Michigan Books

A timeless classic, though set against a World War 2 backdrop, this tale is a must read for anyone looking to disconnect from today's hectic pace and re-connect with a time when things were far less complicated. The lessons learned by the boys during the course of the novel, about themselves, friendship, and diversity to name a few apply as much today as they did when the story is set. A must read for the entire family, leaves you with just one question: when do we get to see this on screen?

I had forgotten how the world looks through a 10 year old boy's eyes. Cottonwood Summer is a refreshing and entertaining book with a blend of mystery, humor and boyhood sleuthing. You will find yourself immersed in the lives of Jase and his best friend Danny as they go about their day to day adventures in small town America during the period of the end of WWII. If you like reading books saturated with swear words, you will miss them in this definitely "G" rated material. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

A wonderfully readable tale of life in small town America in 1944. Filled with adventure, mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, memorable characters and heartfelt moments. Cottonwood Summer is a fun and entertaining read!

Why is Bill Cosby an excellent commedian? ... no filth! Why is Gary Slaughter an excellent story teller and author? ... no filth! Just plain ol' family values at its best.

Hardy Boys have nothing on Danny and Jase. We can't wait for the next in the series. My kids turned off their video games for this. Bravo!

Cottonwood Summer documents author Gary Slaughter as a master at creating loveable characters and an engaging story-telling narrative style enriched with humor and originality. Cottonwood Summer is a mystery with Nazi spies, nasty POW's, undercover moles, small-town values, and Gold Star mothers who will never see their sons again. Irreverent, touching, and a reader involving story, Cottonwood Summer is one of those novels so easy to pick up and so hard to put down. And when it is finished, sends the reader to do an Amazon.com author name search in hopes of finding other stories by this undeniably talented writer.

This guide is as inspirational as it is informative. Includes many odd bits of information (catch and release sections, no fishing from bank areas, areas too deep or too narrow to fish effectively) that would be very difficult to find out other than from hard experience. Very informative as to what fish you can expect to find in certain sections of streams -- I could go on and on. But won't. Just buy it!

This is an outstanding book. Jim Bedford writes a clear, easy to understand guidebook for the masses, not just the elite. I have read many guidebooks and this is in my top five. His research is exhaustive and knowledge extensive. If you plan to dampen a fly in Michigan you need this book!
Rik

Being fairly new to fly fishing for trout, I was looking for some help in where to go and what to use so I would not have to start from scratch. Jim has obviously been there and done that. His tips, techniques, and sites are outstanding. This book is a must for anyone getting started and a great asset to those who are looking for additonal information. Thank you for sharing your experiences in such a great book.

This book is includes all the streams, rivers, and waterways of Michigan, with information on what fish are in them, seasons to fish, lures to use, and other information. I found it to great not just for the information it has on the fish, but on all the other stuff- how to get to the best spots, things to watch out for, noise/distractions around the river, ease of access, etc. Using this book, you will have a realistic picture of what the fishing experience is going to be like.

This book is a great guide to the many rivers I have spent time on in Michigan. It is not going to put you on the honey-holes, but it will provide you with good maps and the right strategies to have a sucessful day on the river. It also provides area business #'s, which I have found helpful on several occassions. Jim Bedford knows what he is taking about. Great investment.

What a book. Mulhauser really taps into the psyche of our generation. Through his characters Mulhauser is able to express highly distinctive human emotions against the backdrop of hilarious/tragic circumstances. A must read for anyone interested in the social dilemmas and conflicts faced by todays generation. I'll be on the lookout for future works by Mulhauser as he looks to be a star in the making! Buy this book now, you won't regret it.

This book is a fantastic collection. The interaction between the characters and their northern Michigan setting was captured phenomenally well. I found the enitre collection funny and entertaining, primarilly because the characters and situations, though compelling, remained believable.

This first book by Travis Mulhauser is fantastic. The stories are thick with tender humor, nuanced human understanding and descriptions of a geography that becomes a character in itself. They read utterly without pretension or self-consciousness, like lived experience. The author has a real ability to understand the interior world of a wide range of characters, and to present it in high-definition dialogue and action. "Brothers" is the perfect, chilling end to this collection, as it makes eerily familiar the transformation of lost hopes into misguided action experienced by so many of the characters and so many of us.

