Reds Books

I too love this book, and I apparently am the only one here who has taken good care of her copy, as it's still around and last time I checked not even falling apart. I agree with all the praise and would like to add that the book is also full of wonderfully realized secondary characters, an area in which far too many writers fall short.

Oddly enough, GILDED SPURS, which she wrote as Ingram, is a prequel to POWER OF DARKNESS, which she wrote as Adams; there is at least one character who appears in both. I think POWER OF DARKNESS is very nearly as good as RED ADAM'S LADY, but I didn't care for GILDED SPURS at all. The protagonist was likeable, but nobody else was; and if I remember correctly, there wasn't a romance.

I am thrilled to see others know how good this book is! I read this years ago and kept the copy for a long time. Then because I was crazy I got rid of my copy. I kept thinking about it though and a few years ago paid about 40 dollars for a used copy. Money well spent! I read this book at least once a year and enjoy it every time. I keep hoping it will be reprinted so more people can enjoy reading about Adam and Julitta. There is something romantic about a man literally having some sense knocked into him. Unlike so many romances of the time that had the love interest fight each other to the end then suddenly they are in love, Ms. Ingram gradually brings Julitta from dislike, to grudging respect, friendship and then love. All this while the Scots are over the border, there is disloyalty in the household and treason is afoot. This it a great read!

Mistaken for a peasant girl and kidnapped by the drunken lord of Brentborough while returning home to an abusive uncle, Julitta valiantly defends her virtue. Forced into marriage the next morning to salvage her reputation, she gradually begins to trust the tenderness and respect with which her noble husband eventually wins her.
The period detail and writing literally draw you into the story, weaving a lush tapestry against which the splendid romance between the strong heroine and the persistent hero unfolds beautifully. Red Adam is not only patient and kind as he endeavors to win Julitta's affections, but he is strong and intelligent, recognizing in Julitta an equal, worthy partner and giving her full control of the household whenever he must ride out. Facing impudent serving wenches, a resentful chatelaine, an insolent comrade of Red Adam's, and even a thieving cook, Julitta has her hands full with the running of the estate and all its inherent problems, not to mention the whisper of mystery surrounding the former lord. Throw into that brew political unrest and rebellion, raiding Scotts, betrayal and breathtaking escape, and you have a truly dynamic, potent tale.
There is just so much more to the story than the above. A true bond between the characters, genuine affection, and several subplots, all threads being masterfully combined. Any summary is inadequate. But if you like adventure, a mystery interwoven throughout, compelling history that draws you into its pages, true love in the truest sense, and blazing triumph over adversity, then this is your book! I don't know why no one will republish it!

The best historical romance ever written. This book was the first 'romance' book I read. I bought it in the summer of 1974 as a beach read. Little did I know that it would spark a love of all romance novels that lasts to this day. I read this book once a year, and it never fails to deliver!
This book has everything! Mistaken identity, nasty family members, a rogue hero, a feisty heroine, villainy, intrigue, marauding hordes all set against the backdrop of feudal England. And must not forget a love story for the ages. This is one for every hopeful romantic!
If you ever come across this gem, buy it! You won't be sorry.

Lady Julitta is mistaken for a peasant and is accosted by a drunken "Red" Adam de Lorismond, the new lord of Brentborough. Adam takes Julitta back to his keep bent on rape, but the ever resourceful Julitta knocks him out with a stool and when he's sober Adam marries her to assuage her damaged honor. Julitta is none too thrilled with the match, but sparks soon fly between the two as Julitta's uncle Lord William and his cronies conspire to support young Henry in his plan to oust his father Henry II and rule England instead. Julitta also soon finds her hands full with a castle and mutinous servants allowed to run to ruin by the previous lord of Brentborough (Adam's uncle), a thieving seneschal, invading armies of Scots, a perilous climb down ocean cliffs, a mysterious death or two and more as "Red" Adam and his lady banter their way through it all to find true love in the end.

