Kentucky Books

Having grown up in a neighboring community and being acquainted with Clyde Roy Pack, I find it a great pleasure to read this account of his experiences. He is truly a nice person from another era (but younger than I).

A wonderful book that reminded me of my own childhood, growning up in a Coal Camp in Virginia called Seaboard in the fifties and sixties. Much of the same things that Mr. Pack did as a child I have done also. It's so good to relive the memories.

Having grown up in Paintsville, Kentucky, I took all the history for granted. Then, I moved and I began to miss my roots. Going "home" for Apple Day, I bought Mr. Pack's book and was not dissapointed. Having always looked forward to reading his articles in the Paintsville Hearld, I knew that this book would be everything I expected. What I didn't expect was to be able to talk to my parents, aunts, and uncles about things that Mr. Pack talked about. Not only did I get to learn things about my ancestory, I learned about my family, and spent many nights learning about my mom's family through her and my aunts.

Well, I have to start by saying that Mr. Pack was my grade school art teacher, my high school English teacher and one of my best friend's dad. All that aside, it is a gosh darn good book. Clyde is a skilled writer and his imagery is wonderful. The book gives a good picture of the period in Eastern Kentucky (based on what I've heard about that time from others) without being campy or stark. Ready for the pop quiz now, Mr. Pack.

Clyde Roy Pack's tale of days gone by shows life in a coal camp through the eyes of a young boy. This book sheds light on the positive effects of the people around him. It is very well written and entertaining. Muddy Branch will be impossible to read without laughing out loud a few times.

This book was one of my mother's favorites growing up. She had shared her copy with each of us kids, but wanted us to have our own to cherish. We had looked through every book store, 2nd hand store and antique store. How delighted I was to find enough books and in very good condition for all of us. It's a quick read and one that can be read over and over. It has a very sweet message and what a difference a child can make.

i had this little book on my shelf for some time now. earlier this year i heard that B. J. Hoff was on a roll again and this time her new book was in some ways related to the "penny whistle". Well........ i read it in a quiet cozy setting and boom........ its over but it really has so much more. I am glad to say she now has out a new book called Distant music, alot of the same characters in it too. great! hope to read this one soon
trudy

This is a wonderful little book with the message of love and hope!

This book was a great blessing to me as I walked with the characters in their personal struggles. It has a ring of real life experiences in the struggles culminating with real victories. A lot of truth is packed into this small book.

I laughed and cried with this book

This was too boring and dry for us. I am all for fiction for my children that has a moral purpose. We LOVE Thornton Burgess's animal stories, for example. But this sort of book is the type that I try to steer clear of. It's a bit too dumbed down for my children. The author has pounded his message to the point of overkill.

I love this book!!!! My second grade teacher read this book to my class and I remembered it after all these years so I bought it for my 11 year old daughter. She loved it too!!

This is something I remember reading as a grade-schooler and enjoying, as I have all of his books. Reading it again brought back some of this enjoyment. It is definitely more for young readers, though.

In "A Penny's Worth of Character" Jesse Stuart takes the reader back to a simpler time, when a boy could exchange used paper bags for a candy bar at the store. The message of the book is as old, that of honesty. Stuart skillfully illustrates the inner turmoil of a young boy who has been dishonest and how he makes it right. It's an excellent book for kids from 4th grade up and would make an excellent story to read aloud.

I remember reading, and rereading, this book as a child. Growing up in Kentucky, I can relate to the rural aspects of the book. The story is timeless and timely in the world today. Jesse Stuart will remain forever in my heart and the hearts of grown children everywhere who read his works an example of what goodness can come from writing for children.

A fine book, evoking a lot more than just thoughts of fiddles. It brings back a lot of memories. There's endless stories winding on late into the night and square dances at the fire station with bright lights and cake walks. It's playing rhythm guitar while sitting on the porch hypnotized by the "play of the fiddle", playing those simple little tunes over and over and over, breathing life into them till they break loose and come alive. Reading Jerry's book was like stumbling into an attic full of memories.

