New Promotional images for Jimmy Carter in Plains

Cyrus Webb Radio show book review

Robert Buccellato shows with JIMMY CARTER IN PLAINS that anything is possible

Last year I had the pleasure of connecting with author Robert Buccellato and getting an advance copy of his book JIMMY CARTER IN PLAINS. As someone who loves history and getting to know the story behind the individuals we feel as though we know, I was excited for the chance to read it. I didn't know at the time, however, that it would take me not just into former President Carter's humble beginnings but how where he was from and what he accomplished became so personal for those around him.

What Robert has done through words and most importantly pictures is give us a snapshot into the life and the home of a man who believed great things were possible, no matter where you are from---and what he accomplished proved just that. This is not a political book. This is a book of hope and of appreciation that where we begin may not tell you how far you can go but it can be the starting point for everything in your life.

It wasn't just that Jimmy Carter became President. It was that he showed that anyone could do it if they believed, put in the work and had a vision for what was possible.

This is a book that will take you back into a former President's life but also remind us that moving forward that it all begins with a decision to do something great and then rallying others to believe it can happen for them as well.

Jimmy Carter in Plains: Robert Buccellato valdosta daily news article

“Jimmy Carter in Plains” is mostly a picture book filled with photographs of the 39th President and his family in their Georgia hometown.

Charles W. Plant provides the mother lode of photos. Robert Buccellato provides the words.

The book is part of the Images of Modern America series.

There are plenty of photographs of all of the Carters from the period when he was running for President of the United States: Brother Billy, mother Lillian, wife Rosalynn, etc.

The book reveals Carter’s small-town roots and his outsized ambition to move from the office of Georgia governor to the White House.

Ironically, as the book is filled with Plains photos and remains true to the title “Jimmy Carter in Plains,” the cover is a photograph of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter walking the streets of Washington, D.C., during the presidential inauguration.

With dozens of photos, the book is an interesting look, literally and figuratively, into the small town that fueled the rise of Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential campaign. The same town that serves as his home and inspiration today.

Author Interview from the Front Porch - Jimmy Carter In Plains

Here is my interview with the blog "From the Front Porch" the official podcast from the great south Georgia book store "The Book Shelf" of Thomasville.
mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to download and subscribe to podcasts.
Description
Welcome to "From the Front Porch," a collection of conversations on books, small business, and life in the South. Each week, we share stories from the shop and happenings from our small town in South Georgia, all recorded from the comfort of Annie's front porch settled among the streets of downtown Thomasville. Follow along our adventures in store ownership, and eavesdrop into quirky conversations from our staff's day-to-day behind the counter. We'll introduce you to Thomasville's diverse cast of characters and share our favorite books of the season.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-front-porch/id906463114?mt=2

The book, my event in plains, and to a smaller extent myself was featured in the Albany herald




heres the link
http://www.albanyherald.com/features/arts_entertainment/president-carter-revisits-campaign-for-presidents-day-in-plains/article_388b755c-010c-5871-a099-0faa39c4b7f6.html

the article name is President Carter revisits 1976 campaign for Presidents Day in Plains
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter will share experiences and sign books Monday

it covers the weekend celebration for the 40th anniversary of the 1976 election.

Jimmy Carter In Plains : An Amazon bestseller

For the third time since it went on pre-sale
the book has become the #1 New Release in Photography History
It has remained within the top ten all week long and according to the publisher, as sold over half of its first edition. Oh and did I mention the book was only released two days ago.