While I very much enjoyed this book, at times it was a bit too busy and fast paced for my tastes. At times I lost track of who was who when characters from the first part of the book returned back to the story and the author didn't provide enough background to refresh my memory, and I got lost more than once until I fell back into the groove. A cast of characters and their various names and titles would have helped quite a bit and enhanced my appreciation of the story. That said, it was a highly enjoyable romp through the 12th century and a very entertaining read. I see from the current selling price the book is quite rare, but if you are lucky as I was to find it at your library it's worth taking the time to check this one out.

"During my whole life, I have not found a happier hunting ground than that in the course of the Somme River." That famous sentence begins the chapter on the Battle of the Somme in Manfred Von Richtofen's autobiography, The Red Baron, first published in 1917 and available in a reprint by Pen & Sword with additional new material. In this edition, Norman Franks summarizes Richtofen's air battles and gives us a fine summary of the life of Richtofen. N. H. Hauprich presents a list of the aircraft flown by Richtofen.

That this work is of historical value cannot be denied. It is, after all, the autobiography of one of the truly great flying aces of World War I. That it is a fascinating portrayal of a gentleman officer in a world long gone cannot be denied. That it is a very entertaining read cannot be denied.

And yet, to the modern reader there is something uncomfortable in Richtofen's describing combat in such a way as to read like the adventure books for boys so popular in his time: "I advised him to fly around the smoke cloud. Holck did not intend to do this. On the contrary. The greater the danger, the more the thing attracted him. Therefore straight through! I enjoyed it too to be together with such a daring fellow."

Richtofen died young, of course, and he died in a fight in the Valley of the Somme, his happy hunting ground. We are not likely to see his type again, and that may not be a bad thing.

--David Lang at Advance Book Reviews

I saw a biography about the Red Baron on tv and thought that he had an exciting life so I wanted to read his book that way I could read about it straight from the person that lived these events. The book is fairly short and you could easily read through it very fast without any trouble. He writes about his childhood,entering the cavalry and the war, then how he became a piolet and the rest of the book talks about his many victories as the best fighter piolet. There are a bunch of black and white pictures of the Baron, other German aces and a few planes. There is also a list of all his victims including the plane type, date, times and piolets and there is also a list of the planes he flew and which victims he shot down in which plane.

I liked the book because it's an easy read, it has some funny parts and exciting moments and in a way you get a feel for the man himself. However there are some things I didn't like such as he doesn't go into much detail through the book it's like he just breezes through some of his fights in a few sentences or so which kind of makes it anti climatic. One example is how his brother just shows up out of nowhere and is fighting along side him and not much is said about him. I'm also sure that there was some propaganda thrown in since this book was released during the war. I bet he would have wrote a far better book after the war had he lived but as we all know he was shot down.

This isn't the book to read if you want to know everything about the Red Baron but if you want to read what he experienced first hand then get this autobiography because it's a good read and it's coming straight from the horses mouth that.

I wonder if some of the fatherland stuff was added by one of the Kaiser's goons. This guy is a wild boar hunting nutcase. A great book if you wonder why Germany keeps starting wars.

This is a fantastic autobiography, because Von Richthofen was an amazing person. Very real (he devotes as much attention to his cousin and him climbing the spire of the local church, as he does to some of his aerial battles), full of good-natured humor and a zest for life. I particularly loved how the early fighter pilots were known as "Knights of the Sky", and kept to the chivalric code, including following downed pilots to ensure that they were all right.

Great book! Great photos and an amazing life told by The Red Baron himself (translated into English, of course!).

"During my whole life, I have not found a happier hunting ground than that in the course of the Somme River." That famous sentence begins the chapter on the Battle of the Somme in Manfred Von Richtofen's autobiography, The Red Baron, first published in 1917 and available in a reprint by Pen & Sword with additional new material. In this edition, Norman Franks summarizes Richtofen's air battles and gives us a fine summary of the life of Richtofen. N. H. Hauprich presents a list of the aircraft flown by Richtofen.

That this work is of historical value cannot be denied. It is, after all, the autobiography of one of the truly great flying aces of World War I. That it is a fascinating portrayal of a gentleman officer in a world long gone cannot be denied. That it is a very entertaining read cannot be denied.

