Tennessee Books

Very moving memoir--I couldn't put it down. I got very interested in the Vietnam War when I read this memoir. Since then I have read several other memoirs about the Vietnam War. I have a quote that I took from the author that rings very true to my own relationship to my Mother and Father.

As a creative nonfiction student, I have read a number of memoirs and have found few to be as honest in its search for truth as Karen Spears Zacharias' "Hero Mama." Zacharias is a natural storyteller. Her style captivates the reader as she attempts to unravel the events of her life and to understand how the tragedy of losing her father to war impacted her family. The reader is left laughing one minute and crying the next as she glimpses into Zacharias' journey from loss to redemption. I highly recommend this book to all readers.

I've read much history of war and came upon this book with interest, as I hardly ever read memoir. But I found the author's voice to be simple and refreshing, and her unjaded eye rang very true in recounting her life before and after her soldier father died in Vietnam.

So many southern men fall in war, and this down-to-earth, honest account should be on the reading lists for high schools and historians alike, as it gives an honest and moving account of the real costs of war on American and American families.

Karen's memoir is one of truth and inspiration. Not only because of her mother's courage and strength in the face of such tragedy, but in Karen's journey in seeking the truth about her father's death, a truth that would result in redemption for her, and her family. Hero Mama is a well-written, thought provoking memoir, and its subject, the aftermath of war and how it affects those left behind, is never more timely than right now.

I am huge fan of Southern Fiction Writers (P.Conroy,A.R.Siddons,R.Wells.
I am also the only daughter of
S/Sgt Lewis Walton (SF:Army:MIA-1971). With my baby brother serving in Iraq, I was both hesitant and curious about this book.In my estimation, Karen's account was personal and inspirational.More importantly it sheds light on what life was like for "us kids". Her story should be shared with many and be required reading for ALL high school AND College Classes which focus on Vietnam. Vietnam affected more than just the brave soldiers serving- their parents, children and grandchildren. Kind of makes you think about Aft. and Iraq. A definite must read!
Jacke Walton

Notably Nashville is a cookbook on which I have come to rely. Each and every recipe is delectable and easy. Everything that I have prepared tastes as if I slaved all day, yet that is never the case. I am constantly asked for the recipe's I prepare. Some of my favorites are the Phyllo Sausage Cups, the Summer Peach Pie, Minnie Pearl's Chess Pie, and the Goat Cheese Dip. Notably Nashville is a treasure trove for any cook, a novice or one that is well seasoned!

Dont be fooled by the high prices. This great cookbook is still in print and available for $28.95 at the Junior League of Nashville www.jlnashville.com and Davis Kidd Booksellers. Happy cooking and my favorite recipe is the broccoli salad.

A must have for anyone who collects cookbooks or loves fast, easy, and delicious recipes. Makes a great gift.

Notably Nashville is that rare cookbook that effectively blends interesting information about Nashville (historic, cultural, etc.) with recipes that give the cook a traditional taste of the South with enough updated twists to keep it interesting. I use this cookbook when I'm looking for something special or just something my family will like. Personal favorites are Marinated Cheese, Cornbread Salad and Showhouse Chocolate Pecan Pie. I highly recommend it to all who use and enjoy not just Jr. League cookbooks - but all cookbooks. A great addition to the collection.

The Notably Nashville Cookbook has quickly become one of my favorites in my cookbook collection. I especially like the Mexican Roll-ups, Bacon and Cheddar Pinwheels, and Not Your Mother's Ham Biscuits. Every recipe that I have tried has turned out really well and has gotten rave reviews!

In addition to Nashville, the book has beautiful coverage of a city in West coast -- I think the author wants to keep that as a secret.

Anyway, good book for light reading though it also raises some deeper philosophical questions, interesting to see the USA from the eyes on an outsider. I have never been to Nashville, so this was an interesting introduction to it.

What a story, Entertaining, thoughtful and interesting. Gives a snapshot of Nashville as seen by a West coast dude. Great splashes of humor, Wonderful photography. Loved it.

Wonderful! Reading this book was an adventurous experience by itself, very real. Nashville seems like a very romantic, historic place. I feel like visiting it sometime. nice photographs! Loved the book!! The book is people looking for some light reading -- it is bitter sweet experiences of a double migrant -- an Asian Indian immigrant technology executive who moves to Tennessee after spending 12 years on the West coast, it is very funny, with some thoughtful and many thoughtless pieces.