Get the acclaimed book while you still can, apparently Amazon has had to order another set of books so they won't get sold out.

http://www.amazon.com/Jimmy-Carter-Plains-Images-America/dp/146711541X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454535253&sr=8-1&keywords=robert+buccellato

Florida Squeeze Author Interview - Robert Buccellato

Heres the link 

http://thefloridasqueeze.com/2016/01/25/interview-robert-buccellato-author-jimmy-carter-in-plains-the-presidential-hometown/

January 25, 2016 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

Robert Buccellato the author of Florida Governors Lasting Legacies has penned another book this time about President Jimmy Carter and his hometown of Plains, Georgia. The new book Jimmy Carter in Plains: (Images of Modern America) is on sale now for release on February 1. The book is a unique look at the relationship between President Carter and his hometown. Exclusive photographs from Charles Plant in this book weave a motif of Carter and his family in the town of Plains. In a far ranging interview, Kartik Krishnaiyer sat down with the author to discuss Carter’s relationship with both his mother and father, his upbringing in segregationist South Georgia, his naval service and a discussion about how his retail politics honed in Plains helped him win the New Hampshire Primary in 1976 en route to the Presidency. We also discuss at length President Carter’s post White House life, his interactions with other members of the exclusive fraternity of US Presidents.

Amy Carter

Let me tell you a story
There was once a girl named Amy
At the age of seven her parents moved her from the City and the Governor's mansion to the Country. This particular was a self proclaimed City Girl and enjoyed being the First Daughter of the state of Georgia. However in no time at all she found that she rather enjoyed Rural life. Her parents were off running for President or some such thing that she wasn't very interested in, and she was living almost full time with her two grandmas. These woman spent most of their days spoiling Amy and her cousins, and this new slightly independent, mostly indulgent, and totally freeing lifestyle was everything to young Amy. Having a small grouping of Male Cousins as Friends and acres of wildlife for a playground, the once metropolitan Amy became a tomboy.

Once her father started becoming famous, the press began to seek out Plains. They started asking her Uncle Billy and Her grandmother Lillian for interviews. Amy however was early on spared by her grandmother from giving interviews, not because she was trying to shield her grand child, but because in her own words "she smells terrible and refuses to take a bath."

As her father became the Democratic Front Runner Amy became friends with the young Children of the many reporters who were sent to cover plains. Many a columnist or news anchor would find themselves buying Amy and their own daughter a hamburger at a skating ring, while her father was trying to win a far off Primary.

Once her father became his Party's nominee Amy's freedom was largely suspended by the inclusion of a Secret Service Agent that had to follow her everywhere. That and all the miles of trees she use to climb, and the main street she use to race through with her bike was now congested with people, strangers, some nice, some strange, all of them getting in her way.

This was when the Carter brain and it's talent for Entrepreneurship started to take hold and Amy decided to go into business for herself. Now she did what any young girl her age would do in this situation she opened up a lemonade stand. Journalist Richard hyatt once described her as "Lemonade and Freckles." The budding business owner and her friend john served sandwiches and lemonade to the people who flocked to Woodland Drive to take a peak at the Carter Residence. With members of the National press being her best customers.

Now it didn't take long for Amy to learn the golden rule of road side economics "supply and demand" and the price for a cup of lemonade was soon raised from a dime to a quarter. Some Reporters actually used this minor raise in a satirical article.  When one reporter jokingly teased the Candidate about his daughter's price gouging, Carter without missing a beat replied with a smile that reporters should pay double. They had expense accounts.
Its stories like this that make American History interesting and its this kind of story that makes Plains so interesting. It was a moment in time when the historic met the ordinary. When America Came home. When a retiree like Lillian Carter got into a mud fight after a fish fry with a member of journalistic royalty like Sam Donaldson. When people who wrote articles to a national audience across the wide expanse of the 1970s news media, would soon find themselves sharing a beer with a mud covered daily laborer at Billy's service station.

The Plains Train Depot

There is a historical pull to this place and it’s become manifested in the tiny green and white painted train depot at the center of town. For myself, this humble structure has always held such romantic attachment. This was where Jimmy Carter pulled it off.  Where he, along with his neighbors and family staged the most improvable and captivating Presidential campaign in history, forever changing the political landscape of the nation and how we pick our presidential nominees.

