Kansas Books

I was excited to review Dirty Dancing At The Prom. As a mother of three daughters, the oldest being [...], I admit I need all the help I can get. Especially, when my oldest is already dealing with "freak dancing" and friends who are having sex. Being a parent is a scary job, especially when you have made so many mistakes yourself. I knew that I could use a little encouragement and Barbara Curtis delivers.

Interestingly enough, a lot of the book didn't really appeal to me. I know that doesn't make sense considering what I wrote in the previous paragraph, but I will explain. My children are facing problems that, according to the book, Barbara's children didn't have to deal with at such an early age. Her children were in their late teens. Where I live, "freak dancing" is all too common and ten year old children are doing it every weekend at parties hosted by their parents. Sex ... my next door neighbor's daughter is already sneaking out of the house and meeting boys for sex and she is only twelve. She lost her virginity when she was eleven. And, this is a child that my daughter has been friends with since she was two years old. Which, left me wondering if I was going to find some value in Dirty Dancing At The Prom, especially after I had already read a few chapters and was feeling like I wish life was as easy, and teaching my kids what God has for them was as simple, as Barbara made it sound.

Then I read Chapter Six. I cried through the whole chapter, thanking God that not only was the author willing to admit her mistakes, but that she shared how she dealt with that when it came to her kids. It is hard to raise children in today's world. It is even harder to actively raise them, keep tabs on them, know who their friends are, what they are doing ... especially when there are so many more parents who treat you like you are some kind of alien for trying to raise your children right. And, it only makes it harder when you have failed in so many areas of your own life. It makes you feel like some kind of hypocrite to tell your children not to do things you, yourself, have done ... even when you know they shouldn't do those things. Barbara helped me get past that and showed me a way that I could do so in humility and obedience to God, while showing my kids how much I love and value them. She also showed me how I can deal with their mistakes in the spirit of Christ. I so appreciate it.

Honestly, that one chapter alone makes this book worth the read ... though I am sure you will find value in the rest of the book as well. While I sometimes felt the author was a little out of touch, she still delivers a solid message. And, I happen to agree with her. She definitely has her own little spot on the "how to be a better parent" shelf. I thank God for her spot. Dirty Dancing At The Prom gave me some much needed insight that I was praying for.

As a parent of a twenty-something and a former youth leader and Sunday school teacher, I've read more than my share of books on raising teens. Some lean toward academic and theological perspectives, while others present purely anecdotal experiences. Barbara Curtis' book, Dirty Dancing at the Prom, weaves together the spiritual, practical, and scientific, creating a rich tapestry of wisdom for parents of teens everywhere.

Written in a practical, easy-to-read format, readers can finish this book in just one or two sittings or can chew on bite-size pieces over the course of several days. The chapters are short and include practical, ready-to-apply takeaways sprinkled in sidebars throughout each chapter: Get Involved, What Does God Say, Discussion Starters, and The Bottom Line for Parents. Barbara also goes directly to the source--she speaks to teens themselves, which serves as a lesson in and of itself. Their responses give her book an authenticity that other books on the topic lack.

But best of all, reading Barbara's book is like sitting down with a friend. She speaks with gentleness and humility and with the quiet confidence of someone who has been there. She is a gifted communicator, and I highly recommend her book.

This book was amazing and extremely helpful for me. The battlefield
our kids face in high school seems to be the same throughout the country. I am saddened by the experiences that so many of these teens seem to face in the areas of sexuality and lost innocence. This book empowers me as a parent to know what I can do help my kids navigate this tough time. Since I still have a younger child at home, too, I now know what I can do at her young age to help her deal with high school. Barbara Curtis is an inspiring author. Her honesty with her past and what she reveals about her own family's struggles made me want to read the book all at once. Thank you!

It is absolutely awesome. "Discovering the New Testament" and "Discovering the Old Testament" will expand you biblical knowledge both spiritually and theologically.

Alex Varughese (editor) and his team of contributors (Neale et al) have produced a first rate introduction to the New Testament suitable for college level classes. Yet its readibility, ample illustrations, recent scholarship, and clear uncomplicated style would also make it an excellent addition to any home library. Those who are interested in exploring the Christian faith would do well to begin their journey here.

