Kentucky Books

After my first trip through one of the sections of Mammoth Cave, I was addicted to this world. My husband turned me on to this man, Floyd Collins, who I have never heard of. We both bought a book from the park store and I couldn't pull myself away from this one. As we drove for hours on our vacation, I would read multiple parts to my husband while he was driving. I couldn't fight the tears as I read so many parts of this book to him. I don't normally get consumed by movies or books, but this book and the story of Floyd Collins has left such an impact on me. It is inevitable the you will find yourself feeling trapped along with Floyd and find a warm level of love and respect for him as his days and conversations are described. I can't even begin to describe feeling as though I was right there beside Homer, Skeets and Johnnie with their dedication to saving this man. I wish there was a movie about this - not a documentary, but a movie. The drama, suspense, characters and events of this story are so realistic and R.K. Murray did a great job on this book.

Definitely a winner.

The best book I've ever read, period. Within the context of a rescue attempt of a Kentucky caver, the authors paint a revealing picture of America in the 1920's. From the glory seeking Louisville fireman to a journalist who won the nobel prize, this story is not to be missed. Just read the 1st five pages, up to the 1st line break, & you'll be hooked. I've never handed this book to anyone who wasn't totally enthralled w/ it.

O.K.- this genre of book is not my usual reading. However- Since seeing the play (musical) and buying the O.B.C. C.D, I had to know more. This fast paced book is highly readable, and contains wonderful but chilling insights into the farce that passed as a rescue attempt as well as many sidelights into the people and events of this tragedy. What had me literally on chair's edge was the author's move by move of his personal trip into the very cave that was to be Collins' first grave. A real nail biter! Buy this book, buy the C.D., and please see the show- you too will be hooked! Good stuff!!

Trapped! the story of Floyd Collins, is a very well written account of one of the first mass media coverages of an American Tragedy. The book itself flows very well and engrosses the reader in the details of the often heroic effort to save Collins who was trapped in a cave near Mammouth Cave in Kentucky. Murray and Brucker do an excellent job in discussing the noted personalities associated with the media frenzy that closely followed the efforts to save Collins. Also dealt with is the exploitation of the entire event by a number of self serving individuals. A great book for those interested in Kentucky History and a noteworthy work for those who prefer casual reading.

When asked about his earliest childhood memory, my late father would tell of his dad carrying him to his uncle's house to listen to radio news reports of the attempted rescue of Floyd Collins from a cave in nearby Kentucky. This book brings to life those events that captured the nation's attention in Jan.-Feb. 1925. Trapped is a well-written, well-documented account of the tragedy that occured in the central Kentucky hills and before watchful eyes of the nation. Its a gripping account that manages to capture the facts of the event, including great details of America's first modern media circus, while still attending to the many colorful characters who played a role in Collin's life, the rescue attempt, and the aftermath.

This book has an excellent history of BGLOS. While it was not exactly what I was looking for, I was looking for something more basic (ie, these are the organinations, these are their colors, etc) I'm glad that I picked this book as it's given me a more complete understanding.

This book is the resourceful literature on BGLO's and beyond ever written. It explores ancient significances and practices that, until now, were "secret!" It's a little more pricey than the rest, but DAMN, ITS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! If im lying, IM DEAD!

Good book for what its worth.

Not necessarily original in its approach nor is the writing spectacular in quality, but a worthy effort. However, the reviews given thus far ring slightly cult-like thus making the subject text be even more like propaganda.

Take for example a text authored by a Liberterian touting the triumphs and general good points of a political administration/era and its policies. Then, display positive reviews from other like-minded indiviguals. Right or wrong they believe in their world view, tactics and 'cultural' norms. No one would accept however that they give an unbiased opinion of the book and its subject matter. It is believed that the reviews presented thus far on this text are in the same vein. Biased and lacking the true objectivity that history/sociology/anthropology/the social sciences demand.

Speaking as a member of Omega Psi Phi (SP88), I know that my group is not perfect and neither are the others. This text presents an overall history that focuses on the positive for the most part without equally addressing what needs to be done to keep these organizations relevant, safe and non-elitist.

Also, the claim that "Africa" has been preserved and perpetuated in the rituals, public accounts, and service projects of BGLOs is a little far fetched. Yes, we can draw similarities to any 'tribal' group's rituals. The same things that are reported to be of African tradition can be found in the traditions of Native American groups in North and South America. Ask any real African (especially a scholar/ professor of African History from any of the various countries of West Africa) about your group's rituals and the possible relationship to "Mother Africa" and they will most likely laugh as these groups have been approximating at best or truly making it up at the worst as they go along post Emancipation Proclamation. But this can be further studied and confirmed at a good University Library or even at a facility like Moorland Spingarn reading room at Howard University.

