Western Books

This book is pure enjoyment. It doesn't matter if you are new to cowboy boots or have worn them forever, the images and the thoughts this book provokes will delight you. Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole will captivate your attention. It made me remember wearing cowboy boots and playing in the neighborhood with my friends during a time that our parents weren't so concerned for our safety and well-being. We had play gun fights and used our bikes as horses. We were the modern day cowboys in our little town in Indiana. Cowboy boots are a part of the American culture and one of the many things that makes us unique in today's small world. Ms. June's book will take you back to those memories that you forgot but are warm and pleasant to recall...especially with all that is going on in our lives today. You will also be awed by the craftsmanship in boot-makers. Many people may not realize there are men and women that hold to the traditional ways of making a boot by hand. After reading this book, you will never forget a new artist is out there and their canvas is on someone's feet.

I like it because it's the first time a picture of a pair of my boots has been published. This is a beautifully researched account of a great genre in American culture.

I just finished reading this book and Jennifer June educates as well as entertains. Being new to the boot phenomena I am grateful for her ability to open my eyes to the art that is boot making; it's astounding what these artisans can do with leather. The photography is breathtaking as it captures the colors, stitching and tooling that goes into a pair of boots. I guess you can tell by now that I highly recommend this boot - allow your senses to open up to the art of boot making!

What struck me most about this book was the author's enthusiasm for her subject. It is hard not to get caught up in cowboy boot lore when Jennifer June so clearly loves what she is writing about. The liveliness of her text is a tribute to the original cowboys.

I really appreciated the small, quirky details, such as the origin of different western icons.This book is great way for a novice to learn all about cowboy boots, as well as for boot lovers, who want some new ideas for designing their next pair of custom boots.The pictures are stellar as well, with lots of great close-ups

Though they may have had a utilitarian start, cowboy boots have almost always been a canvas on which to display the skill of the bootmaker and the personality of the owner. "Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole" by Jennifer June captures this spirit wonderfully, with rich photos and knowledgeable writing. Like many of the bootmakers and boot-wearers quoted in her text, June is a devotee of the boot and her passion for her subject comes through in these pages.

As diverse as the people who wear them, the boots featured here are not easily classified. Some are classic designs while others are quite modern. Some are understated designs of exceptional craftsmanship, while others are over-the-top in colors and stitching ... but equally fine handiwork. Many of these boots (again, like the people who wear them?) have never been near ranch or range in their lives, but actual workin' cowboy boots worn by actual workin' cowboys show up as well. In all, it makes for entertaining browsing as well as informative reading.

Perhaps best of all, though, June includes a section of "Resources" that allow the reader to investigate owning some quality boots of her own. Maybe we can't all afford the exotic leathers or extremes of design, but a solidly-constructed boot from a good designer is still within reach. I can attest to the satisfaction that comes from owning a good pair of cowboy boots, and it was a joy to discover many other people who share that feeling, and the artists who make it possible, in this spirited and entertaining book.

What a great book - with two of the most evil antagonists I've ever encountered. It's very depressing in parts, though, so I wouldn't read really casually. Both Gabriel (the main character), his friend "king" James, and Gabe's brother are fascinating characters. I was riveted through the whole book. Okay, I did put it down, but only to deal with things like my daughter crying, etc. I'm going to have to read it again in the future!

Durham evokes the wildness of the Plains and West with superb prose, sometimes nearly poetry in its details. Gabriel is a realistic depiction of an impatient, uncertain teenager. The plot line certainly keeps the reader involved, as we are curious to learn what new horror Marshall and Caleb will unleash on the people around them, as well as whether Gabriel and James will escape. But Durham's decision to present certain portions in italic with no names given to the people in them--even after we have been introduced to those people--struck me as striving too much for some mystical effect. I'm not clear on what this style is supposed to achieve and found it more annoying than effective.

The characters a full-bodied and mature. The story is heart-breaking and real to the core. One sympathizes with the protagonists and wishes the antagonists straight to hell. Now that is what I call a good novel. Durham has done a fabulous job...

Rarely do I read a book in one sitting, but I felt I had no choice in this one. I wish more books that I picked up held my interest, my imagination, and my heart as well as this one has. The main character, Gabriels, tells us a story of the American West in a unique manner far different than the "typical Western" we know. I highly recommend this book to those who are tired of cliches and formulas. I'm glad I found this little treasure.