I really enjoyed the book..The short stories were just long enough to get the feeling of the characters..I grew up in a small town in the midwest and I felt like I was reading about my own experiences. I laughed and became sad throughout the entire book. I loved how the stories discribed different aspects of the community. Very good book..I can't wait until Travis writes another!!!

I agree with the earlier noted reader reviews: Mulhauser's short stories and novella are entertaining with dialogue that quickly brings the reader into a rural resort region's service-industry economies of finance and spirit. Having recently read Hemingway's "Nick Adams Stories" (circa 1923-1938), set in the same northern Michigan area, I was intrigued by some similar themes used by both Hemingway and Mulhauser that have apparently survived the past 70 or so years: social and financial tension between the seasonal "resort" population and the "locals;" the local boys who made it big via sports or other celebrity (Hemingway frequently used prize fighters while Mulhauser utilized basketball players and rock stars); shady criminal characters and skirmishes between the story's hero and the law; young (mostly) men learning truths through the "school of hard knocks;" and the cleansing beauty of the lakes, streams, and woodlands. That said, I found Mulhauser's work the more enjoyable of the two!

Dr. Gilsdorf is a renaissance woman, known for many things, among them her knitting. I consider this book her personal tapestry, beautifully and carefully woven. She relates the story of her breast cancer and treatment with insights that very few others could convey, and she is honest about all the details - her caregivers, her treatment, the toll it takes, her reactions, her anger, her sometimes petty and sometimes magnanimous reactions, her fear, her courage. Disclosure: I know the author, and if she is tough on anyone in this book, it's on herself. But peeking through the story, in little moments that seem written only to place the cancer treatment and recovery in the context of her regular life, one gets a glimpse of a person who never, ever takes the easy way out. Her sense of loyalty and devotion, to her family, her patients, her fellow physicians, her students, her lab, is there on every page, and the depth of her integrity is tremendously inspiring. It's always a danger to call something inspiring, so let me add - the book is funny, witty and tremendously enjoyable to read, even though the ordeal of breast cancer was anything but enjoyable. I found the insights into the academic medical life and Dr. Gilsdorf's life as a pioneering woman physician particularly interesting, and watching such a fine and generous mind at work was one of the best things about reading the book. I couldn't put it book down. I read it most of the night, and took it in to work with me the next day, read it over lunch, finished it up the next evening - and then re-read favorite passages over and over again.

This book is a wonderfully written, deeply personal account of how Dr. Gilsdorf made the transition from successful researcher and physician to patient and then back again. The book is full of vivid imagery that will make you want to read it all in one sitting, yet will keep haunting you for weeks after you put it down. This book moved me so deeply that I have purchased a copy for every female member of my family for Christmas. It really is a must have for anyone who has ever been affected by breast cancer.

Gilsdorf's book is a must-read for anyone who has, is now, or may someday face a serious illness. Ditto for every doctor and health care provider. Her writing is clear, gentle, almost poetic at times, and always comfortable -- that's good, because she writes about very uncomfortable things, the harsh, confusing, frightening world of cancer. Gilsdorf lays open her life during this difficult journey. An accomplished academic physician and scientist, she shares with brutal honesty her inner, intimate world. The boss who's used to being in control is not. An always healthy woman is not. An elite doctor sees her world from the scruffy perspective of a patient. You will savor some passages, yet read the book quickly. You'll be bothered by the story but won't want the book to end.

This is an amazing book, and one that I would not hesitate to read over and over again; nor would I hesitate to recommend it to the best of friends.
With tidbits about her fulfilling and extremely accomplished life intertwined with education and insight about a very popular and unfortunate disease, from the prospective of patient AND doctor. I laughed and cried, and better yet, learned.
She discusses everything from the riddles we used to chant as children to preparing a speach on scientific ethics in Kazakhstan and the cultural experiences while living there. From grant writing to fund research projects to the way a rainbow arrives at the proverbial pot of gold. She is frank and tells it like it is, but with the most beautifully descriptive words and analogies.
We typically see cancer as a death sentence. Dr. Gilsdorf, somehow, made it improve her life and happiness ten-fold.
This book is beautifully written, and I'm am a better person for having had the joy of reading it. A must read for all who can.
I'll leave you with the following: "The person who doesn't read has no advantage over the person who can't read." So read and enjoy!

This is a beautiful story of a very hard reality in this author's very active and successful life. She shares her private fears and medical knowledge with us. This is a must read for those that had, are having cancer or know a loved one struggling with this reality and terrible desease.

