Kansas Books

HEY DOROTHY, YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
By Karen Mueller-Bryson

This book is a humorous account of grieving (or lack of) by one family as told by the daughter Dorothy. Unable to grieve over her father's recent death, Dorothy tells the story about her life with her brother (Jude) and her mother (Mrs. Robinson), and how they all cope with the father's death in their own different ways. It is a 'tongue in cheek' satire mixed in with shades of the movie classic Wizard of Oz.

In the adventures of Hey Dorothy, You're Not In Kansas Anymore, you can't help yourself laugh at the humorous overtones as the family disposes of their father's remains; and, how the mother tries to destroy a well-known coffee shop (called Buckstars) that she thinks is evil and trying to take over the world.

Karen Mueller Bryson has written a delightful story. If you want to read a refreshing, light comedy, you will want to add this book to your personal library.

Reviewed by award-winning author, Bobby Ruble, ...with wife, Kam...

A magical delight of a book. Funny and satirical. Impressive for a first novel. Filled with memorable characters like Mervyn O'Roy and Dorothy's mother, Mrs. Robinson. Dorothy's misadventures tickle the funny bone as well as answer that age old question: What happens to Dorothy when she grows up? This satirical look at the modern adventures of a grown up Dorothy, give us hope that life can be a romantic romp for those who are willing to suspend their disbelief. She calls herself ordinary. But Dorothy Gale Robinson proves she is anything but ordinary in this tour de force. Her caring and concern shines through her modern sense of cynicism with laughable consequences. A satirical look at the Wizard of Oz, gives us the joy of following this Dorothy on her equally riotous adventures. Settle down in a comfy chair, pick up this book and read to your heart's content.

Have you ever had one event change your whole life?

That is what happened to Dorothy Robinson when her father is killed while drinking a non-fat decaf mocha latte at the local Buckstar coffee shop. Losing her father is one thing, but when her mother goes a little crazy selling all her personal belongings with plans to buy a New Age cafe Dorothy isn't sure what to do. She knows when her mother heads to Canada to meet the Master of the Galaxy and become a Certified Outerworld Interpreter Dorothy knows things have gone too far! Not getting much support from her conceited brother, Dorothy decides to take matters into her own hands. Putting her faith in Mervyn, a local cult-buster, is the best solution she can find.

Dorothy, her boyfriend Lahrs and Mervyn take a trip from Flordia to Banff, Canada to find Dorothy's mother and perform a family intervention. But what they find is not what they expect. Is it too late to rescue her or is this trip just the beginning of something great?

***** Karen Mueller Bryson has written a book full of wit and humor. Her off-the-wall characters add a little sunshine to an already wonderful book. A light, fun read you will finish in one setting! Highly recommended reading! *****

Tinna Schock of Huntress Reviews

If you are a person like me, a person who does not smile or laugh easily, then this is the book for you. There are not to many things I find amusing but Bryson's book, "Hey Dorothy You're Not in Kansas Anymore" is a winner... it is funny, amusing, a quick read, not a complicated story, but a simple tale. If you are also a fan of the Wizard of Oz, of which I am not, you will still get a kick out of the satire, and the obvious parallelism with Dorothy, her friends, and the plot of the story. I read this book twice, not realizing its full potential right away; soon I kept finding new things to compare between the old Oz and the new. To the casual reader this may seem like a simple story, which it is taken on the surface, but when you really delve into the story, it becomes quite unique and amusing, with a happy ending for all, which is what this author likes...It was, I am sure, quite feat for Ms. Bryson to write such a unique tale.

I was intrigued by the title of Karen Mueller Bryson's book, and who wouldn't be? The English speaking world has been mightily affected by the metaphor of Oz. "Hey Dorothy You're Not in Kansas Anymore" does not disappoint.

A young woman loses her father in a freak accident. She is one of a family with enough peccadilloes among them to keep any reader fascinated. She decides she will sleep her pain away, her mother decides she will run away with a cult, and brother decides to bury himself in his achievements and try to ignore the whole mess. The pain in this family is palpable but so is their zest for living. Those who loved "Bridget Jones's Diary" may like this book even better. It has the snap of the new genre called chick lit to which "Diary" is a prominent member; like "Diary" it explores the pain that twenty-somethings often experience in a society that isn't keen on letting them grow up.

What makes this novel better is that Our Dear Dorothy is just more likeable than Bridget. She is not quite so needy, quite so miserable, is just less of a cookie-cutter character all around.

What makes this novel move along so quickly is the authors background as a playwright. The dialogue is quick and convincing. The grounding is much like a theater production. The settings are sufficiently presented but do not dominate.

Mostly the humor is so natural. I laughed out loud three times in the first two chapters and chuckled even more often. All in all, it's a good lesson that the absurd may be found in the most agonizing of situations and that it works ever so well as a healer.

(Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered.")

Well-researched and written. A Bataan death march survivor and prisoner of the Japanese for several years, Johnson rose to the top of his profession, Chief of Staff of the Army. Truly a great man but largely unknown. An exciting story.

