Author Archives: Timothy Burke

Good Quote, Bad Quote

Just so we’re clear: this is a bad quote, before I get some attack chihuahua from Inaccuracy in Academia talking about how I hate America based on reading this. Re-reading Data Trash briefly after pulling it down for cataloging, and … Continue reading

Posted in Good Quote, Bad Quote | 4 Comments

Some Things I’ve Discovered Using Readerware and LibraryThing

I’m having tons of fun cataloging my books. If anyone’s been watching the LibraryThing bloglet in my sidebar, it’s been oscillating wildly between my Africanist collection in the office and my science fiction shelves at home at various points during … Continue reading

Posted in Books | 5 Comments

From the Mixed-Up Bookshelves: Reader’s Digest Illustrated History of South Africa

The Reader’s Digest Illustrated History of South Africa (subtitled The Real Story), in the revised third edition, is the best historical textbook I have ever seen. I’d assign this book in a second in relevant classes. Only problem is that … Continue reading

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Great Americans!!!!!! Like Plato!

As you all know, I’m against snarkiness and mockery and so on. So please excuse the following lapse. But after being directed by Scott Eric Kaufman to this short commentary on footnoting distributions in Critical Inquiry, I really couldn’t help … Continue reading

Posted in Academia | 2 Comments

From the Mixed-Up Bookshelves: “Homelands, Harlem and Hollywood”

Rob Nixon’s published work seems to me like a good direction for the more public, accessible side of scholarly discourse to be heading over the long haul, particularly his 2001 book Dreambirds. That could be what we’re looking for out … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, Books, The Mixed-Up Bookshelves | 1 Comment

From the Mixed-Up Bookshelves: “African History For Beginners”

We have a bunch of the “For Beginners” books published by Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative (WRP) at home somewhere, almost all of them from when they came in fairly plain if stylish brown covers. Someone should write a book … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, Books, The Mixed-Up Bookshelves | 4 Comments

“Core Truths”

There was an interesting discussion a week back at Sherman Dorn’s blog about the Ward Churchill case. I’m sick of talking about Churchill, but the comments thread ultimately goes off in another direction that interests me more. Dean Saitta observes … Continue reading

Posted in Academia | 6 Comments

Historian as Snoop: Experiencing the Archive

[cross-posted at Cliopatria] One thing that I think historians bring to the academic table is their experience of working with archives of all kinds. Lots of scholarly disciplines are involved in going to libraries and databases for their evidence, but … Continue reading

Posted in Academia, Africa | 2 Comments

Good Quote, Bad Quote

Another ongoing feature, an off-shoot of working through my library. I’m going to try and post up interesting short quotations from works. Mostly “good quotes”, but if I come across awkward, reprehensible, or annoying quotes, I’ll slap those up as … Continue reading

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From the Mixed-Up Bookshelves of Professor Timothy J. Burke

I’ve promised (threatened?) to do something like this before, but I’m really committed now. I’ve been meaning to sit down with my bookshelves and go through them very seriously, to re-examine books I’ve read in the past and read newer … Continue reading

Posted in Books, The Mixed-Up Bookshelves | 6 Comments