The Thunder of Elephants: A Labor of Love
The Thunder of Elephants (From Bayonets to Ballots) A Memoir, by Elre Johnston with his son, Bubby Johnston, is an excellent book about the history and politics of the Republican Party in Mississippi. The Quitman Public Library has a copy which is recommended for all history buffs. You should be able to find it under the Dewey Decimal #976.2+. Bubby donated a copy to QPL at the book signing held 17 April, 2023, which is when and where I met the gentleman.
When I saw the book's crimson cover featuring a bull elephant waving an American flag, I asked Bubby Johnston, "Is it about the University of Alabama?" Please understand, I just stumbled upon Bubby Johnston's book signing at Quitman Public Library where I was doing research related the flora and fauna of eastern Mississippi. I had never met the gentleman nor his charming wife, Janet. It must have been providence or "preordained" as my own Presbyterian father would have said.
After explaining about the book's cover, Bubby said, "It was a labor of love!" Bubby worked to complete The Thunder of the Elephants not to make money, but because he loved his father so much that LOVE motivated him to complete and further father's work. In my opinion that is a most admirable character trait for any son or daughter to emulate!
No sooner than I had sat down at the table to speak with Bubby Johnston about his book, Steve Watkins, the Mayor of Qiitman, and his dedicated and hard working wife, Becky, walked in. They all seemed to know each other, and began chit chatting, each in a separate conversation, man-to-man. woman-to-woman.
Have you ever tried to listen to two conversation at the same time? It is not easy. God gave me two ears but they seem to work on the same bandwidth such that inside my mind everything gets mixed up. So I can't tell you exactly what was said. But boy is Bubby's wife a good story teller. I must make a mental note to video her sometime as she is fascinating to listen to and watch as she talks, her face so full of expression. No doubt that's how she captured Bubby's heart.
I just sat and listened, then was able to ask a question of Bubby. "What one thing would you like people to know about your father, the one BIG, most important thing about your father?"
Bubby replied at length that his father was a public relations expert and then it was concluded that, "He loved people!" I would say that is a pretty BIG thing. So buy Bubby's book, if you want to know more about his father, the history of the Republican Party in Mississippi, and some of the people Erle Johnston loved.
There is probably no greater honor a son can do for his father after his death, than to write a memoir and complete work his father began. I was sure to let Bubby know that was how I felt, and complimented him on his book before the mayor and his wife walked in. Even though it is not about Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide, I will probably read a copy as I am interested in biographies, memoirs, and history. In fact, I did look up Erle Johnston's other books which QPL had on their shelves: I Rolled with Ross! © 1980; Mississippi Defiant Years 1953-1973: An Interpretive Documentary with Personal Experiences © 1990; and Politics Mississippi Style © 1993. I thumbed through them all and looked at the photographs. I was quite impressed by the pictures and that Erle Johnston, being a newspaper man himself, had been able to access them.
Plus I sense some serendipity at play. Things have always happened with me for a reason. Steve Watkins and his wife Becky were meant to walk in and find me talking with Bubby Johnston. All I know for sure is that I love people too, perhaps even more than Erle Johnston did, for I would have never directed a committee that fostered segregation. Of course I am not into politics and find six-legged creatures more interesting than the GOP, though some of its present day members, like Donald Trump, seem to be not too much more highly evolved than cockroaches. But Erle Johnston knew Mississippi politics intimately, which is perhaps why everyone should read his books.
To order your copy of The Thunder of the Elephants by Erle Johnston with Bubby Johnston, Please send $38.00 to:
Boonedocks Publishing, LLC
603 Betty Circle
Quitman, MS 39355
For every copy ordered, $15.00 will be contributed to the Children's Hospital of Mississippi. Thank you for your patronage of this great good cause!
Hey, just so you know, I don't have a horse, or an elephant, in this race. I could not afford to even buy one of Bubby's books as I need to save every cent I can for cataract eye surgery which will run over $20,000.00. Plus my home needs major landscaping and repair. But The Thunder of Elephants is an excellent book because of the honor and tribute given by a son to his father. That is a good character trait all our children need to learn and emulate. "Honor thy parents!"
Perhaps I am being called to do the same for my own parents, I already have that book practically written in long-hand. I just got to get it typed up and in print. :-)
