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The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons: Between Art and War
The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons: Between Art and War
The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons: Between Art and War
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The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons: Between Art and War

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Charles Parsons is one of St. Louis's and the nation's most influential yet little-known figures. He was instrumental to the Union cause as a Civil War quartermaster and advisor to generals, politicians and presidents alike. As a world-traveling art connoisseur, he helped found the first art museum west of the Mississippi, to which he donated his remarkable collection of American, European and Asian art. To this day, his philanthropic work and dedication to education live on in some of the country's grandest institutions. Author John Launius tells the full story for the first time, from business failures in a riverside boomtown to national renown.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 17, 2020
ISBN9781439669075
The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons: Between Art and War
Author

John Launius

John Launius is a media and technology executive based in St. Louis, Missouri. He has provided leadership across governmental and educational sectors and has worked in all forms of media during his career. As a designated "Show Me Missouri" Historical Speaker, representing the Missouri Humanities Council and the Missouri State Historical Society, he enjoys research, writing and lecturing about nineteenth- and twentieth-century America. As a public speaker, he enjoys discussing leadership, management and other business-related topics. He is a Hillman Scholar mentor and has engaged with nonprofits and charitable organizations focused on improving the quality of life for others. With thirty-eight years of martial arts training, he holds numerous black belts in several martial art styles. He has a BA from Webster University and studied at Washington University in St. Louis, DePaul University's Goodman School of Theatre and The Second City in Chicago.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Out of curiosity, I attended author John Launius's first book signing at Subterranean Books on Delmar in St. Louis, Missouri, in February of 2020. In a talk before the signing event, Launius was captivating and eloquent in recounting his research and writing for the life and times of Charles Parsons. He detailed the nuances of the life of Charles Parsons and how Parsons, through his passions and professional work, contributed significantly to the early development of arts, education, and business in St. Louis.

    After completing a reading of this essential historical book on early St. Louis and the region, and a deep dive into the life of the author, I understand now why interviewers and others call Launius "a true renaissance man." I prefer to assign Launius the title of a polymath as he possesses a significant understanding of numerous subjects, mundane and extraordinary. A range of topics directly related to the life and passions of Charles Parsons and the fascinating discoveries discussed throughout the book. The findings alone that Launius reveals about Parsons's art collection, now held at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum and the Saint Louis Art Museum, are enough to inspire the reader to make an immediate visit to these exceptional institutions. The knowledge of Japanese incense and their traditions alone relating to an art object that Parsons collected in the 19th century discussed in chapter 9, is a journey into Japanese history and esoterics that expanded my mind in ways I did expect when I started reading this book.

    At least for me, Launius has achieved what few history books have done, creating deep interest in a single person who made more than his share of lifetime contributions to his country, community, and the common good. I am now reading Launius's book for the third time, and I expect to read it many more times following that. I highly recommend this book to any history lover interested in early American development, not merely St. Louis or Missouri specifically.

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The Life and Times of Missouri's Charles Parsons - John Launius

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