And yet, to the modern reader there is something uncomfortable in Richtofen's describing combat in such a way as to read like the adventure books for boys so popular in his time: "I advised him to fly around the smoke cloud. Holck did not intend to do this. On the contrary. The greater the danger, the more the thing attracted him. Therefore straight through! I enjoyed it too to be together with such a daring fellow."

Richtofen died young, of course, and he died in a fight in the Valley of the Somme, his happy hunting ground. We are not likely to see his type again, and that may not be a bad thing.

--David Lang at Advance Book Reviews

I saw a biography about the Red Baron on tv and thought that he had an exciting life so I wanted to read his book that way I could read about it straight from the person that lived these events. The book is fairly short and you could easily read through it very fast without any trouble. He writes about his childhood,entering the cavalry and the war, then how he became a piolet and the rest of the book talks about his many victories as the best fighter piolet. There are a bunch of black and white pictures of the Baron, other German aces and a few planes. There is also a list of all his victims including the plane type, date, times and piolets and there is also a list of the planes he flew and which victims he shot down in which plane.

I liked the book because it's an easy read, it has some funny parts and exciting moments and in a way you get a feel for the man himself. However there are some things I didn't like such as he doesn't go into much detail through the book it's like he just breezes through some of his fights in a few sentences or so which kind of makes it anti climatic. One example is how his brother just shows up out of nowhere and is fighting along side him and not much is said about him. I'm also sure that there was some propaganda thrown in since this book was released during the war. I bet he would have wrote a far better book after the war had he lived but as we all know he was shot down.

This isn't the book to read if you want to know everything about the Red Baron but if you want to read what he experienced first hand then get this autobiography because it's a good read and it's coming straight from the horses mouth that.

I wonder if some of the fatherland stuff was added by one of the Kaiser's goons. This guy is a wild boar hunting nutcase. A great book if you wonder why Germany keeps starting wars.

This is a fantastic autobiography, because Von Richthofen was an amazing person. Very real (he devotes as much attention to his cousin and him climbing the spire of the local church, as he does to some of his aerial battles), full of good-natured humor and a zest for life. I particularly loved how the early fighter pilots were known as "Knights of the Sky", and kept to the chivalric code, including following downed pilots to ensure that they were all right.

Great book! Great photos and an amazing life told by The Red Baron himself (translated into English, of course!).

This book, my all-time favorite novel, was Anthony Hyde's first novel and to appreciate it you have to remember that in 1984, when this novel was published, there was no Internet, no Google, very few electronic methods of getting information. Hyde's protagonist, Robert Thorne, a former journalist, is a Russian history expert who is drawn into a mystery that consumes him to the end. Thorne is a very likable gentleman, no quirks, utterly normal. When Thorne probes the mystery surrounding him, he uses time-honored methods of finding information, such as the Bettmann Archive, talking to people involved, etc. whereas today most journalists can simply Google someone.

As for the plot, if you've ever read Graham Greene's "The Third Man", you'll find some similiarities. Because Hyde uses the 1st person, we get every thought that Thorne is thinking, and so you get a sense of an updated Mickey Spillane "hard-boiled detective" novel, too.

Because Hyde was writing his first novel, he avoids many of the "hack" techniques other writers often employ, there are no cliches, no gratuitous sex scenes and no inane dialogue.

You can see where Hyde gets some inspiration, though; there's a little bit from "The Godfather", a scene where Thorne is in a restaurant in Leningrad, talking to a Russian KGB agent, that is straight out of "Casablanca".

But, these are quibbles - I love this book and it's replaced "Doctor Zhivago" as my fave novel of all time.

I've destroyed my copy from having read it over and over. This used to be in my father's bookshelf until I was bored as a young lady and absconded with it (SHHHHHHH. That was about ??(mutter mutter mutter) years ago.

I love Soviet history, particularly anything to do with the Russian Revolution and execution of the Tsar. This dances around it through the whole book. There's unrequited love and history and political intrigue. How can you go wrong there? Wonderful intelligent and captivating.

THere's my two cents.

This is a very readable book. The storyline is ever developing and doesn't necessarily lead you where you think it will. It also was refreshing to read a story in the first person, that did not spend enormous amounts of time building themselves up to be experts in this or that or telling you how with-it they were by wearing name brand clothes.

