Authors Books

For those who want to learn more about the men and women behind the curtains of their favorite book, About the Author provides a solid, general introduction. Around 125 writers are reviewed here; the information about them is presented in the same format throughout the book. A brief overview of the author's life is given first, followed by a section entitled "Good to Know". Trivia and interesting facts are listed here. Next, an overview of the author's works, recommendations of the author's best books and links to other resources (Author Societies, other books and websites covering the subject of the writer). Sidebars present an image of the author, family and date of birth and death.
The information given doesn't delve too deeply into any one person, but this book never claimed to be comprehensive. It is instead a guide to juicy bits of information. It does this well. One thing I didn't quite understand how it was decided on which author to include and which to leave out in the book. There seems to be a lean toward 20th Century writers than "classical" authors like Shakespeare and Hugo. I've listed out the authors included below.

I was hoping for a few more anecdotes on each of these writers. If you have read biographies or articles on a certain author here, you are probably familiar with the information within. The sheer number of writers present, however, makes this book worty a look.

*Some* of the Authors included:

Jane Austen, James Baldwin, Ann Beattie, Saul Bellow, T.C. Boyle, Truman Capote, Lewis Carroll, Ray Chandler, John Cheever, Agatha Christie, Tom Clancy, Mary Higgins Clark, Conrad, Pat Conroy, Patricia Cornwell, Michael Crichton, Don DeLillo, Dickens, Ralph Ellison, Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Grisham, Joseph Heller, Hemingway, Zora Neale Hurston, John Irving, C.S. Lewis, Jan Karon, Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, Mario Puzo, J.K Rowling, Salinger, Danielle Steel, Tolkein, Tolstoy, Twain, John Updike, Vonnegut, Thomas Wolfe, Virginia Woolf

I love this book. It's so terrific to read the little bios on my favorite authors, as well as have a listing of all their works in the order of their creation.

This reference is fantastic. One only wishes it were longer! Each of 125 authors are given a dense two-page spread that includes a picture and short bio, an essay on their works and characters, lists of best books and companion volumes, and recommendations for the book you should read first as well as similar authors. All modern time periods are represented and include Jane Austen, Isaac Asimov, John Cheever, Margaret Atwood, John Irving, Leo Tolstoy, C.S. Forester, E.M. Forster, Joseph Conrad, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Leonard Elmore, Louis L'Amour, Joseph Heller, Jane Smiley etc. A wonderful selection.

The book would be great if it ended there, but further sections list literary award winners, the best of genre fiction, "best of" lists from The Modern Library and The New York Public Library, readers' resources (including those found online), information about reading groups, audiobooks, catalogues, used books, e-books, sources for book reviews and a list of national and state book festivals. Each section is exhaustive and well-organized.

An excellent index includes even those authors listed as suggestions, and highlights featured authors in bold type.

Just wonderful, if a bit dangerous. Highest recommendation.

Perfect to have when you've only a few minutes to digest 2 pages of interesting facts. Only hope the Glossbrenners script a 2nd volume--not every author you may hope to find is included.

To: Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner -- I'm a delighted reader of your wonderful "About the Author"! I love it! I love it! I love it! I've been reading the Top 100 Novels of the Century (The Radcliff College list) and your book has been a terrific companion. The layout is clean and easy to follow and I especially like the "if you like..." sections.

I'm buying more copies for Xmas gifts for all my book loving pals! Your dedication to reading is greatly appreciated!

A Fellow Passionate Reader

Simolke, Duane. "The Acorn Stories", iUniverse, 2003.