From the book:
This book is a solid scholarly contribution to the introductory college level study of the New Testament. It not only provides the essential content of each book of the New Testament together with the basic scholarly issues of introduction and interpretation but also through the judicious use of sidebars, pictures, maps, charts, and diagrams informs the reader on the historical, cultural, and sociological context of the New Testament writings. --M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

Doniphan and his ragtag force of Missouri ruffians represent all that is admirable in the non-professional military ideal. They proved what a citizen army can do when led by competent citizen leaders. The end of the story is a bit of a tragedy in that Col. Doniphan comes to see the Mexican war as a war of aggression and sees himself and his men as pawns in that evil game. As a true soldier, he carries the fight for peace to the end.

This is an awe-inspiring tale of ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances inspiring heroic actions. At the same time it is a biography that traces the effect war and political intrigue the individual. Col. Doniphan's military campaign journey and political journey show us how men can change. He and his rugged men rightly wear the honored title of "American Xenophon."

"Doniphan's Epic March" explores the experience of the 1st Missouri Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. A volunteer unit formed in June 1846, just after the declaration of war against Mexico, the 1st Missouri formed an integral part of the Army of West led by Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny. Under the command of Alexander William Doniphan-an able young Missouri lawyer, militiaman, and politician-the 1st Missouri performed admirably in the conquest of New Mexico and northern Mexico in 1846-1847. He led it on an epic march of 3,600 miles throughout the Southwest, commanding it to victory over two larger Mexican forces at El Brazito and Sacramento. Joseph G. Dawson III, on the faculty at Texas A&M University, tells this story with enthusiasm and pungency.

The significance of Dawson's work rests on his analysis of the role of citizen soldiers in the wars of America, using Doniphan as a case study, both in the context of combat operations and in military governance of captured territory. In many respects Doniphan was a Cincinnatus at the plough, answering the call of his people to defeat perceived enemies. As such he was like many other Americans both before and since. Dawson explores this issue in relation to the nineteenth century American military establishment, an establishment that gave Doniphan, and indeed all other non-career officers, grudging respect at best. In a rare episode, the Army even invited Doniphan to address the cadets at West Point in the aftermath of the war. Dawson concludes that such citizen soldiers as Doniphan have been an important source of strength for the United States throughout its history. Yet they have received scant attention and even less analysis by military historians.

Dawson also uses Doniphan to evaluate the role of the military in governing conquered foreign provinces. This was something that the United States did not have to deal with before the Mexican-American War. But the acquisition of New Mexico and California by invasion of the Army of the West raised important questions about the status of the peoples residing there and the form of government to be established. Doniphan's legal background made him an ideal advisor to Kearny as he dealt with these questions in relation to New Mexico. With the mission of bringing New Mexico into the United States, Doniphan counseled Kearny to swear its residents to allegiance to the conquering nation and to establish a civilian government as expeditiously as possible. Kearny did just that, and Doniphan wrote both an oath of allegiance used throughout the territory and a law code that served well the now U.S.-controlled territory of New Mexico. This approach, championed by Doniphan, set a precedent that has continued.

"Doniphan's Epic March" is a good book. It is solidly researched and well written. Most important, it offers broad conclusions about the role of volunteer officers in American military history.

Dr. Joseph Dawson's new book is an outstanding study of perhaps the most grueling and longest campaign in American military history. Following in-hand with Dr. Roger Lanius' superb recent biography of the Mexican War's quintessential citizen-soldier, Alexander William Doniphan, colonel of the 1st Missouri Mounted Volunteer Regiment, this is a regimental history well-done and well-told. Dawson's strong military back-ground, meticulous research, and smooth and vibrant writing style brings color and passion to a great military venture. The reader is carried away in the struggle, the dust and grime of the march, but it never loses the focus of the winds of Manifest Destiny and the tidal-wave of national expansion. Glory and gore fill the pages as Doniphan, the most unlikely hero of the war, leads his rag-tag, motley command of Missourians hundreds of miles deep into Mexican territory, winning two major battles on the way. His ability to paint the difficulty and drudgery of the march, the courage and sacrifice of the men, and the unfolding national events in Washington and Mexico City are all woven into the fabric of splendid prose. The only area that may be considered a shortcoming is the last chapter that spends so much time and ink on the sectional crisis over slavery. Here, the flow loses some focus from the previously straight and direct narrative of the war and Doniphan's march. Joseph Dawson succeeded is telling the story of a great but little known military operation that is rivaled only by Alexander and Napoleon's feats.