Yes, Kansas was and is a Great Plains state, and anyone who first arrives might say, "I can't believe I'm in Kansas."

Kansas is an acquired taste, and Gabriel Lynch, a youngster frresh from the big eastern city of Baltimore, could not quite discover the tastefulness of farm life. Not many teens today could either. But they should read "Gabriel's Story" anyway.

This coming of age drama by David Anthony Durham has Gabriel run away from his mom and new step-dad to join up with a motley crew of vicious criminals. Gabriel soon learns to cherish a more simple life.

One might say he learned a lesson: Be loyal to your family. They're not as bad as you think.

Larry Rochelle, author of DEATH & DEVOTION: A Palmer Morel Mystery

Kant is one of those modern philosophers whose presence looms large over much of what has been achieved over the past couple of centuries in modern philosophy, and yet he is not very likely to be read in most introductory philosophy classes. Part of the difficulty lies with Kant's highly technical and oftentimes convoluted use of language, which gave even his contemporaries who were native German speakers some difficulties. The philosophers and scholars have since had a chance to debate, oftentimes vehemently, the "true" meaning of Kant's works and it is unlikely that those debates will end any time soon. With such formidable baggage, it would be very difficult for an absolute novice in philosophy to just plunge into Kant's work and start reading it on its own. A good first exposition by an expert is invaluable and this thin volume serves exactly such purpose. It does a remarkable job of delineating the scope of Kant's thought and bringing this philosopher to life for the new generation of readers.

It's a pretty good introduction, I'd recommend reading several introductions to Kant before diving in (he's pretty dense). I think Goethe said that reading Kant was like walking into a well-lit room, I hardly think he was talking about Kant's dry, scholastic writing style. The clarity of his thought, however, is pretty intense. I do recommend this book, merely because jumping straight into Kant probably isn't going to fare well. When, and if, you do choose to read Kant, take a look at Jonathan Bennett's website (a philosopher and Kant scholar), I think he translates Kant into more readable English. Early Modern Texts or something. I agree with some of the other commentators, that this introduction is kinda hard for a first time look into Kant. A history of philosophy book might be your best bet to read first. It is pretty good for such a short introduction though. Take your time and don't do it in a day. Digest it. Good luck all.

Immanuel Kant's life work focused on solving the mistakes of the rationalist philosophy that he had learned from men, like Gottfried Leibnitz, and the mistakes of the empiricist philosophy that he was so intrigued with through the writings of David Hume. Kant wants to move beyond the mistakes both schools of philosophy made and synthesize their truths into a new philosophical understanding of knowledge. Rationalist philosophers held the view that all knowledge came from the exercise of reason alone, unpolluted by the view of any experience held by the observer. "Reality itself is accessible to reason alone, since only reason can rise above the individual point of view and participate in the vision of ultimate necessities, which is also God's." Thus, Leibnitz argues that human understanding contained certain innate principles known to be true, which when used with our ability to reason, could explain all questions in and of the world. Rationalists were convinced that experience was not a reliable tool to gain knowledge of the world. The rationalist method was very convincing and was the dominant school of philosophy in Kant's day. The criticism of rationalist philosophy was that you had to "trust" in reason to be able to deduce answers.

On the other hand, empiricist philosophers believed that knowledge of the world was only possible through learning by experience. Hume "denies the possibility of knowledge through reason, since reason cannot operate without ideas, and ideas are acquired only through the senses." Hume and other empiricist philosophers argued that without observing proof of something, the observer could not have knowledge of it. Knowledge of the world, for Hume, is knowledge of the world through the eyes of the observer. Hume argues that reason can only provide relationships between ideas; reason cannot produce ideas on its own or provide facts. Hume was even distrustful of the writings and teachings of others being capable of providing answers. "The only experience that can confirm anything for me is my experience." Hume's skepticism even rises to the level of doubting the existence of self. Thus, Hume earns the moniker of "the Great Skeptic." Hume's skepticism is in direct contradiction to the rationalist philosopher, Rene Descartes, whose rationalist investigations led him to utter the famous words, "Cogito, ergo sum, I think, therefore I am." The criticism of empiricist philosophy is that we can be sure of so little, since one can actually prove through direct observation so little in the world. For Kant, Hume puts so much of scientific thought into question since Hume doubts the concept of causality occurring in nature. Thus, Kant says it was Hume who "awoke him from his dogmatic slumbers." Kant so desperately wants to solve the philosophical dichotomy between these two schools.