IRON PIONEERS is an amazing story filled with acurate historical details and fast-paced adventure! It opens with the young couple of Clara and Gerald Henning moving north to the blossoming village of Marquette, MI in 1849. Iron deposits had just been discovered in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and brave pioneers began arriving to seek their fortunes and a new life. Clara and Gerald, along with the other handful of residents in Marquette, barely survive through the first winter, however their courage and adventurous spirit keep them alive and ready for more. The story follows the Hennings and their neighbors through the years as they grow, thrive and live in the beautiful north woods.

Author Mr. Tyler R. Tichelaar is an amazing and talented storyteller! He brings to life the enchantments and dangers of survival in a time without cell phones and computers. His characters demand attention and pull readers through the pages with their facinating stories. Their various ethnic and religious backgrounds mixing well at times like apples and cinnamon, and clashing at other times like electricity and water, both excelent examples of our American diversity. And throughout the entire amazing story, Mr. Tichelaar weaves his obvious love of the Upper Peninsula with beautiful and striking descriptions of Lake Superior and the forests. Talented Mr. Tichelaar has brought us a masterpiece!
---reviewed by Chris Shanley Dillman, author of Finding My Light and The Black Pond

Reviewed by Mary Simmons for ReaderViews, May 2007

"Iron Pioneers," the first volume in a trilogy by Tyler R. Tichelaar, explores the history and people of Michigan's Upper Peninsula from 1849 to 1895. It follows the highs and lows of five founding families who live, die, laugh and cry in the growing settlement of Marquette.

A seventh-generation resident of the setting for his trilogy, Tichelaar brings an obvious love for the region to the telling of its history through a fictionalized account of the rapid growth of the community that grew up on the south shore of Lake Superior around iron ore deposits.

As Marquette evolves from a tiny village to a modern city, its residents are faced with harsh realities due to the unforgiving climate, economic downturns and emotional turmoil that were surely a reality for our ancestors who crossed an ocean and built a new life in a strange land. Spanning generations, during a time when the country was caught up in a Civil War, a president was assassinated and unity was a challenge - to say the least - "Iron Pioneers" portrays how people can come together and realize their dreams.

The author's admiration and reverence for his ancestors' place in American history is matched by his awe for the land they settled, as displayed in the following passage:

"The people would claim the land's bountiful riches, but the land demanded a price in return - it protected itself with harsh winters that only the truly courageous men and women, those who admired Nature's magnificence, were willing to face. The climate would drive many a coward away, while many a true child of Nature would find here a richness of spirit surpassing all the earth's minerals."

"Iron Pioneers" is full of diverse characters with various backgrounds, socio-economic status and life experience, all of which shape their response to the new circumstances to which they are forced to adapt. The pioneer life was not for everyone and Tichelaar reveals how some people thrived while others wilted under the pressures they faced as they worked towards building a prosperous life for themselves and future generations.

The first installment in this series is an interesting glimpse into the past; reminding us as we forge ahead that we all owe our ancestors a great deal. They carved out a path for us to follow and they would probably be shocked by where it has led us. Hopefully, for the most part, we have followed their examples well and continue to live their legacy as they would have wanted.

For anyone who enjoys historical fiction; this is the book for you. It's an incredible story..the characters are incredibly well developed, the background is very well researched, and the story is beautiful in and of itself. I highly recommend this book to others and am glad that the author chose to share it with me.
The story begins in the 1840's with a newlywed couple; Gerald and Clara Henning. The Hennings travel from Boston to the Upper Michigan Penninsula on the shores of Lake Superior, where iron ore has recently been discovered.

The Hennings and other settlers like them arrive in Marquette to an undeveloped piece of wilderness, with dreams of helping to turn it into a successful thriving metropolis. Through blizzards, famines, fires and economical crashes, these settlers and their decendents persevere. In time this small wilderrness village becomes a prospering modern city; changed so much that original settlers struggle to recognize what it has become.

Dependably researched, written from the heart and involving a half of a century of characters, Iron Pioneers is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Two thumbs way up.

I highly recommend this book to everyone that has every loved Upper Michigan. The details and descriptions of the local area are extremely true to life and depict what our early settlers struggled through to withstand the long, cruel Michigan winters. If you are from the UP, ever visited the UP, or have always wondered where the heck the UP is -- grab this book, curl up somewhere comfy, and ENJOY!!