Compares to ,but reads better than the '94 title: "Impersonating Elvis", the legacy of whom leads one to believe his mansion"Graceland"..has a revolving door...

The cover of Erika Doss's invaluable guide to how one itty bitty rock legend became the inimitable, unquestionable image he is today tells it all. Elvis on a stamp, on envelopes and mail sent daily throughout the United States? Yep, he's not just a singer anymore, as Doss points out in her exhaustive search for the how's and why's of Elvis's rise to status of cultural icon, to the imagistic equivalent of Jesus on the cross. Elvis is, in fact, more than just an image too, she points out; he's a corporation.

Doss's book was a revelation of sorts, close to the epiphany she recounts earlier on, realizing that people have come to worship Elvis as wholeheartedly as they do any god or cult leader. Doss also examines the elements of our own culture, which pave the way for such a dramatic recreation of image in this age of media saturation. She talks about the tight rein Priscilla Presley and Elvis Presley Enterprises have kept on what they will allow his image and name to grace. Also outlining the myths involved in such a recreation, Doss shows us just how much we can trust the products and decisions of corporations whose inherent goal is pretty apparent: more and more profit.

_Elvis Culture_ also acknowledges the fans, perhaps the true creators of the Elvis image. Doss tells us about "Graceland Too" whose owner is devoted to the collecting of "Elvis stuff." She profiles an artist who channels her love for Elvis into sometimes room-size installations of kitschy devotion to the King, and another woman who has made (and charges no admission to see) a very miniature version of Presley's Memphis mansion.

Nowhere in the book, however, does Erika Doss ignore what such behavior suggests about us as a society. Whether we take the Graceland tour and support a multi-million dollar company committed to supposedly "preserving" the Presley name, or trust the fans to the more pure, downhome maintenance of Elvis's image,we must acknowledge that all of these people involved in Elvis culture are products of American society. Submission to the corporation exemplifies our culture's handing itself over to the Starbuck's and Wal-marts of the world, and the fans' collection perhaps even further shows America's servitude to a relentless materialism. Doss knows this, and she does a great job examining all of the different aspects of culture Elvis Presley and his image have invaded, and even more importantly perhaps, why we have let them.

Doss's book is full of pleasure even as it takes on the question of Elvis's significance as a sort of secular religious figure. Doss interviewed and questionnaired hundreds or maybe thousands of hardcore fans, and she's listened carefully to them. The result is a work that's a pleasure to read and revelatory of contemporary life at the same time. If you wonder what's going on with American culture at the end of the millennium, Doss will give you some real insights.

The author, George Michael, has dealt with an unpleasant reality of the current extremist scene in North America and Europe. However this convergence between far-right extremists and Islamic, and other Middle Eastern, radicals is nothing new: The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem made common cause with Hitler during World War II. German Neo-Nazi Manfred Roeder attempted to elicit aid from the Islamic Republic of Iran while the Hoffman Military Sports Group sent some of its cadres to al Fatah training camps in the Middle East.

Currently there is much opposition to the increasingly authoritarian character of the emerging European Union by ordinary British and European citizens fed up with the growing 'democratic deficit' of the EU. The EU vision of a new European order grounded on principles of transnational progressivism is facing two internal challenges: one is the growing movement of nationalist parties of Europe, which are nativistic and anti-immigration, and the other is the growing segment of immigrant Muslims who resist assimilation and who want to import Shari'ah law into their ethnic enclaves within their new European homelands. While there may be points of contact between the far-right and the Muslim extremists this only means that they are TACTICAL ALLIES. They are not, and can never be, STRATEGIC ALLIES because their ultimate aims are mutually contradictory. In the last French presidential election the National Front candidate, Jean-Marie Le Pen, made the blunder of opening praising the Islamic fundamentalists which in turn cost him much of his support among working class conservative French voters who remembered all too well the Muslim riots and burning banlieus of the previous autumn. So this "convergence" will prove to be very problematic in practice.