I had the honor to know General Harold K. Johnson while he was a Commanding General, and then to serve two years as his personal aide while he was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. Sorley has done a magnificient job of research and reporting on the life of the most dedicated American military leader in recent history. General Johnson was a unique man, humbled by his roots, molded by his experience as a POW, and a man whose personal moral standards never waivered. I think the author has portrayed General Johnson as the man I knew. My only difference with the portrayal is the implication of "resignation in protest" on a number of occasions. General Johnson held the view that his function was to advise the President, and that the President had no obligation to accept that advice. I would accept the "resignation" theory only if it portrayed General Johnson as considering resignation because he felt his advice was inadequate or that his articulation ! of that advice was inadequate. The idea of resignation would have been because he felt someone else could perhaps do it better. He was such a private man that I also doubt he would have shared that thought with others, particularly junior to him. But, a really excellent biography and Sorley has done himself proud.

Harold K. Johnson was a soldier's soldier who had the misfortune to have his career bookended by a pair of tragedies. As a young officer at the beginning of World War II, he was captured by the Japanese on Bataan and his sense of duty forced him to abandon thoughts of escape in order to look after his men. Then, as Chief of Staff of the Army, he was forced to watch the civilian leadership ignore his advice and make a hash of a winnable war. Again, his sense of duty to his men forced him to swallow his anger and abandon plans of resigning and going public with his criticisms.

Lest one think that something other than duty led him to these painful decisions, the core of his career reveals a brilliant, courageous soldier for whom duty was his watchword. Sorley writes with objectivity and sensitivity about Johnson's career and this book becomes a virtual primer on duty. Selflessness marked all of Johnson's actions and while one would have preferred seeing a happier conclusion to the career of this fine man, Honorable Warrior shows you why the best people in America are sometimes forced to live with the consequences of someone else's muddled decisions.

Sorley's book succeeds as top notch military history, a thoughtful biography of a good man and a philosophical meditation on the nature of duty.

Sorley had become the preeminent biographer of military leaders. His first book, Thunderbolt, was a joy to read. Honorable Warrior is the story of man who fought, the Japanese, survived the Battan Death march and many years of unspeakable horror in Japanese prison camps. He also fought with great bravery in Korea. However, I t was his time as Chief of Staff when General Johnson faced his most difficult professional agonies. Anyone interested in leadership, the military or American history should read this book.

I'm four-fifths done with "Honorable Warrior", and about the same amount done with "A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam" by Neil Sheehan, and I'm terribly afraid, in fact, I'm pretty sure (I looked at the ending) that Mr. Sorley will duck the question that his subject could not duck..quite. That question was whether the military effort was going to work. General Johnson was averse to Phoenix-style assassination programs and to unrestrained bombardment. He thought local policing and interdiction of infiltration would answer things. This assumes (on his part) that the South Vietnamese regime would use this breathing space to flourish in democracy, rectitude, and mercy. Why did he assume this? His cherished analytical principle, Mr. Sorley informs us, was "challenge the assertion". For instance, the General tore to shreds, anaylytically, one of McNamara's "Systems Anaylysis" monster-reports on Vietnam by pointing out that it had been cobbled together out of twenty-eight other analyses, each of which had different assumptions. As my history professor would say, "scissors and paste" or "daisy-chaining" does not good history make. My question is whether the General was rigorous enough in evaluating his own thought, his own assertions. The question is directed to Mr. Sorley, who says in his conclusion that the war was actually against mere "surrogates" of China and the Soviet Union. By that logic, we would have been morally authorized to kill every Vietnamese, since they were only inert instruments of the source of the belligerency. Trying to look through Mr. Sorley's somewhat blood-misted eyes, I take seriously his suggestion that the General was often tempted to quit and that he had paralyzing doubts about the war, which he justified to himself as bringing freedom to the people of Vietnam. Did the General end up believing, in the words of the U.S. officer so often quoted, that in order to save the nation of Vietnam it was necessary to destroy it? No, I hear his fans shouting, he was too moral! But was he moral enough to realize that it was immoral to police and interdict a viable political regime (sponsored by Ho) to death in the hope that another regime would spring up from the morally toxic swamps of Saigon? (This concept of viability of regime is the standard upheld by so-called international law in determining which of competing regimes deserves recognition). Could he make that leap of faith in good conscience? Or did he in fact drape his moral doubt in words like "anti-communism" and "security", and leave it to someone else to decide if the whole thing was going to work? My suggestion for a moral lesson is that if you're called on to do something by someone who is farther from the action than you are to the extent that you're confident that you know more about the moral questions raised than your "superior" does, so much so that your sense of obligation to this superior evaporates, you cannot dress up your feeling of emptiness with some slogans, much less with the claim that you're only following orders, but must do something to rectify the malfeasance of your own superiors. In the words of Matthew Ridgeway, words that the Army put on a leadership poster ten years ago, "If you are confident that your orders are mistaken, you are obliged to attempt to fix things." Not his exact words. I don't think he just said to bring it to the attention of your superiors. I suppose that leaves disobedience, resignation, and forceful advocacy. It is the lack of forceful advocacy by the General, and lack of concern by Mr. Sorley over the General's lack of forceful advocacy, that makes the life of the General, as Mr. Sorley tells it, only worth four stars out of five. I mean, you can't just blame everything on General Westmoreland, especially when he worked for General Johnson, traditions of lattitude for field commanders notwithstanding. Alright, how do I know the General wasn't forceful enough since I haven't finished the book? He could have ordered Westmoreland to fix things: whatever, invade Laos, install U.S. commanders in all ARVN units, take over the administration of the South Vietnamese civil population, which is the same as taking over the Saigon regime, whatever it would have taken in his mind to win ("the freedom of the South Vietnamese people", remember) and then suffered the consequences. The President could have fired him. The fact that the President didn't fire him is proof to me that he didn't advocate forcefully enough. That is crude of me. Romantic. Duel at Diablo. End of story. Soul intact. It is so easy in a bureaucracy to adopt the attitude of "garbage in, garbage out", but they pay you and respect you for doing hard things. In the words of the New Testament parable, we are worthless servants when we only do what we are told. If the General had no doubt that his conduct of the war -- he was plumb in the middle of the road of the chain of command, it was on his watch -- was ethical, we cannot second-guess God's judgment of him. To quote the previous reviewer, however, it seems that he thought that his job was to follow orders. That is not ethical. That is, in the final analysis, stupid. We don't creates lines of authority to multiply our stupidity, but to diminish it. If, when you give somebody an order, there is no implicit "or am I being stupid" which they feel free to confirm or deny, you are not getting the best out of that subordinate and the people are not getting its best out of you. This applies the more so, the higher up you go. Hey?

