Tennessee Books

I grew up in Memphis in the late 40's, 50's and 60's and now live in Phoenix. It was such a pleasure to view these photographs and read about places and events in Memphis that happened (most before my time). A lot of the old buildings still stand. Memphis is so much more than Elvis, "The Birthplace of Rock n' Roll, and Home of the Blues". This book is a testament to that fact. Yesterday, I returned from a visit back there to see my Mother and many other relatives, and took this book to show my brother. He loved it so much that I had to give it to him, so I'm ordering another one for me!

Absolutely a spectacular book for those interested in a piece of history. I don't even live in Memphis and enjoyed seeing the photo's and comments. Some photo's are of then and now, very sad to see great structures destroyed and pathetic ones put in there place, someone should have been held accountable for this poor judgement, even as it goes on now!

Often when I purchase a volume of photographs I feel that I have wasted my money on a book that took me all of two minutes to 'read.' Mind you I like looking at photographs, particularly historic ones, but most photographic books leave me a bit dissatisfied.

Not so this book. It is not an exaggeration to say that "Historic Photos of Memphis" is so much more than a conventional book of old photographs. Cordell and O'Daniel have done a excellent job of choosing images that illustrate the growth and development of Memphis,Tennessee.

Equally significant are the chapter introductions and detailed captions which provide a wealth of information on the history of the Bluff City.

Taken together, the photos and text included in "Historic Photos of Memphis" are a major contribution to our understanding of urban history in the American South.

You'd think it would be easy to put together a book of historic photographs, especially since you don't even have to take the pictures. I mean, don't you just grab up some old snapshots and slap them together into a book? Well, not quite. Actually, there's a lot more that goes into it, as this well-thought volume of historic images aptly demonstrates.

The best photography books tell a story, the way this one does. The pictures run together thematically, and there's a logical progression to the way the book is laid out. The process is anything but willy-nilly, as I learned while watching Gina and Patrick comb through the Memphis Room's 16,000-odd historical images. It was intimidating to watch, to say the least. The two of them ran back and forth with bundles and bundles of photographs, selecting this one, rejecting that one, changing their minds and then changing them back again. Everytime I walked through the processing room the two of them would be huddled over some photograph or other, giving it the once-over and deciding its fate.

Once they had their photographs in order, then they had to go back and write captions for them, as well as introductions to the various sections. That was yet another Herculean task. Gina and Patrick had definite things they wanted to say about the pictures, and the stories that they tell, but they also had to research each image in order to get their facts straight. A snapshot for the Business Men's Club, for instance, tells us that "the organization was founded in 1900 and moved to 81 Monroe in 1907. Beginning in 1913, the building (they had occupied became) the headquarters for the Memphis Chamber of Commerce." It takes a lot of work to find all of that out. A lot of digging and poking through dusty old books and half-readable microfilm reels. Now imagine doing that 198 times. Sounds daunting, huh? I can tell you from the looks I sometimes saw on their faces that it definitely was.

But about the book itself. There have been numerous Memphis photograph books, but this is easily the best. Not only does it have a pleasing size and shape, but the paper and the ink settings are of very high quality. In short, it's a coffee-table book that you can hold in your hands. But the thing that really makes this book special is the thoughtful photograph selection and sequencing that lies behind it. Naturally the book follows a historical progression, but there are thematic ones as well. The opposing images on pages 32 and 33, for instance, both show us the uglier side of industrialization in 19th-century America. Other photographs stress the beauty of the landscape, the majesty of the river, and the ebb and flow of social change. Sometimes the images capture the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a growing city, and sometimes they catch a private moment that would otherwise be lost forever. In my personal favorite, a scene from Court Square in 1932, an off-duty railcar conductor feeds the pigeons that alight at his feet. Some of the birds are captured in mid-air, their wings a flapping blur of motion.

The photographs also give us a chance to learn things we never knew. I was shocked, for instance, to learn that a lonely country road, passing through a grove of trees, was actually Union Avenue. I was also taken aback by the enormity of the trees that lumbermen felled in days gone by. Who knew that such tall giants once stood watch over Memphis? And all that flooding? I never dreamed that water could rise so high. Thank God for levees, I say.