Living in a Small Town

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

Acorn, Texas--population 21. 001 is the setting for Duane Simolke's wonderful "The Acorn Stories". The town of Acorn is full of stories and if you have lived in a small town you know exactly what I mean. Each of Simolke's stories lets us look into the lives of some of the most interesting characters I have ever read about. As you read each story, you seem to make new friends and when I closed the book I felt as if I actually knew many in the town. Just as the stories are all separate, they eventually tie together. There is just the right amount of detail to let the reader feel he knows the people of Acorn.
Even more interesting is that Simolke wrote this book in a very difficult style of writing--the stream of consciousness. This allows the reader to feel as if he is one of the characters and as the stories come together, we get a picture of Acorn, Texas in quite a unique way. The 16 stories in the book, although separate, are all related and this is not an easy way to write. As the characters merge, the imaginary (at least I think it is imaginary0 town seems to be very real.
The residents of Acorn are very real people--or so they seemed to me as I met them. And as the stores come together the town of Acorn is laid bare reminding me of what is left of a turkey after Thanksgiving dinner. As we meet the townsfolk, we dig below the outside appearance and go deep into the characters. The characters are quite a menagerie of folk all of whom have challenges and problem (just like we all do). It is the personalities and actions of the members of Acorn that make the stories live. In fact, I am not really sure that this is a collection of short stories because of the interactions between the stories and when they all come together it is like reading a novel.
Acorn is located in west Texas and there, under the Texas sun and the majestic oak trees (so unlike Texas) is a mixture of Hispanics and Anglos as well as a few Afro-Americans. Some were born in Acorn and some are hiding in Acorn. Newlyweds Becky and Kyle are very much in love and they are starting a life together. We meet the [...] art dealer and gallery owner who is being blackmailed by the [....] mayor of the town. There is also a famous writer hiding in Acorn because he stages his own fake suicide. There is the high school teacher who favors sports over academics and the young kid who is keeping a secret, a young man looking for a sugar momma to pay his rent, a widow ad her cat, Regina, an overbearing sister, a widow, Mae, who remembers how life was once and so on.
I must say that I loved this book and have reread several of the stories. It is a rare treat and one that will have you laughing, crying, commiserating and identifying. I have not had this much fun in a long time.

Duane Simolke's, "The Acorn Stories," is set in the fictional West Texas town of Acorn, so named because it's the only town in the entire region that has trees, thanks to the foresight of its founders. The stories are a compilation of vignettes that give the reader a glimpse into the everyday happenings of a group of residents whose lives, we learn as the chapters unfold, interconnect in fascinating and unexpected ways. With each new story, or chapter, the reader is introduced to a new character. The stories and lives of the citizens of Acorn interweave, turning "The Acorn Stories" into what is essentially a novel...quite a feat for the author to accomplish in a relatively short book.

Simolke allows the reader peeks into the thoughts of diverse characters, from a policeman's recollection of his abusive childhood, to the befuddled thoughts of a senile old man. We see events from the points of view of a deaf man who manages to do a good job as the high school's English teacher, an esteemed best selling author desperately trying to escape life's travails, and a young couple who find love and, like it or not, become parents at a most unexpected time and place...the opening of an Art Gallery that happens to be owned by the teacher's boyfriend. A small example of how the stories go around.

"The Acorn Stories" allows the reader an understanding of the human condition. We learn what makes each individual's personality tick. Simolke's characters are male and female, young and old, black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, handicapped and gifted, happy and sad, satisfied and searching, hypocritical and fair-minded. The ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each character's breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.

I dislike giving ratings to books...they are too subjective...but The Acorn Stories deserves 5 stars as a very intelligently written book. Don't miss it.

Duane Simolke's offering of his sixteen short stories, many with overlapping characters and plot-lines, all set within or around the fictitious west-Texas small town of Acorn, provides its readers an insightful and literate look at what goes on in the hinderlands beyond the boundaries of this country's big cities.

Not as salaciously rendered as was Peyton Place (which, if you remember, was a small town taken on by Grace Metalious), Simolke's Acorn, Texas, still turns out to be rife with some of the same angst-ridden problems, thereby, once again, exploding the myth that rural "out there" is actually more idyllic (even Edenesque), as compared to big-city "in here".

From the who-will-have-control-of-this-relationship "dueling" of Regina Thibodeaux and Dirk Palmer in Simolke's lead-off story "Acorn", to the not-always-that-pleasant reminisces of town maven Aragon Carsons in the book's concluding "Acorn Pie", Simolke puts rural America under a microscope to unveil all of its acne, sores, scars, and festering wounds.

THE ACORN STORIES isn't for any reader out to preserve his or her unrealistic nostaligic notion that rural-America is the place "to be" "to get away from it all". On the other hand, for those of us not put off by realism and always interested in a literate writer who can provide us a peek beneath the veneer, Simolke provides some very enjoyable reading moments.

"The Acorn Stories" is BRILLIANT! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Heck, it's right in front of me now. I just finished it. I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT! EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT! I cried reading "Mae", and smiled viciously at "Mirrors: A Blackmail letter". Duane, where is "Acorn Revisited."? :) KUDOS!

The Acorn Stories
Duane Simolke

Review by Mountman

Picture a small town in West Texas. Acorn. The reason it's called Acorn is that it is the only town in West Texas that has a lot of trees. Yes, Acorn is a fictional town but after reading The Acorn Stories, I wanted to visit the place, just to check it out.

" "Welcome to Acorn, population 21,001, the Texas town with a little name and a big heart" - Sign marking city limits of Acorn" (taken from the book.)

Like the branches of the Main Street Oak tree, the town has just as many histories and legends. Each story gives you a glimpse into lives of the people of Acorn. Also how their lives are intertwined.