Tyler Tichelaar's Iron Pioneers makes history come alive. His love for his native city is evident; his research is scrupulous and his characters are engaging. Dr. Tichelaar is the James Michener of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. His saga traces the history and development of the region over hundreds of years. The land, the people, and the events that shaped them are described with loving accuracy and detail. His writing is a pleasure to read; his tone is warm and, at times humorous, as when the long-lost brother of Marquette's most uppity society matron shows up in the trappings of the Wild West. I look forward to the second book in the trilogy!

You will absolutely love this book! Ross is both insightful and humorous as he writes about: Michigan football (why their offense is really neither "conservative" or "too predictable"), Michigan basketball and the player who averaged 15 fouls per game (I remember him), Big Ten basketball officiating (he says it is getting better; I'm not sure), Tommy Amaker (he should have asked him who did kill JFK), why UCLA was so good for so long (it actually has less to do with John Wooden than you've been led to believe), and who was the greatest Michigan quarterback ever (read it to find out; Tom Brady is #3). More than anything else, this book reminded me that college sports are supposed to be FUN, no matter who wins. Ross' final chapter in this book is a classic by itself. Buy this book and savor every chapter. The best sports book I've read since "Ball Four" (yes, it's THAT good).

I join my fellow alum Mr. Heston in giving high praise to Obscene Diaries. At college I became quite interested in football, and particularly enjoyed Northwestern's successful skirmishes against the University of Michigan. Mr. Ross successfully reveals football as a particularly American blend of theatre and sport, personal drama and statistical analysis, quarterback thrill and coach agonistes.

This wild comic rant about sports is also startlingly original. For hard core sports fans, the book is packed with the kind of fresh insightful analysis of football strategy that is so completely missing from the work of the paid media pundits. (College coaches are already taking this book very seriously, because it shows why they should go for it on 4th down way more than they do.) But for non sports fans, this is also a great book, because Craig Ross really talks more about life than he does about sports -- and he's a fabulously witty writer.

As packed as it is with painstakingly researched sports statistics and wild, wonderful analyses, this book is a humorous and delightful read. Attorney Ross argues the facts, argues the law, AND attacks the opposition, entertaining us all the way.

As an alum of Northwestern, a school whose original nickname was The Fighting Methodists, I can appreciate the quasi-religious fervor of Wolverine fans. Craig Ross joins the ranks of Voltaire and Jonathan Swift in effectively (and humorously)skewering this (large) slice of American culture.

Jerry Dennis' A PLACE ON THE WATER is a quiet treasure of memories early and late. The writing is spare and pristine. Good essay requires truth and no rush to judgment, a healthy restraint from embellishment and, above all, brevity. Dennis succeeds on all fronts. Like a diamond among rubies, the piece entitled "Brook Trout in Traver Country" stands out as an enduring portrayal of time, place, and one truly unforgettable character. Though from Illinois, I have fished and paddled the waters of Michigan for over twenty years now, and as Jerry Dennis suggests, it would take more than one puny life to really know any one piece of it. Think of this book as an elegant, almost hushed, primer on that road. I would like to meet this Mr. Dennis.

My father-in-law lent me his copy knowing that I enjoy both a good read and a day on the water. I really enjoyed Mr. Dennis' home-spun stories which described his love of the outdoors from childhood through adulthood. I also enjoyed the beautiful illustrations. Living and fishing in the upper midwest my whole life makes me feel right at home in the lakes and streams described in the book. I look forward to picking up one of Mr. Dennis' other books.

I think this is probably the best outdoor book I have ever read. Jerry Dennis has a way of making you laugh and realize how much the water means to you as an angler. Every angler should have a copy of this book in their library.

A Place on the Water: An Angler's Reflections on Home
My first review and this book deserves it. "A Place on the Water" belongs on the shelf of every outdoorsman, especially if you have fished the Midwest. Fully captures the joys of youth, family, friends, and the outdoors. The best of short story, outdoor writing.

This is the first book by Jerry Dennis that I have read, and I love it! I grew up in Michigan and have fished some of the same places mentioned in the book. He shares some very fasinating childhood tales. I couldn't put it down until I had read it from cover to cover. Enjoy!

I must say that even though Frank Turner fell from grace I had no idea that he was so addicted to drugs that he had to have a "transition team" just to get by in the Detroit market. It was inspirational to learn that he is healed body and soul. It reminded me of my own encounter with God. We can all relate to what he wrote. It took guts to reveal himself in such a profound way. I admire him for being able to to that. The book is well worth reading.