Kant believes that both schools make the same fundamental mistake in their approach to the question of epistemology. He argued that philosophers were essentially asking the wrong question, which was, how we can bring ourselves to understand the world. Kant said the real question to ask was how the world comes to be understood by us. Kant will solve this dichotomy between the two schools in his first book Critique of Pure Reason.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy, and literature.

Kant is clearly one of the 4 or 5 most influential thinkers of the last half-century, however, the complexity of his ideas combined with an often difficult writing style (for modern readers) makes for a difficult study. In order to get the most out of Kant (or to get through him at all, for that matter), it is essential to read and study modern introductions and commentaries first. This "very short introduction" is an excellent example. It is concise, highly readable, and a good beginning for more detailed study. However, it is still not enough to allow one to tackle Kant immediately and I suggest further introductory study.

This is an heroic attempt by Scruton to summarize the entire philosophy of one the most important thinkers of all time. Unfortunately, Kant was also not the greatest writer of all time and often made his own great insights almost incomprehensible to the casual reader. Scruton does a wonderful job of making Kant clear.

I have come to almost despair that anyone really wants to know anything. Almost all people seem content with the hazardous situation of driving blindfolded. They seem satisfied with their imaginations or stuff fed to them by others. If I bring up the possibility of knowing anything, they appear bored. Many people laugh and say they left that back in their college dorms. At best, they seem only to want information (or even misinformation) that will help them become more successful. The rest be damned.

KNOWING HOW TO KNOW is for folks, of either gender, who want to know--and who kind of like reality.

The first thing I learned from KNOWING HOW TO KNOW was that knowing how to know is different than I thought it was. I was disappointed by every page. I was looking for a golden key or something, and it wasn't there. But there was a sensation that the author did know how to know, so I stuck with it. Here's an example of what I found (page 149):

"Exposure to teaching can improve man. If it has made him worse, it is the absence of knowledge on the part of the teacher, who has exposed him to study materials before correcting the inner tendencies of the man. In this case, effectively, there has been no teaching and no learning. If the man has been studying on his own, there has been no studying and no teaching. Hope of imporvement is not a substitute for capacity to improve. Some who have studied and worked may learn more than those who have not."

It all seemed obvious, until I realized that I had to read it again.

I began to realize that my opinion of myself, that I loved learning, was phony.

I had read recently (In Thomas Thompson's THE MYTHIC PAST) that the "fear of God" which is "the beginning of wisdom," (according to the biblical "Proverbs") is tantamount to recognizing one's own ignorance. Ah, perhaps things were not as bad as I thought. Could I be at the "beginning of wisdom"? I was certainly left with the knowledge that I am ignorant.

Was it unpleasant? Yes. And, no. It was unpleasant in the sense of being lost, but it was blissful finding myself in something like a charmed forest.

If I've gotten as far as to know that I don't know, well, that's something I think anyone who reads KNOWING HOW TO KNOW will get, so it's nothing to be particularly proud of. Still, it is beyond a doubt better than NOT knowing that I don't know. I know something, at least.

I'm glad I read KNOWING HOW TO KNOW. I'll have to read it again, I think. If I've attained the first step towards knowing, perhaps....

Knowing How to Know by Idries Shah

I started reading this book before our house burned down. Once the smoke had cleared and the ashes settled a bit I bought a fresh copy and continued reading, now a displaced person in the Village of Elora in Southern Ontario. The time honored "dog ear" method of reference was chosen to help make my way through the book and back again.
Again Shah has written a book extraordinarily rich and meaningful: a book on being human in society ... and sometimes missing chances to do so. For me, it started slowly: no turned down pages for the first 80. But by the end, I had marked 37 pages, stories and sections to re-read. This book jogs the memory, tweaks the emotion and exercises the mind. At the end one has gained new perspectives as well as an appreciation of the deep gentleness and generosity of the man and the teaching.

