and learning among all sailors. The books included in these collections can provide readers with a deeper understanding and appreciation for naval heritage, the profession of arms and the complex modern world in which we operate.”

The list consists of 12 books in… Without further ado, here’s the list in alphabetical order by title:

- “1776” by David McCullough (2006)

- “Aircraft Carriers at War” by James L. Holloway III (2007)

- “American Government” by Robert A. Heineman, Steven A. Peterson and Thomas H. Rasmussen (1995)

- “The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World” by Peter Schwartz (1994)

- “Billy Budd and Other Stories” by Herman Melville (1992)

- “The Caine Mutiny” by Herman Wouk (1992)

- “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” by Bernard Lewis (2004)

- “The Cruel Sea” by Nicholas Monsarrat (2000)

- “D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II” by Stephen E. Ambrose (1995)

- “The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History, 1775-1865,” edited by John Grafton (2000)

- “Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism” by Robert Pape (2006)

- “Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan” by Ronald Spector (1985)

- “The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us” by Robyn Meredith (2008)

- “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card (1994)

- “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (2002)

- “The Fate of Africa: From the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Despair” by Martin Meredith (2006)

- “Flags of Our Fathers” by James Bradley (2006)

- “Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America’s Soul” by Michael Reid (2007)

- “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything” by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (2006)

- “From Beirut to Jerusalem” by Thomas L. Friedman (1990)

- “The Golden Thirteen: Recollections of the First Black Naval Officers,” edited by Paul Stillwell with a foreword by Colin L. Powell (2003)

- “The Good Shepherd” by C.S. Forester (2007)

- “Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War” by William Manchester (2002)

- “The Great Wall at Sea: China’s Navy Enters the Twenty-First Century” by Bernard D. Cole (2001)

- “Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground” by Robert D. Kaplan (2008)

- “Implementing Diversity: Best Practices for Making Diversity Work in Your Organization” by Marilyn Loden (1995)

- “The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business” by Clayton M. Christensen (2003)

- “Jefferson’s War: America’s First War on Terror, 1801-1805” by Joseph Wheelan (2004)

- “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini (2004)

- “The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour” by James D. Hornfischer (2005)

- “Leadership” by Rudolph W. Giuliani

- “Leadership: The Warrior’s Art,” edited by Christopher Kolenda with a foreword by General Barry R. McCaffrey, USA (Ret.) (2001)

- “Life in Mr. Lincoln’s Navy” by Dennis J. Ringle (1998)

- “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips (1993)

- “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell (2007)

- “Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time” by Dava Sobel (2007)

- “Master and Commander” by Patrick O’Brian (1990)

- “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” by Michael Lewis (2004)

- “Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda” by Sean Naylor

- “On the Origins of War: And the Preservation of Peace” by Donald Kagan (1996)

- “One Hundred Years of Sea Power: The U.S. Navy, 1890-1990” by George W. Baer (1996)

- “A Passage to India” by E.M. Forster

- “The Pursuit of Victory: The Life and Achievement of Horatio Nelson” by Roger Knight (2007)

- “Recognizing Islam: Religion and Society in the Modern Middle East” by Michael Gilsenan

- “Rethinking the Principles of War,” edited by Anthony D. McIvor (2007)

- “The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning” by Henry Mintzberg (1994)

- “A Sailor’s History of the U.S. Navy” by Thomas J. Cutler (2004)

- “The Sand Pebbles” by Richard McKenna (2000)

- “The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power” by Max Boot (2003)

- “Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation” by Kees van der Heijden (2006)

- “The Second World War, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm” by Winston S. Churchill (1996)

- “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey (2004)

- “Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons From the Great Antarctic Explorer” by Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell (2002)

- “The Sheriff: America’s Defense of the New World Order” by Colin S. Gray (2004)

- “Shield and Sword: The United States Navy in the Persian Gulf War” by Edward J. Marolda and Robert J. Schneller Jr. (2001)

- “Six Frigates” by Ian W. Toll (2003)

