A spiritual History of The Land of the Osage and Ozark
After reading the poem, "The River Runs Through It," curiosity set in about the writer Gaye Lisby. I hope to meet her soon and have a feeling my writings today will bring forth our meeting. Here's a review:
After studying Liby's text I've found the book to be less about history and more about Lisby's personal religious path. She's a zealot, perhaps a warrior of her faith - containing more zealotry than history.
Lisby explores the rituals and secret societies that exist and have existed in Branson weaving in and out of historical events to spiritual thesis. Broadly, Lisby suggests a demon principality aka Greek mythological God Python is an influencing factor dividing the region. She makes a connection between Baldknobbers, Ancient Osage Indian practices, Masonic rituals and Occult presence in the region. Her book explores each of these to some depth. In one sense the book is a religious track though this doesn't take anything away from the meat of her historical findings. The historical tidbits are preserved though religious commentary is intertwined throughout, before and after, historical findings are shared.
Over the next week or two I'll be posting some of the tidbits.
Another theme of the book involves the responsibility and corruption of the press. Particularly during the Baldknobber era this was an issue. Payoffs made to now defunct area newspapers clearly resulted in the death of many. Twasn't lack of courage but love of lucre. Due to the substantial corruption the national press caught wind and started covering regional politics. With the help of the national press, brave businessmen and a determined judge a dark period of Taney County Politics ended.
