Free Downloads Put A Stamp On It!: Seventy-Seven Sparkling Stories Showcasing How Stamps Have Intercepted Historical Events
WHAT do the Charlie Ross kidnapping, the Dunning sale, Britain’s female mason, Sherlock Holmes and the Littlewood’s pool, the founding of the YMCA, George Sloane, and the Madeline Smith Postcard all have in common? Stamps were an important part of these historical events. Even though we don’t often think of stamps in the context of making history, those small, decorative aspects of the mail system are far more than just there to decorate the envelope. At the heart of every letter, every postal moment for hundreds of years, stamps can be found, changing history as we know it. In this book, author and stamp historian Herman Herst, Jr. shares with us about the rich history of several historical events and the way that stamps influenced them. Told with good humor, perspective, and solid documentation, Herman Herst, Jr. offers us insight into the smallest details of the mail industry - stamps - and shows us that history is often staring back at us every time we mail or open a letter. Come along to share in seventy-seven stories where history proves that stamps are the stars, sealing history in ways we would least expect it.
Paperback: 362 pages
Publisher: Lee Ann and Veronica's Publishing (June 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1940197384
ISBN-13: 978-1940197388
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #74,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #4 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Stamps
Highly recommended--a fast, fun read for anyone interested in the quirks of history.Herman Herst, Jr. was one of the twentieth century's top stamp experts, but this collection of his writings should appeal to a far wider audience. Herst uses stamps as a tool to explore history in much the same way historians in recent years have used salt (Salt: A World History), cotton (Empire of Cotton: A Global History), or even potatoes (The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World) as anchors for their histories. Herst's subjects range from the arts (Arthur Conan Doyle, Whistler and his mother) to John Brown's raid and the origins of the YMCA. The tales are short, witty, and often end with a twist.
I was not aware of Herman Herst Jr's background at all, and was very pleasantly surprised by this gem of a book. Each story is on its own, about 3-5 pages each, and funny. It reminds me of the old O'Henry stories - could be funny, or suspenseful, and frequently with a twist at the end.There were a few stories that I especially liked: Sherlock Holmes, Kathmandu was hilarious though only 2 short pages, and the one, Bits of Humor, with all kinds of humorous situations. Of course, the one with the two wives of philatelists and the phrases or languages uniquely meaningful to only the husbands was hilarious.Book is fast reading, and hard to put down, but with 3-5 pages for each story, at least makes for nice breakpoints.I would highly recommend this book to anybody looking for light humorous short stories.
"Unique" is probably the best way to describe "Put a Stamp on It." Using the format of short-story, this nonfiction work is at the same time both light reading and scholarly. It is intellectual, full of miscellaneous knowledge about the world, but also entertaining. Herst was obviously a widely-read, widely traveled person who knew as much about the world outside of his own field as within. Thus he was able to link philatelics with larger events in a meaningful, interesting, totally distinctive way.Some might consider this a can't-put-it-down volume, but it can also be read a few pages at a time. Each account, several pages in length, treats separate themes, the author cleverly weaving together stamp lore, anecdotes, and events. In many cases, the reader feels as if he or she has learned "the rest of the story," insider information known only to a few. For example, it is hard to believe there have been invasions and wars in which we as a nation have been involved, with no account in mainstream texts or history classes. There are also more private tales, even some for readers who prefer "who-done-its." Herman Herst Jr. has left an unusual, varied, well-written legacy in this posthumously-published book, a fascinating postscript to his earlier publications.
Put A Stamp On It!: Seventy-Seven Sparkling Stories Showcasing How Stamps Have Intercepted Historical Events Put Your Stamp on It: 20 Adorable Projects, Plus Instructions for Hand-Carving Beautiful Stamps Homemade Soda: 200 Recipes for Making & Using Fruit Sodas & Fizzy Juices, Sparkling Waters, Root Beers & Cola Brews, Herbal & Healing Waters, Sparkling ... & Floats, & Other Carbonated Concoctions 2016 Rare Stamp Experts Official Training Guide, includes full color on-line scrolling catalogue of all US Stamps From 1847 to 1900 and Great Britain Stamps From 1840 to 1910: Secret Buying Stategies The Complete Guide to Stamps & Stamp Collecting: The ultimate illustrated reference to over 3000 of the world's best stamps, and a professional guide ... and perfecting a spectacular collection World War 1: World War I in 50 Events: From the Very Beginning to the Fall of the Central Powers (War Books, World War 1 Books, War History) (History in 50 Events Series) World War 2: World War II in 50 Events: From the Very Beginning to the Fall of the Axis Powers (War Books, World War 2 Books, War History) (History in 50 Events Series Book 4) Vietnam War: The Vietnam War in 50 Events: From the First Indochina War to the Fall of Saigon (War Books, Vietnam War Books, War History) (History in 50 Events Series Book 6) History: Human History in 50 Events: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times (World History, History Books, People History) (History in 50 Events Series Book 1) History: British History in 50 Events: From First Immigration to Modern Empire (English History, History Books, British History Textbook) (History in 50 Events Series Book 11) The Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps 2013, 35th Edition (Official Blackbook Price Guide to U.S. Postage Stamps) Warman's U.S. Stamps Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides U.S. Stamps: Values & Identification) Scott 1998 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps: Confederate States, Canal Zone, Danish West Indies Guam, Hawaii, United Nations : United ... Catalogue of United States Stamps) Warman's U.S. Stamps Field Guide (Warmans U.S. Stamps Field Guide) Advanced Stamp Collecting: A Serious Collector's Guide to the Collection and Study of Postage Stamps and Related Materials Scott 2017 Specialized United States Postage Stamp Catalogue (Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps) 2015 Rare Stamp Experts Official Training Guide: Includes on-line digital 2015 catalogue with values of used US and UK classic stamps (Summer Edition Series One - 2015) Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers 2013: Confederate States-Canal Zone-Danish West Indies-Guam-Hawaii-United Nations: United ... Postage Stamp Catalogue: U.S. Specialized) Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting Carve, Stamp, Play: Designing and Creating Custom Stamps