For a taste, here's a portion of Shah's account of a Q. & A. Session:
Q: Then how do you explain the following Sufi story.....?
The Frogs
There were once two frogs, which jumped into a pail of milk. The first was a logical one, and realising that he could not get out he calmly gave up and drowned. The second, though he did not know how to get out, went on struggling for hours. In due course, the milk turned to butter in sufficient quantities for the surviving frog to jump out.

A: As is usual, you have been told the story in a defective version. It does not end there. The end of the story is: `The turmoil engendered by the surviving frog's struggles had alerted a crane, which, as soon as the frog jumped out of the pail, pounced on it, impaled it on his beak and made a dinner out of it'.

Q: Then?

A: There was, in fact, a third frog in the tale. He knew how butter is made. When the crane had gone away, he jumped in, made butter by flailing around, called in friends to give the dead frog a decent burial, and they ate the butter.

Q: But what about the poor owner of the milk - he lost it . . .

A: You can't have everything at once: he turns up in another story.

For a taste, here's a portion of Shah's account of a Q. & A. Session:
Q: Then how do you explain the following Sufi story.....?
The Frogs
There were once two frogs, which jumped into a pail of milk. The first was a logical one, and realising that he could not get out he calmly gave up and drowned. The second, though he did not know how to get out, went on struggling for hours. In due course, the milk turned to butter in sufficient quantities for the surviving frog to jump out.

A: As is usual, you have been told the story in a defective version. It does not end there. The end of the story is: `The turmoil engendered by the surviving frog's struggles had alerted a crane, which, as soon as the frog jumped out of the pail, pounced on it, impaled it on his beak and made a dinner out of it'.

Q: Then?

A: There was, in fact, a third frog in the tale. He knew how butter is made. When the crane had gone away, he jumped in, made butter by flailing around, called in friends to give the dead frog a decent burial, and they ate the butter.

Q: But what about the poor owner of the milk - he lost it . . .

A: You can't have everything at once: he turns up in another story.

This book is a fairly interesting book of New-Age philosophy but has little, if any, relationship with the Sufi tradition. One seeking a "practical" book on this tradition will find a superb primer in Robert Frager's "Heart, Self, and Soul". This is not to say that Shah's work is lacking in all respects; it is entertaining and will have appeal to many. My reservation is that the title, "A practical philosophy in the Sufi Tradition", is misleading. There is a harvest of quality books on traditional Sufism on Amazon.com, so keep looking.

Shah frequently prescribes a dose of humility and self assessment, which can be uncomfortable since they tend to deflate the ego - mine anyway. But along with such correctives Shah also serves up thought provoking, disarming humor and many excellent lessons for conducting a productive life. The entry on Pashtun sayings is a riveting ­blend of practical country wisdom (with many touches of humor) and profound observations on the mind, spirit, and society. This is a great book.

In many ways, this book continues themes the author expressed and evoked in Learning How to Learn: differences between emotionality and spirituality, real and false teachers, real and false students, preparatory work, the never-ending struggle of sufism to overcome humanity's "herd instinct." Idries Shah employs essays, parables, lists, logic, and question-and-answer seamlessly.

If you're interested in sufism, or spirituality in general, this book is likely to disturb you as well as fascinate you. Sharp critiques of common illusions (and even delusions) are juxtaposed with rare subtleties. Either way, there are plenty of ideas worth contemplating. The short chapter on Exercising Power, for example, explains how the motif "Do this or I will make you uncomfortable" applies to both the superior and inferior parties in any power transaction.

I just finished reading Pea Ridge (called Elkhorn Tavern by Southerners), and was impressed with the treatment of the common soldiers' struggles both in and out of battle. The authors do a good job there. The maps are ok, but could be better (more).

What I find unfavorable (yet again) is the treatment of the South in general. The book is written from the 'all conquering, righteous Union' point-of-view. Take for instance the fact that Missourians fought on both sides. In the book the ones who fought for the North are labeled as "loyal". Are the ones fighting for the South disloyal? No! they were loyal to their state and the Confederacy...
While this book seems to be the 'best' coverage of this neglected battle, it still radiates with the current political correctness we all have to endure. Just tell things like they are (or were in 1862).
A good book, but could be better.