I first ordered this book for my son-in-law, because he is such a Charlie Daniels fan. I then ordered a copy for a friend of mine who is going through a rough time in her life right now. Before giving it away, I flipped through the pages, and read the story by Jonny Lang. I am a 61 yr. old grandmother, but I have albums by him. I was just blown away, and had to order a copy for myself.

In the book, How Do You Know He's Real, you'll get an inside look into the spiritual lives of 34 celebrities. Hagberg has compiled testimonies ranging from Kirk Cameron to Rudy Sarzo (former bass player for Ozzy Osbourne). Each story is remarkably different and it's amazing to read how God has worked in the lives of each of these well-known people.

The author has collected very readable stories telling how celebrities have become Christians, and they share their low points and their joys here. This is a welcome peek into the lives of well known people who typically are more secretive.
Ricky Skaggs, Kirk Cameron, Gloria Gaynor, Bethel Johnson (34 people in all) tell about their struggles and their early days as new Christians.
Billy Ray Cyrus tells of singing in his grandpa's Pentecostal church when he was 4, and includes the touching lyrics to the song he wrote "The other side."
Jackie (Jacklyn) Zeman, star of General Hospital, advises that when you are at a crossroads "cry out to God and ask for His guidance."
Al Kasha's story resonated with me; this Academy Award winning songwriter overcame agoraphobia, and talks about how Hollywood is a tough place for a Jew who came to Christ, and how he started a Hollywood Bible study group.
There are stories here for anyone to enjoy and find spirit lifting.

(Hagberg has written a companion book with the same title, subtitled God Unplugged)

How Do You Know He's Real? is a collection of celebrity essays about God acting in their lives. The contributors include athletes, musicians, and actors. Their stories often follow a familiar pattern of fame leading to drugs and alcohol before hitting bottom and being turned around by an encounter with God. That's not to say the accounts are all stock and cliched, but rather that God meets each person in their need--and for celebrities that need will be similar. And many of the tales include growing up in stable Christian homes, but still needing to make personal decisions about God and Christ and how that decision impacted their careers.

The stories are collected alphabetically but Hagberg has provided a topic finder so a reader battling discouragement or frustration can find offerings from Billy Ray Cyrus, Nancy Stafford, Zorro, Gary Burghoff or John Schneider.

Each essay begins with a picture and short biography of the contributor, listing their accomplishments. Following the selection is God's Road Map, a few sentences about the issues raised by the author, with Bible verses for teaching and encouragement.

The essays themselves are as varied as the contributors. Some of them read as if they were written to be given as speeches. Several sound like the writer could be sitting at your kitchen table, chatting over the coffee pot. All of them are honest and share from their heart how God has acted in their life and how they know He's real.

Reading the accounts of God acting in both miraculous and mundane ways reminds us that no matter what a person does for a living, each of us are created beings who need a loving Savior and merciful God.

Armchair Interviews says: Up close and personal stories from celebrities.

I received this book as a gift and once I started, I couldn't put it down. Ms Hagberg has captured the beliefs of these well known and respected celebrities, sports figures, and musicians. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and can't wait to give copies of this one to all my friends. Order 2!

i like this book. it gave me a sense of suspence and eagerness to see what happens next.i like how each character had their own fears , likes, dislikes, and feeling. it also let the reader know what was inside the mind of the girl who was "cursed" by the gypsie and how it affected her.