It is a mystery story that is believable in its development and execution. You can identify with the main character, because it could be your next door neighbour. And as an added bonus, there is a lot of information about the Soviet Union that is interesting to know. Good book!

I've read well over 1000 novels in my life, but after this one, I felt compelled to write a review. I'm not saying it's THE best story I've ever read, but it's the most engrossing book I've tackled this year hands down. The well-conceived plot is absolutely impossible to guess and the settings are unique when compared to the cliched L.A. or N.Y. settings of most of today's bestsellers. Get this one before it's out of print.

This is one of my favorites of the cold war fictions. I loved the location descriptions and choices; you start in North American and just keep going east. This is a smart, fun book that gives the reader a great story and a lot of interesting historical facts about Russia. This really is a book that has two - three very well developed and written plot twists that makes you stay on your toes. I have reread the book and it is something how well he places the road signs. This is a great book; unfortunately he was not able to keep up this form into his next.

As I would have thought...this is just as good at keeping my attention as "The Morgue". It's not often that I find time to read a book...but this one was far too good to put down once I got started. Keep up the good work..am anxious for the sequal!!

This is the second Dennis N. Griffin book I've read and the second time I've stayed up all night until I finished. The main character, John Grant, has won my heart. I love his investigative style and you can just visualize him in a worn-out raincoat. Go, Mr. Grant, Go!!!

Wonderful. Held my interest the whole time. Lots of surprises. Recommending this book to all my friends. This is a real "can't put it down" novel.

I was given this book by a friend who really loved it. I had never read anything before by Dennis N. Griffin before so I was skeptical. But what a great book it was! I couldn't put it down! The characters were brilliant and it had a captivating storyline. I read it all in one day, which is rare for me. I look forward to reading more from this talented author! I would reccomend this book to anyone who loves fast paced action packed reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Red Gold. I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Griffin talk about his first book, The Morgue. As a result I bought and read the book. As you might imagine, by the time Red Gold became available, I was anticipating a very exciting book. I couldn't wait to read it!

I was NOT disappointed.

Griffin's ability to integrate action, dialogue and character into an intricately woven tale serve him well in creating a VERY suspenseful story. While one may be surprised that "such things" do occur (and I won't give away the story line here) Griffin's portrayal lends the credibility necessary to make this type of novel absolutely riveting.

Beginning with the discovery of a murder victim and moving quickly into an investigation that becomes more bizarre and complex with each twist, Griffin leads the reader through a journey of investigation and discovery. He shares just enough to keep the reader continually "hooked in", making it impossible to set the book down until having read it cover to cover.

This book is life changing! I could not put it down, and finished it in a couple of hours. As Christians, we are called and commanded to care for the orphans and the widows. We are told that which we did for the least among us, we also did for our Lord. This books shares real life examples of how to live out your faith in this day and age.

I have turned away from pictures of swollen-bellied starving children.

It's not that I don't care. It's that I care so much.

I've helped emotional basket cases until I couldn't tell where they ended and I began and I had to step away to save my own sanity.

I made eye contact with a two or three-year-old-girl one day. I watched her walk down the hall and smile over her shoulder until she disappeared around the corner. My heart broke for her because her little face was dirty and her adult seemed harsh. I still pray for that child, years later, and my eyes still fill with tears.

My friend just surrendered an eleven-month-old foster baby back to the conditions into which it was born. A mother who has no children though she's given birth eight times. An addict who was clean for four months and therefore earned her right to a child she poisoned with drugs.

To say that Red Letters - a Faith that Bleeds sucker punched me is an understatement. I didn't want to read the statistics of pandemics and poverty. I live so far away. What can I do for those dying in Africa and India when I can't seem to make a difference in my own neighborhood?

But Tom Davis tells the truth without leaving bleakness and hopelessness behind. Little steps towards help and healing are all it takes. After presenting the history and the medical details of AIDS and extreme poverty, Tom then encourages and charges believers in Jesus to offer cups of water and mercy to the "least of these."

I appreciated the practical help options and I appreciated Tom's charge.