This book is a model for clarity in histories of the Civil War. The author describes troop movements and strategic decisions in an accessible manner. The meaning of the Pea Ridge campaign is made clear. In this book, you can follow the battlefield and get a sense of where people were at any given moment.

The South lost the West in this battle; the battle pre-saged many of the tactical innovations of the Civil War. This "sideline" battle is revealed as more important than most realize, an early indication that western battles would yield Union victories.

Even among Civil War buffs, Pea Ridge is pretty much a forgotten battle. Shea's book remedies that with clear, readable and moving narrative and keen analysis of the largest Civil War battle fought in Arkansas (and depending on which numbers you believe, the largest fought west of the Mississippi). Even more importantly, the book provides compelling reasons why Pea Ridge should NOT be a forgotten battle. He also spotlights the brilliant performance of Samuel Curtis, perhaps the Union's most underrated general, as well as the less-than-brilliant work of Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, who had all of Jeb Stuart's style but not of his skills.

Many Civil War buffs, and most casual readers of Civil War history, have more than a parochial understanding of this pivotal battle. When Curtis's northern troops entered NW Arkanasas, during the winter of 1862, they knew they were facing a strong enemy.

Earl Van Dorn, recently promoted to commander of the Army of The West, had assembled a strong army and was anxious for success against Curtis's troops. He believed that he could defeat him and launch an overland campaign, against Union held St. Louis, ensuring his lasting fame. He was unprepared for what he would find with Curtis.

Curtis had entrenched his army, along Little Sugar Creek, which rests south of Pea Ridge Tavern along the Telegraph Rd. As the Rebels were wintering in the Boston Mountains, south of his position, Curtis had little worry about Rebels hitting him from the North. Fortunately, Brig General, Franz Sigel, detached from Curtis's army, and at Bentonville, was defeated, and pushed back to Curtis's position and alerted him of trouble in his rear.

Van Dorn's ingenious plan revolved around splitting his army, to traverse Elk Horn mountain, with troops under Ben McCullough taking the Ford Rd, to the mountain's south side, and his troops, commanded by Sterling Price around the north side. They would meet on the Telegraph Rd, north of Curtis's army and push them into Little Sugar Creek - blocking their means of retreat to Missouri. While conceptually, this plan was sound, in reality, the timing proved difficult and Union troops under Osterhaus and Jefferson C Davis, caught McCollough's rebels in the open. Battle followed in, and around Leetown. While the rebels were able to open the battle, their organization fell apart after brigadier generals Ben McCullough and McIntosh were killed on the field. Command of this sector fell to the next general in line, Albert Pike. Pike was leading the Civil War's first brigade of Indians, and was not up to the task. The union forces pushed them NE towards Elkhorn tavern.

Meanwhile, east of Leetown, Van Dorn's main body, unleashed a spectacular attack against Curtis's Union forces at Elkhorn Tavern. The rebels pushed Curtis's troops 1/2 mile south, along the Telegraph Rd. Even with the routing of the portion of his army, now being led by Pike, Van Dorn slept that night, confident that his troops would push Curtis's army into the Little Sugar Creek. This was the mistake that lost him the battle.

The next morning, after assembling his new battle line, Curtis's opened the day with the largest artillery barrage of the Civil War (up to that point). This artillery barrage caught Van Dorn's confederates unprepared. In the excitement of the previous day's victory, Van Dorn had not called up his supply train. Essentially, caught up against the east edge of Elkhorn Mountain, and in the open south of Elkhorn Tavern, Van Dorn's troops had almost no artillery ammunition, and very little ammunition for his infantry. Van Dorn was forced to retreat, east along Huntsville Rd.

Over the coming months, Curtis would pursue Van Dorn's army across north, and north central Arkansas. His victory would assure the Union, that Missouri would stay in the Union.

This book was extremely well written and easy to read. Shea did a remarkable job putting his text into easily visualized format. I was even more impressed with this book after visiting the battlefield, and using his maps, and pictures, to explore the battlefield (if you are interested in viewing my pictures of the Pea Ridge battle field, please email me at michael.noirot@gmail.com).