But the very best thing about this book is that it includes everyone. The Memphis that emerges from these pages is a melting-pot in its brewing stage. Sure, there's an elite upper-crust, but there's also a throng of working class people, male and female, black and white. we see them in crowds, but we also get glimpses of their individual faces. They stare boldly from the pages, asserting their rightful place in our collective memory. There are snapshots of mule drivers, cotton loaders, beauty queens, gamblers, motorcyclists, gossiping women, policemen with tommy guns, schoolchildren, and even a rare shot of a jug band. The list goes on, but why should I spoil it? This is an everyman's Memphis, as the book makes plainly clear. As such, its a tribute not only to what Memphis once was, but what it is today and what it someday might become.

"A gorgeous book, these photographs of one of the world's most interesting cities makes this book a real joy for the photography collector."

I bought this book for my fathers 80th birthday gift.
It arrived in perfect condition and on time and we
even discussed it last night. He is a native nashvillian
and my sister gave him a television set and he hasn't taken
that out of the box but carries the book around all day,
every day enjoying photos of the past.
I and my family love, love it and I appreciate the great service
that I get when I order from Amazon. I work for the library
and can order here with an employees discount but prefer ordering
from Amazon instead. Thanks, Vickie L. Jones

I recently received "Historic Photos of Nashville" -- what a top quality book throughout! Over 200 beautifully printed pages, depicting scenes from Nashville history since the mid-1800's. These extraordinary old photographs have been found in various archives, and provide a great historical representation of the people, places, and events that have occurred in Nashville. This book was intended as a gift for a friend -- but looks like I'll have to order another one, because this one has become MINE!!

We just received Historic Photos of Nashville and who knew that Nashville had such a rich history. This book has hundreds of photographs of Nashville covering nearly 200 years and is just the right coffee table book size.
Historic Photos of Nashville is well-made, educational, and just subtle enough to make a real an elegant statement no matter where it's placed. This is a must have for anyone who loves Nashville History.
We're ordering more copies to give as holiday gifts to all of our friends.
Joe

Absolutely fascinating book about the pioneers who went west, either for gold or a better life. Read most of it while camping in the Boundary Waters. Took author ten years of research. Was his doctoral dissertation. Pioneers were not as alone, nor Indians as bad, as history has made them. 1840 trip was much harder than 1860. Things really changed fast. One man drove 1500 turkeys west!

This is an excellent book for learning the intricate details of the Oregon Trail crossings. Mr. Unruh has obviously done his research.

The Plains Across is a remarkable book, a nearly unrevised dissertation that is nevertheless a thoroughly readable synthesis of the overland migration to the American West, 1840-1860. It's a pity that Unruh never had the chance to further rework this manuscript after so diligently honing his craft during the eight years of research and writing it took to complete his dissertation.

The least interesting chapters come first: long, pedestrian surveys of public opinion about the Trans-Mississippi West. More compelling is the chapter on emigrant-Indian interaction, which Unruh proves was considerably less violent and more mutually beneficial than the later myth of unremitting conflict suggests. Unruh's discussion of emigrant-Mormon relations is too apologetic for Mormon behavior, but the chapter nevertheless explains well why overlanders and Saints often came into conflict.

To my mind, the best chapters are the final ones that chronicle the significant assistance that overlanders received from the West Coast. Not only did earlier emigrants extend aid for its public relations value in the struggle to increase local populations, there was also a remarkable amount of pure humanitarian assistance, sometimes granted at considerable personal sacrifice. The last chapter, "The Overlanders in Historical Perspective," is a fine summary of the emigrant experience.

The Plains Across is now more than twenty-five years old, but it is still the standard history of the Trans-Mississippi migration. As one of Unruh's friends wrote, "It is sorrowful beyond expression that this book must stand as a posthumous memorial to [the author], rather than as the beginning of an outstanding professional career."