Once you enter the depot, long devoid of frequent activity, a single video can be heard echoing throughout the building. It is a video that Charles Plant put together on the 1976 election. The images are old and the voices heard are those that use to fill the television screens in countless homes decades earlier. The nightly news anchors of the past; Cronkite, Harry Reasoner, and John Chancellor, can be heard.  The desired effect is easily achieved, transporting visitors back to a time when this depot was packed with locals and campaign workers and primary nights would turn into local vigils and tailgate festivals, as several TVs were installed to witness the results of so many past contests, when their favorite son was trying to achieve the impossible. 

. Two rocking chairs, used frequently by America’s First Mother, Lillian Carter, can still be seen.  Today, a sign proudly and humorously recounts the fact that “Behind this closed door” is the reason why the depot was selected as the campaign headquarters. It was the location of the only available public bathroom in town. Today the bathroom is closed and visitors are prevented from entering this historic lavatory. 

As the election of Jimmy Carter became a real possibility, both the candidate and his hometown started becoming big business. Carter’s wide smile began showing up everywhere in town and souvenir makers had a field day turning the town into a household name nationwide. Some, like the N.G. Slater campaign buttons were of high quality, while others were simply made by an endless series of small entrepreneurs looking for an easy buck. Eventually, the massive level of outside guests began to die down. After the Carter Presidency entered the history books, the town and its famous son both shared in parallel struggles to acclimate themselves to life outside the national spotlight. Plains and Carter both took it upon themselves to help preserve the best elements of the 1976 election and its aftermath for posterity. It was not an easy task for them both. But, President Carter threw himself into the task of turning key structures of his hometown into a national park. With the aid of the residents and outside support, the former president succeeded beyond his wildest hopes. 

The town’s train depot was constructed in 1888 and was, for a time, the only building with a public bathroom. This was the primary reason for its selection as the hometown headquarters for the Carter Presidential campaign. It was the site of numerous hometown primary parties and was where candidate Carter would hold interviews whenever in town.  As the 1970s dawned, Plains remained largely unchanged. But, following his announcement for president, the entire landscape of the community began to change. The primary night parties would begin at the depot and quickly took on a church potluck atmosphere. There were said to have been rows of flatbed trucks everywhere and tiny campers. 

This commemorative T-shirt, owned by Plains resident and Peanut Brigadier Ida English. This shirt and other souvenirs were proudly displayed by Jimmy Carter’s supporters to celebrate his victory in the 1976 presidential election. This style of shirt was worn by Peanut Brigadiers on the night of Jimmy Carter's Presidential election. It was the idea of Maxime Reese to have these t shirts made and it wasn't until Jimmy Carter won late in the early morning that those on the platform reveled the t shirts. Miss Lillian raised her tired self from her rocking chair on the Platform to reveal her shirt and suddenly fell down. Laughing she soon recovered and the crowd went wild.

The Town in a short period of time had gone from a sleepy community of 600 people into the capital of American political life. While the nation's major cities were spending millions each year to attract new residences to their communities. The town of Plains was getting up to 10 thousand tourists a day and hadn't spend a dime. But, of-course all of that was soon to change.

The inside of the train depot museum during the 1980s. Following 1979 the crowds in Plains began to die down and once Carter lost re-election the community began to turn sleepy once again. There was till tourists, but never like the glory days. Before the National Park Service became actively involved in preserving the town, the depot served as the town’s visitor center. Today it has interactive exhibits and detailed accounts of the 1976 election. But, when this picture was taken, the citizens of Plains relied almost solely on their own personal memorabilia to fill the museum. 

The Jimmy Carter National Historic site and preservation district was established by an Act of Congress in 1987. The historic site consists of the railroad depot, shown here in the early 1980s, that had fallen into disrepair, the boyhood home, that needed to be purchased, and the Carter compound. The preservation district consists of the historic district and 650 acres of agricultural lands.  

The Depot Museum was designed to retain all the humble charms of its 1970's structure and to also host a grouping of anecdotes from the 1976 election.  In the beginning the town could only depend on the relics they themselves still had in their homes and in shops on Main Street. But, then Carter Presidential Collectors began to make very generous donations to the site and the place became one of the most appealing parts of the historic district. 