This book reads very easy -- like a rather funny travelogue / description of Nashville sent to you by one of your funnier friends. Very jovial! Complete with pictures and personal experiences from the point of view of an Asian Indian immigrant.

The author takes you around a tour of Nashville and then San Diego -- you feel like you are on a tour through life with a rather funny, philosophical and "weathered" tour guide who not only describes the places and life situations but also adds his touch of philosophy, humor and live experiences.

Being a Super minority (East Asian), I could relate with it much more easily.

This is one of those books you can't put down, very sad. Well written.

Anyone who opposes the death penalty should read this book.

Why the people who committed this crime are still drawing breath is beyond my comprehension.

This book first interested me because I'm from Tennessee and then because it occured in my lifetime. I can't believe this murder took place. The most devastating part, after finding the victim, is the fact that the death sentence does not mean the death sentence. If I was a member of the victim's family; I just don't know how I would hold it together after all they've been through. When a case is as open and shut as this case was, I don't understand the rights of the accused. Obviously, the murderer does not think about thier victim's rights (to live); so why should the murderer be treated any differently.

It breaks my heart to read what Debbie Groseclose's family went through after her murder. Beware, the court descriptions of what happened to her as she was killed are very graphic. A great read. It reads like a fictional mystery book but the fact that you know everything that happened in the book actually happened makes it chilling.

I've read many true crime books and this one is a favorite. I absolutely could not put it down. The crime was horrific but the book is very well written and your heart will bleed for the family.

As a practical guide this is a very good book, but it serves just as well as a history book. Most people panic when the electricity goes down for a few hours. This book goes back to a time not that long ago when most people were handy and knew how to survive with basic shelter and food.
It's sad in a way that America was once a nation of independent and self-reliant people. Work that is considered gruelling or even punishment was once just part of everyday life. This book goes back to that time on some level. Most of us aren't going to trek through the woods for months at a time but I think it's important to have some basic woodcraft and survival skills no matter who you are and what you do. A good book to have and enjoyable to read. Also, if you get the book try some of the camp cooking recipes...they are quite good.

This is probably the most exhaustive and authoritative book on outdoor craft that I have read. Very dry and detail oriented so you have to be interested in the science for it to work. It is not extreme lke the 60/70's survivalist dogma but presented matter of fact and unpretentiously by someone who lived it. With this book you could eke out a living off the land just about anywhere. There are many books that are a better casual read. But it will be hard to beat this book for its pure reference capacity. A classic that makes a great gift to anyone who is outdoors person, wants to know more, about how and why or just curious.

Not just one of the classics, one of the best of the classics. If you're serious about the outdoors, this should be on your bookshelf.

You won't find reviews of the latest or lightest gear here. The wisdom though is timeless. For years it has continually provided me a "new" way of doing something in the outdoors, by looking back on how it had been done successfully. Unless your great-grandfather was a camper and left you his memoirs, this belongs on your shelf for ready reference.

This is a must for any library of outdoor books. It may lack a lot of modern day political correctness but, it was how it was done back then. A great look into outdoor history, this was THE handbook for outdoor wilderness skills and recreation. Any student of wilderness skills MUST have a copy.

Remember learning about the Scopes Monkey trial in history class? The trial pitted the state of Tennessee against a high school science teacher, J.T. Scopes, who challenged the legality of the state's rule against teaching Darwin's theory of evolution. Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial by Jen Bryant brings the event to life in a way that your history book never could.

The story is told through the voices of several characters, mainly three students from the high school where Mr. Scopes taught. You also hear from a reporter who's in town covering the trial, the town's constable, a member of the ladies' Bible study group, and a preacher from out of town who comes in to see the event. Little Dayton, Tennessee, is transformed into a veritable circus of activity.

There are lots of characters in the book, but Bryant helps the reader keep them straight with a list of narrators at the front. I referred back to the list in the beginning, until I had gotten to know the characters well.
Because Ringside 1925 presents different sides of the story, it gives you lots to think about and discuss. Friendships are tested as the characters talk about their beliefs, and everyone steps out of their usual roles even if only for a few weeks.

It's interesting to hear the perspective of a young black boy who works with his father as a handyman and dreams of rising beyond the limitations put on him. It's also interesting to read actual quotes from the trial by lawyers and historical greats William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow.
I loved being transported back to small town life in 1925, and hearing stories of how the townspeople of Dayton benefited financially from all the extra visitors.