An exceptional in-depth study of the Oregon/California Emigrant Trail. Each chapter is thoroughly researched and written very well, with excerpts from the overlanders' journals and diaries, along with references from various newspapers throughout the country. The reader is first introduced to the political and social ramifications from the news media of the pros and cons of overland travel to Oregon and California. Next, Unruh unravels the "whys" as to the emigrants' desire to pursue such an endeavor, risking loss of everything, including possibly life itself. We also get a feel for how the overlanders got along with each other; their relations with Indians; the battles of overcoming hunger, thirst, cold, etc. There is also mention of private entrepreneurs along the trail who were trading and selling goods at exorbitant prices; the "white Indians" who were white men masqueraded as Indians taking advantage of the emigrants; the Mormon influence throughout the Salt Lake area, along with the "Winter Mormons" who were average non-Mormon emigrants wishing to overwinter in Salt Lake but subjected to cruel and unjust treatments. Then the federal goverment comes into the picture by improving roads, establishing forts along the way and implementing troops to guide and protect the overlanders to safety. We read detailed descriptions of how west coast assistance was a major factor in helping settlers make that final push into either Oregon or California. The book is totally amazing! A definite page turner. Even if one is not into Western U.S. history, this book will make one look at the hardships, perils and sacrifices these people overcame to establish a new life for themselves, families, friends and relatives.

The first of two unusual and fun cookbooks, the recipes are tasty, and put "Jack" to work in the kitchen.
Some of the dishes make you feel like you're passing the bowl at a boarding house, not to mention the Lynchburg, Tennessee history involved.

Absolutely perfect gift for my friend who is a J.D. fan and a fantastic cook. He will love this birthday gift!

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. It's full of beautiful pictures and really great recipes.

As you might expect, it has lots of recipes with the sponsor's product in it, and of course, they are really good. The chocolate velvet cake with Jack Black and the "tipsy sweet potatoes" are definite keepers. But so are the many recipes from Miss Bobo's boarding house. Miss Bobo did not allow spirits on the premises. One of my favorites that always draws raves is the artichoke, spinach, and mushroom casserole.

I have been cooking with Jack Daniels Black Lable Whiskey for many years. Today I was sitting in the isle of a book store looking at cook books and ran upon this unknown book. After spending at least a half hour pouring over it I was impressed beyond words. I realized that my cooking with this whiskey had only touched the tip of the iceberg. The book is beautifully laid out and written; the range of recipes is great and the pictures and stories rich with the Tennessee heritage. Of course I put the book back on the shelf so I can purchase it here at Amazon since the savings is much better. But I can honestly declare you will be totally delighted with the book and the great eating you will gain.

This book is part of a series of Immigrants Chronicles from Cook Communications and is based on the real-life stories of my great-grandmother, Elisa Bolli Buffat, and other French-Swiss immigrants who settled in East Tennessee in the mid 1800's. In the story Elisa, 11, and her sisters and brother move from Brazil, where their father is Swiss consul, to Knoxville, TN, to be near relatives. Not only must they learn to speak English and make new friends, but they suffer through the illness and death of their father. As the family learns to farm and make their way in the new country, Elisa learns that even during times of great loss our faith and God's comfort can give us hope for the future. I felt very close to my great-grandmother as I read her memoirs and created this story about her life, and I hope readers will find encouragement and strength in God's faithfulness to all generations. Read the story to find out how Elisa's search for her mother's wedding veil brings her hope, too!

Because their father was the Swiss consulate there, Elisa Bolli and her four siblings -- a brother and three sisters -- grew up in Brazil. But in the spring of 1853, when Elisa is twelve, her father's health begins to deteriorate. Elisa's parents decide that the family will move to Tennessee so that they can be near their relatives, who immigrated there from Switzerland several years ago. Elisa and her siblings manage to adjust quickly to their new life on a Tennessee farm. However, Papa's health does not improve, but only worsens. How will the family manage to go on when he dies?

This was a good historical novel and a sweet family story for young readers, based on the life of the author's great-grandmother, Elisa Bolli, and her family. Elisa is a wonderful character whose relationships with her parents and siblings are very realistically portrayed. Readers who enjoy historical fiction about immigrants, or a sweet family story, will most likely enjoy this book.

I purchased this book for my 9 yo daughter and thought I'd preview it first. I must say that I LOVED IT!! The story line is engaging and the main characters are well-developed. It's simply a great story and one that I'll remember in years to come.

Through the challenging events of their life (their move to America and the death of the father), the characters grow in the virtues of faith, hope, and love. They become stronger people who know that they must rely on God.

