Oklahoma Books

Mr. Carter takes us back to the early 40s when Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers first embarked on the creation of the watershed musical, Oklahoma!. Using original music and lyric manuscripts, he paints an informative picture of the writing process. With materials from The Theatre Guild, he takes us back to the show's rehearsals, out of town tryouts and legendary opening night. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in the musical theatre!

Great book. Love the musical and makes you feel as if you were seeing it on stage.

This book embodies the uniqueness of Oklahoma through colorful, emotional photos from across the state. From the Blue Whale in Catoosa to the Red Barn along old 66 in Arcadia to poignant cemetary photos, a one-of-a-kind book like no other. An excellent buy. I can't say enough great things about it.

The truly unusual value of this book is that it represents a voice from a "Wild West" lawman that hasn't been overly varnished or adapted for our sensitive 21st Century ears. Written in the 1920s, it looks back on a time when the Oklahoma Territory was a place where outlaws, settlers, Indians, and lawmen were all very familiar with each other (for better or worse). Between the lines, you can tell that E.D. Nix has actually fond of some of the bad guys he chased. I particularly liked that Nix learned how to hang a man, but was relieved he never had to do it.

Another great biography from University of Oklahoma Press: Norman. And in addition, this one is written by the author's son, Ernest Haycox Jr.

If you've read any of Haycox's western novels or short stories, you have to have some interest in the man himself. This biography gives insight into the mind and person of the author who wrote all those wonderful westerns. Back when western writing was sorta looked down upon.

For me one of the mild shocks of the book was the self doubt this author often had. It's hard for me to take in, for anytime I've read the man's work I was amazed at his talent. I have a full shelf of his work, just picking up another one in a second hand bookstore yesterday. One I did not know existed, and by coincidence it is entitled: THE SILVER DESERT. A very close match to the title of this biography.

Another interesting fact for me is the lack of material ever written about and of this giant of the western writing world. We can truly be thankful his son took this project on, giving us details of his father's life and work.

Ernest Haycox's books and stories were oft times brought to the Hollywood screen. The movies are still available as are the books. See for instance TROUBLE SHOOTER which documents the building of the Union Pacific railroad, THE BORDER TRUMPET writing on the Arizona Apache wars, or BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON one of the best books ever on the Custer debacle at Little Big Horn.

Many letters and photographs fill this wonderful book, too. U of Ok has done it again. Another fine addition to any western library, be your interest in the west either fictionial or non-ficional.

Semper Fi.

I truly enjoyed this book of yarns. Most people would probably
like the book, however, it was a nostalgia trip for me. I was
born and grew up in the same area, just a few years later. Many
of the sites and names were quite familiar. I am purchasing
another one to send my brother.

Felix Cohen was a leading creator of the Indian New Deal and a champion of American Indian rights, so there's no better author than he to cover On the Drafting of Tribal Constitutions, reflecting his practical guidelines created in 1934 for tribal constitutional development. The entire work has been edited by David E. Wilkins, includes an essay that describes its origins and background, and is presented with a key to understanding Indigenous autonomy and self-governance efforts: perfect for college-level collections on Native American or American legal history.

ONE O'CLOCK JUMP: THE UNFORGETTABLE HISTORY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BLUE DEVILS offers up a wealth of detail on a legendary jazz band from Oklahoma City. They went through many changes from 1923 to 1933, but their legacy has been under-stated until this book, so any avid fan of jazz may know of them, but only in passing. ONE O'CLOCK JUMP fills the gaps, using interviews with the six surviving Blue Devils and others and supplementing these with newspaper accounts of performances and government records. The result is rich reporting and jazz music history which cannot be ignored.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

THIS BOOK IS REFERENCED AS A FURTHER READING BOOK IN THE BEST SELLER "GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL" BY JERED DIAMOND.PAGE 448.

This book is essential in the library of all Native Americans and Non-Native Americans alike. Forget the old stereotypes, this work based on the intense research of Francis LaFlesche, an anthropologist and Native himself, blows all pre-conceived notions of Native thought and society. The intense and complex cosmological musings harken back to the Greek philosophers and Eastern Taoism and Confucianism. Finally something that truly shows the complexity and diversity of the original peoples of this continent.