There's something hypnotic about the sound of a fiddle, and Jerry weaves his own spell. All those countless, nameless, fiddle players were drawn to it and just couldn't ever get away. Way back "up the holler". It seems like the devil got hold of them & wouldn't let go. It's like sitting around a campfire, deep in the woods, listening to the baying of the hounds and just wondering what's really out there. Lot's of mystery up in the mountains and those old fiddle players felt it and made it sing out. Jerry really loves his fiddle music, but I think he really loves the spell of the mountains even more. Seems to come out best in the sound of a fiddle, played on the front porch, all alone, nothing but that fiddle sound, a full moon, and the deep silence of the endless woods. That fiddle music just floats in the silence. The hills don't care, they just sit there, and the fiddler plays on, just hearing that sound, going on and on and on...

Yep, it's a pretty good tale.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Milnes provides good descriptions of the history and the cultural contexts for fiddling in West Virginia. He provides especially good descriptions of dances. My favorite part of the book dealt with some of the traditional beliefs and practices associated with fiddling. There are fascinating traditions that fiddlers continue to use, and there is a wealth of folklore associated with the instrument. Milnes also provides a fine history of dulcimer music in Appalachia, and his work provides a corrective perspective about this instrument as he challenges the degree of purism and perhaps "snootiness" that is associated with fiddling.

Gerry Milnes knows more about the tradtional music of West Virginia than probably any other writer on the subject.

This book presents a delightful look at the history of West Virginia fiddling, profiles of the players, and the culture in which this music thrived. It is well researched and presented in a very engaging style. Of particular interest to me were his profiles of some of the musical families of the state. In addition to his look at fiddlers, other folk music traditions are covered as well, including a look at the fretted dulcimer players and builders of the region. There are many helpful and interesting photographs as well.

Also recommended: "Fiddles, Snakes, & Dog Days," Milnes documentary film on the same subject which features the playing of many traditonal West Virginia musicians.

As a storyteller and passive folklorist I found this book to be extremely useful and well written. The work the author has done to trace the origins of lore is an incredible journey into the past and speaks clearly to the persistent little voices in my head that are always calling out- "Now how on earth did someone think that up." The book does much more than instruct the reader: It creates a whole new world around folk traditions that is as colorful and as engaging as any novel and as useful for understanding Appalachia as any history book.

Along with providing a good understanding of old-time fiddling in West Virginia, this book also provides a wider discussion of other forms of folk music within the state. Milnes's discussion of the various folk traditions associated with fiddling is really interesting to read. He has fine descriptions of house parties, square dance callers' patter, and a good variety of the folk beliefs associated with fiddle tunes. The chapter on the ballad of Naomi Wise is especially good, and I also appreciated the chance to learn more about the dulcimer tradition in the state. Prior to reading this book, I thought that the dulcimer was primarily a recently introduced instrument that became popular only with the 1950s and 60s folk music revival. Milnes broadens that view and demonstrates that there has been an interesting and rich tradition of dulcimer playing in the Appalachians.

The Smarty Jones story comes to life in this funny and informative book. I had ordered a copy for the holidays, and have now purchased another as a father's day gift. This is a new edition of the book, with bigger print, larger size, nice photos, and some new information. You will laugh, be amused, and just plain feel good as you read this book. It has lots of facts and quotes that make you feel like you were there for Smarty's ride to greatness. This is more than a horse humor book, it's a story that will make you say, "Smarty is one of us!" This is an excellent book for grown ups and kids who like to read. If you are looking for some prime summer reading to take to the beach or up in the mountains, this book will make your day.

Smarty Jones' story is not told in this book. Instead, you hear what Smarty thinks about all he's done from his own humorous point of view. I laughed at his technique and small jokes that made the book so loveable. Although, of course, the book is not written by Smarty, I appreciate the author's attempt and, I have to say, did a good job of it. This book is nothing serious. Although at numerous points it tries to be. This book is delightful to all readers, despite your association with horses or not. I have to say, this is the only book that makes you think for a moment you're in school and should be paying close attention. So, before you read this book, make sure you take out a notebook and pencil, fore, as Smarty says, "There will be a quiz at the end of the book". His is a fun ride, a pleasing class. Have fun, everyone.

