The History of Needlework in Hmong Culture. Eight decades in baseball. And two for the kids. Here are our reading recommendations during this heat wave that is pushing us all in.
“Queen of Needlework” by Dia Cha (Independently published, $35 paperback, $9.99 Kindle)
This is one of those quiet books that should get a lot of attention because it is so interesting and introduces a topic important to Hmong culture – sewing and needlework. This may interest you : Children returning to youth sports at NRV.
Dia Cha was the first American Hmong woman to earn a PhD in Anthropology in the US. She lives in California, but her ties to Minnesota include a professorship at St. Cloud State University and a research position at the Science Museum of Minnesota.
It’s hard to believe that Cha was able to pack so much information into a 72-page paperback of memoirs, Hmong history, the symbolic meanings in Hmong handicrafts, fashion, and a fantasy story.
The first part of the book is the author’s short memoir about her family’s journey from Laos to the US, with a stop in a refugee camp. The rest is a story about a little girl, Mai See, who was raised by a tiger and learns how to make the beautiful handicrafts that Hmong women are known for.
It’s the story of the Hmong-made pillows, bags, and wall hangings that many of us have in our St. Paul homes.
The author makes it clear that needlework was historically women’s work.
“..this was not something that was done for fun,” she writes. “It was a way of life. It’s how the women got together and explained what was going on in their lives… Making exquisite handicrafts is an art form that requires focus on your mind, body and skill to create a splendor (of) create artistic expression that reflects who you are.”
While the paperback edition of “Queen of Needlework” is pricey at $35, it’s worth it for the many depictions of traditional needlework patterns on clothing and the evolution of the patterns over the years. Now contemporary fashion incorporates traditional Hmong designs with new patterns.
For ordering information, visit: hmongabc.com/products/queen-of-needlework.
“Good as Gold: My Eight Decades in Baseball” by Jim Kaat with Douglas Lyons (Triumph Books, $28)
“Minor Treasures: Diamond Gems from the Glory Days of Minnesota Baseball” by Stew Thornley, Taylor Simons, and Dave Kapland (Nodin Press, $19.95)
Jim Kaat was a Major League pitcher for 25 seasons, including being a member of the Minnesota Twins 1965 American League pennant-winning team. He was a pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1986. To see also : Caesars Sportsbook promo codes, new sportsbook bonus offers: Receive a $ 1,500 risk-free bet with code GAME15. Since then, he has done analysis for the Twins and other teams, as well as for television channels.
Kaat’s book is divided into chapters covering four decades in the game, from the 1950s through the 1980s, as well as his career in broadcasting, the Hall of Fame, baseball odds and ends, the 2021 season. and his affiliations and dislikes. He loves: the athletics of today’s players. Dislikes: That teams no longer practice in the field where fans can see them.
Kate and his co-author have a chatty writing style and the book reads like visiting a man who did it all.
In the introduction to “Minor Treasures,” the authors explain that “Through an abundance of fascinating baseball memorabilia and the rich stories behind each artifact, (the book) brings the early sports landscape back to life.”
Packed with photos, this oversized paperback features photos of teams, player jerseys, a chair from the old Met Stadium and a knob from The Saints’ Knothole Gang, reminiscent of the days when kids watched games through “peepholes” in wooden fences. They write about Powerhouse Saints, Hall of Famers in Minneapolis, and a photo of the house Willie Mays rented on Fourth Avenue S. in Minneapolis when he was with the Minneapolis Millers.
For example, among the players who complete the memorabilia is pitcher Monty Stratton, who played for the St. Paul Saints in 1935 and later for the Chicago White Sox. In the winter of 1938, he suffered a hunting accident and his leg was amputated above the knee. That didn’t stop him from starting a minor league career with a prosthetic wooden leg. His comeback inspired an Oscar-winning 1949 film, “The Stratton Story,” starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.
The things you learn from books.
AND FOR THE LITTLE ONES
“Mashkiki Road: The Seven Grandfather Teachings” by Elizabeth S. Barrett, illustrations by Jonathan Thunder (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $17.95)
Indigenous teachings take center stage in this beautiful children’s picture book by two members of the Red Lake Ojibwe. See the article : MLB announces the permission of jersey ads.
Three youths travel Mashkiki Road in search of sage and cedar, medicines used by their grandmother Mindy.
Along the way, they meet Bear, who introduces them to the Seven Grandfather Teachings. They meet Sa’be (BigFoot), who represents honesty, and Mashko-de-Bizhiikii (Buffalo), as well as Wolf, Beaver, and Turtle, who each have a lesson. As the kids head home, Migizi (Eagle) flies over to let them know he’s been watching over their journey. Migizi offers the seventh grandfather doctrine: love.
Barrett is an English language teacher at Red Lake Secondary School. Thunder is an award-winning painter and digital media artist living in Duluth.
Their partnership is a winner. Barrett’s lyrical text is perfectly complemented by Thunder’s contemporary illustrations.
“Begin One Way: A Children’s Book of Road Signs” by Loana Stoian, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy (Busy Hands Books ($17.95)
Author Stoian, a British-born paper artist living in Minnesota, believes children are curious about the world around them. And what is more common on their walks and in the car than seeing all those signs. What do they mean?
In rhyming text accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations, the book shows a mother and child walking through an urban neighborhood where they find common road signs and learn their meaning. From STOP to PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, the child also learns how signs help children stay safe.
The book’s endpapers and a section in the back have 40 road signs that adults can use as a refresher while driving.
For ordering information, visit itascabooks.com
