Richard O. Davies

Richard O. Davies takes the reader through two hundred years of American history as reflected in the small Ohio farming village of Camden. Davies describes the development of the relatively self-sufficient community that emerged from the Ohio land rush of the early nineteenth century, a community that reached its apex during the 1920s and then entered into a period of slow decline caused by forces beyond its control. He details the roles of land speculation, the railroad era, the impact of the automobile, the emergence of a tightly knit community, and finally the post-World War II loss of business and population to the nearby cities of Dayton, Hamilton, and Cincinnati.

This first biography of one of the leading conservative figures of the twentieth century traces the roots of John Bricker's ideology in his formative years as a boy growing up on an Ohio farm and examines his political career as governor, vice presidential candidate, and senator. Bricker was exceptionally popular with Ohio voters, winning the governorship three consecutive times by increasingly larger majorities. After his 1944 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination fell short, he accepted the vice presidential slot on the ticket with Thomas E. Dewey. During two subsequent Senate terms, Bricker continued to develop his reputation as a national leader of the Republican Old Guard. His politics were so staunchly conservative that he was considered one of the nation's most consistent and dedicated opponents of the liberalism of the New Deal and Fair Deal administrations. In the early 1950s, Bricker proposed a controversial amendment to the U.S. Constitution that addressed many conservative grievances against Roosevelt's and Truman's foreign policies. The long and acrimonious battle over the Bricker amendment, which was eventually defeated, split the Republican party and contributed to the end of Bricker's political career. Based on Bricker's papers and several other manuscript collections, Davies's lively biography offers an insightful portrait of a politician who embodied conservative reaction to the sweeping changes of his time.

This play includes an introduction and text with a modern approach and detailed commentary notes. There is also a lively and comprehensively researched account of the play's historical social and theatrical content.

This collection of biographical essays by several leading Nevada scholars focuses on fourteen individuals whose careers afford unique perspectives to help us understand and appreciate the growth of postwar Nevada. The leaders discussed come from remarkably diverse backgrounds, and their contributions have embraced every facet of the state's economic, political, cultural, and social development. An introductory essay by volume editor Richard O. Davies discusses the conditions that led to the phenomenal growth of postwar Nevada and made possible the successful careers of such diversely talented individuals. Davies and his fellow contributors offer a fascinating glimpse of a thriving western state and the dedicated and energetic individuals who have led it to its current success.

Decribes the evolving nature of the small midwestern town, from 1800's to present. Long held as an iconic place in American culture, the reality is more complex. This is a collection of writings from historians, novelists, social scientists, poets and journalists featuring well know authors such as Sherwood Anderson, Carol Bly, Willa Cather, Hamlin Graland, Sinclair Lewis, Garrison Keillor, Mark Twain as well as many lessor know but important writers. The five choronological sections trace the founding, growth and decline of the midwestern town.

A study of gambling, particularly sports gambling, and how it has thrived in American culture. According to Davies and Abram, the culture of betting results from two complementary influences in American society: risk-taking and speculation. This is the first effort by academic writers to describe and interpret the history of sports wagering in the United States. Although many books have been written about ₃how to bet and win, ₄ Betting the Line presents a serious history of this popular activity in Colonial and Civil War eras to today, from early betting on horse racing and baseball to the modern venues of basketball and football. By considering topics as diverse as the business of a bookie, the expansion of legalized gambling, and the increase in popularity of televised sports, the authors offer readers an insightful look into a practice that has become commonplace in American popular culture. In a mere seventy years, the number of states where gambling is legal jumped from one to forty-eight. Yet Nevada remains the only state where sports betting is legal. This book challenges many long-standing myths and stereotypes that revolve around the enterprise, arguing that sports gambling is reflective of the American free enterprise culture.

From the Publisher: This richly documented book traces the evolution of American sports from the colonial period to the present. The narrative is organized around the argument that sports have been a significant social force throughout American history. Emphasizes the social, economic, and cultural interaction between sports and larger issues, such as gender, race, and class. Includes 50 photographs of key events and figures in the history of American sports. Written in a compelling, narrative style to engage undergraduate students.

"Nevada has a rich tradition of boxing that is deeply embedded in the culture of the state. Beginning in the late-19th century, Nevada played a key role in the history of the sport when it hosted the Fitzsimmons-Corbett contest in 1897, and then later the Johnson-Jeffries match in 1910. In the second half of the 20th century, Las Vegas became the center of American boxing. The state has also been home to important boxing personalities like Tex Rickard, Mills Lane, and Mike Tyson. The Main Event is the first comprehensive cultural history of boxing in the Silver State, tracing the sport from its origins in 19th century mining camps to the mixed martial arts of contemporary Las Vegas. Davies utilizes both secondary and primary sources to analyze boxing within Nevada's tourist economy, morally libertarian values, and other unique aspects of the state's history and culture. He pays particular attention to how boxing in the Silver State has intersected with issues of race, class, and gender. Written in an engaging style that shifts easily between analysis and narrative, The Main Event will appeal to both scholars and the general reading public"--