Oklahoma Books

Elinor Wilson renders honorable credit to legendary frontiersman Jim Beckwourth. Always recognized in early western history literature, the general consensus is that Beckwourth's word was worthless. The author justifiably debates this issue by including many other documented reports of the times to support and verify his accounts for the most part. One can almost agree that early western tales were, well, tales with twists to them. Events did get exaggerated by everyone at one time or another, still do.
A member of Ashley's 1824 fur trapping brigade, living with and becoming a Crow Indian chief for several years, exploring many parts of the west, locating a pass into California for emigrants, trading endeavors, shopkeeper in several western locations, etc.
An energetic and entertaining glimpse into a forgotten hero of the west.

Josanies's War is one of the best novels I've ever read on the final Chiricahua outbreak of 1885 under Geronimo, Naiche and band leaders like Josanie. The author appears to know the country very well and blends history and fiction together in way I've rarely seen. Chiricahua Apache beliefs are handled well and with respect and these people come alive as living, breathing human beings. The narrative moves swiftly and being Apache I see many of the places described in the novel clearly. There are one or two mistakes but they are minor and the average reader would never catch them so I won't dwell on these. A joy to read and part of my permanent collection of great novels on tribal American people.

This masterful book is both scholarly and fascinating. A well-written fast read that deserves wide popularity. History buffs will enjoy the clear description of a time in U.S. history during which the brutal and perhaps inevitable conflict between European and native civilizations took place on a frontier expanding ever westward. While sympathetic to the Alabama and Coushatta nations, the book is carefully documented and sticks to well-researched facts. The vintage maps are particularly enlightening. Americans are fortunate in a wired age to have university presses still producing some of the best history books in print. The book is strongly recommended and we can all look forward to more of the same from this promising young author.

Robert Ryal Miller's works, based on important but sometime obscure Latin American personages, provide a text, Juan Alvarado, Governor of California, no less thorough than Dr. Miller's other thoughtfully researched efforts. Professor Miller's trademark is underpinned by how he utilizes primary sources, making significant connections where none were previously available. By way of example, previous histories omit mention of a rather colorful Juan Alvarado, who became governor of California at the age of 27, by means of a revolution he organized in 1836, toppling a dictatorial military governor. Reads like fiction, yet Miller's subject, as all others, is accurately portrayed, as Juan Alvarado is brought to life by a meticulous scholar!

This is probably considered the "dark ages" of Oklahoma legal history, but yet an importatant one for any person with interests in the law should read.

Surprisingly, this was never discussed while I was a student in law school in Oklahoma, which was 20+ years after the events. When I learned of this legal history, I thought this was very significant as a member of the Oklahoma bar, and should be a "must-read." Regardless, it is an interesting story and well written.

I found this book tremendously helpful with some research I was doing on the Kansas--information I'd not found anywhere else.

This is simply one of the most valuable books ever written on American jurisprudence. The book has many dimensions: a discussion of American legal realism; a biography of Karl Llewellyn; an examination of LLewellyn's writings and approaches to the study of law (particularly "The Common Law Tradition"); and still valuable bibliographic references (even though the book was published in this edition in 1985). Twining knows his subject intimately, having studied with Llewellyn at the law school of University of Chicago in the late 1950's, as well as being the principal organizer and commentator on Llewellyn's papers (see his "The Karl Llewellyn Papers"--U. Chicago, 1968). Twinings subsequent publications also attest to his acute analytical skills; his British perspective on the realists and Llewellyn adds a further valuable dimension to the book. A must read is how best to describe it.

Tsakalakis is one of the very few contemporary Greek novelists worth reading! This is his first literary endeavor, and as such it does have its drawbacks. Nonetheless, the author showed signs of a rather promising up-and-coming writer early on. I happen to own his sophomore work as well, and it's even better than the first one! It's called "Ritores, Ktitores, ki Epibitores...". I'm anxiously waiting for his third novel!

In the edition that I read, the foreword, written by Elmore Leonard, states "This book is terrible". Or something along those lines. Elmore Leonard really hated this book and reviewed it only resentfully on the orders of his publisher; Jim Thompson's agent hated it and most publishers refused to consider it. It IS a terrible book, but only in that it's such a cutting examination of an author's personal demons. If you have any appreciation for the works of Nick Cave, or favor Thompson's more gritty writings (such as the last 1/2 of "Pop. 1280"), you can't help but enjoy this crazed anarchy of sex and killing and obscenity. It's hardcore even by 21st Century standards....

KNIGHTS OF THE GREEN CLOTH is a history book that reads like a novel. Many famous and infamous names are included in the telling as the men and women of chance follow the westward trek of the pioneer wagons and gold seekers. A gold strike and they arrived, set up their tents, opened their games, and dealt the cards. The lobe pays out and they are gone to the next gulch or return home.
Some did return home---the famous Keenland Race Track in Lexington, Kentucky was established from gambling winnings. Today this non-profit charity track is known world wide.
Writing a western, these characters were there. Enjoy reading westerns and watching movies on TV, it is fun to compare notes with the facts and how the gamblers are shown in fiction and film.
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