Palmetto Books

Rick Tonyan has written an extremely readable novel that is well-researched and historically realistic. It is excellent reading for anyone who would like to know more about the Florida frontier during the Civil War of the Florida "Cracker" cattle era. If a reader isn't interested in history, per se, this is still a darn good yarn! I hope there are more books from Rick Tonyan.

This book really opened my eyes as to what the most Southern of our Confederate states was like during the War of Yankee Aggression (Civil War for those of you North of the Mason-Dixon line). Although not a big fiction reader, It is obvoius that this book is well researched and makes up for the fictional dialogue with more than enough historical content to keep a reader like myself turning pages. Ths book is an eye-opener about the deepest of the deep South. The story seems more like the badlands of Idaho than 1860's Florida. Definitely not the modern day "sunshine state"......in any way.

Guns of the Palmetto Plains is an entertaining and well-written cowboy saga set in a location which readers would not expect. Little known in comparison to the beaches, cattle have been and still are a major part of Florida's history, with this particular story set in the latter portion of the Civil War. The characters are captivating as well as believable in the context of the harshness of their lifestyles. The descriptions of the swamp and forest topography of East Central Florida and its history are woven into the chain of events in a way that is especially interesting to those of us who live in the area. They provide a new perspective on nature of life in this part of the country while weaving a tale that is hard to put down. There are tough, strong good guys you will befriend and really bad bad guys you will love to hate. And their interaction is as complex and unpredictable as real life.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! And if you get a chance to meet the author, do so. I am pretty sure he really is Tree, the main character.

Rick Tonyan has done a superb job in blending fact and fiction. His description of the area is very accurate. One can visit many of the places mentioned - Volusia County, Palatka, St. Augustine - all have places mentioned in the book that are still very much in use.

It is the end of the Civil War. The cattle needs to be moved to help feed the Confederacy. The challenges of doing so makes for interesting reading. Some of the area described has changed very little. Granted, power poles and lines grow next to major paved highways. However, many roads are still sand. There are still swamps and forests. We who live in this area like to think of it as the "real" Florida. The union officers housed in Palatka and St. Augustine are met with a hostile hospitality. These events did happen and Mr. Tonyan has written them beautifully.

As another reviewer has said - try to meet the author. He has more stories to tell.

David Winston is one of the most respected herbalists in American, and his knowledge shines through in this book. In some ways it is incredible. He reviews the literature going back several centuries, and clearly explains the known ethnobotanical and scientific literature in easy to understand terms. Lots of solutions for genitourinary and other related health problems are described. I should know - this book gave me the answer to my son's difficult to solve acne problem. Get this book.

David Winston is one of the most respected herbalists in America, so it is no surpise that his depth of knowledge shines through in this book. In some ways it is incredible. With ease he quotes references over the past few centuries, clearly explains the known ethnobotanical and scientific literature, and then tells you exactly how to use this plant for improving health in easy to understand terms. I should know - this book gave me the solution for my son's difficult acne problem. Get this book.

Author David Winston has more than thirty years experience an all aspects of herbalism, including a mastery of medicine making, and studies of Eclectic medical herbalism, traditional Cherokee herbalism, and traditional Chinese medicine. The book covers the uses of Saw Palmetto completely from both traditional uses and scientific research. The traditional uses are much broader than simple treatment for prostatic hyperplasia in males. Winston also describes alternate and related treatments for both men and women

I wrote this book 30 years ago when I was a professional angelfish breeder. At the time, I put everything I knew about it in the book. Over the years, many people have written me how much they benefitted from the book. As a lifelong aquarist, angelfish were always my favorite fish. But you already feel that way too. My book can help you succeed in breeding this wonderful species. -Steven Dow

This is a great book on the war between the states. Zeroing in on the south and the condisions during that time.spies and sceret service activies that leads to devoted love. You must read this book!!!! SCV MUST READ

This book is great. It discusses all of the major rivers in South Carolina and gives the reader very helpful information on what they will experience if they decide to go there to kayak or canoe. You get helpful information on hazards, river distance and width, and whether or not a river will be best for beginners/intermediates/experts, etc.

The rivers are separated into regions and for each there are directions on how to get there. Map pages for each river discussed are also in the book, which is extremely helpful. This book is great for beginners who are not sure of where to go and also great for the intermediates who want to find a new adventure. I highly recommend.

This is the book that started the popular rush to the Land of Flowers - Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1874 essays covering everything from picnics up Julington Creek to the mass destruction of Florida's beautiful birds for their plumage. Although Mrs. Stowe was concealing her real reasons for coming south every year from 1866 to 1884 and there were other essays too dangerous to publish in this volume, it is still a treasure trove for modern sojourners to the Sunshine State. No wonder 14,000 - 15,000 people flocked south in the first year after it was published (1875) and they haven't stopped since!

If you come to Florida and get stuck in traffic, you can blame Harriet Beecher Stowe and this book.

I used to travel extensively to South Carolina for business. Bar-B-Que is one of my passions and this is an invaluable aid to finding the best offered. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in finding and/or eating Bar-B-Que in South Carolina. The book is organized by name of restaurant, city, and region. It includes address, phone, hours, and comments.

I have never read a finer book than this one by David M. Blackard. The art displayed in this brilliant, soon to be classic, work of art blew me away. It captures the essence of humanity, and sits on my bookshelf next to Aristotle, Plato, and Shakespeare. I recommend this book to everyone, it is, as they say, 'pure genius'.

"BRILLIANT" -James Monroe
"5 STARS!" -Peter Jackson
"NOTHING CAN EVER COMPARE TO DAVID" -JDBWR, esq.
"MY GOD...A STROKE OF GENIUS HAS BEFELL MR. BLACKARD" -R. Lee

One of the reasons I know that the books from Glen Dedmondt are excellent is because I am fortunate enough to know the man. I'm in an organization that he helped to rebuild. I was the editor of the newsletter and had been the first one to read his submissions. Mr. Dedmondt researches his research so you know that what he writes will be correct! Many authors of history will just write the popular word in the sense of thier subject, in a way, making a fool of our brains in thier "teaching" words. I have learned a lot from Mr. Dedmondt, not only from his books, but also from being his freind. Everyone who has enjoyed his books might want to know that his keen knowledge of the period of the war between the states contain many aspects of the period. I might add that his wife Donna has also been a mentor to many women. I'm sad to say that we have not been in touch for quite a few years, but that's neither here nor there. I look forward very much to read what he has written next. Thank you, Dellas Bergholm.

This book is an account of the time spent by Soiset during his tour in Vietnam. Although the names have been changed, the events that are told are real. His son was the motivation for writing the book. He wanted to have documentation of his experiences so that his son may better understand what he went through.

He begins the story with the jungle training he received in South America. Soon after he completes his training, he is in Vietnam commanding his first platoon. I have seen several war movies, but Soiset covers details of war that I had never considered. The Vietnam solider had more to worry about than just the Viet Cong; the jungle was almost just as dangerous.

I practically could not put the book down once he started his service in the field. There is one page in particular that I don't think I'll ever forget. At the top of the page I was laughing, but by the bottom of the page I felt sorrow. That must have been just a sample of the emotional rollercoaster that Vietnam was for many vets.

Midway through the book Soiset is taken out of the field and put into a desk job. I was a bit disappointed and afraid that the rest of the book would be boring. I could not be more wrong. Who knew that Army logistics could be so interesting?

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is easy and entertaining to read. It should also elicit a bit more respect for America's vets.