If you are thinking of joining (pledging is illegal in BGLOs!)

1. Read this book, but make sure you also:

2. Learn and get your intended group's history directly from the National Offices of these great groups. Member's as well.

3. Intake is the law of the land. M.I.P.(Membership Intake Process. 'Skating' is a term of the past. Pledging, hazing and the like are all illegal [Note-I pledged under and above ground and hard. No one has to anymore. Anyone who tells you different is weak and a traitor to the rules/laws and spirit of the BGLO]. Each hazing incident places our organizations in jeopardy as each incident is a potential law suit. So, if hazed:

"Hazing" refers to any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. Go to stophazing.org for more.

Then sue our groups(they are worth millions ???,$$$,$$$.00) until the lesson is learned and all members and chapters conduct themselves with honor and live up to their potential.

4. Read the following to receive a more objective, perhaps not complete picture of BGLOs:

Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities by Walter M. Kimbrough

Black Haze: Violence, Sacrifice, and Manhood in Black Greek-Letter Fraternities (African American Studies) by Ricky L. Jones

Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking (Library Binding)
by Hank Nuwer

I plan to write a more in depth review at a later date but I must mention immediately how very impressed I was with "African American Fraternities And Sororities: The Legacy And The Vision." This is a hardcover book that I plan to keep in my family for years to come. The authors did great research for the book and it's very detailed. I'm pleased and impressed. One day I will write much more, but being that it's summer I am very busy. I did want to share with the world just how great I think this book is. It's worth every penny and then some.

Dorrie Williams-Wheeler
Webmaster SororitySister. net
Author of Be My Sorority Sister

This is the most extensive work I have ever read on Black Greek-Letter Organizations. There are other works out there, but this book has managed to capture the true essence of us and our significance. The contributors to this book touched on just about every topic imaginable, so to me, anyone from old-school greeks, to new-school ones can relate. The authors do an exceptional job of tracing the origins of BGLOs back to Africa with the customs, rituals, dances, etc. They also do a remarkable job explaining what issues were facing not only BGLO's, but black people in general at the time. There was some information in the book I already knew, but there was so much more that I never knew existed, and seeing it for the first time is indeed a blessing. There was so much knowledge gained from this book from start to finish, for one, because the authors did their research, and because they touched on issues rarely touched. It shows much of an influence BGLOs have and will continue to have in the future.

This remarkable book captures the oral histories of American Army and Navy nurses who served in the Pacific before and during WWII. With excerpts from illicit diaries, hour-by-hour accounts of shellings, and food allotments described in grams, the book brings these women's stories to modern readers.

It is hard to imagine. Many of these women did not know that war was coming to the Pacific when they signed up for their two-year tours of duty in 1941. The Philippines were a fun, exotic duty station, with parties and balls and outdoor activities. War caught most of them by surprise. And there they were, isolated on islands, giving care to their wounded and dying friends as little by little, the Japanese overran the country.

Subject to front-line war conditions -- including shelling -- and treating the wounded of enemy bombs and hand-to-hand combat, these women KNEW the soldiers they were helping. These were their friends cut to pieces, infected with gangrene. And conditions kept worsening, as supply lines were cut and the front lines kept encroaching on military hospitals. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, tropical diseases, dysentary, fleas, rats, lack of medical supplies... these women grimly, bravely, knowingly endured it. Many were offered opportunities to flee the Philippines before their internment as POWs, but refused to leave the wounded they were tending.

After the American surrender, the nurses were interned in POW camps. At first, the Japanese allowed the black market to operate, and people could buy extra food and supplies (soap, razor blades, cigarrettes). But the Japanese were losing the war, and the Philippines had few to no supplies left. The black market ended. Starvation ensued.

The book retells the experience of these nurses: surviving years of war and imprisonment, knowing your fellow prisoners by name, saving their lives, and watching them die of starvation. Reduced to eating garbage, when it was available. Powerless to help, because they were themselves starving, too. Continuing to work despite fainting on the job, hand tremors, and failing eyesight due to malnutrition.

They were liberated hours before they could be killed by their captors as planned.

Returning home, freed at last, they were asked by the army and navy to refrain from mentioning their time as POWs. They were encouraged to become "ladylike" again.