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A ORPHAN NAMED MEGEN. WHEN SHE WAS CURSED BY A GYSPY. SHE BLAMES HERSELF FOR HER FAMILYS MISFORTUNE.FIRST HER FATHER DIES. THEN HER BROTHER MIKE GOES TO JAIL. HER MOTHER MUST SEND THE CHILDREN TO AN ORPHAN TRAIN. A NICE YOUNG COUPLE BUYS MEGEN. WILL MEGEN'S NEW FAMILY HELP MEGEN UNDO THE GYPSY'S CURSE? READ THE BOOK TO SEE!

MAGDALENE

This was a great book because it told you about orphan kids getting new families and better lives. It was also interesting because you learned about the orphan train and how the little kids lived in that period of time.

The book I read was mostly about a young girl who was put up for adoption with her brothers and sisters. Then she was adopted by the Browder family who was exspecting a baby.
She enjoyed her new family very much. Before the baby was born she got a new puppy. This book has a very good moral to it. I reccomend this book to people who enjoy old timey stories.

I thought that this was a great book. after I read A family apart (book #1 of the series) I decided to read them all I thought this one was the best of the 7 books.

I became aware of this book while looking for something good to watch on TV and came upon the movie "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" starring Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. I watched a bit of the film, then checked the TV guide and found that it was based on the books "Mr. Bridge" and "Mrs. Bridge." The movie looked good, so I immediately turned it off while vowing to get the books then watch the film. "Mrs. Bridge" was written ten years earlier than the "Mr.," so I decided to read it first. Actually, I don't believe it makes any difference which you read first - except, because of the last five anecdotes of the "Mrs. Bridge" book go beyond the ending of the "Mr." book, I might suggest you read him first. The style of both books is the same: a series of mostly short anecdotes strung together to tell the life of these individuals, each from their own perspective. They both love each other and their three children, who love them back, but their lives are so unconnected that they can't express any feelings. Their life stories encompass the same years between the two World Wars, existence in the same upper class home in Kansas City, contain the same experiences, yet which each focuses on in their own book is totally different. "Mrs. Bridge" has 117 anecdotes, the Mr. has 141. Yet, they hardly ever overlap. And even when they do, for example when describing their trip to Europe, they talk about different aspects of this highlight of their life, as if they went on separate trips. Mr. Bridge, when he can break away from his office, is a wonderful parent and husband. He provides all the monetary needs of the family and offers sound, sage, practical advice to each of them. Mrs. Bridge is a super mom. The kids, each different but ones you would be proud to have, find individual success, yet are hampered by their parents' inability to express their emotions. Mr. Bridge is aware of this shortcoming, but is unable to overcome it. Interestingly, though most of his life is spent in his rewarding lawyer practice, he hardly ever mentions any specifics of his long days at the office. He does express sorrow twice in the book, but only to himself. After seeing the cancan performed in Paris, he lies in bed next to his wife and bemoans that "something which rightfully belongs to every man had been denied to him." And later back home and suffering from a sleepless night he concludes, "all that he believed in and had attempted to prove seem meager, all of his life was wasted." Strong stuff. I wanted to shake him, smack him, and tell him no, his life was not wasted. But, judge for yourself. As for me, I'm going to watch the movie.

I read this right on the heals of Mrs. Bridge. What a pair. I couldn't put this book down, either.

Evan S. Connell's "Mr. Bridge" stands, together with its companion novel, "Mrs. Bridge", as one of the outstanding works of Twentieth century American fiction. The two works, taken together, form the brilliantly wrought portrait of an upper middle class marriage in the years preceding and encompassing World War II. Linear in its narrative and meticulously realistic in its style, "Mr. Bridge" tells the story of Walter Bridge, a financially successful, but emotionally stunted, lawyer who lives out his proper married life in the wealthy Mission Hills suburb of Kansas City.

Mr. Bridge recognizes that his life did not begin until he knew his wife, India Bridge. His marriage is, in this sense, important to him. But he cannot articulate his deep feelings for his wife and, ultimately, gives up trying to express any emotion at all. "So the years passed, they had three children and accustomed themselves to a life together, and eventually Mr. Bridge decided that his wife should expect nothing more of him. After all, he was an attorney rather than a poet; he could never pretend to be what he was not."

Cold and emotionally repressed, Mr. Bridge spends all of his time at the office, becoming involved with his family only when necessary to ensure that proper middle class respectability is maintained. He spends his time visiting the bank, scrutinizing his stock certificates and counting his profits. Indeed, he is so focussed on wealth that he surprises his wife and children with stock certificates of Kansas City Power & Light on Christmas morning, only to take the gifts back into his possession so that he can properly manage them.

Manipulative and controlling, Mr. Bridge persuades his reluctant daughter, after she has won a contest, to accept a pony as a prize, even though she would much rather have a bicycle. When the day comes to accept the prize, "Mr. Bridge could not attend the presentation ceremony because he was again spending Saturday at the office." Like his self-centered Christmas present of utility company stock, this prize, too, becomes cheerless for his daughter because of his need to impose his will.

