The BitterEnd FUNdimentals of Reading By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill
Photo courtesy of the USACE
H
ere I am, at deadline once again, and instead of reading about writing, I’m writing about reading. Today we live in an age where our time spent reading has diminished. As with all things, I guess reading may have morphed to fit the age. Audiobooks seem to be a new trend, though one I haven’t quite warmed up to. It sort of reminds me of being in school and having a teacher or another student reading in Lit class. I’d find myself dozing off. Since I learned to read, at about the age of four or five, I guess I’ve preferred to do my own reading, thank you very much. I’ve touched on a few books and writers in past articles, and our editor Amy wrote about a wonderful series called Breakthrough by Michael Grumley. Some of us (and I'm including you, the reader, in this) still prefer the written page. However, I do find myself reading from my iPad often, but I’ve found that it is more often light reading or what I call mental bubblegum. In other words, generally fiction, and things to occupy my time. For more serious reading I still prefer printed copies. Sadly, due to the size of my apartment, I don’t have the space for the amount of books I would like to have. So with all this being said, I want to share a few books I think some of you may be interested in. One story (brought to my attention by Captain Dan Foulds who helped out with my column last year), is by Effingham county native Ruby A. Rahn, River Highway for Trade, the Savannah. It was published in 1968 by the Georgia Salzburger Society and can be downloaded from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers digital library here: bit.ly/river_highway. Just the opening pages give a nice little insight into the history of Savannah and this part of the lowcountry. Through the years I’ve read and forgotten so much of the rich history that is the core of my beloved lowcountry home. This short discourse by Mrs. Rahn gives us the origin of the name Savannah (by the Shawnee Indians in South Carolina, close to the river’s headwaters) and on the robust marine trade industry of the early days. Sometimes when reading I just want to cut to the chase, so I find myself picking up short reads of less than a hundred pages, and at times less than fifty. A recent purchase was General Francis Marion: Irregular Life of an Irregular Warrior, set a bit north of us in South Carolina. The Fox has always been a hero of mine and was the original Special Forces/Ranger of the Americas. If not for Marion and his constant plaguing of General Cornwallis, the outcome of the Revolutionary War may have been much different. The character of Benjamin Martin in the movie The Patriot was based greatly on Francis Marion, though maybe a little over the top as is the wont of film and TV. This short read by Craig Campbell is a great introduction to the legendary warrior. I know for some, history can seem dry. But to paraphrase an old adage, either read it and learn from it, or relive it. That said, not all historical characters were boring. I picked up a book that 30
I plan to gift to a lady friend of mine about Savannah’s own Mary Musgrove. Titled Queen of Savannah and written by Frances Patton Statham, it’s based on the daughter of an Englishman and a Native American who played a key role in the early settling of Savannah and the Georgia coast. Though I haven’t read it, I have skimmed through it and think it would be a great insight that might encourage a deeper study of this outstanding woman. I also want to touch on Buddy Sullivan – I have a few of his books. This author, born in Mcintosh County, is a treasure trove of information and insights on the Georgia coast, with 21 or more books and essays. I find myself drawn to his writings. As some of you are aware, northern money played a key role in preserving some of our barrier islands. From Jekyll Island to Sapelo, Ossabaw and Wassaw islands, and Mr. Sullivan does a fantastic job of telling the story of why these places still exist in a mostly preserved and pristine condition. Possibly my favorite is his Georgia Tidewater Companion which I believe to be the seminal piece on Georgia lowcountry history. One last thing before closing. I recommend reading The Creature From Jekyll Island. No, it’s not a horror story! Well maybe it is, but it’s about the fateful November 10, 1910 meeting that forever changed America’s financial system. A lot can be learned about our beautiful coast from the pages of books, so make time to do some reading of your own. Till next time, Peace and Love, Shrimp and Grits … I'll see you on the water.!
Email: TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com
Southern Tides Magazine
September 2020
