"Memphis and the Paradox of Place: An Effective Book for Understanding Memphis"

First of all, I must consider that the book "Memphis and the Paradox of Place" is truely a remarkable source for understanding Memphis. Before reading this book, I thought that I knew Memphis and its place very well because I lived in Memphis for approximately twenty years. However, I did not realize that there are more historical significant events in Memphis that I do not know until I have actually read the book. Wanda Rushing, the author of this book, have done an outstanding job of describing Memphis as a place. From the historical background of the Yellow Fever and the Civil War to nowadays events, she thoroughly explained and defined Memphis in details including the significance of the economic events. In fact, the central purpose of this book is to enhance the readers why it is important to understand Memphis, why its place is matter, and why important it is for a person to understand Memphis. A person who do not have any knowledge of Memphis might defines interesting for reading the Rushing's book while a person who thinks that he or she might knows pretty much about Memphis will eventually surprising with the little knowledge that he or she knows about Memphis. As a matter of fact, "Memphis and the Paradox of Place" impress a person in such a way that it makes a person wants to learn more about Memphis by visiting its city.

What impresses me after reading the entire book is the history of the Confederate general, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and the economic events in Memphis. In the past, each time that I past by Union venue, I saw the statue of a guy who was mounted on the horse. I was not even realize what is the symbolic meaning of the statue. At this time, I thought that the statue was placed in the center of the Forrest Park for only recreational amusement for its visitor to see and enjoy while they are at the park. For almost twenty years, I was miunderstood the meaning of the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest and his horse until I actually read the book and make a first visited to the Forrest Park. Furthermore, the economic events of Memphis is what I also consider to be interesting. Can anyone imagine a Memphian who do not know any backgroundof business places where he or she have to go to shop for grocery? Indeed, I consider myself as one of the Memphian who felt into that situation. When I was young, my family and I used to go to shopping at Piggly Wiggly, but I do not know who was the founder of the business and where it originated from. I have to credit Rushing for giving me such a useful information to know the history of Piggly Wiggly. As a result, I was full of knowledge of having a better understanding of knowing Memphis like a person who just finishes his or her meal at a buffet restaurant after reading the entire book of Memphis.