Arkansas Books

Caruso has reviewed many of Arkansas' best roads for motorcycling, or for that matter, the most scenic auto-touring get-aways in the state. His recommended places to eat is a bonus. These are one of a kind spots you won't find without a little help. I throughly enjoyed using his routes to turn a weekend ride into an adventure. I wish he would lead some tours in his beautiful state. He obviously knows the territory.

I gave this volume to a friend who had no experience of reading poetry (since school, that is), and had asked me what sort of poems he could start with. I pointed out a couple of poems that I thought were highlights, and wished him good luck. When I met up with him a week later, he burst into excited praise for the book. He'd started on the poems I had suggested, and rapidly proceeded to read the whole collection, several times over.
I quite agree with his response - in my early 20s this was one of the books that got me excited in contemporary poets and poetry. While Walcott is not foremost an experimentalist - and he might at odd moments almost be thought a sentimentalist - his sheer joy of craft and wordsmithing is a beautiful, beautiful thing to behold. This book is one of those things that can remind you why life is worth living. It's that good.

This terrific guidebook is a must have if you are looking for trail rides in central Colorado. After years of deciphering rides from the local city paper, and cobbling together ride ideas from various online websites, finally here is a comprehensive guide to the best mountain biking routes in the Arkansas Valley. The book is organized by town with a wide variety of rides in each location. On the last page, it tells you that there is a free website associated with the book where you can download the GPS files for the routes. The combination of print and online formats gives more information than I've ever seen with any other guide for the area. It makes planning my visits to area extremely easy and saves me time and gas when I'm there.

A rollicking and delightful read. Davis takes us back to the birth of Cripple Creek, Leadville, Dodge City, and other romantic western towns along the Arkansas River. The history was written in the late 1930s, so many of the historical characters he writes about were his contemporaries, albeit somewhat older and he was personally acquainted with a few of them. Much of the story is antidotal with some downright hilarious tales. The story of Tabor in Leadville is so outrageous, it could not have been made up. His contemporary descriptions of the towns in 1940 are now historical accounts. It makes the reader want to travel to them today to see how they have changed in the past 70 or so years. Highly recommend this historical read.

From the cover description: The Arkansas River begins in the melting snows of the Mosquito Range, near Leadville, CO. Before it reaches the Mississippi in southeast Arkansas, it passes from mountains through plains, prairies, hardwood forests, cities, and cypress swamps. The 151 color photos illuminate the authors journey down the river's course. The informative and provocative text is replete with both poetic style and ecological awareness. Environmentalists, outdoor recreationists, or anyone who has ever lived beside or loved a great river will enjoy this passionate tale of the Arkansas.

Samuel Hazo is arguably the best performer of poetry in America. His distinct baritone and easy pacing make him the lyric crooner of our time. On the page, his poems capture the music and sentiment that make him unique. In As They Sail, we hear Hazo's distinct voice once again. His poems sing about his Middle Eastern background, his hometown of Pittsburgh, the beauty of paintings and the difficulties of growing old. These are poems to be read and treasured.

I stumbled across Mrs. Powell's book of poetry two years ago when I was looking for some refreshing poetry. I read a couple of poems in the bookstore and decided to buy this book. The powerfulness of her poetry and her insightfulness didn't hit me until I read through the entire book at home. Her language choice, use of imagery, intelligence and style are unique and refreshing. Her poems are neither vulgar nor profane. These poems will give you hours of quiet reflection or hours of debate with your friends. Do you think you understand what the poem is about? Re-read it again and pay careful attention to the title of the poem or the language used; you'll realize that you probably missed the full meaning of the poem the first time around. I cannot wait for her next book of poetry. Buy this book to find out why!

For those with interest in baseball history with a local flavor, this book is a delight. Lots and lots of wonderful pictures with a nice text that helps give a feel for the real history of baseball in Little Rock, Arkansas. Terry Turner does a great job of presenting the information and did a fantastic job of finding entertaining and interesting pictures.

This book does more than offer a funny, learned, and well paced analysis of the 1992 Presidential election, it does so while at the same time offering an interesting theory about political conflict in America. For Busch and Ceaser, the basic conflict which has defined american political life is one between "insiders and outsiders'. Clinton got elected in large measure because he was an "insider' who was able to sell himself as an "outsider' to a public distrustful of the inside washington establishment of which George Bush was so paradigmatic a representative. Perot , on the other hand , was far TOO outside, to put it mildly. In short, a book which I would reccomend to all students of American Politics, and one which might be useful in an introductory college course.

The memoirs of Sideny Drake Jackman add much to our understanding of the recruitment of Confederate troops in Union held territory, specifically in Missouri. Jackman recruited troops in western Missouri in 1862, and fought them at the bloody engagement at Lone Jack before they were drilled. This account contains the best first person account of the battle of Lone Jack in print. Jackman does not fail to credit bravery or mock cowardice. His candor is unusual for books of this genre. All in all this is a good read and a great discovery for students of the war in Missouri. Norton has included a fine introduction and his footnotes are useful and informative.