Patricia Rusch Hyatt

The thought of people being so determined to take a man's beard that they would assault him in the street seems almost unthinkable, but this book proves that that was the case for Joseph "Beard" Palmer. This well-researched text about Beard Palmer's fight to keep his beard despite the town, the church, and the law all siding against him is another great example of overzealous New Englanders trying to control their fellow countrymen. The endnote reveals that Beard Palmer was also a severe advocate for the end of slavery, going so far as to refuse slave-produced goods and live in a farm community that rejected any and all produce that was produced by slaves. He sounds like a pretty cool guy. Stubborn, but for good reason. Read the book.… (meer)

The Quite Contrary Man: A true American tale by Patricia Rusch Hyatt, illustrated by Kathryn Brown.

The Text: This is the weird but true story of Joseph Palmer, who stubbornly insisted on growing a beard despite his neighbors' horror. He eventually landed in jail, where he insisted on keeping his tremendous beard - and writing letters about the miserable treatment of prisoners. Palmer was finally released, still sticking to his principles, and his beard.

The illustrations: Brown's illustrations are a combination of watercolor and pen and ink sketches that give a homey, folksy feel to this story. Her people are caricatures with big noses and wildly flapping arms - and beard. Each section of text is framed in a drawn border of wood and vines.

The Extras: A historical note confirms the truth of the story and briefly discusses the way fashion changed to make beards so unfashionable. A brief note on the future life of Palmer and his family and some speculation on the motives behind the townspeople's persecution of his whiskers is also included.

Verdict: I would have liked a little more from his family's point of view - his wife is quoted as saying "Even though he is stubborn, I know he is right. He should be free to keep his beard." Did she really say this? How did she feel about supporting their family while her husband was in jail? Meandering even more into my personal bias, I'd like to see fewer biographies about people like Palmer and more biographies about the long-suffering wives and families who cared for children, kept house, and supported the family while their husbands and friends were indulging their eccentricities and standing up for their principles. Ok, personal bias aside, this is an amusing tall tale, but without any source notes or research shown, I wouldn't purchase it and it remains in the no-man's land between fiction and non-fiction.

ISBN: 978-0810940659; Published May 2011 by Abrams; Borrowed from the library… (meer)