My only reservation about the book is the suggested reading level (8 - 12 years old). I would recommend an older audience. My daughter (age 9) would be able to read the book as it's her reading level, but she hasn't had enough life experience to fully appreciate the whole story. I'll wait another year or two before I give it to her.

Elisa's father is the Swiss consul in Brazil, and Elisa has lived in Brazil all her life. She is surprised when her father announces his intention to move to America so the family could be near relatives. But Elisa knows the real reason. Her father's health has never been good, and so they immigrate in hopes that he will recover. Elisa is sad to leave her home, but she is also excited about her new life.
At first things seem to finally be turning out all right at last, when Elisa's father's condition worsens. And when he dies, Elisa and her family are struck with grief. Will Elisa ever learn to live without her father? And when Elisa has a bad fall and injures her elbow, will her arm ever be the same again? Find out in this heart-warming book!

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite books. My mom got it for my birthday once because my name is Elisa also. I loved this book so much that I coaxed my mom into getting me the entire series, which are just as good as this one. My suggestion is to read them all!!!

I just ran across Satan and Adam a few weeks ago and have thouroughly enjoyed the 3 CDs they released. This book is a very interesting look into some of the experiences they had while touring as well as an outsider's view of making into an insider's position as regards Adam's acceptance into the blues community.

I have been following Adams teaching for a while. His new book "Journeyman's Road" only increases his street cred. After reading the book I got a better feeling for talking the talk and walking the walk. If your a harmonica player, a New York blues fan, or a street musician this book is a must read. Adam Gussow give a first hand look at music in Harlem, his adventures with Mr. Satan, and becoming a respected musician.

Over the last several years I have written a lot of reviews for Crowsfeet Productions. They handle publicity for several labels. Betsie Brown has been my contact for the West Coast. It has been a pleasure to bring the wonderful entertainment of the East coast to the attention of readers and listeners here in Washington. Occasionally the review I'm asked to write is on other than music releases. Such as in this case. When I was asked if I was interested in reviewing this book I jumped at the chance. Even though book reviews are a lot more time consuming, than reviewing CDs or even DVDs, I feel that they are a media source that need more coverage in Blues reviews.

The secondary title to this book might suggest a very highbrow and hard to read tome concentrating on the literary works of Faulkner. Fear not. While there is a healthy chapter dedicated to the analysis of Faulkner's relationship to the Blues the majority of this text is an appealing, and easy to follow, observation of life as a street musician, jam session veteran and club performer. There are highlighted profiles of New York area Blues musician's that are compelling as well as occasionally touching.

Gussow is not only an award-winning scholar and an Assistant professor (English & Southern Studies-University of Mississippi). He is also a very accomplished harmonica player and recording artist who has been nominated for a W.C. Handy award. His partnership with Sterling "Mr. Satan" Magee was remarkably unlikely from the beginning. Adam Gussow was young, white and Ivy League and "Mr. Satan" was older, black, street-wizened and an accomplished one-man band. Nonetheless together they built a very large fan base, made a few albums, and performed all up and down the East Coast. In reading this book I became so intrigued that I bought two of their three CDs and have played them on my radio show. For my money that's why it's good that we, on the West Coast, can hear about this stuff. We need to know that there is some wonderful music that normally doesn't get distributed to this side of the country.

There are many parts of this book that I can point to as a highlight for me. Gussow's words of disgust for southern racism are similar to my own beliefs. His mentoring of young Bluesman Jason Ricci is a good read because I was participated in a post-concert interview with Jason and heard of his victory over his troubles with substance abuse. I found him to be a sensitive and talented artist. Addam Gussow can claim a little credit for that. My favorite part is Adam's writing about his own mentoring by Sterling Magee. This relationship is covered well in Gussow's first book, "Mr. Satan's Apprentice". There is enough of the Satan & Adam storyline here to serve as an excellent backdrop to the bigger dissertation. It blends together well compilations of articles Gussow has written for Harper's and Blues Access as well as critical essays. The comprehensive examination of William Faulkner's relationship with the Blues is covered here fro the first time. It is deep but I found it enlightening. It made me think about the famous author's place in literary history a little more.