This was a delightful read. It is light and funny, and very insightful in places. The author obviously had access to Smarty's connections, and so is able to give us a realistic glimpse into Smarty's daily life. There are some very cute photos too. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the print quality of the photos is very poor. It looks like they were reproduced on a xerox machine. Even so I still recommend this book for all Smarty Jones fans.

I am a fan of Horse racing but first and foremost a horse lover. I love to see them run and be free , the way they were meant to be. Over the years we have seen many great horses come and go and we were lucky enough in our lifetime to get to root for the ancestor of the Great champion , Secretariat , The one and only Smarty Jones, just the name brings a smile to my face. I'll never never forget the excitement of watching Smarty run his way to the top and into our hearts. I wanted Smarty to win the Triple Crown just as badly as anyone but when our wish didn't come true our heart's all felt the dissapointment. Smarty's loss taught us one thing , as long as you do your best, that is all that counts. Smarty made our blood pump as we watched him sweep the preakness and warmed our hearts when we realized just like the people we love sometimes we will be dissapointed by those we love but we love them anyway. Bob Merz's book brought it right back, except this time we get it straight from Smarty! his ride to the top , his brush with near death and his recovery. We see inside the soul of our hero Smarty Jones. The book is filled with great a great story line, easy to read for even kids and has lots of pictures of Smarty in all kinds of situations ( I love the bath ones!) what a beautiful,pampered boy he is! The book goes behind the scenes telling the inside sccop about the Chapman's, John Servis, Stewart Elliot and all the behind the scenes people like his groomer Mario who keeps him looking like a million bucks and made it all happen thru faith in Smarty and lots of hard work. I smiled as I fondly remembered the happiness and excitement Smarty brought into my life as well as the lives and hearts of America. If you love Smarty Jones and love to laugh, you will love this book!! All the Horse lovers should have one under their Christmas tree this year.

I read this book and then gave it to my 10 year old daughter. We both laughed. It's funny to read it as if it were coming from 'the horse's mouth."
It also has lots of inside stuff on Smarty Jones that wasn't in the press.
It's sort of like listening to a modern day Mr. Ed. Good pictures with funny captions too.

This was the first book I read about the Camino and it remains, more than a decade and 40 similar texts later, still one of the very best such. If one is to read a single straightforward journal account I can think of no better introduction to the subject.

For my recent compilation of pilgrimage quotations ("Ultreia! Onward! Progress of the Pilgrim") I read all 40 or so contemporary English journal accounts available about the various routes. Stanton's is clearly within the first grouping of 8 or so best such books (i.e. largely those written by established authors and/or academics). And Stanton is immensely quotable; indeed, with 20 such abstracted for my review volume Ultreia!, the Road of Stars to Santiago was the single most quoted text of all.

When I bought this book I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd already purchased a couple of pilgrim guides but was hungry for more readable material. This isn't a pilgrim guide but rather a sort of journal of the author's experiences on the Way of St. James.

For anyone interested in the Camino, hiking or just a well written yarn that's hard to put down, I give "Road of Stars to Santiago" two thumbs up!

This is a fascinating book, and will appeal both to those who love travel tales and those on a spiritual quest. No self-described holy man, the author is frank about doubting his faith and his ambivalence in making the pilgrimage. Yet you see throughout the book how the journey emptied then replinished him He draws vivid word pictures about the sights, smells and characters that he encounters. If you have a desire to drop out of the hustle and bustle of life to learn to listen to the great, glorious creation around you and the Creator above, then this book will make your feet itch to begin your personal pilgrimage. I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and was enriched by the reading. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This book is powerful in its simplicity. Stanton's journey is mundane, but from the people he meets and the sites he visits, we learn much about life and travel.Books on the pilgrimage are plenty now, but I would recommend this one for the everyday traveler taking the path.