If you have someone who is difficult to buy gifts for then buy them this book and make a donation on their behalf.

Red Letters -- with a little work -- could be a great small group/youth group discussion piece. Make Red Letters a building block for a learning project -- try something like looking into the provided medical and historical information regarding AIDS and then making it personal. Assign each person in the group to bring a local story and then as a group do something about them. Or decide as a group to begin a weekly five hour fast and/or one less pop or coffee purchase then pool your money and "adopt" a child or ministry. Take it outside of church. Why not start a "healing" fund at work. Maybe those who are involved could take turns making treats from Fair Trade products, selling them, and sending the proceeds to an organization. There are additional suggestions in the back of the book. Selling products made in a third world country to help supplement income is one of the options.

I'd suggest Red Letters to anyone who is sick and tired of feeling selfish, or who is disgusted with a society made up of millions of people who are out for Number 1.

Warning: This is a heavy, but quick and well-written read, and it will leave readers feeling convicted.

Davis wondered what the world would look like if we all chose to do something to help others. As I watch out my window at the falling snow I can't help but realize that one tiny, unique snowflake falling from the sky, mixing with other unique snowflakes, within hours, even minutes changes the face of a neighborhood. Couldn't one good decision after another mix into a warm blanket of love and charity that can change the world? I think so. If you do too, then start today.

Social concern is a hot topic these days. Fires seem to be burning in the hearts of men and women who are tired of injustice and who seek to make this world a better place. Author Tom Davis invites us to join him on his own journey of living life as Jesus would, reaching out to widows, orphans, and the poor. Davis reminds us that we are to be "doers" of the Word, not only hearers.
This book is powerful. It's definitely not a "feel good" book, but after reading it you will be called to change for lifestyle...not only for your own benefit, but for the good of others.

A child becomes an orphan every 14 seconds because of AIDS.

The number of children orphaned by AIDS is expected to exceed 25 million by 2010.

With these realities, someone is desperately needed to "stand in the gap" (Eze 22:30) on behalf of Christ's church for the children and adults in the world suffering with HIV/AIDS, especially those affected most in Africa. Author and President of Children's Hopechest, Tom Davis, has answered this call. In his book, RED LETTERS: Living a Faith That Bleeds, effectively persuades all of Christ's followers to be Jesus' hands and feet to our neighbors effected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and around the world and provides practical steps on how each follower of Christ can begin to do this. In RED LETTERS, Tom Davis beautifully captures and portrays God's heart for the poor and oppressed, namely those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, and what it means for those who confess to be Christ-followers to live out their faith by being Christ to the hurting world. Through his gift of storytelling, Tom brings the reader into the lives of those suffering because of HIV/AIDS. Tom builds a bridge by helping the reader relate to those suffering, by putting faces, names and stories on individuals who were once merely seen as statistics. Being confronted with the reality of the enormity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is easy to become overwhelmed and frozen by not knowing where to start ministering. Tom clearly gives the reader practical ways to help and minister to the children, women and men in Africa and around the world who are suffering because of HIV/AIDS.
I was deeply moved, encouraged, inspired and empowered by RED LETTERS. Just like Tom's other book, Fields of the Fatherless, I am sure I will use RED LETTERS time and time again in my ministry to orphans. I enthusiastically recommend every Christian read this book and then give it to a friend to read. RED LETTERS will inspire and empower you to see Christ in others and, by living the words of Jesus, become His hands and feet to your neighbors, those suffering because of HIV/AIDS in Africa, the orphan, the widow, the stranger and those living right next door. Please purchase this book (by purchasing it you will feed and orphan for a month), read it, and live the words of Christ.
[...].

I really liked this very readible, convicting yet practical book. With heart-wrenching stories Davis shines the spot light on the devastation surrounding the issues of world poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. His message to the church is that the gospel is not just to be read, but it is to be lived. Furthermore, there is absolutely no excuse for the church to not step up to the task. He writes:

"Poverty has many faces and none of them is pretty. Consider these difficult-to-comprehend facts: 1.2 billion people are estimated to live on less than one dollar per day, and almost 3 billion on less than two dollars per day. Do the math: That's 3.9 billion of the 6.5 billion people who live in our world.

