Cathedral Heritage Foundation

Cathedral Heritage Foundation Newsletter Volume 5: Issue 2, Spring 1996

Book Reviews Spirited City: Essays in Louisville History by Fr. Clyde F. Crews Review by Sallie Manassah, CHF Board Member (Click the title above to read some of the essays from Spirited City.) A portrait of what has made Louisville the vibrant, caring, and tolerant community that it is today is offered in the new book Spirited City: Essays in Louisville History by Clyde Crews. Through a collection of previously published essays on Louisville history, Crews reveals some of the great moments in the city's annals, beginning with a concise history of the community by time periods. He highlights visits by U.S. Presidents and celebrities; the mood of the community during the Civil War and the World Wars; as well as the social changes that occurred following World War II. He discusses disasters that have befallen the city, and the outpouring of civic compassion and volunteer assistance that accompanied them. Foremost among these is the 1937 flood, which is a defining historical event for most cities along the Ohio River Valley. One particularly interesting essay describes the unique location of Louisville at the Falls of the Ohio. In the early days of river travel, it was a logical stopping place where people disembarked while the boats skimmed the falls. Later Louisville became a metropolis that claimed allegiance to both the north and south during the Civil War. Crews notes that "it is the generation after the (Civil) war that we turn to to find the surprising chemistry that made the city emotionally, politically and economically such a meeting point of American disparate regions." He also reminds us that even the courier (which supported the Confederate cause) represents this meeting of the minds, with its 1868 merger with the Union supporting Journal. Throughout his writing, Crews deals with history fairly, presenting not only the successes of the city but some of its darker moments as well---the treatment of slaves in the legal system; violent turf warfare in the early days of print media; and the "Bloody Monday" anti-immigrant riot of 1855. Along with the essays is a wonderful collection of old black and white photographs~depicting street scenes in the late 1800's; early sports teams, and celebrity visits. A shot of Broadway during the 1937 flood; a photo of Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey on stage at the Armory; and a Civil Rights March in 1961 are among the more memorable photographs. Crews is uniquely qualified to pen this book. He is considered by many to be one of Kentucky's outstanding historians and has authored 10 books on theology and religious history and community history. He is professor and chair of the Department of Theology at Bellarmine College. "In the Louisville of the 1990s, it is not uncommon to find Buddhists, Christians, Jews and Muslims joined together in a place of worship," he writes. Several references are made in the book to the Cathedral of the Assumption and its role in becoming "inner-city in its mission and interfaith in its outreach." The history of a community, as with an individual, is a time to look back at where you've been, and to assess where you are today, in order to know where you are headed in the future. Father Crews' book sets the stage for some of Louisville's future sociological and ecumenical directions. All proceeds from the sale of the book, published by the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, will be directed toward CHF's ongoing work and projects. Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn Review by Clifford C Kuhn, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Genesis Center Department of Psychiatry, University of Louisville School of Medicine This very appealing book is divided into three parts. Part One, entitled "The Bloom of the Present Moment," discusses the basic concepts, roots, and philosophy of mindfulness meditation in simple, down-to-earth language. Part Two, "The Heart of Practice," contains very practical advice for the acquisition of daily meditation skills. In Part Three, "In the Spirit of Mindfulness," Dr. Kabat-Zinn shares his personal experiences with meditation, illustrating its effect in his own life. This is a book which brings the art and practice of mindfulness meditation within the grasp of everyone. The language is straightforward and the concepts are presented in a practical framework. The result is a clear, concise, and warmly engaging overview of the role of meditation in enhancing the quality of everyday life experience.