This is a great book and is a very useful guide to the pilgrimage. It is hard to find, and Amazon is doing a great service in trying to provide it for pilgrims. However extracts from the book with very useful information can be found at the Telegraph Online London web site in the TRAVEL section. Look search under Yahoo for Telegraph Online and then Browse the many pages and articles on the pilgrimage found under the travel section. The book is fully reviewed in the newspapers's travel pages, the site has many useful useful facts about the pilgrimage including a FAQ

Helen Hemphill's RUNAROUND is the story of a girl trying to find her way to the world of adulthood. She doesn't have much help: her father is apparently grieving the death of his adored wife, her pretty older sister is too caught up in herself to pay much attention to the bratty pre-teen, and their housekeeper has her hands full. The well-named Sassy has learned that her sharp tongue (and her screaming skills) get results, and with few role models to show her other ways of navigating the perilous waters of adolescence, she relies on them and her fierce temper. It seems to work for a while, until she reveals her crush on local charmer Boon Chisholm to Boon himself.

Sassy reveals her hurt and vulnerable side despite herself, and the resolution satisfies the reader who has come to care for her. Hemphill avoids cliche and easy answers, making Sassy a character readers will understand and empathize with--even while being glad that they don't have to deal with her in real life!

Highly recommended.

Not since Carson McCullers MEMBER OF THE WEDDING, have I read a book that so accurately portrays that foggy zone between childhood and adolescence as well as Helen Hemphill's RUNAROUND. As I read about eleven year old Sassy, my own eleven year old self arose from the past and shouted "Yes!" I could feel my hair crinkle into a permanent "bad hair day", smell the Stridex pads that were a perpetual part of my teen years, and squirm with the discomfort of my first "young lady foundation garments." With on the brink of teenhood, Sassy views the teen years and the hoped-for-accompanying romance as a foreign land, whose customs and habits must be studied...by watching teens and reading her guide book, LOVE CONFESSIONS. Don't let the quick pace and page turning prose fool you into thinking that this is "junior chick lit." Searching for identity, revenge and the meaning of TRUE love, are all part of this compulsively readable book.

Sassy has a crush on Boon Chisholm. Sure, Sassy's much younger than Boon, and she's a big tomboy, and this is her first crush, but Sassy is very confident. She knows Boon loves her; she just has to help him figure it out. Then they can live happily ever after together, not to mention make Sassy's older sister, Lula, jealous. Unfortunately, Sassy doesn't know much about love. In fact, she knows pretty much nothing about love. So she'll just have to find out.

Sassy's mama died when she was a baby, so that's one less person to ask. Daddy hardly talks to her at all, so that's not an option. Miss Dallas, their nanny/housekeeper, is an old maid - what can she know about love? The only good source is Lula. Lula has a bunch of boyfriends, and plenty of kissing experience. Too bad they can't seem to keep from beating on each other long enough to have a real conversation.

Sassy might just have to figure this one out on her own.

Sassy's explorations of love and self are both painful and funny to experience. These are some hard things to learn, when no one seems to want to or be able to help. Sassy learns that love comes in lots of different forms and expressions. And sometimes, more often than anyone would like, love and heartbreak come hand in hand.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

Miss Dallas takes care of 11-year-old Sassy and her beautiful older sister Lula. She runs their household and is a sort of mother figure as their own mother died of cancer soon after Sassy was born, or so the family story goes.

Sassy reads 'Love Confessions' magazine. Her father is reserved and never talks about their mother so she questions Miss Dallas about romance and her parents' relationship. "You're in love with love," Miss Dallas tells her,and indeed, that is the heart of this jewel of a story.

Snips of advice and passages from Sassy's magazines begin many of the chapters. When Sassy encounters handsome Boon Chisholm at the grocery store she develops a head over heels crush on him even though he is much older than her and is from the wrong side of the social tracks.

There are some wonderfully funny and painful moments as Sassy and Lula learn about guys and life. You do not want to get into a haircut fight with these sisters.