Doesn't it seem ridiculous to you that billions of people are living in poverty? With all our wealth, all our technology, and all our resources, why haven't we solved this problem? Almost 2.5 million children die every year because of malaria. Hello? We have medicine that kills malaria. It's cheap. It's easy to transport. Yet, we aren't doing what it takes to get the medicine to the people who need it. Here's a surprising and disturbing truth about poverty that really ticks me off: It's preventable."

In regards to AIDS, which Davis calls the "greatest crisis" he states the following:

"Experts tell us World War II killed 62 million people. Even with all of the advances in medicine, AIDS continues on a path to eclipse that number, having already killed 25 million people since the first case in 1981. The UN estimates that 39.5 million people are now living with HIV. Of that total, 4.3 million were new infections in 2006. There were 2.9 million AIDS deaths in 2006, the highest number reported in any year. How do you describe a crisis like this? Catastrophic? Disastrous? Devastating? Words just can't paint an accurate picture of what this disease is doing to our world. Dr. Peter Piot, the executive director of UNAIDS, said, "Countries are not moving at the same speed as their epidemics." Without rapid improvements, the pandemic will only worsen, the officials said. This is the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced."

Davis doesn't leave the topics of poverty and AIDS without some specific ways to get involved. "Taking a step of faith can rescue someone from poverty, provide life-saving medicine for a person suffering from AIDS, or offer an educational opportunity otherwise unavailable to a school-age child."

In the last chapter of Red Letters Davis shares 5 things every person can do to help the 50 million people in our world suffering from HIV/AIDS. Here's how it works:

Give 5 minutes a day to pray for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Give 5 hours a week to fast for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Give 5 dollars a month to the Five for 50 Fund and support worthy causes.
Give 5 days a year to travel overseas & help alleviate poverty & suffering.
Give 5 people an opportunity to join you on your journey.

You can learn more about what you and your church can do at www.fivefor50.com

Since buying this, I find it exciting to see the expanded edition and the red-letter edition far better than the original NASB Bible. I also like this better than than the NIV.

I bought my first Ryrie Study Bible, New American Standard version, in 1979. I took it through Bible college, seminary, and have used it for reading and for my Biblical studies until now, it is worn and tattered.

During the last 26 years I have bought many other study Bibles but I keep coming back to Ryrie.

So I just bought the Ryrie Study Bible/New American Standard/Red Letter Indexed Bonded Black Leather. This is the expanded edition which has more notes, better footnotes, updated maps and many other useful tools for your study.

I look forward to using this Bible for another 25 years.

God Bless

I conduct weekly Bible studies at home and in preparing for this study I consult several comentaries as well as versions of scripture. The NASB Ryrie expanded version has been a tremendous help in gathering a better rounded as well as deeper insight of The Word. It is to the point and concise in its comments as well as easy to understand and assimilate, mostly when you are using other commentaries as I do. My son also uses his in his young adult study in another state and he feels the same way as I do. Very good purchase. For those of you that are serious STUDENTS you won't regret it as well as for those that are starting to read and study the word for the first it will make it very simple to assimilate.

I have a KJV Thompson Chain Reference Bible and an NIV Study Bible. The Ryrie Study Bible is the best study bible I have owned. The NASB version, unlike some of the reviews I read prior to purchase, is not obscure and difficult to understand, it is just different. I learned in a history of the Bible class recently that the NASB is one of the closest to the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. I find it easier than the KJV. Now - to the study aspects. I have never owned a bible that provided an outline/summary throughout each chapter. This is very helpful as it puts the reader on notice of the upcoming topics and spiritual themes as they read. The notes at the bottom are also very helpful and the overall design allows one to easily make notes as they study. I give this Bible an A+ and will probably wear it out. You will not be disappointed with this one!

Though the NASB translation lacks some of the beauty of the KJV or the NKJV, those versions lack the NASB's accuracy and contemporary language, it's a trade-off. (The NASB is based on older, closer-to-the-original Greek texts that the KJV translators just did not have access to in their day.) Regarding the notes part of this Bible, Ryrie is a dispensationalist not a covenentalist, so the notes reflect a more literal than allegorical approach, where Israel means Israel (not the Church) and where 1000 years means 1000 years. Ryrie is well-respected for his systematic theology (see his book 'Basic Theology' for laypeople), and this Bible is a great tool for grounding a person in the faith.

