The Tannery

"Far more than a legal thriller, though it is that . . . Some of this tale will sound disturbingly familiar to readers in the 21st Century, all the more reason to consider its lessons. History can come alive in a work of great fiction. This is one of those times." -Frye Gaillard, Civil Rights Historian, Author of A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s July 5, 1900, Wilkes County, North Carolina: The beautiful young daughter of tannery owner Jakob Schumann is found dead on the north bank of the Yadkin River, brutally beaten, a skinning knife in her chest. Who killed Rachel Schumann? And why? Ambitious Wilkes prosecutor Vincent Taliaferro has arrested Virgil Wade, a mulatto boy, and is convinced the case is open and shut. But local lawyer Ben Waterman is not so sure. Ben's investigation uncovers evidence that undermines the prosecutor's case and points in an entirely different direction. But can he prove it? Can he convince an all-White, all-male jury of Virgil's innocence? The Tannery transports readers to the turbulent world of the post-Reconstruction South. Reflecting issues prominent in today's headlines, themes of Black voter suppression and intimidation, the violence and depravity of vigilante "justice," and the rise of Jim Crow drive the narrative to its dramatic and surprising conclusion.

Although it is only thirteen square miles in size, Woburn boasts a vast history, replete with curious episodes and colourful characters. The town was home to three women accused of witchcraft in the infamous Salem witch trials, and it was the choice camping ground of gypsy queen Marcia Mock in 1917. Discover the nefarious yeggmen who prowled the streets at the beginning of the twentieth century and the seven women known as the Robins, whose friendship inspired a chain letter that has survived for more than fifty years. Woburn: Hidden Tales of a Tannery Town explores the mysteries of Woburns landscape, including the deadly Horn Pond, whose waters swallowed more than fifty victims and were long believed to contain vengeful demons. Columnist Marie Coady reveals Woburns best-kept secrets with the vibrancy and wit of a true town sleuth.

Moving beyond merely biographical or textual interpretation, Claude Tannery traces the philosophy of life and art developed by André Malraux. With both sensitivity and expert interpretation he defines the issues—personal and artistic as well as political—that underlie Malraux's writings—including early as well as late works, novels, speeches, and essays. The result is a new and subtle portrait of Malraux.

An investigation into the damage wrought by the colossal clothing industry--and the grassroots, high-tech, international movement fighting to reform it from a bestselling journalist who has traveled the globe to discover the visionary designers and companies who are propelling the industry toward that more positive future.ture.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • The true story of one man so determined to take down two of the nation's largest corporations accused of killing children from water contamination that he risks losing everything. "The legal thriller of the decade." —Cleveland Plain Dealer Described as “a page-turner filled with greed, duplicity, heartache, and bare-knuckle legal brinksmanship" by The New York Times, A Civil Action is the searing, compelling tale of a legal system gone awry—one in which greed and power fight an unending struggle against justice. Yet it is also the story of how one man can ultimately make a difference. Representing the bereaved parents, the unlikeliest of heroes emerges: a young, flamboyant Porsche-driving lawyer who hopes to win millions of dollars and ends up nearly losing everything, including his sanity. With an unstoppable narrative power reminiscent of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, A Civil Action is an unforgettable reading experience that will leave the reader both shocked and enlightened. A Civil Action was made into a movie starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall.

Originally published in 1979: This is an unusual history of a small town in the once heavily forested hills and valleys of the upper Hudson River. The story starts in pre-glacial times, follows through when white men discovered the great timber lands and when the place was an outlying area of Queensbury called Westfield. It continues through its birth as a town called Fairfield, then Luzerne, and later, Lake Luzerne. It tells of a great tannery and other industries and its surge of popularity as a summer resort. It mentions names from the first loggers to the first town council, and down to the present day (1979).Exploited for its timber by British loyalists, settled by soldiers of Scotch, Irish, Welsh, and English ancestry, infused with French from Canada and seaports near Manhattan, and strengthened with occasional Germanic and Italian immigrants, the new town became a small melting pot of home-seeking folk from the old country. This typical American mix is reflected in the birth and growth of the town.

A heart-warming tale of one family's struggle to survive the war years... It's 1938. Dolly Ramsden is six years old. Times are hard. But Dolly doesn't care - her family are everything to her. Then war comes and everything changes. Her father leaves his job at the local tannery and joins the war effort. He leaves behind him a bitter wife and a daughter who can see no hope for the future. With no money, Dolly's mother is forced to take desperate measures to help them survive. Resentful of her daughter, lonely and depressed - she turns to drink and Dolly's life becomes a living hell. When Wilf finally comes home he returns to a teenage daughter who has been forced to grow up too soon, and a wife who is destroyed by what she's become. With the tannery fires still burning the hatred, resentment and secrets simmer beneath the attempts to restore a normal life for them all until finally, one night - things spiral out of control...