There are stories about the founding family, newcomers, the rich, the poor and in between. When I first started reading it I felt like I was left hanging. Just then, in Simolke unique clever style, things began to connect. Growing up in a small town I could relate to some of the characters. Duane gives you just enough details that you get a feel for where each of the characters are coming from. There are people that you like, some that you can't wait to see if they get theirs. Big cheers for when they do!

Ones that really grabbed me are Survival and Dead Enough. Survival is about a gay, deaf teacher. Dead Enough is about a writer of murder mysteries. I'm not going to give you any details because you will have to find out for yourself.

Whether you are an avid short story reader, or a novel reader this is a must read! So check it out.

I enjoyed the first story more but it was a good book in all and he is surely a great writer. Alot of talent for sure.

Wow, this book was very good, it had 2 stories in this book, both stories are going to teach u a thing or two. My favorite was The Glory of My Demise, I like how he told the story and it made me look at things a little different, but it told a true story with some knowledge behind it. I applaud u on this work and thanks for bringing something different to the table.

Kwame Teague is an excellent writer. He paints a picture so vividly in your mind and you feel as if you are walking the walk with the main character. In a way he tells his own story. It is truly intriguing to read his work. Those of us who read HIS other work Dutch know this. Yes I said HIS other work. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT DUTCH IS THE WORK OF KWAME TEAGUE. Yes it was written down literally by you know who but that is that man's work so GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!!! The credits are carefully worded so that it is easy to mistake who's work it is. Kwame some of us know your story and may justice prevail in both situations.

Have you ever finished a book and thought, "Now that's what I'm talking about!"? Well that's exactly how I'm feeling having completed Kwame's debut novel. And it was a treat because it's two books in one.

"The Adventures of Ghetto Sam." Sam Black, a dime azz Jersey n*gga, has a chance encounter with a beautiful, mysterious woman. Her beauty and intrigue lure Sam into a world of trouble.

"The Glory of My Demise." It's the tale of two men, one from the hood and the other has heard and read about it. They take a journey that soon will not be forgotten.

These were two well-crafted and ambitious stories. Kwame Teague packs a lot into these short episodes - fascinating yet flawed characters, solid plots, great pacing and witty dialogue. It works in every way possible. Ghetto Sam was not like reading a story at all. It felt like I was sitting across from Sam as he recounted his wild adventure. He's the kind of guy that you might want to get to know sometime. Teague's story of Sam Black, both his character and his work, was engaging. Glory of My Demise was edgy and compelling. Kwame Teague, ghetto philosopher and storyteller extraordinaire, is one of the most exciting writers of his generation.

I can't believe I slept on this book for so long and hope you don't do the same. This is not just another urban/street lit tale. His other novels DUTCH and DUTCH II are bangers, but Ghetto Sam/Glory of My Demise is on another level. I look forward to DUTCH III and all his future endeavors.

Kwame, I hear your song and I see your beautiful feathers. And this too shall pass.

Check out his other titles...
Dutch: The First of a Trilogy
Dutch II: Angel's Revenge (Dutch Trilogy)

THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE is a prevailing work. However, please be advised, if you selected this book looking for the stereotypical hood, with a hero drug dealer and his spoiled, obnoxious girlfriend who is a shop-a-holic, then return this book to the shelf as you're not equipped for this knowledge!

Kwame Teague is probably better known to most as the author of the Bestselling DUTCH Series. That fact alone shows that Kwame has separated himself from the masses. In THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE readers will be surprised to find not one, but two books.

People, there are too many African American males incarcerated, pumping poison, killing one another and this vicious cycle may not directly relate to you, but it does affect us all. THE ADVENTURES OF GHETTO SAM AND THE GLORY OF MY DEMISE rips the bandages right off of those issues.

Kwame, I pray that your voice is heard not only on behalf of those caught up in the struggle, but for you and your family as well.

Reviewed by: Crystal

I was intoxicated by DeLaune's language and rhythm from the first page. Her characters kept me company to a beach resort last May. And when I got back to LA --- I was longing for them. Memorable!!!