What I assumed would be a slightly self-indulgent semi-autobiographic of Mr. Gussow's life in Blues actually became more of a modern day true life text book. This would serve well any class on black history, Blues history or literary history. There is so much more to Journeyman's Road- other than what I have outlined here. Find out more by visiting his web page & on YouTube (www.modernbluesharmonica.com & www.youtube.com/kudzurunner). To purchase contact www.utpress.org ($30 hardcover)

Well done Mr.Gussow! I believe I shall now have to find Mr. Satan's Apprentice. I can't wait to read it.

I first became aware of Adam Gussow through his YouTube blues harmonica lessons. That is how I became aware of the fact the he was writing this book. I have read many books. This is the first time that I have ever felt the need to write a review.

At first glance it would seem to be a collection of short stories or articles which could stand on their own if read as such. It is much more; it is a book that should be read from front to back in its entirety. It is actually several books in one, each with their own appeal.

It is the story of Adam Gussow, an interesting man, who is both a street blues musician who played the streets of Harlem, and toured the blues joints, and a teacher of much more than the blues harmonica. He bares his soul through his music (his CDs are available at Amazon.com), and with this book.

It is the story of blues musicians, and indeed, it is even the story of the blues itself. A story of the call and response music form that is the cry of love lost, or unfound, and the promise of how good life could be if you can just find it.

He reminds us of the "bad old days" that spawned the blues, where the black man's call for love went unanswered. It is a bit painful to read, but he takes the reader to a place of hope. Perhaps the influence of the music itself is an answer to that call.

It is the story of Sterling Magee (Mr. Satan), and Adam's relationship with him. It is a story of respect and love for the man that he apprenticed himself to.

Mr. Gussow gives the love to the blues men, and women, who gave him the gift of their music. He passes on their gift, and he finds the love. The long awaited response to his own blues call.

The first readers of this book will undoubtedly be blues harmonica players. The book deserves a much wider audience than that. It will appeal to a wider audience than that. I hope that many people discover this book, and read it. I'm glad that I did.

MINOS is a wild ride: pulse-pounding, gritty, and cerebral all at once. Romilia Chacon is the coolest homicide cop I've seen in a long while. She's brave, cute, a good mother, a dirty fighter, and will drink you under the table. I've never heard of Villatoro before, but I'm going to look for his other books.

Marcos McPeek Villatoro is surely one of America's most dynamic young novelists. I've never been disappointed in one of his novels, but MINOS, Villatoro's latest Romilia Chacon mystery, is absolutely spellbinding from beginning to end. His ability to paint the right mood and develop compellingly vivid characters draws the reader into the story and doesn't allow him out until the mystery is solved. I especially liked this story's eerie setting and the challenges arrayed against the very likeable yet complex Romilia Chacon as she follows her instincts despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Villatoro, like the other masters of the mystery craft, has shown how genre fiction can also be compelling literature.

This book was incredible and if possible better than the first. Romilia comes back in full force and is as amazing as before. All the questions that linger from the first novel are answered in this second book and she comes full circle with her sister's killer, her job, Tekun, and her family. She moves forward in this book to another amazing chapter. This book is one that once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down until you are done. The work that Marcos Villatoro put into this book is amazing; with all the information on the forensics, constellations and especially the character development. This is a must read for everyone, and especially mystery buffs everywhere. Go out and enter the world of Romilia Chacon.

Over six years ago when Romilia Chacon was away at college, the serial killer "the Whisperer," murdered her older sister, Catalina. Romilia eventually joined the Nashville Police Department and currently works in homicide. Still she continues her hunt for the Whisperer, who has changed his moniker to Minos in a twisted homage to Dante's mythical monster.

Currently Romilia recovers from a nasty throat slash that happened on a different case. To pass time while she heals, Romilia explores the Internet seeking information on Minos. Additionally, Guatemalan drug lord Rafael "Tekun Uman" Murillo feels he owes a debt to Romilia for saving his life when she received the gash though he knows that it was a fortunate (for him) bi-product. He steals secret FBI records on the Whisperer and sends them to her. As she gets closer to fulfilling her obsession, the Feds take a closer look at the Central American Mayan connection between her a Salvadoran and Tekun.