- “Starship Troopers” by Robert A. Heinlein (1997)

- “Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision Makers” by Richard E. Neustadt and Ernest R. May (1998)

- “Time Management From the Inside Out: The Foolproof Plan for Taking Control of Your Schedule and Your Life” by Julie Morgenstern (2000)

- “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell (2002)

- “To the Shores of Tripoli: The Birth of the U.S. Navy and Marines” by A.B.C. Whipple

- “Two Souls Indivisible: The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam” by James S. Hirsch (2005)

- “Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the American Revolution” by Richard M. Ketchum (2004)

- “White-Jacket: or The World in a Man-of-War” by Herman Melville

- “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century” by Thomas L. Friedman (2007)

In the end, how many of these books have you had the chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

The late Harry Ellis was a fine man - and a HUGE Alabama football fan

Evergreen’s Harry Ellis, who passed away on Oct. 3, loved Alabama football, and he might have been Conecuh County’s biggest Crimson Tide football fan.

How big was Ellis’ love for the Crimson Tide?

It was big enough that even the SEC big wheels in Birmingham were aware of it.
Eric SanInocencio, who writes a regular sports column called “The Monday Three and Out” for the SEC Digital Network in Birmingham, had the following to say about Harry and his family in his column this Monday.

“I wasn’t born in this part of the country, nor did I attend an SEC school in college. The most exciting part of this job for me is learning about our fans passion, the deep connection they have with the schools they cheer for. Nowhere in the country is this more prevalent than the SEC, where generations of families bleed their college color, using their team’s successes as a timeline that marks their lives.

“For the Golsons (Lyeffion native Ellis Golson and his wife, Rachel Ellis Golson, a native of Evergreen), this belief is no different. Having chronicled them in this space before, they are the epitome of this type of SEC family. Deep rooted in Alabama tradition, they approach life with a love for the Crimson Tide that has spanned 50 years. Saturdays aren’t just gameday for them, they are trips to the chapel of football, where they come together in hopes that Alabama prevails once again.

“This week that family is hurting, as their patriarch and grandfather passed away. Harry Henderson Ellis, known as ‘Papa’ to those that loved him, finally succumbed to illness after a lengthy battle. An Alabama fan at heart, Ellis served as the backbone for a family that grew up cheering the Crimson Tide.

“A man born from humble beginnings, ‘Papa’ strived for better, working at and then owning a feed store in Evergreen, Alabama. He only became an Alabama fan out of spite, choosing the Tide since many of his friends already rooted for Auburn.

“That simple decision changed a generation. The pride of Alabama grew from father to daughter, and then from daughter to children, a cycle seen in many SEC families. Papa’s daughter Rachel rooted for Alabama, and her son Adam attended college there. Rachel’s youngest daughter Amber needed less time, making her college choice at 10 years old. Alabama was their home.

“The Golsons now root for the Capstone as part of their daily lives, not knowing Papa’s defiance 50 years ago decided that very path.

“Late in his life, Papa often reflected on the ‘good ole days’ at Alabama, when Bear Bryant roamed the sidelines. His crowning moment as a fan happened in 1979, when he watched a ‘goal line stand’ at the Sugar Bowl, as Alabama defeated Penn State to capture a National Championship. His timing was legendary, with Adam claiming his Papa had never seen the Tide lose in person.

“Alabama was and still is the center of this family’s universe, a way to share special moments together. No one was more important than the team, evidenced by a story Amber told me about his 80th birthday party.

“’Alabama was playing Georgia that day,’ Amber told me. ‘I remember being specifically told not to come to his party,’ she added, ‘Instead I went to ESPN’s College Gameday set and held up a ‘Happy Birthday’ sign so he could see it.’”

“Papa’s daughter Rachel is like a second mother to me. I can’t tell you how many times Mrs. Golson (Rachel) fed me, gave me encouragement and reminded me that my dreams were in fact reachable. I think the world of her.

“Until this day, whenever I’m in town, I have to stop in and check on her. When I heard the news, I was overcome with emotion. I couldn't imagine the pain they were going through, and I felt helpless knowing there was little I could do to console them. What can you really say?