Deeply bigoted, Mr. Bridge cannot tolerate Jews or Blacks very well. When he has an opportunity to take investment advice from an obviously successful Jewish stockbroker, Mr. Bridge, instead, becomes offended by the man's ethnicity and ostensible pretension to be a successful upper middle class man like himself. Reluctantly shaking the man's hand, Mr. Bridge "could hardly restrain a shudder." Resonating with antisemitic feeling, "he withdrew his hand, which came away stickily. He wanted to wash it. His hand felt moist and unhealthy, as if during those few seconds it had become infected." Similarly, when his wife shows him horrifying pictures of a brutal lynching in the South, his only reaction is to ask, "what was this fellow doing that he shouldn't have been doing?"

A fiercely conservative man, with political views as deeply repressive as his stunted emotions, he cannot tolerate President Roosevelt. He even suggests that while Hitler was insane, "some of his ideas were sensible."

Indeed, the repressed feelings of Mr. Bridge find their darkest allusions in his feelings about his daughters, feelings that suggest powerful undercurrents of the sexuality that is absent from his marriage. Seeing his grown daughter, Carolyn, one night posing naked in front of a mirror, he cannot get her out of his mind. "He reminded himself that she was his daughter, but the luminous image returned like the memory of a dream."

"Mr. Bridge", like its companion novel, "Mrs. Bridge", is a stunning work of realism, a crystalline pure narrative of a marriage without feeling, a life without love, a man without the ability to move outside the bounds of middle class probity and respectability.

Evan S. Connell's "Mr. Bridge" stands, together with its companion novel, "Mrs. Bridge", as one of the outstanding works of Twentieth century American fiction. The two works, taken together, form the brilliantly wrought portrait of an upper middle class marriage in the years preceding and encompassing World War II. Linear in its narrative and meticulously realistic in its style, "Mr. Bridge" tells the story of Walter Bridge, a financially successful, but emotionally stunted, lawyer who lives out his proper married life in the wealthy Mission Hills suburb of Kansas City.

Mr. Bridge recognizes that his life did not begin until he knew his wife, India Bridge. His marriage is, in this sense, important to him. But he cannot articulate his deep feelings for his wife and, ultimately, gives up trying to express any emotion at all. "So the years passed, they had three children and accustomed themselves to a life together, and eventually Mr. Bridge decided that his wife should expect nothing more of him. After all, he was an attorney rather than a poet; he could never pretend to be what he was not."

Cold and emotionally repressed, Mr. Bridge spends all of his time at the office, becoming involved with his family only when necessary to ensure that proper middle class respectability is maintained. He spends his time visiting the bank, scrutinizing his stock certificates and counting his profits. Indeed, he is so focussed on wealth that he surprises his wife and children with stock certificates of Kansas City Power & Light on Christmas morning, only to take the gifts back into his possession so that he can properly manage them.

Manipulative and controlling, Mr. Bridge persuades his reluctant daughter, after she has won a contest, to accept a pony as a prize, even though she would much rather have a bicycle. When the day comes to accept the prize, "Mr. Bridge could not attend the presentation ceremony because he was again spending Saturday at the office." Like his self-centered Christmas present of utility company stock, this prize, too, becomes cheerless for his daughter because of his need to impose his will.

Deeply bigoted, Mr. Bridge cannot tolerate Jews or Blacks very well. When he has an opportunity to take investment advice from an obviously successful Jewish stockbroker, Mr. Bridge, instead, becomes offended by the man's ethnicity and ostensible pretension to be a successful upper middle class man like himself. Reluctantly shaking the man's hand, Mr. Bridge "could hardly restrain a shudder." Resonating with antisemitic feeling, "he withdrew his hand, which came away stickily. He wanted to wash it. His hand felt moist and unhealthy, as if during those few seconds it had become infected." Similarly, when his wife shows him horrifying pictures of a brutal lynching in the South, his only reaction is to ask, "what was this fellow doing that he shouldn't have been doing?"

A fiercely conservative man, with political views as deeply repressive as his stunted emotions, he cannot tolerate President Roosevelt. He even suggests that while Hitler was insane, "some of his ideas were sensible."

Indeed, the repressed feelings of Mr. Bridge find their darkest allusions in his feelings about his daughters, feelings that suggest powerful undercurrents of the sexuality that is absent from his marriage. Seeing his grown daughter, Carolyn, one night posing naked in front of a mirror, he cannot get her out of his mind. "He reminded himself that she was his daughter, but the luminous image returned like the memory of a dream."

"Mr. Bridge", like its companion novel, "Mrs. Bridge", is a stunning work of realism, a crystalline pure narrative of a marriage without feeling, a life without love, a man without the ability to move outside the bounds of middle class probity and respectability.

simply one of the best books I've ever read. India will exasperate you and enlighten you. Through her and the other characters in Connell's masterpiece, you will have a feeling that your own life is unfolding before your eyes, complete with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is simultaneously a disturbing and reassuring experience. Don't miss it.

I am enjoying this book. Chapter 13 is especially important to me.

If you're a grandparent, you'll find this book to be a wonderful resource, whether you live near your grandchildren or far away. It is a treasure trove of ideas that will bring you closer together and help you build a lasting relationship.
Cherry Pedrick, RN...