MINOS is a strong police procedural that looks closely at how the darker side of human nature can take control of one's consideration of others. The story line contains two strong subplots that tie together through the soul of the heroine is the center that holds the tale together. Romilia is a great character especially as she seems nearer to catching her prey, she loses her balance somewhat neglecting her daughter and ignoring acceptable police practices. Her "assistant" Tekun is fascinating in a sleazy way. Marcos M. Villatoro provides a strong tale starring a wonderful protagonist that will send readers seeking other works by the author especially starring Romilia (see HOME KILLINGS).

Harriet Klausner

I was looking for a book that covered motorcycle rides in No Ga and this is a great book for the Southern Applachians.

Great book, well written, easy to read, good humor.
Smart layout enables you to xerox the two facing pages to have a complete map and guide for each ride.
The reference section at the end of the book gives you phone number and other info for hotels, restaurants, dealerships, chamber of commerce, etc.; very convenient.

Highly recommended.

I first read about this book in an article in the Atlanta Journal/Constitution and had to buy a copy. It was a little hard to find. After reading and taking in many of the adventures listed in the book by Hawk Hagebak, I must say that it is the most insightful and intelligent Motorcycle Guidebook I've ever read. The author uses his experience as a former motorcycle cop to give practical (and humorous!) advice for everything between avoiding a ticket to handling a breakdown. He's really funny! The book is broken into 20+ chapters, each chapter is a ride. The rides include restaurant recommmendations, road descriptions, a map and often some interesting information about the area. My favorite quote from the book is on page 9 where the author is telling the reader how to embellish a "road lie". "I was riding Mile High and the abominable snowman came out of one of the scenic overlooks and chased me all the way into Robbinsville!" The author continues, "Lesson learned? Other than the obvious hazard of a slick road, there's an abominable snowman to contend with, and who wants that?" Another funny quote is in Ridge and Valley Chapter. That ride cuts through a town named, "Sublinga". The author pokes fun at the name by saying, "No, not the medical word- Doctor, my Sublinga is swollen!" The maps are great and they're next to written directions to the right of the maps. I found the rides easy to find and easy to follow. He even includes the mileage from point to point (you can reset your odometer at the start of the ride to keep up with the map mileage). If you are new to the area or have been living in the region for several years (myself for 7 years). I thought I knew all the mountain roads, I do know a lot of them, but not with the detail provided in the book. Very handy, if only the area for the book were larger..... Maybe he will put out another motorcycle guide book? A great buy, even if you are not a biker like me. Just stick your head out the window to act like you're on a bike.... Enjoy...I sure did.

This is a great book for planning trips on a motorcycle or a car. The descriptions are detailed and there are bonuses listing restaurants and gas stations. The author goes into a lot of detail about each route. My only complaint is the book is a little thin for $15.00. There is a second book for the rest of North Carolina. It would have been better to combine the two books for $20 - $25. Don't let this comment keep you from getting the books though. The author does a great job.

Great book! Barbara is going to sign a copy and donate it for the MS Quilt Show and fundraiser in May. I think it will be a popular item!

This book reminds me of "Fried Green Tomatoes" coupled with a side order of murder.

The author, a quilting enthusiast, has populated her mythical, evocatively-described Tennessee town of Silersville with a crazy quilt of well-drawn, quirky characters.

As the title implies, there has been a venomous and lethal attack by snakes unleashed on the victim. This sparks a sleuthing effort by the genial, long-suffering, Tum-popping sheriff who, along with his quilting impresario wife, inhabit an island of normalcy in a town of slightly off-kilter but likable folks. And, much like a quilting bee, it seems that each one of them has a scrap of information to contribute that may or may not lead to the perpetrator.

I enjoyed the book immensely and look forward to a return visit to Silersville.

A word of comfort to anyone freaked out by snakes: if you've made it this far, you can read and enjoy this book!

This novel has plenty of twists and turns and it kept me guessing. The main story line flows well and there are quirky and funny sub-plots that really round it out. Graham has included pattern clues for a mystery quilt as an added bonus for quilters.

When I finished this mystery, I wanted more. I hope Graham will come out with subsequent books about Tony, a sheriff in fictional Silersville TN; and his wife Theo, an avid quilter. The characters are extremely well drawn and developed, giving this reader crystal clear mental images of all the players. The 'bad guys' are especially despicable or repugnant, yet the author shows this without going into descriptions or language that itself might be offensive - she strikes the perfect balance; at the same time she avoids slipping into stereotypes. The book also provides a distinct sense of place, as Graham's descriptions of the Smoky Mountains area rings true.