We never really hear the voice of J.T. Scopes, and it seems appropriate that we see the trial from the perspectives of all those around him. The event was less about him than it was about teaching evolution in school--a conflict that continues on in some cases today.

The story is aimed at ages 12 and up, but I think some younger children will certainly be able to appreciate the very approachable story and learn about the historical case at the same time. I've also recommended it to my daughter who's a senior in high school, because I think the writing is interesting to all ages. I've heard about the Scopes Trial for years, and occasionally hear it mentioned, but this book brought it to life for me. I highly recommend it.

I opened Ringside 1925 and my heart sank. I was hoping to interest my 12 year old listener with a book on the Scopes Evolution Trial, and the book is in verse?!? Talk about a tough sell.

Don't let the verse throw you. Ringside is a wonderful book, and a marvelous way to expose a young reader to the Scopes Trial. Told from the viewpoint of the citizens of Dayton.....Jimmy Lee Davis, Marybeth Dodd, Peter Sykes, all students at Rhea County High School where J.T. Scopes fills in for a science class and begins the whole controversy. Tillie Stackhouse who opens her home to Paul LeBraun and other reporters in town for the trial. Willy Amos, a youngster who helps his dad and is invisible to most of the town though he has big dreams that are not bound by his color. Constable Fraybel keeps order in the court and Betty Barker and the ladies Bible study group are on hand to make sure the rest of the town stays on the straight and narrow. All these and others lend voice to the famous "Trial of the Century" and the battle between Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan and the teaching of evolution in the schools. As Peter Sykes questions, "Well, I don't feel poisoned. I still believe in the divine. Why should a bigger mind need a smaller God?"

The time is 1925, and the Butler Act of Tennessee was recently passed. This act bans the teaching of evolution in the classroom. The state of Tennessee felt that teaching that mankind evolved from lower animals would imply that the bible was wrong about creationism.
One day in Dayton, TN, twenty-four year old J.T. Scopes substituting as a science teacher teaches the section about evolution that is in the class's biology text. He is asked to comply with being arrested for breaking the law. He agrees. This incident puts Dayton on the map. The notoriety of the case causes people to pour in from all over. Encouraged by this influx, simian-like statues and masks are selling like hotcakes. Rooms are rented out to reporters and restaurants are doing really well. It appears like the circus has come to town, the media circus that is.
The author of "Ringside," Jen Bryant tells a fictional story of the Scopes Trial using some real historical elements and characters. She wrote "Ringside" for children ages 12 and up. Much of it is written in poetic form which makes the words flow and very easy to read. The tale is also written in the form of narratives which were taken from characters involved with the trial. The narrators are of different ages, races and genders. The reader gets to view the case as it might have appeared from someone like them. I loved this touch because it really brought the issues with the case to life. You get to see the Scopes Trial from all angles.
I found "Ringside" to be a fascinating way to learn about a real event that took place in our history. It taught me a lot about a case that I hear mentioned frequently, but actually had little background. It was also incredible to see what people were allowed to get away with. Even the judge who was a part time minister was allowed to ban scientific witnesses from the trial. It never had any hope of being won. Scope's attorney, Clarence Darrow, demonstrated his brilliance during a case that had no hope.
I highly recommend this book. It would be a great addition to a summer reading list for children, or an awesome book to be read by history or science students who will be introduced to evolution or the Scopes trial.

Ringside 1925 by Jen Bryant is a unique look at the Monkey-Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Bryant views the events surrounding the trial through the eyes of several different residents of the town in free verse poetry. Two teenage boys who have long been best friends are split by their views. A teenage girl finds freedom in the new view of the world, as does her matronly cousin. A black boy and his father prosper financially, but the boy gains far more than money could buy. This trial is famous in US history, but I was unaware of the facts surrounding it, and Bryant does a terrific job of educating about what really happened, even the events behind the scenes. This book is very timely with the current debate about teaching intelligent design in classrooms. My one disappointment in the book was that Bryant portrayed the churchgoers as hyprocritical and close-minded.