I purchased this book because my Aunt and Uncle are on page 97 but found that I love the whole book. There is so much wisdom in these pages. These people are amazing and the photos are beautiful.

This has become the must-have book on aging with grace. Why? Remarkable straightforward photos and quotes from remarkable straightforward people who have looked aging in the eye -- and not blinked.

If you can find a copy, grab it. If you can't, contact the publisher and ask when it will be available again.

"Salt of the Red Earth" is a timely treasure commemoratiing the lives of sage Oklahomans at a momentous slice of time -- Oklahoma's Centennial. This carefully crafted book, with its unvarnished, honest quotations and beautiful photography is not only a snapshot of real people living long lives -- it is also a testimony to the dedication, determination and hard work of a talented photographer and savvy chronicler, M.J. Alexander.

What a wonderful tribute to the older and wiser Oklahoman's in this Centennial year! M. J. Alexander does an amazing job capturing the wit and wisdom of all she interviewed and photographed. Our whole family enjoyed her work and we can't wait to see what she chooses for her next project.

What a wonderful book. The author has led us down a path, allowing us glimpses into days gone by, told by those who lived them. How inspiring to read positive words from people who lived through some of the hardest years in American history. The photos are beyond compare, just the faces of the individuals allow us to see the past. Some are worn and shadowed, wrinkled and aged, yet with finesse and compassion, Alexander has captured images of history, and all done with tenderness and care. Own this book, I assure the reader that they will be in awe at the gift of longevity these subjects have been given.
More from Alexander, please.

This volume could be the all-time official history of that legendary Red Light District of New Orleans. It is exhaustively researched and illustrated including interviews with some of the surviving colorful characters that inhabited the "Camelot of Sin" that was Storyville. The den of sin takes its name from Alderman Sidney Story who originated the ordinance that provided for a restricted Red Light District. Ironically, he hated having his good name attached to a Red Light District. Today it's the only way his name is remembered. Prior to his legal restrictions the brothels and parlors were spreading throughout New Orleans like a cancer.
Rose illustrated his book with photos, maps, directories, flyers, police reports, legal decisions, cartoons, business cards and almost any other surviving evidence of the now torn down section of the city. The author's research was exhaustive and probably as complete as can be contained in a single book. He combined aerial photos and maps of the area with close-up photos of the exterior and interiors of the many vice businesses. He shows pictures of the interior lushness of some more famous brothels, as well as the filth of some of the cribs. He uses most of the surviving photographic nude and semi-nude portraits that Ernest Bellocq made of some of the prostitutes of the district to make the architectural and interior photos of the bars, dance halls, gambling dens and brothels come to life. Rose also included quite a lot of humor in the form of stories from the time or through his selection of colorful characters to describe in detail. And they were colorful and probably wouldn't have been more colorful or interesting even if their biographies were fictionalized.
By the time the reader finishes this book he will feel like he has actually visited Storyville and walked its streets and listened to and witnessed the birth of New Orleans jazz. In fact, Rose does an excellent job of documenting that birth of Jazz and even tracing its spread to the rest of America. The reader will also have been taken step-by-step through the historical reasons that Storyville was a necessary and probably unavoidable development at that time in American history.
Storyville no longer exists. It was closed down by the U.S. Military in an attempt to keep sailors, soldiers and marines from contracting venereal diseases. After the buildings were empty they were condemned and torn down to be replaced by more desirable buildings in the classic version of urban renewal. It took the full force of the U.S. Military to destroy Storyville because New Orleans was and had always been too corrupt to accomplish the job. Almost from it's founding, the city was flooded with prostitutes and criminals (convicts) shipped from Europe to settle the colony. The riverboat traffic provided an endless supply of sex-starved customers for the fleshpots at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Like Camelot, Storyville has become a popular legend in the eyes of the population. The legend may indeed become more mythical with the passage of time. Today the very name Storyville can catch the attention of the public and because of that it is frequently used in the titles of fiction and movies.
The reader won't feel that he hasn't received a very generous return on his cost for buying this fascinating non-fiction book. The fact is as interesting as the legend.

