From the Mailbox

MAY 11, 2009
Ms. Nies: The faculty of Gilman School would like to read your book this summer as the assigned book for summer reading. When will it be available in paperback?
It is a terrific book; my favorite of last summer. I found it in a bookstore on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, and couldn’t put it down until I had finished it.
Jerry Thornbery
History Department
Gilman School
Baltimore, MD 21210

MAY 6, 2009
Ms. Nies:

I just stumbled across your book so was absolutely delighted to discover its contents. I observed or experienced what you did. It so paralelled my life. I was a political science student at the University of Iowa, graduating in 3 years in 1959. I tried for the Woodrow Wilson scholarship. Alas! My classmate males all went on to graduate school, became city managers, went to law school or ran for office - and I taught. (In fact when I declared my major, my advisor said, "What will you do with this?" and I said, "teach". His reply was, "What are you planning to coach?" as schools in Iowa needed coaches, not social studies teachers . . . so I did a double major with the second being elementary education.)

. . . I taught school for several years in California, ran political campaigns at night, and participated in love-ins and teach-ins and protest marches - obviously, secrets from my employers! I worked for George E. Brown, Jr., in the summers in L.A. I ran his entire precinct operation in the Spring of 1968 and piggy-backed Robert Kennedy's campaign on it. I was at the Ambassador when Kennedy was shot.

I was instrumental in the late 70's, early 80's in getting Voter Registration expanded in Ohio as it had been in California since the 60's. Most recently, I was in charge of Voter Protection in my part of Ohio for the Obama campaign and the state Democratic Party.

Carol J. Holm, Esq.
Dayton OH 45402

MAY 3, 2009

I gave your book to a friend in San Fran who is quite connected to politics there (a former sorority sister from Duke and pol. sci major who is now on several land regulation boards in SFO)

She loved it as she is also a woman of the 60s. She is good friends with Diane
Feinstein so will buy two more and give to her and another political friend. How is it going?

APRIL 6, 2009
Hello. I recently saw a talk that you gave at a bookstore in Cambridge,MA last June, 2008. It was filmed on CSPAN. I was absolutely fascinated by your perspective and life story. Do you have any plans to speak on the West Coast, specifically, Portland,Oregon in the near future?I am certain my friends and I would love to hear you speak, you are wonderful!
Carey Kaas

FEBRUARY 15, 2009

Have been clutching your book to bosom and using it to fuel my currently cooking 60s-women story. You got it right. Right ON. Especially good to hear about the current generation who had no clue their freedom had to be fought for.

I remember talking with you sporadically the years you worked to bring this history home.

Brava.

Shelby Allen