Book Blurb by Chris DeRose

I am deeply honored to receive this Book Blurb by the New York Times Bestselling author of "The President's war" and "Congressman Lincoln" Chris DeRose

Let me just go on record and say that he is one of the rising giants of mine generation, in terms of Non Fiction Authors, and it is a great joy to present this to you all


"I loved this book.  Many presidents are associated with a place.  Without understanding the place, you can't understand the president.  Few presidents are tied to a place like Jimmy Carter is to Plains.  Thanks to this excellent book, with its rare and fascinating photographs, we can now understand the small town that raised a president, and thus gain a greater understanding of the man."

Chris DeRose, New York Times bestselling author of "The Presidents' War."  

Jimmy Carter A Great President

This is an excerpt of the speech I shall deliver next month at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library

It is no longer enough to simply describe him as a Great or Excellent EX or Former President. This is an example of Professorial ignorance and a long used republican talking point. The simple fact is Jimmy Carter is the greatest former President in our nation's history, period. But, he is also an underrated and excellent President. He was not a failed president as many have claimed. And its time the Democratic Party defends him. His only major failing while in office was an honorable attempt to avoid bloodshed.
He has the best average of legislative achievement of any modern president except Johnson and the Camp David Peace accords still stands as the only lasting example of a Peace treaty in the Middle East. He cut our consumption of Foreign Oil in half and actually took the nation on the path towards a balanced budget by the mid 1980s. None of his Cabinet members were arrested or investigated (Reagan's cabinet couldn't claim the same.) He was the only modern Presidency to limit nuclear weapon production and trim our sale of Arms to foreign nations.

His promotion of Human Rights not only undermined the Soviet's support in many satellite nations, it also invigorated our own support in South America. At the start of his term, nearly every nation in South America was being governed by a military dictatorship. By the time he left office nearly the entire continent was electing democratic leaders.

Now not to look like a total Carter Fanboy, I will add that he had and has some severe failings. But to his credit he is the only modern US President that not only admits to them, he actually enjoys evaluating them. The final section of his book White House Diaries (itself a brilliant literary achievement) Carter talks very openly about his failing while in the office. He admits  to being a micro manager and that he hated being the leader of the Democratic Party. He admits to having poor relations to congress and concludes that his efforts to pass legislation resulted in any modification or compromise to appear as a presidential defeat.

In 2002 of course the former President won the Nobel Peace Prize, two of the three small bronze medals he received reside here by his Grammy Award , just down the corner. While he is considered the nation's greatest former president, a title and reputation he doesn't mind, those four turbulent years still seem to resonate with Americans. Reagan doesn't connect with Millennials the way Carter does partly because of his post presidency, but mainly because his record remains evergreen. His humility and innovative agenda while in office speak for themselves and his humanitarian efforts out of office continue to make him relevant.

Jimmy Carter Promos - Reviews

The reviews are in and the book has been very well received
over half of its first edition has already been purchased
 be sure to pre-order your copy now on Amazon, Books a Million, Barnes and Noble, or The Arcadia Website to name a few.

 

Jimmy Carter in Plains book review by Jose Blanco

Jimmy Carter in Plains
Review by José Blanco F.
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois.

Blanco is the author of "Becoming Billy Carter" and was a leader in the creation of the Billy Carter museum in Plains, Ga.