Stephen and Janet Blyýs book provides wonderful, creative, detailed plans for strengthening your relationship with your grandchildren. Iým finding they can be used for nieces and nephews too, and some can even be used to bring me closer to adult family members and friends.

As a grandmother, I a delighted to find a book that gives such do-able suggestions that strengthen my relationship with my grandchildren. The added plus is I also gain the blessing of a strengthened relationship with my children. This is a "must read" for everyone on the planet!

First of all, I am not a Grandparent. The title of this book will limit the market that might purchase it and gain from its contents. This book will guide you in how to be a Godly person, whether or not you are a niece, nephew, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, husband, wife, mother, father, In-Law, boss, employee and yes, even a Grandparent. This book flows smoothly, is very readable and an awesome journey to read. The Biblical insight is a recipe for all relationships. I highly recommend it.

Even though this book is not really my favorite genre, I've grown to enjoy this series. The characters are believable and genuine. Nessa's faith is a focal point of how she copes with the adversity that comes her way. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, though my local libraries only have the first to installments.

I bought the first book in this series as an extra gift and my daughter now anxiously awaits every new edition. I've also read all 3 so far and really enjoyed them. They're "real" books, not shallow or fantastic, but absolutely captivating. I highly recommend the entire series.

A Grateful Harvest is the second book in the Prairie River series. Both books are well written giving you vivid pictures of how hard life was for a young girl without parents in middle 1800s. She relies on her new friends and God to help her through the tough times. The ending leaves you with just enough knowledge to anticipate the troubles in the next book. I would recomend this book to anyone who is looking for a great historical series.

Prairie River: A Grateful Harvest, is a wonderful story thay always seems to have you leaving wanting to read more, and more.
A beautiful ending that makes people want to buy the second sequel. It is 1865, ans school teacher Nessa is teaching in a small schoolhouse in Prairie River. That is all I am going to give you. :) I recomend this book for people who love the Little House series and for people who love history. This story seems to me as a genra, historical fiction, with a little mystery twisted into the plot, so jump into this book, and meet Nessa!

The year is 1865. After a trying time, fourteen-year-old orphan Vanessa "Nessa" Clemens feels as if she has finally found a place for herself in Prairie River. While many of the townsfolk dislike the young schoolteacher, she has made an abundance of friends in folks both young and old, and is content with her current situation. She misses her best friend, Albert, of course; but leaving him behind in Missouri was the only thing she could think to do when she discovered that she would soon be forced to marry the decrepit, unkindly Reverend McDuff. Prairie River is everything she could have ever hoped for in a town. Finally she feels as if she belongs, and to make matters even better, she is employed doing something she loves - teaching - and is making a monthly salary from it. But after the death of one of her students, Nessa has no idea whether her position will be renewed, or if she'll be run out of Prairie River.

Unlike other people of her age, Nessa has not had an easy existence. Cast away at an orphanage when she was a mere four-years-old, Nessa is nothing more than a runaway orphan trying to make something of herself. Unfortunately, many of the townsfolk refuse to accept her as a community member, and do what they can to shun her. And after the discrepancy involving one of her students, many feel that she is not responsible enough to be left in charge of students. The town's need for a teacher, however, gives Nessa a second chance, and the opportunity to prove to all of the doubters that she is just as competent a teacher as someone who has been brought up in a well-to-do family. Her orphan status has absolutely nothing to do with what may happen in the future. But when Nessa lets a secret slip, she realizes that even her friends may, at times, turn their backs on her, and she will have to rely on faith to get her through the tough times. But nothing could be tougher than learning that Reverend McDuff has discovered where she is, and is determined to claim what he feels the Lord has chosen for him - Nessa. Nessa has only told Mrs. Lockett and her best friend, Ivy, about the trouble involving Reverend McDuff that she left behind in Missouri; but if he makes his way to Prairie River, Nessa is frightened that people's opinion of her will turn even more sour, and leave them looking for a reason to fire her from her teaching position and shun her as a member of society - for good.

It has been quite some time since I read A JOURNEY OF FAITH, but, even with all of the time that has passed, I felt as if I was easily able to pick up where Nessa's story originally left off. Kristiana Gregory has, once more, woven a story that is impossible to put down. Nessa is such a responsible, loyal, lovely character whom you can't help but sympathize with, and adore. Her passion for teaching, and her students is mature and admirable; while the love she shows towards her friends, and various animals surrounding her makes her seem youthful, at the same time. The relations she has with various townsfolk - from the Applewoods to Mrs. Lockett, and even the children she teaches - are interesting, and make you feel as if you are right there alongside Nessa, conversing with these individuals. And the fact that Gregory included a few letters from Albert sprinkled throughout the story makes his character stay alive in the mind of readers. The Christian undertones are a nice touch, and the talk of faith is most certainly an inspiring factor to the story. I can't wait to see what Ms. Gregory has in store for us next!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

While this book is an excellent telling of the major events of Jefferson's presidency, it is not an intimate portrait of the man himself during those years. In the early couple chapters McDonald gives the reader what I would call a "Jefferson primer" for the unacquainted which is masterfully written, yet as he carefully and thoughtfully steps through the events of Jefferson's two terms, he does not delve into the mind of the man himself. There were several points where I thought to myself - 'gee, I would really like to hear more about what Jefferson was thinking as he made this decision'. A further inclusion of written sources from Jefferson would have alleviated this lacking.