So they did.

Extraordinary.

How fortunate we are to have this book, full of oral histories and eyewitness accounts, written while the memories were still alive.

Human endurance amazes me.

This is a good history of the nurses imprisoned at the start of World War II. I purchased this book and "We Band of Angels" at the same time They are both good books but tell almost the same story.

This is an intensely riveting book. The stories and flow make it seem like you are with the nurses. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in World War II, Nurses' tales or just a really great book to read!

While it is horrible how our nurses were treated as POWs, by this account they lived in relative safety and comfort compared to their male counterparts where many were killed for sport, used for medical experiments, etc. While the facts are shocking, they reinforce the story given me by a Swiss friend who was also interred by the Japanese in the Philippines. I found the book difficult to read not due to content but rather due to writing style.

I ordered this book for the story of the Guam nurses. I found it a very important addition to the history of military women, WWII in the Pacific and POWs. But I also found some basic factual errors in the part of the story I know something about; the invasion of Guam. Read this fascinating book for the personal stories and details of war/POW experiences, but check the military/historical details in other books. The writing is somewhat difficult to wade through and the appendices confused me. The titles of the tables imply that they cover all the women POWs written about, but (except for the listing of Guam nurses) they do not appear to include the Guam POWs. I finally decided that the one listing ages shows their age at release. (Some were surprisingly old - in their 50s, few in their 20s.) In all a very interesting topic that deserves wider recognition.

This book arrived on a Friday and I could not put it down until I finished it. It's a truly amazing story of determination, obsession and political intrigue.

One piece of helpful background information is that the Cave Research Foundation has had a monopoly on exploration within Mammoth Cave National Park for nearly fifty years. The CKKC held a virtual monopoly on the exploration of Roppel Cave. As these two large cave systems grew toward each other, it was inevitable that there would be a conflict of interests between the two organizations. While some reviewers have been disturbed by certain events in the book, the authors have been very up front about having done some things that they were not proud of later in the course of this intense competition.

The Caves Beyond and The Longest Cave tell the story of the explorations that took place between 1950 and 1972. The cave itself is the central player in these books. Beyond Mammoth Cave looks more deeply into the minds of the cavers involved and - for the first time - shows them warts and all. This made them more rather than less human and was a side effect of the drive and determination to the point of obsession needed to explore this great cave system. I highly recommend this book as a chronicle of real people involved in a real life adventure with both genuine heroics and significant missteps along the way.

Everyone who thinks cavers are crazy will be very happy to know that Jim
Borden and Roger Brucker prove it in their magnum opus BEYOND
MAMMOTH CAVE. In it Borden documents every complaint he ever had against
the elderly dictatorial rulers (I blush in embarrassed pride) of the Cave
Research Foundation and tells how he ran roughshod, young, and innocent
over the entire caving establishment to find a new cave--Roppel Cave--and
explore it. But then past-president of the Cave Research
Foundation and senior citizen Roger Brucker, exhibiting his wizardry in
conning deception, came slogging up a deep river in Mammoth Cave to make
THE BIG CONNECTION with Roppel Cave and thus incorporate Borden's baby into
the Mammoth Cave System. Borden squealed like a pig, but eventually made a
deal with Brucker, alienated half his friends in his rival organization, the
Central Kentucky Karst Coalition, and roared in from the Roppel side to
meet Brucker (they had their lieutenants with clubs along with them just in
case) and at the point of connection each held his nose with one hand and
shook the other's hand with his other hand, and then they roared on past
one another with the Roppel crowd exiting on the Mammoth side and the Mammoth
crowd exiting on the Roppel side (without guides) just to show the idiots
that they knew where the dreaded connection was all along.

Buy this great book. You won't be able to stop reading it once you
start, even if you want to (and many might).

Give this book to everyone who thinks people are idiots for going caving.
As I remark above, once they read it, no longer will they be in doubt.

Now if you really want to bomb people out, you should give them all three
volumes of the AMERICAN CLASSIC CAVE TRIOLOGY;

THE CAVES BEYOND by Joe Lawrence, Jr. & Roger W. Brucker
(St. Louis: Cave Books, 1975 in print), in which the
famous fruitless Floyd Collins' Crystal Cave Expedition
is documented. Sixty people spent a week underground
and discovered exactly 13 yards of new cave, but even
so, several of them got lost.