What can I say, Al Rose was the best. I wish he was still with us.

This book reads more like a textbook than a novel, but the historical information and photos are anything but boring. There are some wild stories about what these "buiseness women" did to one another that left my mouth gaping. I had no idea prior to reading this book how districts like these thrived. This is a thourough historical account that is worth reading.

I thought the transcripts from the interviews that Mr. Rose held with the (amazingly) still living, former residents and tradespeople were outstanding. Through their words you really got an idea of what life was like and the way they thought about things. He also remained true to his subjects by capturing the dialect in the interviews.
Also, he does a great job with mapping the district using the few remaining photographs and maps of the time in conjunction with the written descriptions of each of the brothels, bars, and cribs. Some of the pictures by Ernest Bellocq that were printed in this book I hadn't seen before.
Overall it's a very good read, and a must for New Orleans history lovers.

Covers the truly bizarre (and lewd) phenomenon of Storyville -- an 1897-1917 experiment with segregating all prostitution in the city into a 4 block x 4 block area. This was obviously a real labor of love. Al Rose appears to have looked under every sheet and peered into every closet. He has amassed a very large collection of interviews, correspondence, printed material, and photos. The final product is interesting, well organized, well illustrated, and well written. It is amazing what he fits into 200 large pages.

I'd highly recommend this adult glimpse into a seedier and less discussed element of New Orleans' unique and offbeat culture.

Liz Greene's books is one of the best I've seen. Her coverage is in depth. This is not an air head sun sign book. Greene ties things together giving many fresh insights. This book was recommend by a very competent astrologer. I'm certainly glad I took her advice.

Until I read this book, I thought I just couldn't receive any more enlightenment on Pluto, until this book. I avoided because of the cover, it was not appealing at first. But one day I was just in so much Plutoian pain that I faced my fears & all of my fears were totally revealed for the first time in my life. It changed everything I did in my life from that time on. I'm glad I finally got over my fears.

I have read this book through once and then referred back to it many, many times over the years. This book may be Liz's magnum opus. It really does bring together in one book many of Greene's main ideas as far as astrology is concerned. It is very philopsophical however and would not be a book for the beginning student, nor the student wishing to get specific info on certain astrological principles. It is very much a Ninth House book! I found it fascinating reading, though challenging. And I marveled at Liz's depth of knowledge and insight into the human condition. Her analysis of the 12 Zodiacal Signs as they relate to Greco-Roman mythology was really neat. The section on Pluto as an integral indicator of Fate was especially well done. All in all a very fine work!

My humorous title for this review is in contrast to my profound respect for Liz Greene and the job she has done with this book about the planet Pluto, the planet of death and transformation.

I always, always recommend this book to my clients who are Plutonic (Scorpio in the personal signs or on the Ascendant, Pluto conjuncting inner planets, important planets in the 8th house, etc.). Their names are legion because I am Plutonic myself and draw them to me.

I believe that the greatest fear of the Plutonic person is that they are alone in the dark. I mean this symbolically and on every imaginable level. If you are so young that you want to tell me this is an outmoded impression of Pluto, I will speak to you after your first couple of Pluto transits and God help you for your naivete.

After reading Greene's book you will understand yourself at an entirely different level and you will be able to contact the MEANING in what it is you are struggling with in your life.

It is extremely difficult to talk about Pluto and its effect in people's lives with any degree of clarity. Greene shows depth, compassion, scope and breadth and, as always, her writing is TOP NOTCH. Greene is my favorite writer in the field and I highly recommend all of her books.

Perhaps her own Scorpio Rising and Pluto in the 9th house are helpful in her endeavor here but I recommend the book without qualification as the premier book on this pesky planet.

An involving journey in the world of "fate",beautifully written and really really deep.It is worthy.Explains a lot about lot.If you have time to go deep and contemplate just buy it.An inspiration for your life essay.Astrology is just a part of it.