Hemphill evokes the time, 1964, and place, Falls of Rough, Kentucky, beautifully. Cherry Cokes-to-go are served in paper cups, screen doors slam and Elvis sings on the record player. The details are part of the story and never forced. The cover art is an old Benday dot style, romance comic illustration.

Sassy and Lula, their father, Miss Dallas and even the feckless Boon are characters the reader cares about. In their own way all the players in this story are sorting out their lives and hoping for relationships that give meaning to life. (It is nice to see a story with a loving father too.)

I think middle schoolers will find much that resonates in this sweet sweet story.

Set in the 1960s, RUNAROUND is the story of Sassy, an aptly-named young girl growing up in Kentucky. Sassy's got a tendency to speak her mind, especially when fighting with her beautiful older sister Lula, and she will kick and scream if she doesn't get her way. Even though she's an opinionated spitfire, she'll never admit how lonely she feels.

"I just want to know about boys! I don't have a mama to talk to! How else am I going to find out things if nobody tells me?"

Sassy wants to know what love truly is, but who can she talk to about boys? Her mama passed away when she was just a baby, and she hasn't any close friends. The two adults in her life are her daddy, who is hard-working but sometimes gruff, and Miss Dallas, who looks after the girls while their father is working. She sets her eye on Boon, a boy closer to her sister's age, determined to make him her boyfriend. After all, he did smile and tell her:

"You got a good heart, Sassy girl."

Due out in March and geared towards ages 8 and up, RUNAROUND by Helen Hemphill will draw readers in from page one. I could see Sassy running around that little town of hers as clear as day. She reminded me a great deal of Addie, the leading little lady from the novel Addie Pray, better known as the film Paper Moon. Sassy's spunk may get her in trouble with Daddy, but it also will win the hearts of readers. What an absolutely adorable story!

I totally enjoyed this book - Linda Scott DeRosier tells it like it is. She adds humor and that is one thing that makes life so much fun - humor -and I'm a Southern woman. :-)

There seems to be a lot of talk about Tom Brokaw's latest: A Long Way from Home: Growing Up in the American Heartland. What he has done for South Dakota and the generations that came before him, Linda Scott DeRosier has done for Appalachia and her people. This is a beautiful memoir: honest, intelligent, loving, and most of all human. I definitely recommend this book.

This book reminds me of my own family. I'm not from KY, but our lives our similar, but I never could have told the story as well as DeRosier. This is really a great book - she revisits her raising, as well as that of her parents, grandparents, and as far back as she could find genealogical information. It's been a long time since I read a book from cover to cover and enjoyed every chapter. She tells honest, charming, and heartbreaking stories with sensitivity, humor, and the kind of wisdom families used to pass on. Songs of Life and Grace is one I'll be reading again. This is a great author; highly recommend this book.

"Songs of Life and Grace" addresses, among other things, the primacy of the married state [for better and worse as they say]-not only its impact on every aspect of the couple's life but even their offspring. Strongly recommend this memoir for the following disciplines: women's studies, cultural/regional studies, family, and oral history. I recommend this as strongly as C. Bateson's autobiographical material. DeRosier writes well and the text is strong from beginning to end, enjoyable and thoughtful.

Quite simply, Songs of Life and Grace is proof that each person makes all the difference in his or her own life. But they don't do it alone. As a native Kentuckian I am proud of where I come from. It's rare though to find a book that addresses the good things about Appalachian families. But this book isn't just for Appalachian families. It's for anybody who loves to read a good memoir. She's telling stories about her family that take place over the past century or more. But it's more than that. She's talking about the coal mines, the changes in women's lives in the past few decades, the value of remembering with pride where you come from.

DeRosier could have lingered on what was missing, on weaknesses, but she didn't. She zoomed in on the strengths that were present; saw in them her family's gifts to her. She succeeds, in part, because she knows where to focus. She knows finding the good always beats finding the bad. She understands each of us builds a life on the shoulders of those who came before.

I read DeRosier's first book, Creeker [it was good too!] and am glad she has another one out. This book is nothing short of a glorious tribute to the power of family and place in our lives. If you enjoyed Creeker, you'll love this. If you haven't read Creeker... save yourself the extra shipping costs...buy both NOW!