THE LONGEST CAVE by Roger W. Brucker and Richard A. Watson
(Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1987, in print)
in which strong men quail as wire muscled Patricia Crowther
squeezes through the Tight Spot to nail the connection of the
Flint Ridge Cave System to Mammoth Cave, and John Wilcox utters
those immortal words, "I see a tourist trail!"

BEYOND MAMMOTH CAVE by James D. Borden and Roger W. Brucker
(Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2000, in print).
Buy it now before the last remaining copies go to the shredders.

--Red Watson, past-president of the Cave Research Foundation
and co-author of THE LONGEST CAVE

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like adventure, you'll enjoy this book. At a time when it seems like we've discovered nearly everything about the world around us, this book helped me realize there are plenty of discoveries to be made right here in our own backyard.

I like the way the first chapter of the book describes the connection trip between Roppel cave and Mammoth cave, then the rest of the book takes you back to the beginning and steps you through the events which culminated in that connection... discovering new cave entrances... exploring passages which lead to vast new discoveries... pushing the limits of human endurance... and narrowly averting serious injuries.

I enjoyed reading the honest accounts of how these modern day adventurers looked for new cave entrances, then how they explored the caves they found. Don't wait! Buy this book now!

This book arrived on a Friday and I could not put it down until I finished it. It's a truly amazing story of determination, obsession and political intrigue.

One piece of helpful background information is that the Cave Research Foundation has had a monopoly on exploration within Mammoth Cave National Park for nearly fifty years. The CKKC held a virtual monopoly on the exploration of Roppel Cave. As these two large cave systems grew toward each other, it was inevitable that there would be a conflict of interests between the two organizations. While some reviewers have been disturbed by certain events in the book, the authors have been very up front about having done some things that they were not proud of later in the course of this intense competition.

The Caves Beyond and The Longest Cave tell the story of the explorations that took place between 1950 and 1972. The cave itself is the central player in these books. Beyond Mammoth Cave looks more deeply into the minds of the cavers involved and - for the first time - shows them warts and all. This made them more rather than less human and was a side effect of the drive and determination to the point of obsession needed to explore this great cave system. I highly recommend this book as a chronicle of real people involved in a real life adventure with both genuine heroics and significant missteps along the way.

The book is a well-written page turner written in an informal and approachable style. The two authors, who experienced much of the story first-hand, achieve an exciting dynamic by alternating chapters back and forth; each chapter dealing with similar events and topics but from the distinct perspectives of the two authors. Some may criticize the opinionated tone, but I think few will disagree that it is poignant and clear. The book is important because it will have general appeal and edification to the caver populace, most of whom are recreational-cavers not involved in project-surveying. Hopefully it will create empathy and understanding of the project caver experience among the general caver community. Moreover the book may, as much as is tenable, make caving vicariously comprehensible to non-cavers. The authors have accurately portrayed the ingloriousness of caving and avoided romanticizing caving to noncavers. The book honestly portrays the frequently unbalanced mixture of hardships, and joys that go into long-term project caving: the personal conflicts, the bouts of frustration, the physical exhaustion, the incredible ego-inflation, the tedious agonizing work of surveying, the costs to other aspects of the caver's life, work, and relationships, and the occasional elation of an accomplishment. The book strikes a balance between humility and open-mindedness. There is recognition that project-caving, in the grand scheme of human-experience, is irrational and insignificant. At the same time, the book does not short-change the power of the personal experience of obsession with project-surveying, and the potential significance of this liminal experience as a study in the best and worst in human nature.

Crystal Wilkinson's first collection of short stories is a feast for the senses, with imagery that lingers long after the stories end, and rich, finely drawn characters that invite you in to commune with the sisterhood that is black women, bringing to mind a kitchen filled with the tales of women's lives told as garden fresh vegetables cook on the stove. I will recommend this rising star to everyone I know!

Blackberries, Blackberries is a beautifully written collection of short stories that manage to bring both laughter and tears to the reader as awareness of the realness of the stories captures the heart and mind. The stories explore mother-daughter relationships, love, soul searching, desire, loss, servitude, adultery, violence, and always the struggle to know one's self through characters that leap off the page immersing the reader in their daily lives. Wilkinson's use of vernacular and descriptions provide a taste of Kentucky that is all at once welcoming, unique, refreshing, familiar, provocative, comforting and honest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of short stories. Wilkinson has a great country dialect and appeal. She reminds me a great deal of another great short story writer, by the name of J. California Cooper. Her characters were real and compelling. Her first literary effort was great and definitely outstanding.