However, despite this major flaw (which may be intentional, leaving such thoughts for a biographist), it is a superb book. The narratives are interesting, well balanced, and complete. The book sticks to a well defined chronological organization. And, finally McDonald delves just enough into the characters surrounding Jefferson without overstepping his dues. A great read as a whole.

McDonald analyzes Jefferson's presidency, discussing the early successes in stopping Federalism, as well as the limitations to the changes that Jefferson and the Republicans could achieve. He discusses the failures of his presidency, notably the embargo of all trade, in a fair manner. Finally, he provides an interesting analysis of the motivations and sources of Republican policy and places Jeffersonianism in its historical context in a much clearer way than I have ever read before.

The book is well-written, although perhaps on the short side. It also contains almost nothing about Jefferson's life before or after the presidency--it really is a history of his presidency.

Forrest McDonald has produced a succinct, penetrating and fascinating history of Thomas Jefferson's Administration.

This book is part of the Univ. of Kansas' history of the presidency series and the second effort from McDonald (he wrote a wonderful history of Washington's Administration). This book is about the policies, international relations, politics and style of America's third chief executive. Running at less than 200 pages, McDonald manages to be both thorough and interesting in his telling of this period.

Jefferson and his Administration produced wonderful contradictions. His party espoused a "Republican" philosophy that basically wanted to liberate Americans from Hamilton's financial system and Adam's heavy handedness as witnessed by the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Jefferson's early term saw him implement much of his program. As McDonald points out, few if any other Presidents have had their way so successfully with Congress. Jefferson also added greatly to the US through the Louisianna Purchase, despite his concerns with the Constitutionality of the aquisition.

Jefferson and his Administration reached rough shoals in foreign affairs. Blinded by anti-British sentiment, the Administration prooved less than adroit at negotiating the position between Napolean and England. America was buffetted by this struggle and it reverberated back on our domestic situation. Suddenly, Jefferson's first term accomplishments became liabilities and were revealed as short sighted. The scheduled reduction of America's debt through the slashing of the Navy budget left us without the ability to challenge foreign powers. The abolition of Hamilton's system of internal revenues that left us entirely dependent upon tarriffs and thereby upon the grace of the British (who had the ability to determine how much trade our country could enjoy)for government revenue.

In the most surprising irony, Jefferson -- who had decried Adams and his anti-liberal legislation (Alien and Sedition Acts) would go much farther than Adams in restricting liberties and in executive arrogance through his Embargo Acts and various executive orders designed to limit trade with the European powers.

This is a fascinating story well told. Besides the policies, McDonald gives insight as to how Jefferson governed, his relations with Congress and the Judiciary as well as the toll of the office on the man himself. A good book.

McDonald is not only a great scholar, he is a storyteller without peer. He presents the Jeffersonian presidency in an objective and even-handed manner, highlighting both the successes and the tragic shortcomings of the Jefferson administration. Despite Jefferson's reputation today as a civil libertarian and a champion of liberty, McDonald shows how his heavy-handed tactics and his disregard for the Constitution led to disaster both at home and abroad. Despite ushering in the Republican Revolution of 1800, by 1808 Jefferson had lost control of the party he helped create and found himself at the mercy of John Randolph and his ilk in the House. McDonald never attacks Jefferson, however; he simply tells the rather sad story of a man consistently unable to meet the challenges with which he was faced. Another masterpiece from America's foremost historian.

Due to his primary authorship of the American Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson is widely viewed as a strong civil libertarian. The words of the Declaration and the American constitution speak so strongly about the limitations that government has when dealing with the citizens that they are just as valid over 200 years after they were written. He was also the primary individual around which the fledgling Republican party coalesced. In fact, McDonald commonly refers to the party as the Jeffersonian Republicans.
Less well known is the manner whereby the Jefferson administration callously ignored those rights so clearly stated in those magnificent documents. People were arrested for their political persuasion and he attempted to have Federal judges removed simply because he was unhappy with their Federalist philosophy. This really was a sad time in history, as it was the first case where a president openly interpreted the law as it suited him. In my opinion, the clear statement of these actions of Jefferson while president is what makes this book. Since the Louisiana Purchase was the greatest event in the United States between independence and the war between the states, it tends to overshadow many of the other things that Jefferson did during his presidency.
Jefferson's wholesale destruction of the American military left the country defenseless when it was being drawn into the wars between Napoleonic France and Great Britain. The consequences of these errors were monumental to the new country and his diplomatic mistakes contributed to a senseless conflict between the United States and Great Britain that served no useful purpose and could easily have destroyed the United States. Once again, McDonald is right on the mark in explaining what Jefferson did.
Thomas Jefferson is often held up to mythic proportions as a champion of liberty and as an early statesman. In this volume, he is described as he truly was, a man who professed liberty for all, but practiced it only when it suited him. This is a superb account of what he did while president.