I highly recommend this book to all Civil War buffs. It will put the battles, west of the Mississippi, into proper perspective.

Michael Noirot
Saint Louis, Missouri

Authors William Shea and Earl Hess tell the story of the campaign and battle of Pea Ridge, which is sometimes grandly called the Gettysburg of the West. The Union Army of the Southwest, commanded by Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis numbered fewer than 11,000 soldiers, the same size as a single division in the Army of the Potomac at that time. Yet, while the vast legions of Army of the Potomac hovered uncertainly near Washington DC in February 1862, Curtis launched a winter campaign that took his small army clear across the Ozark Plateau and into northwestern Arkansas.

There, Union soldiers from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and loyal Missouri met an equally tough set of Confederates from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. It was one of the few times in the Civil War that the Northern soldiers were outnumbered. But in the subsequent battle of Pea Ridge in early March 1862, the 16,000-man Confederate Army of the West went down to defeat.

According to the authors, bad luck, uninspired leadership and Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn's many outrageous blunders negated the Southern army's numerical advantage. On the Northern side, Curtis and three of his four division commanders maneuvered their soldiers with skill. Even Curtis' erratic second-in-command, Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel supervised a decisive artillery bombardment on the second day of the battle. Three Yankee brigade commanders showed courage and initiative, but at least one unit commander had a yellow streak.

The book devotes a chapter and a map to the preliminary operation in which the Confederates missed capturing a Union detachment that Sigel had carelessly exposed. The March 7 fights at Leetown and Elkhorn, and the March 8 battle at Elkhorn are explained in detail with maps. The Army of the Southwest's later march to Helena, Arkansas is sketched out more briefly. A concluding chapter ably critiques the strategy and tactics of both sides. There is an Order of Battle and extensive footnotes.

Compare this book with Shelby Foote's short account of Pea Ridge in his splendid "The Civil War -- A Narrative." Foote was a great historian, but it sounds like a different battle. To take only one example, Foote says Van Dorn's two pronged attack was planned. Yet Shea and Hess note that the attack was improvised after the Confederate flank march fell badly behind schedule. This is typical of the kind of detail that the authors add to the history of this battle.

My only criticism is a lack of information on weaponry. Except for one Illinois unit, it is not clear whether Union infantry and cavalry units carried rifled muskets, smoothbores, carbines or Colt revolving rifles. The Order of Battle contains detailed data about the type of cannons in each artillery battery, but in one case the text contradicts the OB. For the Pea Ridge battle and campaign, this book is a keeper, despite my quibbling about weapons.

I was a bit disappointed when I received the book. I purchased this book as a new hard back book in lieu of buying a used book from an earlier printing. The book is bound with cloth and pasteboard end pieces which is okay, however, there was no dust cover. Even a used book would have had a dust cover. Maybe I am being picky but to me the book binding and all were a little cheesy. I wish now I would have purchased a "Used Book" from an earlier printing.

Looked all over for this book and of course Amazon had it, I should have looked here first.
Great Book

The ideas in this book are not politically correct, but it is a very good representation of ideas at the time it was written about. Anyone with a love of classic Westerns should have this book on their shelf.

I was dubious about the novel after loving the film for so long. But was impressed with how closely Ford's classic followed LeMay's story. It also adds ALOT of backstory that fills in many lingering questions for devotees of the film. LeMay was apparently one of the few novelists who parlayed his talents into screenwriting as well, making a successful career in Hollywood and literature. This is NOT a lame pulp Western. It's a well researched novel that touches on history, race, love, loyalty...and hell it's just a bloody great adventure! If you love the film, then read the book.

Wow, I would never have believed how good this was. I remember being disappointed when the book arrived, because I had assumed such a big story would of course be a BIG book. I usually won't touch a book under 400 pages, the bigger the better. I was wrong in this case, what an awesome story -- five long years searching for little Debbie.

The characters were wonderful, many tragic moments where you want to just cry, and other moments along the way to make you laugh and smile. As another reviewer noted A++ indeed. Highly recommended.

When I read a novel it has to hold my interest and The Shopkeeper did more that hold my interest--I kept turning the pages to see how the story would end. Whether you're looking for Western Fiction or just a good read, I heartily recommend The Shopkeeper. I'm looking forward to Mr. Best's next novel.