A most interesting read!! As the name implies this is a book about the Scopes trial but unlike other books that may cover this topic, here its told from the perspective of some of the towns people and reporters. I believe that this is actually a book for young adults but it is extremely good and very very well done and I think that it will appeal to all ages. I was a bit hesistant to request it because I am tired of all the religious bashing that seems to have become very popular in the last few years but that is not what happens here at all. Every side is presented respectfully and shown to be intelligent. In my opinion, the author does not take sides with either group but presents the best of both sides(with a few nutters of course). I was also happy that we get to see both groups,Christians and Agnostics/Atheists as intelligent and not foaming at the mouth radicals. It was refreshing to see many Christian presented as being open minded enough to embrace the bible and the concept of evolution at the same time. Though this book is only about 227 pages, it manages to create characters who have depth and are not two dimensional. The cast of characters were intriguing and very interesting. Some of the characters fall out over their different stances on the issue and many have their horizons broadened by the experience. To me the one relationship that dissolves that was sad to see was that between Clarence Darrow and Willam Jenning Bryan. The two men had apparently been very good friends but being forced to support their beliefs in such a public forum as the court destroyed their relationship irreparably. My favorite characters here were Willy Amos and Marybeth Dodd. Willy Amos is a young black boy who dreams big but never actually thinks that anything will come of it. When he meets Clarence Darrow he is inspired to believe, despite the odds, that maybe one day regardless of the color of his skin, he may have a share of the American dream. Marybeth Dodd on the other hand is a 17year old girl who wants more of her life than her small town or father may consider appropriate for a woman. I would recommend this book heartily.

This was a great history based book of the founding of Middle Tennessee.
Good for genealogist. I was glad I bought it and will share it with my entire family. My ancestor was a signor of the Cumberland Compact.

A well-told story of my 5th and 6th great-grandparents. I had no idea, until I read the book, of the tremendous ordeal that they went through to establish the Nashborough (now Nashville), TN settlement in the midst of the Revolutionary War, and in the midst of savages (There's just no other name for them and what they did to those settlers!). The heroism, strength, and faith of both men and women of that age is truly inspiring. A "must read", especially if you descend from Tennessee stock.

Chuck Call, author

This book is written as a novel but it is real history. The courage, determination and the vision of these pioneers should be an inspirition to all readers. Psychologists today say that the greatest need of our young people is hope. I would hope this book gets in every school library where the young can read it and realize that if our ancestors could survive and thrive through this extraordinary journey, they themselves can make it through anything life brings to them. These courageous people helped make a great country for us. More such courageous people now and in the future will help us keep this a great country. Thanks Peyton for writing this book.

No book has captured the drama of the times and put me right there in the middle it and history.

Peyton Cockrill Lewis, thank you for a great book.

The Baron DeVere-Austin.

PEYTON LEWIS' WELL DOCUMENTED AND THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED STORY OF HER FAMILY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PUSH WEST, MAINLY BY RIVER-CRAFT IS A FASCINATING AND VERY ENTERTAINING TALE OF THE SETTLEMENT OF NASHBOROUGH, NOW NASHVILLE.
IT IS BASED ON HER GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER'S NOTES. HER CHARACTERS ARE WELL DEVELOPED AND A REALLY FUN READ!

Good Book, what can I say? I was and am a fan and enjoyed the book.

Jeffery Buckner Ford has written a wonderful story of his journey as the son of Tennessee Ernie Ford. This is a must read for all of us who experienced his father's great musical talent on the radio and television. Jeffery describes the interesting business details of his father's career as well as his family's personal triumphs and heartaches. Jeffery makes you feel as though you are right there experiencing his life with him. The author tells the story with a heartfelt range of emotions from humor to saddness.Thanks Jeffery for writing about your interesting life as the son of Tennessee Ernie Ford.I will be buying the book for Christmas presents this year. I highly recommend this book to all of you!

What a talent! Its a shame he didn't have time for himself, or his wife. A very honest review of the life of Ernie Ford. For me there were several surprises in this book. It has to be placed in the "Must Read" catagory.

Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (7/08)

Jeffrey Buckner Ford has written an amazing book on the inside of his family's life from the beginning of his dad's start to fame to the downfall of the family. While most of us think that the rich and famous have no problems, Buck Ford shows us that is not true.

Tennessee Ernie Ford started his career as a radio announcer in Knoxville, Tennessee. As Buck recalls, his father always said he didn't go looking for fame; he just fell into the business. In 1942 he married Betty Ford and had planned on a quiet, simple life. Into the marriage came Buck and Brion Ford, who thought their family was the greatest. Although the boys did not always seem to fit up to their dad's standards, they still loved him greatly.