Ms. Wilkinson gave me the understanding and inspiration to complete my own work...hats off to this great author. I will forever cherish this book and I anxiously await her next project.

This collection of short stories is told in a wonderful voice that sounds both black and Appalachian, which is no surprise as the stories are set in small town Kentucky with mostly African American characters. There are some real knock-out stories including "Waiting for the Reaper" about how a woman's life is colored by how she's always expecting/wanting to die and be with her loved ones. "Peace of Mind" is a monologue during one afternoon while a woman tries to have some time to herself and gets called by her ex husband and her kids and camp at her best friend while her lemonade melts; "Tipping the Scales" is a novel-in-miniature.

'The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice' is a phrase that is certainly applicable to the nectar that flows from Blackberries, Blackberries.

The short stories of this succulent read are rich, sweet and satisfying. Though the tales are short, they last forever in your memory. After each bite, you'll find yourself saying, "aahhh", "mmm", and other expressions that signify that your appetite has been quenched.

Blackberries, Blackberries is a collection of short stories of beautiful Black, southern women whose ages range from 8-80. Each woman is as uniqe as the tale she serves readers. The stories are creatively seasoned with wisdom, humor, romance, and other flavors that awaken your senses. Wilkinson arrests your attention with vivid scenes, animate characters, soothing sounds and tantilizing scents that will have you going back for 'second helpings'. Don't panic when the images leap from the pages; they are designed to make you feel at home in Kentucky.

Some of the delicacies that had me returning for seconds include: "The Awakening", "Chocolate Divine", "Mine", "Women's Secrets", "Tipping the Scales", "The Wonderer", and "Need". Wilkinson has prepared a delicious feast of stories, and there is plenty for everyone. No sharing please!

I had read a hard copy of this book, borrowed from the library, several years ago. The pictorial section was not as complete as the original and I suspect other portions may have been left out also. The reason I purchased this book was to get one of the pictures I saw in the hard copy and it wasn't there.

Mr. Ardery lays out an excellent recounting of his WWII experience is a frank, open style. I enjoyed this book very much.

Ardery's account of his life as a B-24 pilot is excellent. From all the training it took to simply get into the planes, to combat in the skies over the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, Ardery's account is an even-handed account of what a bomber pilot's life was like.

The chapter about Ploesti is especially fascinating. James Dugan and Carrol Stewart used Ardery as a source for their book on the subject, and the details of Ardery's part in the raid offer some really interesting stuff. Especially intruiging is the background and fate of Medal of Honor winner Lloyd Hughes, who was flying on Ardery's wing when when he perished.

This book is really good stuff; Steven Ambrose's "Wild Blue" pales in comparison. Ardery doesn't place himself on a hero pedestal, he merely tells of his experiences in a very interesting and easy-to-digest style.

The cover of Bomber Pilot displays a photograph of a Liberator skimming the ground on a low level attack on the Ploesti raid. This photograph alone makes you want to reach out to grab Bomber Pilot assured that you will have an exciting read. And you won't be disappointed. Pilot Phil Ardery won a Silver Star, two DFCs, four Air Medals and the French Croix de Guerre with palm. He didn't get those sitting around some Officers' Club.

He flew 24s on missions ranging from icy Norway to baking North Africa. Some Eighth Air Force crews were detached to Libya to join in the fight to drive the Axis from Bengasi, Tripoli and all of the Mediterranean. You'll be able to compare bombing in hot and dusty Libya and lurching through the Norwegian sky trying to find any identifiable landmark.

Ardery flew missions to eastern Mediterranean islands. He says when he was stationed in Bengasi with Ninth Bomber Command there was no Protestant Chaplain and no Jewish one but there was a remarkable Catholic chaplain who was capable of conducting services for Jewish personnel. Ardery, a Protestant, notes that Fr. Beck could conduct a Jewish funeral with perfect form and dignity. He never missed an opportunity to give all possible aid and comfort to the Protestant boys. He never pushed his religion on any of them.

Fr. Beck actually flew on combat missions from time to time . Crews thought it was lucky to have him aboard. One day the Group Commander found out and grounded him. He apparently feared having to explain what the chaplain was doing up in the air if he got wounded, taken prisoner or shot out of the sky.

Read this book. My library got it for me which means most Massachusetts's libraries should be able to get it for you. Ardery, who later became a successful attorney, will take you on raids as far north as Oslo as well as deep into Naziland. He describes the buzz bombing of London, flying over the D-Day beaches, the courage of the British civilians. He dedicates this book to the officers and men of the 564th Bomb Squadron, the 389th Bomb Group and the Second Combat Wing. Do these outfits sound familiar to any of you? Bet they do!