Jimmy Carter in Plains by Robert Buccellato brings us ever closer to the background that Plains—a small Georgia town—provides in the life of the 39th president of the United States of America. Buccelato’s carefully researched and organized tome is clearly the result of a passionate project, digging as deep as possible into archives in order to create this fantastic visual panorama for Plains. As the author acknowledges in his introduction, Plains exudes contemporary American history in every corner from the Billy Carter Service Station to the Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home.
The book is organized in sections, allowing the reader to digest the large amount of photographs —accompanied by informative and intriguing information. Section One introduces the town and its most famous resident. We learn about Jimmy Carter’s childhood, family, earlier years in politics, and the beginning of his presidential campaign. Plains, as the “home of the next president,” takes center stage on the second chapter. Anyone who has been to Plains will enjoy the many images of the town, including the train depot that served as campaign headquarters. Those who have never visited should become intrigued enough to start planning a trip to Carter’s hometown. We are also introduced to key family and community members including Billy and Lillian Carter. A wealth of curious information is presented including the fact that many Plains residents were quick to sell their property for a profit during the campaign years. Part three is an exhilarating account of the election with a wealth of images that follow Carter’s every step to the White House. The section includes memorabilia and photographs depicting Carter’s campaign and even some material on President Ford’s reelection efforts. A variety of documents and images illustrate Carter’s move into Washington, DC including inauguration day and the first official photograph portrait of first lady Rosalynn Carter. The last section of the book recounts life in Plains, Georgia in the years following the Carter presidency including the town’s current status as a national Park. The story comes full circle with a series of images that inspire not only nostalgia but also awe at the remarkable story of the peanut farmer who became president and the town that still today frames his story.
Buccellato is a fine historian, weaving through images a story that will forever spark curiosity on the American public. The book is a fantastic archival testament to the timeliness of Jimmy Carter and Plains, Georgia.

Matthew Algeo book blurb for Jimmy Carter In Plains

It is a great honor to have this book blurb by matthew Algeo author of the Books Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip and The President Is a Sick Man

"Has it really been 40 years since Jimmy Carter was elected president? Robert Buccellato’s wonderful new book is a nostalgic reflection on the 1976 presidential campaign, when Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia was transformed from a sleepy Southern hamlet to the center of the political universe. Jimmy Carter in Plains takes readers back to a time when the lapels were wide, the cars were big, and a presidential candidate’s campaign headquarters doubled as a train depot. Filled with rare photographs, this book provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and times of our 39th president. I enjoyed every page of it."

Book Review by Mary E Stuckey

The following book blurb was provided by the Great author Mary e Stuckley. Author of jimmy carter human rights and the national agenda, The Good Neighbor, and defining Americans to name a few.

As a presidential candidate and as president, Jimmy Carter remained a man of the South, deeply rooted in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. In this lovely pictorial history, Robert Buccellato brings the Carter campaign and its profound and continuing relationship to Plains vividly to life. In photos of the Carters, their campaign staff, the campaign itself, and the ways in which all of these continue to be commemorated in Plains, this book contributes to our understanding of Americana, political campaigns, small-town Southern life, and the Carter presidency.

Author event Robert Buccellato at Bittersweet Book Store

The weekend of President's day next year I along with my family will be in south Georgia as guests of the national park service of Plains. I have a book presentation at the Plains Ga High School that Sunday and the previous evening at the Book Store bittersweet. This book store and cafe is located in Americus and is a wonder.




The bittersweet concept is a combination of all in life that is sweet and bitter, whether it is a bittersweet romance novel, a caramel coffee frappe, or a piece of dark chocolate.

Founded in 2015 in the City of Americus, Georgia, by Chuck Faaborg and Elena Albamonte,  bittersweet offers books, including comics and graphic novels, coffee, and chocolate, in a beautiful, comfortable atmosphere.

Located in the newly renovated former Glover Opera House in Americus's historic district, bittersweet is the new Americus destination.

Robert Buccellato on the Chris Hahn Show

Based out of New York, the Chris Hahn Radio show is one of the leading Progressive news programs in the nation.
Here is a link to the interview which starts at minute 52

http://christopherhahn.com/

A cappella Books Shout out

The Folks at A Cappella Books wrote up a nice little shout out for my book event at the Carter Library next year

a little bit about them
They host a diverse range of authors throughout the year. From David Sedaris to Rachel Maddow to Bryan Stevenson, from book signings to author lunches to cocktail evenings.