This is a book written by a woman, about a woman, with a woman's occasionally grimace-inducing candor, but sorry, I don't see it as a "woman's book." (And what's with "chick lit"? Is it just me or does that phrase seem downright condescending?). This is simply a GOOD BOOK, a great story with a compelling lead character, a detailed sense of time and place, a smart way with words and attitudes, and a deeply compassionate view of...people, male and female. I don't know why men don't seem to read or like books like this; maybe because most men don't know about mercy-f**ks or compulsive caretaking or needing to be the good-girl or struggling to find your way in a world that uses words like "whiny" and "weepy" when talking about women's emotions, but whatever it is, men are missing out. This book is a heartfelt, passionate and bone-achingly truthful story, one that many, many women will identify with and men might find enlightening. Yvette is an arty, brave, and very human Every-Girl, with deeply felt flaws and oh-so-errant ways, but her slightly bent and very real journey is one we want to follow because...well, she's slightly bent and very real! Yay! No feminist proselytizing, no man bashing, no weepy, whiny carrying on, just a girl makin' jewelry, looking for love, and trying to get it right. So despite her personal chaos and dubious decision-making, we like her! She inspires us and makes us want to take her out for coffee. Ms. Michel has written a character we never fail to feel tenderly toward; a women who falls down many of the same flights of stairs others have known and hated, but who does so with such authenticity, we can't help but wish her well and hope for the best along with her. I closed this book feeling deeply satisfied, delighted that I had just read something chewy and worthy and clever and funny and touching and insightful. Congratulations, Ms. Michel...write on.

a beautifully written story that takes you through all the emotions. i was surprised to find myself enthralled by the main character and her experiences but quickly realized it was all due to Ms Michel's amazing way with words. i look forward to her next novel with baited breath.

I gulped this novel down in 2 sittings and recommend it for summer reading. Great chick Lit. Great gift. JFS

The book pulls you in right away and you find yourself engrossed, unable to stop reading so you can find out what happens next. It is vivid, funny, and poignant as it details issues we all can relate to - growing up, letting go, and finding our path in an active way.

A fascinating look into the man behind such a creative literary & scientific mind! He is quite 'bare bones' about himself. Also suggested bio.: "The Lost Notebooks of Loren Eisley" ed. by Kenneth Heuer.

Thoughtful writing, and interesting, but Eiseley sure was a bitter and despairing fellow. He held grudges forever and never forgot a slighting, even from childhood. It appears that he wrote this at an advanced age, when his friends and associates were dieing off seemingly all around him, and he wasn't very happy about it and his own mortality. Interesting, but definitely a downer.

An excerpt from 'All the Strange Hours'

"...Oncoming age is to me a vast wild autumn country strewn with broken seed pods,hurrying cloud wrack,abondoned farm machinery,and circling crows..."
Frankly I lost my reference notes.But this is a wonderful read.You enter deep into the thinkings and passions from the heart of one man.Eiseley will invite you into his thoughts and observations about life and people like a quite and unassuming gentlemen.These stories bring you deep into the core of the Midwest cast of mind.
Great Read

There are few books written today that I don't want to rewrite. All the Strange Hours is one of them. This is the real thing- forget "Magical-Realism" and forget all other memoirs. This is unlike any memoir, or book I've ever read before, and should be getting out to a larger audience. You don't need to be into science, archeology, or even know who Eiseley is to appreciate this work. His writing is so good that it doesn't matter.
He also doesn't delve into the mundane things that most writers would- in fact, you go through the entire book, and you don't even know his wife's name. If I met Eiseley, I'd feel that I'd know little about what he likes to eat, or what kind of music he enjoys, or if he's a morning or night person. But none of that matters- because I feel like I know him on the inside. People who knew Eiseley say that those who read his works often knew him better than those who knew him in person. I'd list Eiseley easily as one of the greatest writers of all time, and at minimum I'd put him in the top 3 of great prose writers. Check him out, and you'll see. You won't be disappointed. Trust me- - I don't like most contemporary stuff, and if you don't either, this is great literature for you.

This is a beautifully written personal meditation on the impermance of life against the passage of time and the attendant sense of loss by a deeply compassionate existentialist who searches for the meaning within the design of nature. There is a palatable sense of both truth and despair. There is also a consistant thread of both awed respect and admiration for the immensity of "the terrible beauty" of existance. If you are looking for a book that balances the invisibly fine line between the light and the dark of insight from the perspective of a honest man who grasps both, this is your book.

I am not a typical non-fiction reader, but after reading the book, First Lady of the Air, I could see myself reading more non-fiction. Kathleen Winters creates an easy to read non-fiction account of the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Throughout the book, I could really identify with Anne as a woman and fellow aviator. Winters portrays many sides of Anne, from her days as a young woman, to a woman aviator, and finally to a wife and mother. She makes it easy for any reader to identify with the struggles that Anne faced in each of those times in her life.

Winters describes the historical significance of what Anne and Charles were accomplishing with their many long distance flights in uncharted areas; setting up air routes and paving the way for what future commercial jet liners would utilize on a daily basis. Anne was an active participant in an adventurous situation, which was not typical for women of her time. Very inspirational story showing that women can do the same things that men can do. A good read for anyone interested in aviation history.