Sheriff Tony Abernathy left the big city to move to the small Eastern Tennessee town of Silervsille in Park County; a place where serious crime just never takes place. That is until now. Tony is called to the parking lot of Ruby's Café where he finds the bloated body of a man handcuffed to the steering wheel with a rattlesnake and a copperhead loose inside the vehicle. A driver's license identifies the victim as John Mize, who is a shirttail relation to local Quentin Mize, a part-time resident of Tony's jail.

The victim turns out not to be a choir boy having a record as long as the nearby mountains. John also preached at an abandoned motel; insisting he found Jesus in prison. He used snakes to affirm his faith in the Lord. However, Tony finds the cages contain false bottoms filled with Oxycontin and plenty of money. He also believes that the deceased is really Harold Usher Brown, John's cellmate in prison, who had a connection with Ruby; now that he is dead she believes she will never know the location of what he took from her. This not the only homicide Tony investigates; body parts have been all over town making identification extremely difficult. Tony knows the eccentric townsfolk break the law all the time, but their crimes are so minor law enforcement doesn't even blink, just ignores them for the most part. However, someone has turned to MURDER BY SERPENT and more but who remains a mystery.

Anyone who enjoys reading a different kind of police procedural will appreciate this fine regional murder mystery filled with quirky characters like a man in love with a vending machine and the mom and aunt of the protagonist driving him crazy with their secrets. The cast makes MURDER BY SERPENT entertaining besides those already mentioned; there is the hero's wife ready to help him because she worries about him getting hurt; her quilters ready to stitch the clues together at her command, and the deputy who compromises crime scenes by puking. Barbara Graham provides an entertaining Tennessee tale with one question not answered - any ties to Johnny "the Big Cat" Mize?

Harriet Klausner

In the Introduction to Natural Histories: Stories from the Tennessee Valley, the author describes it as "The collision of human and natural history." It is that and much more. It is an in depth study of complex interactions between humans and nature and an examination of historical, political, and cultural relationships with our shared world.

Like the author, I am one of the fortunate few to have grown up with the Great Smokies as my playground. This book puts words to my feelings when I focus on the wonders outside my window. For example, in relating a sighting of wild turkeys he describes the day as "...a blue-sky, somewhat crisp day in late autumn. The gold- and melon-colored leaves that still clung to the trees made the scene feel festive." And he notes the wild turkeys as, "...most assuredly elegant." While relating a springtime walk through the woods he informs us; "April is the month of rebirth and homecoming, of celebration and white-hot yearning. Migratory bird song filled the trees, and woodland wildflowers carpeted the hillsides."

His love of wildlife and nature shines through brilliantly in this book. He writes with a personal perspective about the returning numbers of almost-lost beaver, gray bats, darters, wild turkey, freshwater mussels, river cane and bald eagles. He also writes about the once plentiful passenger pigeon and Carolina parakeet, birds that won't be coming back.

His subjects are well researched and the book is filled with valuable information, not only about the wildlife but about the people throughout history who have had both negative and positive effects on it. His references range from Thoreau to the Cherokee warrior chief Oconostota to JRR Tolkien. His heroes are those "people who have dedicated their lives to restoring a balance to the biodiversity--variety of life--found here," and he introduces quite a few of them to us, his readers.

The illustrations throughout the book and the cover art were also created by the author, making the book both a captivating read and truly a visual treat. I urge you to read it yourself and discover an often humorous, kind, and caring voice for our environment.

Perhaps my favorite quote is found in the chapter on pawpaws. (Although it's difficult to pick only one) Lyn calls it his "Doctrine of the Reassuring Constant":

"It is somehow calming to know that in a rapidly changing world, no matter what mean-spirited things we do to ourselves or to nature itself, somehow, some things do remain comfortably constant."

Remarkable storytelling, intriguing in its natural and historical detail and as lyrical as any volume of poetry, that's how I would describe Stephen Lyn Bales book, Natural Histories: Stories from the Tennessee Valley. No matter where you live, you will enjoy this reading excursion, a trek through time that reveals not only surprising evolutions in human culture and attitudes, but the intriguing role that plants and animals have played in our culture's history. At the same time, you will encounter fascinating facts about species development and behavior and feel a sense of wonder that any species has survived the trials of man and time.

