I am delighted to see Nora Titone has registered on this forum. We are just stacking up reputable authors one after another!
Nora is the author of "My Thoughts Be Bloody," a wonderul family biography of the Booths with emphasis on the relationship between Edwin and Johnny. I could not put it down once I started reading it - and I must admit that it takes a lot to impress me lately with so many books coming on the market.
I am going to tell a tale out of school right now (and I hope she won't clobber me), but we had Nora as a speaker at the Surratt conference two years ago. She is young, petite, and vivacious. My first instinct upon meeting her the day before she was to speak was, "Oh, my lord, some of my seasoned veterans are going to eat her alive!"
I definitely did not need to worry. For one hour, she had some of the crustiest ones hanging on every word. She spoke without notes in a warm, yet educational manner; answered any question thrown at her; was not the least bit confrontational, as some speakers get when asked tough questions; etc.
And no, she didn't pay me to say this!
Fantastic!
Welcome, Nora! I love your book -- one of the best Booth books out there! We're so glad that you're here and hope you join us soon!
Welcome, Nora! I think your book is terrific. I cannot believe it's your first book!
Welcome, Nora! I can't wait to read the book.
Welcome Nora. Glad to have you aboard. And I agree with Laurie that it's nice to see the caliber of authors and others we have here.
Best
Rob
Welcome and I also enjoyed your book, and learned a lot too
I failed to mention that Nora was also one of the research assistants to Doris Kearns Goodwin for Team of Rivals.
Laurie is right on target about the tremendous Authors and Historians on this forum!Welcome-Nora
I just pestered Mrs. Titone a few days ago regarding an Edwin Booth question. It's just wonderful to see her registering here. Welcome, Nora. Your book is superb!
I should also add that Nora endeared herself to me shortly before the death of James O. Hall. We were talking, and I told her how serious his condition was - he was completely bedridden and so exhausted that his words were mainly guttural because he did not have enough air in his lungs to push out the thoughts.
In a few days, I received a note from Nora asking me to give him her regards and to read to him a message that told him how much Doris Kearns Goodwin had enjoyed working with him while writing Team of Rivals and that she had changed her approach to the subject of Edwin McMasters Stanton after working with him. Nora herself had become interested in the Booths while assisting with that book.
As I read this to him over the phone, I could hear little "gulps," and I know it meant the world to him to know at the last that his research and knowledge meant something to somebody. He died shortly thereafter.
Many of you know that Mr. Hall was my mentor and one of my dearest friends. We talked each and every day, and I learned so much from him. He has been dead for about five years now, and I still want to pick up the phone and ask him a question.
Betty O was very close to him also, and I know she joins me in saying how much he enjoyed helping others and sharing his research. I asked him one day why he was so generous with giving out information that he had spent a great deal of time and money tracking down. His response was that his acts of kindness always earned rewards with other people sharing information back that helped him fill in missing pieces of the puzzle. He was like many of the old school of culture - and I wish we could go back to those days.
Amen, Laurie! I went over to the State Library today to do some research and I thought of Mr. Hall -- filling in the pieces! How appropriate, because that's exactly what I was doing - researching something that he had started oh, so very long ago. And you know what? It paid off today and the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place! I've been thinking of him all evening since I went to the Library and found out some things and I can see him smile now and say, Well! Cheers!
How I too, wish we could return to those good ol' Boothie days!
I agree with everyone else. I bought the hardback of My thoughts be Bloody when it first came out at Books-A-Million. It was a wonderful read. Welcome to the forum Nora.
Craig
May I just add one amendment to my previous thought about sharing ideas? I know this forum is still in its infancy, but I see much of the friendliness, camaraderie, sharing of information, and proper behavior here that was evident when I first became absorbed in the original gang of Booth buffs -- Hall, Brennan, Keesler, Steers, Tom Turner, Sloan, Gutmans, Hanchett, Reck, Ownsbey, etc. - back in the 1970s. It is very refreshing, and I feel like I'm going to make some new friends here.
In the spirit of this, has anyone ever considered (and I have been mulling this over for months) establishing and maintaining a master list online somewhere/somehow (edited as we go) of all of the articles we have collectively found in 19th (and some early 20th) century newspapers through our research of the assassination? What a help it would be to new researchers.
Blaine Houmes did a similar compendium years ago that we published in book form and sold at Surratt House. It included more than just newspapers, and it was a huge success. Blaine just never found the time (he's an ER doctor) to keep it constantly updated - especially when the assassination topic became so very popular.
There is also a new book out by one of our members here, Glenn Cheney, related to the newspaper accounts of the assassination of that day. Glenn, perhaps we have found a new enterprise for you?? (Be nice in your reply!).
BTW: Hopefully, if he can arrange it, Glenn will be one of the authors participating in the Authors' Hour at the Surratt Conference in March -- along with Tom Bogar, Betty Ownsbey, John Elliott, and Dr. Heinneman, author of a new book on Thomas Ewing, Jr. We will be adding several others if their books get published in time.