This book is a gem. Well written. Informative. It is Anne's story -- the woman who loved to fly and who often was the first to explore some new phase. Because she is such an ethereal writer -- and because she was Charles' wife -- we tend to lose track of her actual aviation accomplishments. Author Kathleen C. Winters has nicely remedied that. Originally in hardback, the book is due out in paperback spring 2008.

Sarah Byrn Rickman, author of the newly released Nancy Love and the WASP Ferry Pilots of World War II (University of North Texas Press).

I thought Anne Morrow Lindbergh-First Lady of the Air was going to be a historical documentary, which would have been interesting. It was much, much more. It is exciting reading that covers the gamut from insight into the personal life of an aviation icon to a unique look into the early days of the flying machines. Kathleen Winters' writing style made me feel like I knew the Lindbergh family personally. Her research is impeccable. I was awed by the challenges of mixing high society and celebrity with the rigors of exploratory flying. We all know about Charles Lindbergh. Now learn about the shy, but brave wife who made him what he was.

"Anne Morrow Lindbergh: First Lady of the Air" illuminates the aviation career of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who is more often remembered for her literary success later in life. But aviation consumed Anne's time, directed her relationship with her husband, and gave her much joy and satisfaction in the early years of her marriage to celebrated aviator Charles Lindbergh. Author Kathleen C. Winters, aviation historian and pilot herself, approaches this subject that has been largely neglected by Anne Lindbergh's previous biographers with an empathy for Anne Lindbergh's elation at the experience of flying and respect for her many accomplishments as a pioneer woman aviator and as an instrumental partner in husband Charles' groundbreaking survey flights in the 1930s.

We are introduced to Anne Morrow Lindbergh mid-flight during the Lindberghs' 1933 Atlantic Survey flight for Pan Am, for which Anne acted as radio operator and relief pilot, roles she regularly played while Charles' position at Pan Am called for frequent long and perilous journeys all over the globe to chart potential air routes. From there we revisit the early lives of Anne Morrow and Charles Lindbergh to learn how these two people of disparate personalities and backgrounds married and formed a formidable aviation team. Winters follows Anne's experiences and accomplishments in aviation, with and without her husband, from her first flight until Anne let her pilot's license expire and retired from aviation in 1937.

Winters places Anne Lindbergh's aviation career in the context of her personal life. Charles' high expectations of his wife were both liberating and trying for sheltered, insecure Anne. But Anne was buoyed by her husband's confidence in her skills and found strength and respite from the overwhelming media attention in the air. The book is most compelling when it takes us along on the Lindberghs' 10,000-mile Arctic Survey (1931) and 30,000-mile Atlantic Survey (1933). Anne's love of flying is apparent, as is the author's, as she describes the perils and wonders of these extraordinary flights. I never understood the enthusiasm that many people have for flying, but I think I do now. Winters' pleasant, precise prose reveals Anne Morrow Lindbergh's importance in the Golden Age of Aviation and explores her personal relationship with aviation.

There was a time when Charles Lindbergh was the most famous man on Earth. His 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic caught the world's imagination and the public couldn't get enough of him. When he decided to get married he made looking for a wife into a project. Anne Morrow was the daughter of a wealthy and prestigious family and while Anne didn't quite take to Charles at first, it wasn't long until she was caught up in his charisma and the thrill of flying, and they were soon married.

Kathleen Winters has given us a very interesting biography of Anne that necessarily includes material on Charles, but usually from Anne's perspective. The subtitle of the book is "first lady of the air" and most of the book is about Anne's achievements as a pioneering woman in powered flight and gliding. The majority of the book focuses on two major expeditions Charles and Anne made to Asia in 1931 and all around the North and South Atlantic in 1933. Anne was not just along for the ride on these long and dangerous trips to open flying routes around the globe. As Charles noted when asked about taking his wife along on these hazardous flights, "she is crew". Anne operated the radio, used Morse code, and much more. The radio in those days was much more art than the standard technology it has become.

Winters provides great maps of these great journeys along with some terrific photographs. The revolutionary nature of these flights is made clear by the medal Anne was given by the National Geographic Society for her part in opening air routes around the globe.

While the book does cover the major biographical details including the kidnapping and murder of their firstborn with the subsequent trial of Hauptmann, everything but the flying is covered in short form, but all the major points are touched on.