“During Papa’s final moments, the Tide helped eased the struggle. Just weeks before his life would end, he sat watching Alabama play with his daughter, the last of many moments they’d spent together doing that very task. One last time, the Crimson Tide would succeed. Behind the strength of a defense that reminded him of that 1979 squad, Alabama defeated Arkansas for a key conference win.

“Many fans say that SEC football is ‘life and death.’ Most times they don’t mean it. For Harry Ellis, Alabama football marked his life, and allows us to celebrate his death even more. Here’s hoping Saturday’s win over Vanderbilt makes you smile one more time sir.

“We will miss you Papa.”

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Here are my picks for this week’s slate of SEC football games. I like Alabama over Ole Miss, Auburn over Florida, LSU over Tennessee, South Carolina over Mississippi State and Georgia over Vanderbilt. Arkansas and Kentucky do not play. Last week: 5-1 (.833), Overall: 42-9 (.824).

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Oct. 13, 2011

FOUR YEARS AGO
OCT. 11, 2007

“Sparta Academy collected win No. 4 by whipping South Montgomery Christian Academy 47-0 on homecoming Friday night at Stuart-McGehee Field in Evergreen.
“Mason Black, a 5-10, 172-pound junior, led Sparta’s offense with nine carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns.”
Other standout Sparta players in that game included Cody Baggett, Dalton Baggett, Taylor Brown, Will Booker, Chris Cinereski, Cody Cinereski, Kyle Cinereski, Dylan Davis, Damon Godwin, Nicholas Hardin, Hunter Hutcheson, Logan Manus, John McDonald, Steven Stuart, Peyton Thompson, Myles Wiggins and J.R. Williams.

“Hillcrest High School’s Jaguars gave their homecoming crowd a reason to cheer Friday night by blasting region rival Southside-Selma, 32-14, at Brooks Memorial Stadium in Evergreen.
“Friday night against Southside, Justin Nared, a 6-1, 177-pound freshman quarterback, led the Jags with two carries for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He also completed 10 passes for 166 yards.
“John Dees, a 6-1, 205-pound senior linebacker, led Hillcrest’s defense with five solo tackles, two assists, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback sack and a pass break-up.”
Other standout Hillcrest players in that game included Malcolm Jackson, Neil Presley, James Riley, Malcolm Rudolph, Derek Smith, Terrance Thomas and Corey Wallace.

19 YEARS AGO
OCT. 8, 1992

“The senior cheerleaders and senior football players at Sparta Academy were honored Friday night during homecoming pregame activities at the school. Pictured are Chris Pate, Steven Bledsoe, Adam Mitchell, Reggie Kendrick, Bryant Robinson, Kelly Booker, Trey Coker, Greg Atkins, Chip Gibson and Terry Conway.”

“A native of Conecuh County was honored recently by being included in the inaugural class of the Alabama A&M Athletic Hall of Fame.
“James A. Powell, a retired agricultural teacher from the Conecuh County Public School System, was among those honored as being named as the first members of the newly established sports hall of fame for the university.
“Powell attended Alabama A&M College from 1940-42. During that time, he lettered in football twice and was named captain during the 1941-42 season.”

“Five Hillcrest Jaguar turnovers and a potent Shark passing attack was enough to hand the Jags their fifth consecutive loss, 21-12, of the 1992 football season last Friday night at Brooks Memorial Stadium.
“Bryant Richardson rushed for 63 yards on 10 carries to lead the Jaguar attack. He also completed four of eight passes for 70 yards.”
Other standout Hillcrest players in that game included Cecil Gill, Anthony Richardson and Michael Stanton.