Mr. Ardery has written a superb account of an Army Air Corps pilot's experience starting from his days as a "cadet" training at Randolph and Kelly Fields in Texas through his combat experience flying B-24s from North Africa and England. His narrative illustrates that the threat of injury or death was constant for every member of the crew and that either was just as likely to happen whether one was in training, flying through flak, trying to avoid German fighters or avoiding mid-air collisons while flying in tight formation with your squadron mates. Readers will have an excellent idea of what our airmen endured during World War II.

I picked up this book in a grocery store on my lunch break, just needing something to pass the time. I did not expect much from this story, but upon cracking the spine, I almost immediately dove into the story- finding myself fifteen minutes late back from lunch because I just couldn't put the book down. I then found myself stealing away five minutes here and there, and when I got home, I finished the story in one remaining sitting. It was not a "grab you by the seat of your pants" kind of story, but it was one that you did not want to stop journeying along with.
Both main characters, the mom and the 14 year old daughter, are struggling women trying to get over the loss of their husband/father when he walks out of their lives to live DOWN THE ROAD with a new beautician. Though one would expect the author to center the story around the bitter anger toward the cheating husband, Janna McMahan weaves together a beautiful story, like poetry, and pulls in strong co-staring characters. The daugher's first boyfriend, whom I personally fell in love with; the southern- gossipy type neighbors; the new romantic interests in the mother's life; and yes, even the husband gets a part in the story and I don't hate him as much.
This was a wonferful story and I definitely cried at the end with bittersweet tears- and I'll admit I was ANGRY at the daughter for her decision!!! But was well worth the trip to the grocery store, as well as the angry words spewing from my boss' mouth that one day.
Great read- very much enjoyed.

What a wonderful novel! Very rich descriptive characters keep your interest....you wont want to put it down. A book you will want to read!

Enjoyable to read a novel set in Kentucky! This book gets better and better as you go along. It is a real page turner the last half of the book!

What an enthralling new book by a hot, young writer!
Be careful when you start the book, because it is hard to put down. You will want to learn what the characters will do next!

Can't wait to read her next book!
MLF

The opening chapter of "Calling Home" is a grabber. Right from the start, Virginia Lemmons shows us what she's made of. Like the lone Wild West scout in the desert, she confronts the reality of the gangrenous wound threatening to kill her and lances it despite fear of the pain.

Wondering how the events of the book will affect this central character kept me turning the pages of this complex narrative of a family in central Kentucky during the 1970s. The other characters -- her children, her cheating husband, her vaguely involved boyfriend -- seem to bounce off Virginia's tough, resilient hide as she bears up, holding things together through a series of some of life's hardest blows.

Shannon, Virginia's teenaged daughter, seems oblivious to the pain swirling through her family. The reality of it, however, lurks in her peripheral vision, muffling joy as well as pain and limiting her ability to read potential danger. In her concentration on daily events and the framework of her teenage life - grades, boy friends, girl friends - Shannon seems her mother's daughter. All in all, this young woman seems a true representation of a good girl trying to survive a dysfunctional upbringing.

As other reviewers have stated, "Calling Home" demonstrates the author's considerable skill at exposition. Some of the sections on processes - curing tobacco, taxidermy, etc. - could be the beginnings of how-to manuals, so thorough are they. In contrast, her descriptions of tragic events seem somewhat detached, perhaps deliberately echoing her characters' self-protection mechanisms.

The resolution of the bad season of the Lemmons family is the most satisfying part of the book. Virginia finally realizes that what she thought was weakness may be not only her greatest strength but the only way to begin the healing the family so desperately needs. The freedom she finds by at last giving herself permission to feel brings the whole family into a place of new peace and hope. At the end, we leave the Lemmons family expecting that they will survive, maybe even triumph.

I gave "Calling Home" four stars instead of five because I would have liked the first part of the book and the last to be more equal in length and because of McMahan's tendency to embed otherwise excellent prose.

The strength of "Calling Home" is in the personalities McMahan has created. Very real ordinary people, stilted by their culture, repressed by trauma, and devastated by loss, struggle to survive and find a new way to live. The Lemmons family is very easy to root for. This is a book about a family that you won't soon forget.

