Age of Barbarity: The Forgotten Fight for the Soul of Florida
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To make that a reality, I will:. And I want your input. This list can grow. We must decide for ourselves the type of educational system we want. And we must commit to making it real. Here are some thoughts, strategies, and priorities. It has worked aggressively to simplify and reduce the Polk testing burden in all its forms. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Billy Townsend takes us back to the early 20th century and rural northeast Florida, when political corruption and vicious racism were as prevalent as anywhere else in the country. His research results in gripping depth and detail as we learn of the hatred and horrors that made life hell for the poor in general and the blacks in particular.
Some of the material may be too brutal for those who prefer their history sanitized. But it's all authenticated and brought to life by a writer who clearly loves his home state as much as he despises some of the people who used to run it.
Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Was a stupid book, rambles on and on.
Age of Barbarity: The Forgotten Fight for the Soul of Florida [Billy Townsend] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. A near civil war swept. Editorial Reviews. About the Author. Billy Townsend was an award-winning reporter and editor for several Florida newspapers, including the Tampa Tribune and.
Wanted to read up on Putnam County as I lived here for a long time. Many of the names are familiar but is not a book I would recommend. In this engaging debut book, journalist Billy Townsend presents the turbulent world of central Florida in the early twentieth century. Townsend defies traditional categories to fuse the genres of historical narrative, journalism, historical fiction, true crime and family lore.
The result is a page-turner that is compelling for its original approach, descriptive powers, and its deeply moral message. The "Age of Barbarity" is grounded in thorough research. With the inside knowledge of a local with deep roots in the area, Townsend adeptly guides his reader through many intertwined plot lines involving characters with complex motivations. Several major figures are his family members.
But instead of pretending omniscience, Townsend has the courage to confront the reader with the challenge facing anyone investigating the past: This honesty about the limits of primary sources is refreshing. Townsend turns a potential problem into one of the central strengths of the book as he opines on the credibility of the sources and enlists the reader as a co-investigator in assessing the evidence.
Although he is closely connected to the community, Townsend does not hesitate to take a stand. He champions forgotten heroes and names villains who long ago escaped justice. Townsend must also be complimented on his placement of the narrative in the wider context of the United States, emphasizing how the barbarity in central Florida tied into trends red summer of , race riots, the Great Migration, prohibition, the rise of the Klan that wrecked havoc across the nation.
The "Age of Barbarity is very worthwhile for the lessons it teaches about America and for imparting an important and exciting story. I finished reading this book almost a year ago but only last week was able to complete the whole journey by taking a personal walking tour of Palatka. The book was more than engaging, written in a conversational style while revealing the hard-edged history it set out to portray.
While on my yearly trips between Tampa and St. Augustine, Palatka was only a stepping stone to my final destination. Townsend enhanced my view immensely and last week, with my dog-eared copy of his book in hand, I found my way around to a few of the places he described, bringing another dimension of this history to life for me. While Palatka has an extensive Civil War history which some of the local citizens readily shared, I think the present day residents may find this little known era of Barbarity a real eye opener, as Palatka bathed in a national spotlight for 15 tumultuous years.
Definitely anticipating some more of this writing from Mr. Townsend hopefully in the very near future. Fun to read, engaging, and provocative, Townsend's book is a major contribution to Florida's historiography. Anyone interested in Florida history ought to read this book. Anyone interested in how Floridians got to where we are today in terms of community relations, race relations, law enforcement professionalism, the Klan, and local politics, ought to read this book.
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See 1 question about Age of Barbarity…. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. May 27, Ashley rated it really liked it Shelves: A beautifully written dramatic retelling of events in Palatka, Florida, and throughout the state before, during, and after the s.
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My only complaint is that it's so damn long. It took me forever to finish it! The book explores what led to the Klan rule and lynch mob mentality in rural Florida and what finally resulted in its defeat, focusing on the heroics of a small town sheriff whom the author clearly reveres. I liked the parts referencing the author's own family history, as well.
Anyone interested in Florida history ought to read this book. Open Preview See a Problem? Townsend turns a potential problem into one of the central strengths of the book as he opines on the credibility of the sources and enlists the reader as a co-investigator in assessing the evidence. Although he is closely connected to the community, Townsend does not hesitate to take a stand. But instead of pretending omniscience, Townsend has the courage to confront the reader with the challenge facing anyone investigating the past: Florida's conflict saw the storming of jails, the maiming of Catholic clergy, and the fierce resistance of patriots, black and white. While on my yearly trips between Tampa and St.
Jun 15, Daniel Weinfeld rated it it was amazing. My review originally posted at amazon: Weinfeld on July 16, Format: Paperback In this engaging debut book, journalist Billy Townsend presents the turbulent world of central Florida in the early twentieth century. Townsend defies traditional categories to fuse the genres of historical narrative, journalism, historical fiction, true crime and family lore. The result is a page-turner that is compelling for its original approach, My review originally posted at amazon: The result is a page-turner that is compelling for its original approach, descriptive powers, and its deeply moral message.
Age of Barbarity: The Forgotten Fight for the Soul of Florida
The "Age of Barbarity" is grounded in thorough research. With the inside knowledge of a local with deep roots in the area, Townsend adeptly guides his reader through many intertwined plot lines involving characters with complex motivations. Several major figures are his family members.
But instead of pretending omniscience, Townsend has the courage to confront the reader with the challenge facing anyone investigating the past: This honesty about the limits of primary sources is refreshing. Townsend turns a potential problem into one of the central strengths of the book as he opines on the credibility of the sources and enlists the reader as a co-investigator in assessing the evidence.
Although he is closely connected to the community, Townsend does not hesitate to take a stand.