I found Winters' treatment of Charles being given Service Cross of the German Eagle by Goering most interesting. It has become usual to bash Lindbergh for accepting this award, but the accusers rarely put the event in context. It happened only a few weeks after the "peace in our time" four-way pact signing between Britain, France, Germany, and Italy and weeks before Kristallnacht. The Lindbergh's had stopped in Germany for eighteen days after a trip to Russia. The presentation was made without warning or announcement at a men's only dinner at the American Embassy and at the time neither Charles nor the other men at the dinner thought much about it. Afterwards, Anne expressed her concern that the white cross would become an albatross around his neck. After Kristallnacht occurred, Charles wrote in his journal, "My admiration for the Germans is constantly being dashed against some rock such as this."

Winters also provides very interesting information about Anne's efforts and success as an author. I have not yet read any of Anne's writings, but this book has piqued my interest in seeking them out.

This is a most interesting book about a talented an intrepid women who held her own in a marriage to one of the great historic characters of the 20th Century. Her life is instructive, inspiring, and very much worth knowing. Winters' has written an honest and interesting look at her life and accomplishments. I recommend that you get a copy and enjoy it.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

As an author, I'm always on the lookout for books that can help with publicity, marketing, and promoting. This book was a pure gem.

This book is worth the purchase price just for Chapter 11 (E-mail Blasts) alone. With tips for propelling your book to the top of the bestseller lists by e-mail marketing, this chapter takes you by the hand and leads you through the process step by step in a quick and painless way.

This book doesn't just tell you how to promote and publicize your book; it shows you with sample letters and action steps.

If you're ready to pump up your promotion and get your book noticed, then this book should be on your list of must-haves!

Author 101 Bestselling Book Publicity is what every author needs to promote themselves and their book. This is a very practical, easy to follow and affordable handbook. Get it now! You're missing sales!

While I own all four of the "Author 101" books by Rick Frishman and Robyn Spizman, I feel this one is the most valuable. In fact, I wish I had it BEFORE I started writing my first book. The information and helpful tips included from these industry insiders is worth a hundred-times the price of the book. I have met and spoken with both Rick and Robyn, and I will attest that what they tell you in this book is gospel truth.
After you read this book, you will gain insight into how best to plan the marketing and publicity of your book even before you write it. This is key information whether you are using a traditional publisher, or if you are self-publishing. In fact, if you are self-publishing, READ and MEMORIZE chapter 8 on Interviews -- this will be the primary source of your income.
I highly recommend this and the other three books in the "Author 101" series.

Happy reading and successful writing,

Stuart Gustafson, Author
www.stuartgustafson.com

As a fellow book publicist it's imperative for me to keep up with all of the great books and magazine articles being published about the book business. I've read dozens and dozens of such books and can recommend this book without hesitation.

One thing about the book marketing and book promotion business is that there are so many nice people in the business. I rank Rick Frishman as one of the top publicists in the U.S. not to mention he's a nice guy too!

His book, co-authored by Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Steisel, offers advice and insight about every stage of the publishing world. Using testimonials and commentary, this book lets authors, agents, and publishers alike show you the things you should and shouldn't do in promoting your book.

Scott Lorenz
President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in book marketing and author publicity.
[...]

This book is GOLDEN! It truly is a must-have for any author, especially a brand new author such as myself. The chapter on E-mail blasts was so fascinating with its step-by-step process, that even I felt confident I could produce this "flurry of sales" to launch my book into bestseller status. Newly published authors and seasoned authors alike should definitely add this gem to their library.

Anne Perry, the enormously popular writer of historical fiction, just recommended this ballad by G. K. Chesterton as one of five must read tales of historical fiction. (See the Wall Street Journal's online Opinion Page for April 21, 2007 in an article entitled "Past Tense.") Here's part of what she said:

"This is the story of the English King Alfred's desperate stand against invading Danes in 878. England is conquered, and Alfred is a fugitive when he sees a vision of the Virgin Mary that bids him call together the remnants of his people for a final battle. "The Ballad of the White Horse" is an epic poem of courage, passion and unsurpassable beauty."

If you'd like to read other tales and poems by Chesterton, you might want to get "The Ballad of the White Horse" as part of a collection of his poetry that I edited for not much more money. It's called G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry and has "The Ballad of the White Horse," along with two other books of Chesterton poetry under one cover. That means you'll also get his best humorous poetry, "Greybeards at Play." No less a writer than George Orwell ranked Chesterton as one of the three best writers of funny poetry in twentieth century England. The poems are a riot of the ridiculous and are accompanied with equally funny sketches he did.

And although Anne Perry and I have the same last name, as far as I know we're not related. Her's is a pen name. Mine is a real name. I guess I'm not creative enough to invent a name for myself.

