Little Book Of Birmingham

The Little Book of Birmingham is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. Here we find out about the city’s most unusual crimes and punishments, eccentric inhabitants, famous sons and daughters and literally hundreds of wacky facts. Norman Bartlam’s new book gathers together a myriad of data on Brum. There are lots of factual chapters but also plenty of frivolous details which will amuse and surprise.A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something you never knew. This is a remarkably engaging little book, and is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

Few cities have undergone such a radical transformation over the last few decades as Birmingham. Culturally and architecturally, it has been in a state of perpetual flux and regeneration, with new communities moving in, then out, and iconic post-war landmarks making way for brighter-coloured, 21st century flourishes. Much like the city itself, the characters in the stories gathered here are often living through moments of profound change, closing in on a personal or societal turning point, that carries as much threat as it does promise. Set against key moments of history – from Malcolm X’s visit to Smethwick in 1965, to the Handsworth riots two decades later, from the demise of the city’s manufacturing in the 70s and 80s, to the on-going tensions between communities in recent years – these stories celebrate the cultural dynamism that makes this complex, often divided ‘second city’ far more than just the sum of its parts.

Many young Christians interested in the sciences have felt torn between two options: remaining faithful to Christ or studying science. Heated debates over the past century have created the impression that we have to choose between one or the other. The result has been a crisis of faith for many students. Josh Reeves and Steve Donaldson present a concise introduction to the study of science that explains why scientists in every age have found science congenial to their faith and how Christians in the sciences can bridge the gap between science and Christian belief and practice. If Christians are to have a beneficial dialogue with science, it will be guided by those who understand science from the inside. Consequently, this book provides both advice and encouragement for Christians entering or engaged in scientific careers because their presence in science is a vital component of the church's witness in the world.

In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, was the site of cataclysmic racial violence: Police commissioner "Bull" Connor attacked black demonstrators with dogs and water cannons, Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote his famous letter from the Birmingham jail, and four black children were killed in a church bombing. This incendiary period in Birmingham's history is the centerpiece of an intense and affecting memoir. A disaffected Birmingham native, Paul Hemphill decides to live in his hometown once again, to capture the events and essence of that summer and explore the depth of social change in Birmingham in the years since -- even as he tries to come to terms with his family, and with himself. -- back cover.

Birmingham served as the stage for some of the most dramatic and important moments in the history of the civil rights struggle. In this vivid narrative account, Glenn Eskew traces the evolution of nonviolent protest in the city, focusing particularly on the sometimes problematic intersection of the local and national movements. Eskew describes the changing face of Birmingham's civil rights campaign, from the politics of accommodation practiced by the city's black bourgeoisie in the 1950s to local pastor Fred L. Shuttlesworth's groundbreaking use of nonviolent direct action to challenge segregation during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1963, the national movement, in the person of Martin Luther King Jr., turned to Birmingham. The national uproar that followed on Police Commissioner Bull Connor's use of dogs and fire hoses against the demonstrators provided the impetus behind passage of the watershed Civil Rights Act of 1964. Paradoxically, though, the larger victory won in the streets of Birmingham did little for many of the city's black citizens, argues Eskew. The cancellation of protest marches before any clear-cut gains had been made left Shuttlesworth feeling betrayed even as King claimed a personal victory. While African Americans were admitted to the leadership of the city, the way power was exercised--and for whom--remained fundamentally unchanged.

What does 'Chobblin' mean? What are 'Donnies'? If it's 'Black Over Bill's Mother's' what should you do? Where does the saying come from? All these questions and many more are answered in this humorous and engaging little book of how Brummies spoke and speak. containing sayings and phrases from recent history and much, much further back.Essential for the younger Brummie to understand their older relatives, and a book full of nostalgia for the 'old uns'. A treasure-trove of Brummie, Black Country and other slang used in Birmingham for centuries. An important repository for these fast - disappearing local gems. Read it, use them and keep our heritage language alive. Also a great gift for older Brummies. This Second Edition contains loads of extra Brummie phrases and is about 40% bigger!

Did You Know? Butcher Keith Boxley of Wombourne made the longest continuous sausage in 1988. It was 21.12km in length! The first general strike in the Black Country took place in 1842. The widespread public unrest was regarded nationally as the first ever general strike. Hell Lane in Sedgley was described as the ‘most unruly place’ in the Black Country. A woman who lived in the lane was said to have been a witch and could turn herself into a white rabbit to spy on her neighbours. The Little Book of the Black Country is a funny, fact-packed compendium of frivolous, fantastic, and simply strange information. Here we find out about the region’s most unusual crimes and punishments, eccentric inhabitants, quirky history, famous figures and literally hundreds of wacky facts. From royal visits and local celebrities, to the riotous Wednesbury protests and a particularly notorious reverend, this is a myriad of data on the Black Country, gathered together by author and local historian Michael Pearson. A handy reference and quirky guide, this engaging little book can be dipped into time and again to reveal something you never knew, making it essential reading for visitors and locals alike.