34 YEARS AGO
OCT. 13, 1977

“The Escambia Academy Cougars downed the Sparta Warriors 13-0 at Canoe, Saturday night in a game that was about even except for the scoreboard.
“Ronnie McKenzie dug out 99 yards on 25 carries against a tough Cougar defense to pace the Sparta running game. Terry Peacock netted 45 yards on 10 carries in spite of having much of a long run called back on a questionable clipping call. Greg Anthony carried six times for 23 yards, Johnny Ralls four for 10 and Gray Stevens, one for five.
“Peacock completed one of seven attempts for 10 yards, but suffered two interceptions. Stevens threw once on the halfback option for 22 yards. Tony Raines picked up 22 yards on Stevens’ pass, and Stevens caught Peacock’s one completion for 10 yards.
“Danny Baggett’s tackle chart had Anthony leading the Warrior defense with 13 solo tackles and eight assists. Harry Crabtree had seven solo and four assists; Tommy Hutcheson, four and six and a fumble recovery; Bobby Padgett, seven; McKenzie, four and two; Tony Raines, three and five; Tony Baggett, three and three; Stevens, two and two; David Sabino, two and one; Steve Dubose, two; Peacock, two; Ralls, one and two; Greg Crabtree, one and one; Bill Cope, three assists; and Mike Webb one assist.”

“Although the Clint Jackson Day celebration is over a month away, the Conecuh County Branch NAACP is happy to report that everything is proceeding on schedule.”

49 YEARS AGO
OCT. 11, 1962

“Mr. and Mrs. R.H. Meacham attended homecoming at Jacksonville State College over the weekend. They also visited in Birmingham before returning home.”

“The W.S. Neal Blue Eagles held to a 6-0 halftime by the hard-fighting Evergreen Aggies, scored three touchdowns in the second half to win 27-0 in East Brewton Friday night. Neal’s big, powerful line and tremendous backfield speed was the difference.
“Quarterback Terry Clarke went 27 yards in the first quarter for the winners’ first TD. Earlier, a 61-yard punt return by Clarke, which scored was nullified by a penalty.
“A 49-yard run by fullback Donnie Fountain set up a Neal touchdown right after the second half kickoff. Halfback Wayne Baldwin went the final yard.
“Baldwin scored a few plays later as he went 40 yards for six points after Neal forced the Aggies to punt.
“Late in the final period, end Roland Gibson took a 13-yard pass in the end zone to end the evening’s scoring.”

“The winless Evergreen Aggies take on the winless Greenville Tigers tomorrow night at 8:00 at Brooks Stadium. Greenville has a big senior ball club and are reportedly better than their record shows. They have suffered three defeats by strong teams and have one tie on their record with Ozark. The Tigers have a strong passing attack and feature a strong runner at 195 at the fullback post.
“Coach Robinson has been working the team again this week without the help of Coach Allmon who is still guarding Meredith over at Oxford, Miss. Allmon is expected back at the end of the week.”

64 YEARS AGO
OCT. 9, 1947

“Auburn Will Enlarge Football Stadium: It was understood last week that negotiations are underway for the addition of 18,225 seats to the Auburn football stadium at an estimated cost of $750,000. Such an addition would increase the seating capacity from 7,200 to slightly over 25,000.”

“Due to the fact the Monroeville-Evergreen football game has been moved up from Friday night, Oct. 31, to Thursday night, Oct. 30, the Quarterback Club’s kickoff party will be held one night earlier than was announced in last week’s Courant. It will occur on Wednesday night, Oct. 29.
“After plenty of fried fish, hush-puppies and all the trimmings, there will be talks by members of the coaching staffs at Alabama and Auburn and a resume of the local football situation. The evening will be topped off with movies of both colleges’ better games being shown.
“Tickets for this event will be on sale by members of the local club, headed by chief signal-caller, Claude Dudley Livingston, as well as local high school students.”

“Using power plays along with a few short passes, the Evergreen Aggies were able to come through with their third straight win against Greenville Friday night.
“The Aggies, who have not allowed any of their opponents to reach pay dirt, presented a strong defense that kept the Covington County lads with their backs against the wall during the entire game.”

Compiled by Sports Reporter Lee Peacock from past issues of The Evergreen Courant. To read The Courant’s weekly Sports Flashback feature online, visit leepeacock2010.blogspot.com.