G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry: Greybeards At Play, The Wild Knight And Other Poems, The Ballad Of The White Horse

Mr. Chesterton has a masterful skill with the pen; _Orthodoxy_ and _The Napoleon of Notting Hill_ are wonderful books--but _The Ballad of the White Horse_ is heartbreaking in its power, beauty, and nobility. With a stunning use of alliteration, rhythm, and imagery, Mr. Chesterton teaches the reader about true hearts, true faith, and true sacrifice. I have bought a few copies of this book to give as gifts to friends, and I eagerly recommend it to anyone who will listen. This book is a must-have for any individual interested in expanding their knowledge of great poetry!

Out of the thousand or so books I have read in my life, if I were to put the Bible aside (since the Bible speaks with a special authority to believers and cannot really be compared to other books), I have read no more than five or six books that I would call truly great. That means there are only five or six books I would rate at five stars. This is one. Yes, it is that good.

I have never read any author who could make the English language sing the way Chesterton does in this poem -- for over a hundred pages. In contrast to contemporary "poets" whose "poems" consist of a bunch of strange words scattered apparently at random on a page, whose meaning, if there is one, is far beyond obscurity, Chesterton had apparently unlimited ability to create rhyme and alliteration, and then he bound it all tightly in the sing-song ballad style that carries it all swiftly along. The words of this poem are glorious to hear, and really, this book should be read aloud, so that one might hear the music of the words.

And few have ever been able to match the way Chesterton paints pictures with words. I will quote one passage, and hope it is not to long, to illustrate this. The scene here is Alfred's army making one final charge against the Danish camp:

Then bursting all and blasting
Came Christendom like death,
Kicked of such catapults of will,
The staves shiver, the barrels spill,
The waggons waver and crash and kill
The waggoners beneath.

Barriers go backward, banners rend,
Great shields groan like a gong,
Horses like horns of nightmare
Neigh horribly and long.

Horses ramp and rock and boil
And break their golden reins,
And slide on carnage clamorously,
Down where the bitter blood doth lie,
Where Ogier went on foot to die
In the old way of the Danes.

It would be hard to imagine anyone anyone describing such a violent scene in so few words any better than Chesterton does in that passage. And this passage is but one of dozens of glorious word-pictures that Chesterton's poetry paints in this book.

Beyond its magnificent use of the English language, this book also contains much philosophical insight -- insight that, although first published in 1911, is directly and clearly applicable today. Chesterton expresses very clearly the way that Christianity has formed the heart of Western culture over the ages, and the way that Christian faith -- which seems all about self-denial and thus sadness -- leads to unconquerable joy.

The book, of course, is not perfect; no work of literature can be. There are places where it gets a bit too preachy for my taste. But the book's flaws are few and minor, while its good points are many and glorious.

How good is this book? I have read it at least 50 times in my life, and I still enjoy reading it. In my opinion it is one of the truly greatest works written in the English language. It is one of the few books I have read that truly deserves five stars.

I had read some of Chesterton's fictional books, most of which contain poems which he has written, and I very much enjoyed his poems, so I decided to get a book of his poetry. This too I really enjoyed, so I decided to get another book of his poetry, this time it was The Ballad of the White Horse, and this book simply blew away all of the rest of Chesterton's poems. In fact, it simply blows away most poems by anyone. I have read Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton' Paradise Lost, Eliot's Wasteland, Chaucer's Canturbury Tales, etc., but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this epic far more than any of them. I am not saying that it is a better written poem or that it should be ranked above these classics, but I am saying that it is much more exciting to read than the others. Somehow Chesterton makes his poem involving: you are drawn into it and cannot put the book down until you have finished the chapter. He wrote it in such a way that the verses beg to be read quickly, and as I read I found myself reading faster and faster, until I was stumbling over the words and had to slow down again. Chesterton, like no other poet whom I know of, paints a picture of glory, honor, bravery, and captures the true spirit of an idealized Medieval War. The poem resounds with the drums of doom, the cries of angels, the hordes of invading barbarians and great deeds of heroes of old. If I were to recommend owning one epic poem, this would be the one.

Overall grade: A+

A stirring epic poem with a message important for the future of western civilization...to act on hope when there is no longer any hope... The outcome is always, finally, in God's Providence. "The Ballad of the White Horse" should have great appeal for young men who can dream impossibilities because they are firmly grounded in the eternal verities. The battles scenes will fire the blood!

this is the first harrison book i've read and did not know what to expect. i enjoyed it a lot. whereas some reviewers have compared him to hemingway, i seem him more as a stylistic descendent of henry miller and bukowski.
harrison certainly mines the same "male" terrain as hemingway, but whereas hemmingway is about "men of action" in war and other pursuits, harrison's central characters in 2 of the 3 novellas here are more observers than doers. They also have more of a cerebral/academic lens on the world than hemmingway's men.
where robert stone -- another writer in the male thinker/adventurer vein -- tends to follow a very structured approach to plot (more like conrad or hemmingway) -- these novellas are more like diary entries. they are *not* plot-driven and occasionally i found myself losing interest.
but what i found most appealing here was less the plot and more the great insights sprinkled throughout -- sentences that you underline and read three times. worth reading.