There are not many books which treat comprehensively the period of 1899-1941 i.e. from Boer War till Fall of France. Especially books which consider with some length with russo-japanese or Balkan Wars.
Besides book is very good written with good flaw - you won't get bored.
Citino is also author of many more books - and all of them are of very good standard.
"The quest for decesive victory" is of course not definitive history but a starter - but very good starter. You won't regret buying it.

Robert Citino starts with a problem: from the middle of the 19th century, decisive battles, so common in the Napoleonic Wars, suddenly disappear. Although battles were still fought and won, they became increasingly sterile, deciding little. He shows that this had more to do with command, control and communication (C3) than increasing firepower or any imagined superiority of defense over attack. He then takes us through the campaigns of the early 20th century to see how the problem (and solutions) evolved. In the process, he gives us excellent operational histories of many little-known wars, such as the Russo-Japanese (1904-05) and Balkan (1912-13) wars, as well World War 1. This alone would make the book a "must-buy" for me. However, this is just a way to his goal of showing how battles once again became "decisive". His discussion of the inter-war period, which has been analyzed ad nauseum, still finds some new things to say. In particular, he shows how the radio was more important than the tank to Blitzkrieg. He winds up with the opening battles of world war 2, where mobility and decisiveness were restored to the battlefield.

Dr Citino's newest book is a must read for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of modern military history. I anticipated this books publication for over a year and was not disappointed. The focus of the Quest For Decisive Victory is the evolution of tactics and strategy to deal with the innovations in technology and the changing battlefield. From the rise of the "invisible battlefield" due to smokeless powder in the Boer War to the simple introduction of the wireless radio set to the tank intended as a replacement for hand flags as the main form of communication among tank commanders , a weapon system or technical innovation is only as good as the commanding Generals understanding of its capabilities and how best to employ it in war. Dr. Citino Traces this process from 1899-1940 showing how the static stalemate of war first appearing in the Boer War and the Russo Japanese war was finally overcome by the "War of Movement" as practiced and envisioned by Guderian, Rommel, Fuller, and Von Seckt.

Dr.Citino's work is exceptionally well written in describing the roots of combined arms warfare. The first part of the books descrbes the small wars before the outbreak of the First World War. The absence of artillery support made tasks made the infantry's task extremely difficult in the the Boer War and the Russo-Japanese War. Another factor that impeded success was the lack of communications so that the Russian army was able to escape repeatedly from the Japanese pincers. Dr. Citino also analyzes the little known Balkan Wars of 1912-13... This is by far the best book about military thought of the early twentieth century,but Citino could have written more about the Russian and American military thought during this time period. Nevertheless I would highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in military thought and practices.

In Quest for Decisive Victory, Dr. Citino analyzes the progression of warfare from the age of Napoleon to the opening battles of the Second World War. The study consists of the numerous military leaders in the period looking for methods of winning a decisive victory in Napoleonic style despite the great technological advances of the time. Dr. Citino puts to rest the abundance of myths that have risen about the period, especially the military doctrine of all commanders in the opening stages of the First World War. In the period following the end of World War I, Citino is at his best, providing a tremendous amount of information about the great debate of the "interwar period," and the opening battles of World War II, which proved some analyists to be correct in their debates, and others to look like fools. Overall, Dr. Citino's narrative style makes the work enjoyable to read and easy to understand.

Designs are easy to duplicate and instructions easy to follow. Quilts are show stoppers!

This book is everything that I expected it to be. Barb Adams is an expert at everything she does.

The blocks in this book are beautiful! I am making the first block now. The patterns are fullsized although they overlap which makes them a little harder to trace onto freezer paper. My block is looking great and I can hardly wait to make the other eight!

The Blackbird ladies have done it again. Another gorgeous book, a feast for the eyes! This quilt is on my to-do list for sure.

The lady who complained about getting the patterns increased at Kinkos - I will give her the benefit of the doubt and presume she didn't look through the whole book. The patterns are in the book, at FULL SIZE! You don't need to increase the patterns at all.

What she is talking about is the page which shows you the whole block put together - a layout template. Some quilters like to use a layout template, others don't. I find it easier not to use one. Most people are not going to need to add $45 to the cost of the book!

I hope it won't put anyone off buying this book. The pages she is talking about are not necessary to make this quilt. Once again, the patterns are in this book and are FULL SIZE!

The lady before me is also quite right in saying that you can enlarge sections and paste together. This will cost you maybe 20 cents, not 5 bucks!

A beautiful book which I highly recommend, especially since a trip to Kinkos will not be necessary :)

I really love the look of these blocks. The person who complained about the cost of enlarging the patterns has no clue that you can enlarge portions of the pattern and then tape the pieces together. It shouldn't cost $45 to enlarge the patterns! Why go to Kinkos and pay that kind of money? She must have limited resources or is just plain lazy. It's not difficult and it should not be an excuse not to buy this book. I plan to make a grouping of 3 of the blocks and hang them in my dinning room. They are all just lovely and the photos are beautiful! I haven't been so excited over a quilt book in ages. Highly recommended!!!