Brandilyn Collins explores broken hearts, betrayal and bitterness through the emotional screen of hunger for parental love and affirmation. A tale of consuming grief that seems to have no remedy, Celia tests God's limits to repair gaping wounds down through generations of mothers/daughters and fathers/sons. A gripping read.

I've read other Brandilyn Collins books, but this one stands out as my favorite. Known for suspense, Collins takes a detour in this novel, exposing the emotions of two women in a tug-of-war of love and conflict. Family ties are not always neatly woven in real life, and Collins unravels the past and the present stories of a mom and a daughter who love fiercely, but struggle to let go of childhood hurts.

This book is an easy read, but the main character's personality surprised me. The author is obviously Christian, as the theme is recurrent throughout the book. The protagonist constantly comes back to the fact that she must repair her faith, but she is so selfish it's hard to get past it. I found the suspense factor was good, keeping me riveted to the end. I just had to find out what the end result was - a nice surprise at the end when it all came together. I had a really hard time with the characteristics of someone being portrayed as being so selfish and narrow-minded. Just my own opinion.

Good book, but it doesn't have a lot of action or suspense. I like a book I can't put down. This deals a lot with peoples emotions, which is also good.

Color the Sidewalk For Me is about a woman, Celia, who returns home after a 17 year absence to nurse her father back to health after having a stroke. She struggles through her tumultous relationship with her mother and unresolved feelings for the love of her life, Danny.

This book was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. The way the author wrote the romance and the love between Celia and Danny made me ache and root for this couple. This couple clearly loved each other very much.

I liked how Collins used the past/present sections of the book. Some authors lump the past in with the present in a chapter, and it becomes confusing to read. But the way this author wrote about the past was excellent, giving us a good foundation of the problems between Celia and her mother, and what went wrong between Danny and Celia.

I loved how Collins brought in the characters from Book 1 of the Bradleyville series. Jessie and Lee had gotten married, Mrs. B was portrayed as a nosy busybody, and she continued the "feud" between Jake and Thomas. That feud added humor into a book with so many serious overtones.

The character development was wonderful. The characters weren't goody-goody characters like in some Christian books, but are real people with flaws, hurts, etc. From this book, I had a good idea of why Estelle was so coldhearted at times and why Celia led such a lonely existence.

And the Christian theme came out really good, about turning your eyes towards Jesus and not letting the past destroy you. There was also the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation.

I can't wait until I read the next book in the Bradleyville series. I know that the focus of the book will be on another group of characters, but I am hoping to find that Celia and Danny have worked things out and gotten married.

I am a genealogist that have family that came to central Kentucky from Clay County, Kentucky. I also made sure growing up, that the one article that I did not fail to read in the daily Louisville Courier Journal, was John Ed Pearce's article.
Most only know about the Hatfield-McCoy feud and do not realize that there were larger and more deadlier feuds. John Ed Pearce is the first writer of the feuds that allowed me to grasp the connection between the 100 years war in Clay County, and its negative effect on the social and economic development in this area, and why so many people migrated away from this area for better (and safer) opportunities to raise their families. Contrary to another reviewer, John Ed does an excellant job of weaving his storytelling skills with the research and oral interviews that he conducted for this subject and does not perpetuate but reports the facts of this era, whether you like the facts or not...they existed. When people are afraid to have a light on after dark in town for fear of someone shooting through the window, some sterotypes are reality. The hillbilly stereotypes were developed and perpetuated by the media, and is acknowledged by Mr. Pearce, and credited in photos that were staged of the Hatfield-McCoy feudists that were staged by a magazine photographer of the era. The interviews that he conducted personally would have never come to light if it had not been for Mr. Pearce and some of those he interviewed may have already passed. I am thankful that he had the contacts to find these interesting individuals and put down their story on paper.
I had the pleasure and honor to have a brief e-mail correspondance with Mr. Pearce during his retirement in Florida before he died, about some topics of interest to me in his book. One was about whether he had ran across any of my family line in his research, and the other was about Big Jim Howard. He wrote back: "No, I cant recall any mention of the Reams or Burdettes in my research for the Clay County feud. But I had few records to go on; most of what I used I got from word of mouth, plus a lot of newspaper accounts, especially the Hazel Green Herald, Cincinnati Post, Courier-Journal and files at the Filson Club and Historical Society, plus a few at the University of Kentucky library. Perhaps I encountered someof your people,. but didn't use them in the account and so lost memory of them. I wish I could help." He also responded in another e-mail that unfortunately had not found any other information on Big Jom Howard. He confided that he did not expect that we would ever know the full story of whether or not Big Jim shot the governor or not.
I read of his passing in the Louisville Courier Journal with great sadness. As I read the accolades of those recounting his many accomphishments, I thought to myself that his greatest accomplishment to me was his ablility in his writings to touch the average Kentuckian on their level, and this was no less typified in his taking the time to answer the questions of someone who had read his book and was left wanting to know more. If you are interested in the overall view of the feuds in Kentucky and their impact on the social and economic climate of the time, and how they impacted the migration into other areas of the state, you will want this volume in your collection. I have referred to it many times.