I'm a painter not a writer so I will not be able to do justice to Jim Harrison. In my mind Harrison is our best living writer. It is an exciting, humanizing and exceptional experience to read his work and this book is no exception. I have read all of Harrison's books and my respect for him has never flagged. His characters are driven by lascivious and intellectual curiousity - you're never sure you are reading the book or thinking the book.

And here's why: many authors write in the first person to give themselves an alter ego. Not so here, as Harrison uses the first person to give us 3 truly engaging partners in crime, who let us in on the most intimate details of their lives. His genius is that, although he brings the disparate together, he also understands their inevitable separation.

These stories begin in Minnesota. They always come back there.

Worth your time, if only to meet people who should go on and reoprt back "beyond the end"....

'Catering to egregious pricks out of childhood nostalgia is a poor way to conduct your life' says the narrator of the first of the three novellas is this book. A poor way indeed and the theme of this and the third story is the absolute foolishness of catering at all.
These two novellas are beautifully written in the straightforward Harrison style-you could imagine yourself hearing these tales told at a bar in the woods somewhere.
Westward Ho! the middle story is one of the sloppiest, most annoying things that I've ever read from this guy. It seems rushed and thoughtless and almost made me put the book down. But in his carelessness, Harrison has come up with another facet of his genius: this is a genuinely funny story, risible on a couple of different levels. If you can imagine Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld and the cable guy getting together to write an episode of Home Improvement, you'll have the sense of it.

So read the first and last story for good lit and the middle for a good laugh.

Lynn Hoffman, author or bang BANG

I have just found a new obsession and it's Jim Harrison! Not the man, but his books of course. I am always open to a new discovery and in this case, what a pleasant surprise. Jim Harrison has an impressive command of words that keep his story(s), in this case 3 of them, flowing without being bogged down with excessive descriptions. It's as if you were having a conversation with him rather than reading a book.

After doing some research I found that he had written "Legends of the Fall", and that is one of my all time favorite movies. I just can't understand why he doesn't get more press. I have mentioned his books to several people and none of them were aware of him at all. He difinitely is a talent not to be missed. I have already ordered "A Woman Lit by Fireflies" and looking forward to his upcoming Memoir!

One more thing,if you are not familiar with his writing take a peak inside one of his books, you might just like what you see.

The Best of Good is a refreshing novel about real people and their journey to self discovery. We all know these people. We are these people. It has the right amount of bitter and sweet. I laughed and I cried. I felt rejuvenated while reading it. I didn't want to put it down. This is my new favorite of all of Sara Lewis' novels, and my favorite of all the books I've read in a couple of years!

What a wonderful book! The Best of Good is a gentle story about real people that grabs hold of you and won't let go, even after you've closed the cover for the last time. I found myself reading long sections aloud to my husband, and each time I thought I had finished, he would say "Keep reading!" It's that kind of book. One that asks you to keep reading because the characters have become important to you as real people, not because the chapter ended with an explosion or a car chase. If you like reading books instead of reading television shows written on paper, this is the perfect book for a fall evening.

Within a few pages, I was so hooked that I couldn't decide if I wanted to read it straight through or savor it for a few days. I couldn't put it down.
I am anxiously awaiting her next book.

Once you meet Tom Good you can't help but root for him and hope for him. Good will stay with me for a long time. Be prepared to leave a place in your heart for him. The best of Sara Lewis' excellent novels. Can't wait to see her next book.

Having just finished reading "The Best of Good", there are tears in my eyes. This book moved me deeply, while also providing hours of enjoyment. Writing in the first person, as a man, was an amazing feat for Sara, who continues to surprise me with her books. I've read all her novels, and this one rates right up there and, in fact, it's hard to choose a favorite. The characters were so very real to me. There are even things about Tom Good that I can recognize within myself. His struggles to start living his life again after isolating for 20 years made me examine my life, too. The children, his neighbors and his sister Ellen were all so realistic. They all have their layers of complexity, which Sara presents so brilliantly.

Read this book and see if you want to start making a quilt, upgrading your surroundings, getting closer to the people around you, and maybe even forgiving yourself for guilt that you should not have assumed for things in the past. This is a powerful book, in the guise of light entertainment! Absolute bravos for this, and I highly recommend it!