During the course of the marriage, Betty Ford became very friendly with the bottle; this gave her the courage to say the things she felt she should say without any apologies. Over the years her drinking would increase, she would abuse prescription pills and verbally lash out at anyone who stood in her way. Her behavior was never addressed in private or public. The relationship with her husband turned sour. After many suicide attempts and embarrassing behavior in public, it took its final toll.

Tennessee Ernie Ford was a kind gentleman; he had a style of his own and everyone wanted a piece of the action. Little did he know that his advisors were steering him in the wrong direction. After several failed businesses and selling his property, it finally got the best of him. After his wife died, he married Beverly Wood Smith, three months and ten days after burying Betty Ford. She was not what she portrayed to be. She immediately took over all Ernie Ford's business projects and left his sons without any knowledge of what she was doing. When Tennessee Ernie Ford died, she didn't even let them know where he would be buried.

"River of No Return" by Jeffrey Buckner Ford is a very interesting story if you like to know the personal background of the Ford family. It covers the ups and down's of a stars life. I personally thought it was well-written, easy-to-read and a page-turner. However, I would like to remember Tennessee Ernie Ford as the icon he was.

Ernest Jennings Ford was at heart a family man devoutly devoted to his wife and two sons. At the very peak of his Hollywood success, the man who will forever be known as "Tennessee Ernie" Ford, the radio character he created for himself, decided to walk away from all the glamour because of his concern for what the Hollywood lifestyle was doing to his family. The great irony of his life is that Ernie Ford would die in October 1991 under the care of a second wife who was determined to deny his two sons any part of his legacy, financial or otherwise, a woman who even tried to deny them access to their father's funeral.

In River of No Return, Jeffrey Buckner Ford, eldest of the Ford sons, mixes his fond memories of growing up next door to Bob Hope and of the several successful television series that his father hosted with sad recollections of how alcohol and pills ended up destroying both his parents. He speaks frankly of the addictions and dissatisfaction with her life that resulted in his mother's suicide after several earlier attempts had failed, and he speaks just as honestly of how his father failed to do the things that might have saved her life. Perhaps saddest of all is his disclosure of how Ernie Ford's decision to protect his sons by moving them from Hollywood was doomed to failure because of what the boys witnessed in their own home, wherever it might be located.

Betty Jean Heminger met Ernie Ford when he was stationed at Victorville Army Air Base in California, where she worked as a secretary; she was only nineteen years old when they married. Betty Jean, an avid reader and an accomplished artist, was at first content to be labeled simply an entertainer's wife but, as the years went by, she seemed to grow frustrated with her role, turning to alcohol and drugs to get through her day. Ernie and her sons sensed when she was losing control, but though they did their best to protect her from herself, they were not always successful. As the couple grew farther and farther apart, Ernie turned more often to alcohol to ease his own pain, a decision that would eventually lead to liver disease, severe memory loss, and ultimately his death.

But River of No Return is not just about the bad times. Jeffrey Buckner Ford celebrates the good times as well, and his pride in and love for both his parents are evident. He remembers the times when being around his parents was sheer joy, days spent on the set of his father's television shows, his brief encounter with Bob Hope when he crawled through the hedges dividing their property in order to sneak a picture of Mrs. Hope, whom the neighborhood boys insisted swam in the nude in her backyard, and days spent basking in "celebrity" as only the child of famous parents can.

Ernie Ford was a spectacularly successful entertainer, a man with the voice and talent to sing any style of music but who, almost by default due to his "Tennessee Ernie" image, became best known as a country music singer. At the peak of his career, he was world-famous and played to particularly large audiences in England. As so often happens to a singer, today he is probably best-known for a single recording, "Sixteen Tons," which in 1955 became the fastest selling single in the history of the record business. Ernie Ford received numerous honors during his career, but four of them particularly stand out because they reward his decades as an entertainer: the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984, induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1994, and three stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame (one each for television, recordings and radio).

Jeffrey Buckner Ford presents the contrast between Ernie Ford's public success and the frustrating failures he experienced in private in what is often a conversationally ironic tone, an approach that makes the sadness of Ernie's life especially vivid. Longtime fans of Ernie Ford are certain to find River of No Return a gratifying experience despite its sad revelations about his personal life. Those not as familiar with Ford as a performer will likely read the book more as the cautionary tale it is but might, at the same time, find themselves compelled to investigate his musical history. They will be better off for having discovered why Ernie Ford is still considered to be an American music legend.

One of the best books I have read in a long time. Could not put it down. I have always thought I could figure out the plot. Not this time. Hope to see more from the author real soon.