This was my first Western and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact, I couldn't put it down. I love Steve Dancy !

This is a great book. Steve Dancy is a very interesting character. He has a modern mind operating in the old west.

I highly recommend this book.

This was an excellent read that once you started you couldn't put down. In every chapter there was a new twist that kept your interest level high. Even my wife, who would normally not read a western, was captivated by the story and thought it was an intellingently written, interesting book. When will the next one be released???

I chose this book because of the reviews as a gift for an avid Western reader who doesn't troll online or frequent bookstores because of an illness. He received this wonderful gift last Wednesday and finished it on his second day LOVING IT and wanting another "Steve Dancy" book NOW. He'll have to wait for Christmas it appears but thank you James D. Best for a fabulous new character and wonderfully written book from someone who loves his (quality) Westerns. You have brightened someone's days who needed some brightening! His daughter is jealous that SHE didn't give it to him. So, well done Mr. Best... Keep writing!!

On the Oregon frontier, Jane forges a life through tragedies and redemption to create a family of her own. The author's writing is wonderfully detailed and absorbing -- based on a real pioneer family. This novel places Jane Kirkpatrick as one of the best American writers of our day. The only thing wrong with this book is that not enough people have read it.

The author's amazing ability to capture the mind and thoughts of a young girl who has experienced tragedy and then rejection from her cold distant mother had me hooked from the very beginning. The story is told through this girl's eyes as she finds herself alone in the world, desperately wanting love and forgiveness. That this book won awards is a given...it's outstanding! I was so impressed with many of the passages in this book, I wrote many of them down to enjoy again and again. The author weaves a story of God's many blessings without being "preachy" or "sweet and sappy" and gives you a history of those early pioneer days as if you were actually there living among the people. I've put one of the passages on my wall that reads: "The eagle soared not only by his own efforts, but by the strength of something else - by the strength of the wind and his willingness to bend to it." Good words to live by. I plan on reading more of Jane Kirkpatrick's works! Thanks for the good read Jane!

I typically don't like historical novels but was given this novel by a friend. From the moment I started reading it swept me away and I found I couldn't put it down. Jane Kirkpatrick writes a beautiful story and chooses words that take you there and let you smell the flowers along the way. Very well done.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so anxious to read every word, all the time not wanting it to end. It was so real to me, I could smell the fresh air and feel the spray from the the Falls. I felt the pain of each loss, but also the joy of love, friendship and very hard work. Jane Sherar was unbelievably brave, as was her wonderful husband Joseph and to think that they were a very real part of settling that part of our country. They feared nothing but the thought of losing each other. They had such a fierce devotion and loyalty to the people with whom they shared their lives: Benito, Sunmiet, the Turners, Ella and all the others. Jane Kirkpatrick is such a prolific writer, with a wonderful knack of giving us every detail, making us feel a part of the lives and the community of every book she writes. Just an outstanding book...I loved it!

It is rather common to note impressive first lines written by famed writers. Editors speak of the importance of the first, the first three, or the first five pages. All of that is worthy of consideration. Reading--an incredibly wide variety and number of books--is almost like breathing to me, and I note these things pages I have mentioned, but:

By far the best first chapter I have ever read was in A Sweetness to the Soul.

There are a plethora of translations of Chinese classics out there, but please know that many of these "translations" are just "re-imaginings" of the original, i.e. the authors usually do not know Classical Chinese (let alone modern Chinese!).

Merton is one such "translater". This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as one is aware that this does not strictly reflect the original text (although it may resemble it). What we have here is a picking over of existing translations of the Chuang-tzu and a recombination of them. This is often done with some artistic licence.

Merton is better than most in that he is somewhat sensitive to the original material. Things get vastly worse with translations of the Daodejing (for example, Ursula le Guins monstrous butchering). If you want a more accurate account of the Chuang-tzu then I recommend A.C. Grahams' expert translation which is a relatively successful facsimile of the Chinese original (given the difficulty of rendering Chinese into English anyway).