As for the previous two reviewers and their comments: They seem to have misread Michael in the same way that Hilter and his Nazis misread Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche actually abhorred German-Prussian nationalism and chauvinism and openly stated that the Jews of Europe were the true model Europeans. The semi-literate Nazis merely grabbed hold of a few Nietzschean phrases e.g. "blond beast," "Ubermensch," and "Will to power," which they appropriated for their own twisted and atavistic ideology. Those Muslim extremists who have no use for Christianity and Judaism would ultimately have even less use for the unwashed and uncircumcised worshipers of Hitler, Odin, and Thor, - futile empty gods that were unable to prevent their followers from being conquered or to prevent their altars from being overthrown!

As a National Socialist, I really enjoyed this book. I have always been interested in Islamic Extremism, and their fight against Zionism, and this book provides wonderful oversite.

The guy below is wrong though. If he were an "extremist" like myself he wouldn't be interested in having congressmen read the book. The Jew is too well embedded in American politics for anybody to take heart the problems with american foreign policy, etc. as discussed in this book.

Mind you, in the mind of a National Socialist of any sort, the Islamic Extremists in Europe are truely despised. Though we are often neutral on those in America, and fans of those in their own homelands.

I ,by chance encountered this book in a B&N bookstore in Ohio(!)(?).If I was an extremist I would force the american congress members to read the book and wake up.Very much needed info about the screaming ignorance of american foreign politics.the american public needs to inform itself in order to deserve the (very fickle)idea of "Democracy".I highly recommend this very balanced collection of writings ,that makes it possible for the concerned american voter to get more confused and find it necessary to finally pick up Said's & Chomsky's books.I personally always look for books of these 3 writers but let me just add to that list ,Norman G. Finkelstein(Beyond Chutzpah)and Loren J. Samons II (Whats wrong w/Democracy?)

After reading 'Did you Miss Me', my initial reaction was to pass it on to friends and family to get their reaction. 'Did you Miss Me' is very much a thought provoking and challenging read as it never allows you to take the storyline or characters for granted.

Patricia is a woman of 50, very aware of her age and of life's changes that are being brought to her. She seems to not really know who she is, let alone who the people in her life are. She is acutely aware and yet quite dreamlike in her thoughts. Her angst and fear of getting older runs as a common thread throughout the book. Has anyone noticed the change? Are they willing to acknowledge and allow her to explore her 'lost' youth and her 'new' self? Is She?

I did find parts of the book confusing but feel that the reader needs to be focused on the book rather than using it as a 'light' read. I had read the book over 2 days and feel that this may not have done justice to the author or the story.

I am currently reading through for a second time and enjoying it even more than the first. I'm sure I'll be writing another review of the book when I'm finished it, again!

I would strongly recommend people to buy the book. It will invite debate and conversation on women, men, life and love and has been the most interesting read for me so far this year.

This is an engaging, thoughtful and original book. A rewarding read.

"Did You Miss Me?" is an excellent book that will have you hooked from the first page. It is by no means a light read (I actually had to reach for a dictionary twice before the end of the first chapter!) but it certainly satisfies any effort made by the reader. Based inside the head of Patricia, a woman just turned fifty and on the brink of a nervous breakdown, the book leads us through a labyrinth of social warfare. As she tries to hold herself together, the world seems to be spinning out of control. A marriage whose flame has been dwindling for many years now, friends who are really anything but, children who have grown into complete strangers. It is like a window into the mind of every woman you know who is of 'a certain age', yet the story never becomes morose or downbeat. The eventual reconciliations are the book's ultimate victory, the journey may have been difficult, but the destination proves to be worth the effort. I would recommend "Did You Miss Me?" to anyone who enjoys an intense and challenging, but ultimatley enjoyable read.