I couldn't put this book down! I was so wrapped up in the characters and what would happen next that when I had to stop reading for a while it stayed with me and kept those wheels turning trying to figure out "who dunnit". I truly enjoyed this book. I hope we get to read more about Cody, he really comes to life.

I read "Night Whispers" through in one sitting. The plot was compelling, the characters real and the dialogue natural. It kept me turning the pages, and I was unable to second-guess the plot. How do I rate the book to someone who hasn't read it? Let me put it this way, I gave my copy to my Mother to read after I finished it.

Really couldn't put this book down. Colorful and real characters, accurate spy-tech, loads of insight (some so deep it will go right over most readers' heads) along with plenty of humor, excitement, suspense and lots of twists. Cloak-and-dagger combined with deep woods and southern culture(s) powered together in four wheel drive! Ingenious!

Emmett Clifford brings readers to the edge of their seats in his mystery novel, Night Whispers.

In this contemporary mystery, detective Cody Rainwalker leads the reader on a mission to solve the devious crimes of Scanner, a psychopath who chooses his victims by cell phone. Every page becomes a piece in solving the puzzle, but also a dreaded step in discovering who will become the next victim.

Clifford fans are sure to insist Night Whispers is only the beginning of Cody Rainwalker's detective career.

Lyle Leverich, a theatre artist himself, paints (with the participation of the late "Tom" himself) an intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait of the closest The United States has come to producing her own Shakespeare.

Tennessee Williams' ability to place passionate and visual poetry into the mouths of the commoner and gentry alike makes his work, in my opinion the finest ever produced by an American playwright. The towering and beautiful fragile characters of his plays combined with his devotion to the utter magic the physical theatre provides, allowed America through Tennessee Williams to finally place itself rightly next to Ibsen, Strinberg, Chekov and The Bard himself.

Of course "Tom" did not develop in a vacume and what Leverich provides here in this excellent biography wrapped in the guise of a psychological thriller worthy of so great an object, is a portrait of a man often crippled by acute sensitivity who saw the writing muse as a means for survival. Leverich manages to paint the man behind the myth, bring him down into a real space and time while also managing to lift him to the angels.

This is one of the greatest biographies ever written about a theatre artist- of which Williams was a supreme being. I, and many others, eagerly await volume two.

This is a very thorough, fact-filled biography - up to THE GLASS MENAGERIE of 1945. Leverich approaches his subject in a business-like manner, generally sacrificing artistic concerns for factual ones. Some of these interesting facts include:

Williams spent his childhood with his grandparents in Clarksdale, MS
Went to the U. of Missouri to study journalism
Hated his father till the end of his life when he learned his mother was actually "the villain"
Often broke
His sister was schizo, like Blanche in STREETCAR
Loved to swim
His homosexual lifestyle was pretty sordid
Met D.H. Lawrence in Taos
Laurette Taylor, star of GLASS MENAGERIE on Broadway, was ill on opening night and would be throwing up while off stage during the performance

Anyone interested in Tennessee Williams will find much to think about and be fascinated with in this biography. Recommended.

This is a wonderfully done book. I feel I've lived in "Tom's" shoes and appreciate who he was and the struggles he faced. It's a loving portrait that doesn't shy away from the honest details of the life of the young Tennessee. I hope the sequel that's to take us from the Glass Menangerie to the end of Tennessee's life comes out soon----I'll be waiting!!!

This was the most interesting biography I have ever read. I found that I was even reading the footnotes and bibliography!

The book begins with a delve into Tennessee Williams' genealogy (including a chart, which I referred to frequently while reading the book). The author goes on to describe Tennesee's formative years, home life, and young-adulthood. The book takes the reader up through Tennessee's overwhelming success with "The Glass Menagerie."

I found the book (and, therefore, Tennessee Williams) so interesting that I began researching Williams' works and also his favorite writers (Hart Crane, DH Lawrence). I call a biography a complete success that could have such an effect as it has on me.

I look forward to the next edition, though I wonder if it will ever be in print.

Meticulously researched and sensitively written, this book is the definitive biography of Tennessee Williams, even though it only covers the period up to the beginning of his success. I haven't found any others that can rival its quality. The depth and detail are unsurpassed in Leverich's finely crafted portrait, revealing the many facets of one of America's greatest playwrights. As a "theater person," Leverich brings a special authority to his work, infusing it with expert analysis and theatrical history. A really great read!