I am a recently retired teacher who for thirty-five years have begun every class (Theology, Sexuality, Physics, Chemistry, Math and in summers Arts and Crafts to kids 4-12 years old) with a sounding of small brass cymbals (Tibetan), a minute of silent breathing followed by a short reading from the Tao Te Ching, Emily Dickinson, a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, or the Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton.
I meet former students now pushing into their fifties who baldly admit that those moments have stayed with them all these years and they have included meditation as one of the most important activities in their lives.
Thomas Merton's Introductory Notes say it far better than I ever could and should be read .
I can only wholeheartedly recommend that you buy this book and keep it at your desk or bedside for a quick straightening out of your mind concerning what is really important in life.

If you have an interest in learning the deeper meanings of Tao then this is a book you must add to your collection. A seldom translated philosophy of poetic renderings are clearly detailed in the transliterations of Thomas Merton...the spirit of Tao is clearly revealed.

This is a very good translation made by Tomas Merton of Chuang Tzu's works. This also gives a little bit of the view of Tomas Merton due to his Note to the Reader section and his specific selection of some of Chuang Tzu's writings to put in this book. This book has many good proverbs and stories written by Chuang Tzu which can be very enlightening and sometimes humorous. Chuang Tzu is one of the greats of Taoism but of course Lao Tzu takes the top position. If you are interested in the learning about the roots of Taoism you should check out this book and some about Lao Tzu also.

Like a fine wine, this collection is best consumed slowly. As it is clearly stated in the foreward, this is not a faithful reproduction of Chuang Tzu but a collection of personal and spiritual interpretations of his work. Readers that expected otherwise might consider reading the description of the book before purchasing it. It would seem embarassing to write a negative review of a product that goes in complete contradiction of the product's clear description and intentions.

Thomas Merton was a Trappist Monk who took a particular interest in Buddhism and Asian spirituality. Because Merton tragically died at a young age, we will never see a final product of this work. In "The Way of Chuang Tzu", Merton selects writings of Chuang Tzu which reflect a Christian mentality. Obviously, Chuang Tzu was not a Christian. However, this does not disqualify his writings to a Christian audience in any way. If the reader can go into this book with an open mind, he/she is likely to enjoy it. Those who are closed minded to this type of work which may seemingly blur the line between faiths according to their view may be outraged. I would strongly encourage open-mindedness.

This was a wonderful story, both entertaining and heart-wrenchingly honest. I've always admired Jameson Parker as an actor - I admire him even more as a man! Loved, loved, loved the book!

I am still in the middle of reading this but I have enjoyed so far and the dekivery was amazing it took less then a week to recieve it Lenore

You never would have known an actor from the 80's would turn out to be a modern day cowboy. Well, it seems that Jameson Parker has. You always wonder what happens to a person after a successful tv stint and now we know. The parts in this book that explain the shooting incident were intense. True, the wounds turned out not to be life threatening. Be that as it may, how would any of us react to looking down the face of a gun and watching as the bullet comes straight for us. I can understand where the PTSS would come in later in life. This book is recommended for anyone who wants a good read about cowboy life, life's ups and downs, stress, loss, ect. It is extremely well written and will hold your attention. Bravo, Mr. Parker. I already own Absent Friends and anxiously await further works from Jameson Parker.

I loved this book. I have been a fan of Mr. Parker since he starred in "Simon and Simon" in the 80s, and always wondered what had become of him. In "An Accidental Cowboy" I found out.

I commend him for writing about things that he probably would have rather forgotten -- his depression, his suicidal thoughts, etc. It is very hard to explain things you do not know yourself. And to open yourself up to total strangers, even when you don't have to look those people in the face, is especially difficult. Thank you for being so honest.

The stories about ranch life were very entertaining. Even people who have never been on a ranch before should find them fascinating. I grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, where we had cattle and horses, and I was caught up in the day-to-day life of the California cowboys. I will never forget this book, and I hope anyone else who reads it enjoys it as much as (most of) the reviewers here did.

I've read a lot of books, and while many of them may be fun to read, they are not always well-written. This book is both. I grew up on a farm and thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Parker's account of ranch life. His account is witty and fun to read, as well as being right on target with how cowboy life really is. At the same time, Mr. Parker has a wonderful grasp of the English language. His descriptions are easy to visualize and some of his comparisons are poetic as well as funny/heart-rending depending on what he is depicting. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and one that is worth reading a second time.