The book arrived, when I was told it would, in perfect condition, and exactly what I'd wanted.

This is a very compelling, honest look at the history of the Feuds that took place in Kentucky.Very well written and should be read by every person interested in State History.The names have not been changed and this book makes the area come alive, for good or bad.

I purchased this book, since it contained information about my Mother's family. It was interesting to read about this part of my family history, since we did not get a lot of information from her mother or grandfather. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the feudal aspects of Eastern Kentucky, and the different dynamics that took place.

Mr. Pearce totally brushes aside recent historical research, sticking with the same stereotypes that he claims to dispel. He does not put the feuds into their historical or social context, and does not seem to do a very good job of analyzing the biases of the sources he found. I wrote a paper on the stereotypes that came out of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, and found this book quite helpful in displaying that the stereotypes still exist.

This book is about a truly remarkable woman. I have never known anyone so devoted to God, family and friends. She loved so many people and so many people loved her. The last year of her life she spent in a nursing home and although she couldn't talk (intelligibly) or move very much she had visitors all day every day. You don't receive that kind of love and devotion unless you have spent your life demonstrating that love to others. I know I am biased because I knew her very well but she has taught me so much about a life well spent. I recommend this book to keep her memory alive.

Kentucky Woman certainly seems to epitomize Roosevelt's famous quote. This book is so historically real that you sweat when reading about the summer days. I couldn't help but appreciate my carefree world compared to Viebie's and many times wondered just how many of my relatives she may have known due to geography and time. I enjoyed reading about a true Kentucky woman and the strength that she possessed. So many people today are so self-absorbed that life's lessons are lost but we could all learn something from Viebie.

Kentucky Woman, by Mary Ellen Klatte, really touched me. The book shares the life story of a strong, loving woman in a challenging time. It stirred up memories of my Grandmother, a kentucky woman born just 4 years before Viebie and from a nearby place. References to such things as apple butter, custard pie and sun-bonnet girl quilts brought back vivid scenes from my childhood experiences with my Grandmother. Even the slang terms made me smile as I remembered my Grandmother calling me "fleshy" when I put on a few pounds. Viebie's life is a testament to determination, love and making the most of your life. I highly recommend this book. It is a love story but also a keen reminder of another time and place, so different from today.

Although I thouhgi that I would only read a few pages, I was captivated by this book and didn't put it down until I finished it. Her picture on the back cover of the book reflects much of the great humor, pride, and positive nature of this fine woman. It was with great interst that I read of her life, and as a historian I am always interested to read and reflect on the lives of people who have made a contribution to their country and their community. So often people are only interested in the biography of the rich and famous, and they tend to forget the dogged hard work, perserverance and love that comes from the so called "common folks." Certainly Viebie was not the common folks, for within her determination and self sacrifice without complaint we see the real family values and real profiles in courage. Our young folks tend to think that all the modern conveniences have always been in the United States. They tend to forget that much of America was small and provincial and that gratification and desires were not instantly met and that great sacrifice was often the life of many before us. The life of Viebie Catron Cantrell is inspirational, in that it tells us of the spirit of a well reflected life, in her hopes and dreams of her community and her family told in letters and sweet poetry. We see here the small trials and tribulations of a young woman undergoing her daily tasks of getting an education, teaching, experiencing the hopes and despairs of everyday life, and seeing through her eyes the hard times of the 1930's, and her special courtship through her letters and reflections. Many of the colloquial expressions are also very interesting. This book is a fast and fun account of a proud woman and her family, and it was a joy to read despite the sad times that were met with this uncomplaining God fearing woman.

Let me start this review by saying that I am completely biased. This book is about my grandmother. This book is a wonderful depiction of her life and shows what a strong Christian woman she was. The chapter about the courtship between her and my grandfather is the best in the book. Since he died when my father was very young, I learned things about him through reading this book that I ever knew before. A very quick read, with some great pictures and some of the best poems my grandmother wrote included.