Equal to the historic and natural accounts within its pages, each chapter is crafted with a sensual and poetic language that captivates the reader. Stephen Lyn Bales is an expert story teller. He invites you to join him as he stands pink-cheeked in the snow watching flittering chickadees, savors the golden custard of the Pawpaw fruit, slugs through the rain to find an historic Osage Orange and pauses among tall meadow grasses to enjoy the trill of a toad.

Of the toad's song he writes: "No Gregorian chant ever quavered by a Benedictine monk is as serenely pure and life affirming. Its ethereal sound, some would say, is not of this world; it seeps into our consciousness like the wispy fingers of a long-ago dream."
It is this personal and lyrical aspect of his writing that takes you on an entirely different journey, one that brings the experience to your senses, provides an intimate connection to the species and instills a deep desire to know, revere and protect that which is both ordinary and precious in our natural world.

As you read you will also encounter a provocative depth and reverence that is skillfully interwoven into Bales' writings. In response to a Bald eagle in flight, he writes: "Only on rare occasions do we get to look into the heart of absolute splendor and know its naked truth--that nature is dynamic and resilient, a swirl of starts and stops and tenacious rebirths and, by all means, as fluid and swift and ever changing as the river that flows past my Tennessee Valley home."

Whether you chose to read this book from cover to cover or one random chapter at a time, Natural Histories will both delight your senses and give you reason to pause and reflect. At the same time, you will be hard pressed to resist an urge to get outside, no matter what the season, and experience more of our natural world.

I learned so much from this book. The author writes about common plants and animals in the Tennessee Valley, and manages to make the everyday, overlooked life here fascinating. Frankly, I never imagined myself reading and enjoying a chapter on mussels, but I did. So you don't have to be a naturalist to enjoy this. In fact, I loaned my copy to my mother who never reads nonfiction and she loved it.
Some things I learned:
* The vote of Tennessee schoolchildren instilled the passionflower as the state flower. Garden clubs weren't enthusiastic and insisted on the iris. Eventually, after much debate, Tennessee ended up with two state flowers--the iris as the cultivated flower and the passionflower as the wildflower, making it the only state to have that distinction.
* Counterfeit trade in possum furs helped bring about the downfall of the state of Franklin. People used furs as money and it didn't take some scurrilous types long to figure out a way to make possum skins look like raccoon skins, causing the financial system to collapse.
*Sycamores were known as "Liberty trees" because some were so large (and hollow) that they made perfect secret meeting places to plot against the British during the Revolutionary War.
There is so much more. Stories about places like the Native American village of Choto, the life cycle of cicadas and what they taste like, the little extra note in the song of the chickadee that tells the other chickadees around all they need to know. Lots of information about the first settlers, the early explorers to the area and the Native Americans they met here.
A good, worthwhile read. Well-written and accessible. Interesting. Great for those interested in history and nature. Will make you look at that chickadee at your feeder with a new appreciation.

Natural Histories: Stories from the Tennessee Valley is a fabulous trip through the lush and diverse Tennessee Valley. Each of the book's 16 chapters focuses on the life histories of key animal or plant species found in the region as well as their historical connections to the valley. No rock, literal or metaphoric, is left unturned as the author takes us up and down the valley to discover the natural wonder and beauty of the Carolina chickadee, wild turkey, opossum, whip-poor-will, cicada, bald eagle, sycamore, pawpaw and many more.

This book is simply a joy to read. The captivating writing style really kicks in when nature intersects with thought-provoking episodes throughout Tennessee history. How did the Osage orange play a part in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War? How did a two-inch fish, the snail darter, almost bring the Tennessee Valley Authority' ambitious reservoir project to its knees? What is the connection between the opossum and the Lost State of Franklin? The author answers all of these questions with panache as he takes the reader on a time-traveling trip through the distant past as well as the present.


The History Channel is often fond of saying that its programs "bring the past alive." In "Natural Histories" Bales does just that and teaches us about the subtleties of nature at the same time. Rounding out the book is a charming selection of line drawings by the author himself. I heartily recommend this book!