HERES THE LINK

http://www.acappellabooks.com/event/robert-buccellato-book-signing

AND HERE IS there lovely shout out




WHO: Robert Buccellato
WHAT: Jimmy Carter in Plains Book Signing
WHEN: Monday, February 2nd, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Jimmy Carter Presidential Library

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
  Follow this event on Facebook

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
The physical connections to most American presidents are deeply rooted in the past and the unfamiliar. One can no longer see Washington's birthplace or William Henry Harrison's log cabin. Plains, Georgia, however, is different. In Jimmy Carter in Plains: A Presidential Hometown, Robert Buccellato tells the inspirational story of how one man and his community influenced an historic election. When Jimmy Carter, a one-term governor of Georgia, announced his candidacy for president, few took him seriously. Yet, in just two years, he managed to pull off a spectacular and unprecedented victory, thanks to his personal style of politicking and the support of his hometown. The exceptional photographs of Charles W. Plant guide the reader through the 1976 election, which made Plains America's hometown.

"How do you capture a magical time in your life? This book of photographs and descriptions are evidence of Jimmy Carter's hometown and campaign for President of our USA. Buccellato's book gives a true feeling of Plains, then and now.  People can experience the small town life and 'down to earth' people who brought forth an awesome welcome to visitors then, now, and forever."
--Betty Pope, member of the Carter Peanut Brigade
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert Buccellato is also the author of Florida Governors: Lasting Legacies and the forthcoming Finding Dan McCarty. He is also the Historian for the Clerk of Courts of Leon County, a position created for him. Robert lives in Crawfordville, Florida, with his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Croston.

If you are unable to attend this event, but would still like a signed copy of Jimmy Carter in Plains, please click the link below.



Event address:
441 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30307

Jimmy Carter in Plains by Robert Buccellato--Signed Copy--PREORDER
$22.99
SKU: sgn9781467115414

The Star Wars Holiday Special

I know I know may seem a bit out of place to talk about a star wars special on a blog for a book about Jimmy Carter. However any Carter fan worth their salt will know that a giant poster of Star Wars graces the halls of the Jimmy Carter Presidential library. Not to mention the fact that the movies came out during the Carter Presidency and the New star wars movie that is just days away from rocking our world.
Plus, its my blog and I can do what I want. Its not like anyone reads it anyways. Now heres a bit of back story info for you, that I told  painstakingly took from Wikipedia

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 American television film set in the Star Wars galaxy. It stars the film's main cast while introducing the character Boba Fett, who would appear in later films. It is one of the first official Star Wars spin-offs, and was directed by Steve Binder. The show was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States, on Friday, November 17, 1978 (the week before Thanksgiving[1]), on the U.S. television network CBS from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST), pre-empting Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk; and on the Canadian television network CTV from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time.It was also broadcast in New Zealand on TVNZ and in Australia on the Seven Network.



Now here is the beautiful thing about this shit salad of a holiday special, it was created as a shameless way to cash in on the Star Wars mania taking hold of the nation at the time. It has nearly every major actor from the movie (no amount of money could have gotten them Guinness) and there is at least ten minutes worth of footage from the movie in this "special"
So you would think that given the level of involvement, everyone would have to embrace it. Nope!!!  George Lucas acts like it doesn't exist and the Star Wars Fandom love to hate it. Anyway I mention all of this because its Christmas and Man I really need some Star Wars love today.

So I know this is terrible and believe me no one would argue that. I think Carrie FIsher was drunk during its creation. The guy who played C-3PO apparently has to be piss drunk to stand watching it. But there is a lovely 1970s lameness about it. Kinda like all those terrible Epcot rides that are now closed
anyway google it and enjoy

or you could do what I did and just watch this review instead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS6PwQcCIXo

Jimmy Carter in Plains Book Endorsement by Kevin Mattson

I am very honored to present the book endorsement made by author Kevin Mattson, the author of several exceptional books including "What the heck are you up to Mr President" and "Just Plain Dick."

"This marvelous little book shines light on the truly populist campaign that landed Jimmy Carter in the White House.  You can actually SEE the authentic and regular-guy style of Jimmy Carter at work.  The images of Carter's small-town background are especially compelling.  Political and historical junkies will find this book a great piece of entertainment that doesn't discount the moral and visionary heft that Jimmy Carter brought to Washington, D.C."

-Kevin Mattson, Author of "What the heck are you up to Mr President."