I read this book quite a while ago, and, god, it's great. There's just something about it. The stories are all supposedly true (i don't doubt it) and have a chilling feel about them. A very very good read. Probably best to read around fall, as the stories all...i dunno..."feel" like fall or october. What i mean is, none of the stories are about mass murderers with hooks for hands.but because of this, they're all the more unsettling.

I love this complilation of Ghost Stories/Unexplained from around Kentucky. It really makes me want to get out and explore the areas around me now. It broke my heart to hear that Mr. Henson passed away in 96 (found out in "More Kentucky Ghosts"...another excellent read). When reading his first book I kept thinking that he lived in Kentucky with me and that I'd like to meet him someday. Now I see that won't be happening.......well maybe......you never know!

THE AUTHOR HAS RESEARCHED THESE TALES OUT PERSONALLY, I MYSELF AM A GHOST HUNTER AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO VALIDATE A "GHOST STORY", OTHERWISE THERE IS NO WAY TO BACK UP THE ORIGINAL TELLERS STORY. VERY WELL RESEARCHED. ONCE YOU PICK IT UP IT'S HARD TO PUT DOWN. I ACTUALLY READ THIS IN RECORD TIME, AND PASSED IT ON TO A FELLOW GHOST HUNTER WHO FEELS THE SAME WAY I DO ABOUT IT. FABULOUS.

This book is excellent. Michael Paul Henson is an excellent writer and investigator of the supernatural. The stories are very interesting but they have also been thoroughly investigated by the author. I couldn't put it down

Michael Paul Henson was a legend among folklorists, and "Tragedy at Devil's Hollow" will ensure him a lasting place in Kentucky's libraries for generations to come. I originally bought this as a Christmas present for my Grandfather when it was first published in '84, and recently bought a new edition for myself and don't regret a penny. Henson's preface and introduction set just the right tone, and the stories themselves--all based in fact--are enlightening and entertaining. Divided into two sections, "Ghost Stories" and "Unexplained Phenomena," the tales range from the mildly creepy to inspirational or awe-inspiring to downright terrifying. The title story, "Tragedy at Devil's Hollow," is the most memorable, but there's not a dud in the whole book. If you are a Kentucky historian, a student of folklore, or somebody who just loves a good scary story, this book is a must-read.

Customers please note that the title of this book is correct (Bats of Eastern U.S) but the reviews are all for another book totally.

Gershon Shafir published this book in 1996 through University of California Press. Certainly it is a major contribution to undersatnding the fundamental problems of any attempt at a settlemen in Israel/Palestine. Working in the same vein as Benny Morris, Tom Segev, Ilan Pape, and other "new" historians (the name is used in both praise and derision), Shafir crafted an impressive work that attempted to cut through Zionist and Palestinian myths and examine what truly happened from 1882-1914. However, after all his impressive research, readers feel like there may be more to the story than written.

After a comparison and contrast of different styles of colonialism (he asserts that Zionism can best be understood as a form of colonialism), he reviews Zionist land policies. For Shafir, agriculture and the land is the root of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While this is certainly a hugely important issue, he neglects the urban roots of conflict in favor of his agricultural theories. Ironically, this only furthers the myth of Israelis returning to the land, whereas most future Israelis lived in cities. Without examining the urban aspects of the conflict, he only tells part of the story. Also, his work is Ashkenazi-centric (European Jewish). True, the leaders of Zionism were mostly Central/Eastern European during this period, but he virtually marginalizes the story of other Zionists.

Nevertheless, Shafir's contribution to the academic literature as it offers a glimpse into the agricultural roots that contributed to the modern conflict.

This is an excellent examination of the economic forces that have shaped the conflict in Palestine/Israel.

This is an example of a revisionist argument at its best. Gershon Shafir uses the same primary sources the major Middle-East historians have used for decades and offers up an economic, non-religious, and elegantly simple explanation of the conflict as it exists today.