Svobida makes no bones about being objective; his book reads like my late uncles and grandpas used to talk: blunt, pithy, and with a point to make. He must have been a man of incredible stamina, to read his accounts of his hours spent in the fields. And it's that huge, raw, stamina--bluntly expressed and without fanfare--that brings the pathos to the book. Even his seemingly inexhaustible energy was no match for the "Dirty Thirties" in western Kansas. He arrived on the scene, as full of optimism as Caroline Henderson (in Letters from the Dust Bowl) but, after making only one crop in six years, finally had to admit defeat. Thus, his entire outlook and narrative is tainted by that--understandable, but it limits the book's overall point. Nonetheless, his story is sadly common enough, and nobody can accuse him from trying everything he knew how to coax a wheat crop out of the ground. That's what books like The Worst Hard Time have to understand: that most farmers in the Great Plains were not "suitcase farmers," not out to make a quick buck. They were honest, hardworking folks, caught in a bad time in a bad place using bad farming methods. What worked in Ohio or even Nebraska just wasn't enough here. A good read.

This slim book isn't exactly an excellent read, but remains important for its facts and figures that add much to understanding a disastrous period in US ag farming. Especially the lessons learned. Wanting a little more data after I'd read The Worst Hard Time (absolutely great) by Timothy Egan, Lawrence Svobida's book filled the bill. Too bad he repressed nearly every bit of personal detail about himself, because he was obviously an intriguing, bull-headed, original young thinker.

Having searched for a first hand account of what it was like to attempt to farm during the dust bowl I was very pleased to find this work. Svobida provides a year by year account of his attempts to do that and I enjoyed learning from his trials and tribulations. The book is unique, as to this point, it is the only work I've found that gives the details of how farmers attempted to prevail during the dust bowl years. Increased an already high admiration for those who lived in and trhough the dust bowl.

This book is GREAT! Wonderful history, great patterns that have helpful hints. If you love vintage feedsacks and fabric, this is a must have for your collection!

I lecture on feedsacks and the historical aspect of this book is wonderful. The quilts featured are ok, but they aren't why I bought this book. The factual data more than met my expectations

I liked this book because of its colorful, informative content. The pattern directions are easy to follow. The templates are precise and easy to trace or copy to make the quilts in the book.

Percival Lowe started his western career in the dragoons but after his original enlistment was up he spent quite a few years in the freighting/pack train business, which eventually took a toll on his health. Lowe drops quite a few famous names throughout the book which starts off strong then slows down a bit during the "pack train" years. However, it is an excellent account of just what life was like back then. His army years are a great read and his account of the building of Fort Riley in the middle of a cholera outbreak is quite interesting and something that was new to me. Overall, recommended.

Percival Lowe was a gentleman, even if he was not an officer, and he was also a good soldier and a great frontiersman. If you want to know what it was like to be a Dragoon on the frontier this is the book. If you are interested in the history of the US Cavalry you need to read this book.

Percival G. Lowe's account of militart life in the pre-CivilWar west is a must read for the military historian, anyone interestedin American frontier history, or anyone who just likes a good read. Lowe's account is most enlightening because it is written from the enlisted troops point of view. Most histories of the day were written by the officers who were better educated and often said little about the enlisted life on the frontier. Lowe's memoir starts with his induction and training in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and his 3 month trip west to his first post. Just the story regarding his travels to his first duty station include canal boats, river boats, mule trains and just plain old foot slogging marches across a raw expanse only recently opened to settlers from the east and Europe. His writting about his troops escort duty on the early Santa Fe trail is also quite informative. The book is written in the style of the 19th century and is a colorful as well as interesting reading. Well worth the price and time involved.

Terrific book - just what I was looking for. Has been a great help.

It is very through and informative and I would recommend it to any one trying to identify birds.

A fine gem, summarizing the birds most likely to be seen in Kansas. Each bird gets a full page with photo and helpful information like how to recognize them, where to find them, and when to find them. The photos are excellent! New birders will quickly find a species without sorting through the clutter of a larger field guide. Experienced birders may glean details such as where and when to find target species.