Shenandoah: Daughter of the Stars

Rivers of America #28

by Julia Davis Adams

Although not a native of the Shenandoah - indeed, he was born in Germany - Lucian Niemeyer has an abiding affection for the bounteous natural blessings of the Valley and for its inhabitants' way of life. That affection is evident in every one of the nearly 200 color images that fill the pages of this book, encompassing the Shenandoah and its closely surrounding region, from Harpers Ferry to Roanoke. Niemeyer offers entrancing views of hidden valleys, rolling farmlands, acres of wildflowers, and cascading woodland brooks. He shows us shadowy forest glades where deer and other wildlife still abound, and many of the caverns and other geological formations that attract visitors from all over the world. He captures the Valley in all its seasons, from fertile summer to snow-clad winter, from the fresh green of spring to the astonishing crimson and gold of fall. His photographs also depict the area's many historic sites, from centuries-old houses to the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University, and introduce us to the Valley's people in their work and play. The words of Julia Davis form the perfect complement to Niemeyer's evocative photographs. Davis was raised in the Shenandoah Valley and was the daughter of John W. Davis, the distinguished lawyer, ambassador, and former United States presidential candidate. She was an admired writer and the author of many books, perhaps the best-loved of which was the history of the Shenandoah she wrote in 1945 for the Rivers of America series. Shortly before her death in 1993 at age ninety-two, Davis completed an abridgment of that book for inclusion in this volume. Her beautifully written text traces the history of theShenandoah from its earliest settlement into the twentieth century, and focuses on such important periods as the French and Indian War, the Revolution, the War Between the States, and the Great Depression.

Genres: History

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Julia Davis was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia to a prominent family. After her mother Julia McDonald Davis died from childbed fever, young Julia was raised mostly by her grandparents. Her father John W. Davis was a lawyer and partner in the New York-based firm Davis Polk. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain just after World War I and later ran for president. She attended Wellesley College for two years and then transferred to Barnard College, where she graduated in 1922. The following year, she married William McMillan Adams and began writing books for young people.

Adams made her publishing debut with The Swords of the Vikings in 1927. During her career, she produced more than 20 other books, primarily history and fiction, including the Shenandoah volume for the landmark Rivers of America series. She also wrote two volumes of memoirs, Legacy of Love (1961) and The Embassy Girls (1992), and two novels under the pseudonym F. Draco. Two of her children's novels - Vaino: A Boy of New Finland (1929) and Mountains Are Free (1930) - were chosen as Newbery Honor Books.

She worked for a year as a reporter for The Associated Press. After divorcing her first husband, she married again twice, and cared for stepchildren and other children who needed homes. She was an agent for the State Charities Aid Association in 1933-1938, and was active in charitable organizations in New York.

Reviews

[Randy Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

My bad on this book. One of my favorite songs is ‘Shenandoah’ sung beautifully by Judy Garland on her tv show. I thought this book would at least talk a bit about the song. Nope. This book written in the 1940s is exclusively about the Shenandoah valley.

Most of the book focuses on the battles of the Civil War and particularly about the brave confederate soldiers and generals. The lost cause is alive and well in this book. The yankee come across as vicious and crude, black people as primitive and mostly harmless as long as they don’t get their simple minds confused by unscrupulous Northerners. Robert E. Lee in particular comes across like a saint.

Given the later controversy over segregation, I found this line telling: ‘…or a mild racial disturbance when one of the colored workers drank from a fountain reserved for the whites.’ A single word like ‘reserved’ can make white supremacy sound so natural and necessary.