"Raised from the Dead" by Frank Turner, is the personal testimony of America's First Evangelical Anchorman. Ironically, the first book that I read in one day, "Hope for the Flowers", had the same wonderful message for me. March 11, 1971 is when my life changed forever. The other book was about crawling catapillers, that God changed to beautiful butterflies, as only He can do.

This is one man's story about abandonment and sexual abuse as a child, in addition to smoking pure cocaine. It's about his marriage to the daughter of Louis Farrakhan. It is also about drug use and trafficking. It is about salvation, deliverance, healing and restoration. But if you are seeking for truth in your own life, I promise you this book will show you the miracle that happens when you reach out and ask God to change your heart, change your mind and turn you into that beautiful person that He intended you to be. (Remember the butterfly?)

I'm the mother of five children and a grandmother of eleven. I've never had Frank Turner's horrendous experiences in life, but I could relate to him just because I was a lost, self-righteous soul headed for hell until that awesome day, March 11, 1971, when God called my name and changed my eternal destination. "Old things passed away, He made all things new."

Thank God I was forever changed just as you will be after you read what God did in Frank Turner's life and what God wants to do in each of His children's lives.

Thank you for sharing your story and I'm praying that you enjoy His miracles that are "new every day".

Gratefully Yours,
Boots Barlow

Rarely has a Christian biography like RAISED FROM THE DEAD by Frank Turner, grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go from the first page to the very last. Seldom have I read one with the really "hard" issues in it. This is Reality at its worst and its very Best.

The thoughts, experiences, and word images are so artfully written that they seem burned into my memory. I was disappointed when the book ended. RAISED FROM THE DEAD is captivating, riveting, challenging and with a bit of humor thrown in. The way this author has with words, makes the reader stop to marvel and meditate at the depth of his thoughts and the beauty of language.

The best part of course, is how Frank Turner brings you right into the experiences with him--from the deepest pit of addiction to the heights of his love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his Nicky. This author doesn't cop out and whitewash his "before" story so as not to offend Christians' sensibilities. While tastefully written, he is refreshingly honest, open, and vulnerable, which makes him someone the reader can relate to.

I don't usually use the word "anointed" about anything these days, but I believe it applies to this book. I believe the Lord will use it to reach many for salvation in Jesus Christ, and to give all believers renewed hope and looking forward to living a life totally dedicated to Him and anxiously awaiting His soon return.

Raised From the Dead Frank Turner's book is a sure breath of hope to any who have felt hopelessly alone and/ or have or are battling addictions. This book is just not for those in the categories described above; it is a true work of hope. Frank keeps you on the edge of your chair from defeat to glory. A must read for all who could use some inspiration in their life.

Bob Kirby-Incarceratedyouthministries-RETOOL

Just when you thought you knew what a "crack head" would talk, walk and look like...you were wrong. Frank Turner was a high-profile news anchor on ABC Detroit but had real "issues." Like a lot of us, he had ghosts from the past that haunted him - but he let those ghosts torture him - almost to the point of destruction! Thank God for HIS GRACE. This book shows you the amazing grace of God and how much His love for us is not beyond anyone's reach. Great, fast read. Better than chocolate!

Pam Perry
Chocolate Pages Reviews
www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com

Rebecca Stowe is a wow of a writer and very funny. Her chief character, born at the end of the baby boom, is approaching middle age, the time when gray overcomes women.

Ginger Moore was required to call her mother by her first name, Virginia. She has no children and likes the dead better than the living since they are complete. She is a biographer. She finds women who for some reason cannot act, do, Freud's hysterics and Dostoyevsky's screamers.

The unproductive women who want their lives written about by Ginger are her neighbor, her friend, and her mother--all alcoholics. It is a sort of chicken and egg problem. Ginger's friend Michael call her a necrophiliac, feeding off the dead. He is a comic. She call her lawyer father, Poppy. Her brother decided to be a bum, she thinks, rather than a lawyer. He also seems stuck at age thirteen.

The book has the form of semi-autobiography. It is a saga of an unhappy family, mother, father, son age forty one, and daughter age thirty eight, with alcoholism playing a large part. It is well-done and filled with humor. The family is trying to enact Christmas. There is a tradition family members follow of watching PSYCHO on Christmas Eve.

The heroine ponders that the hallmark of a coward is regret and she wonders why women are so afraid. At another instance she thinks that perhaps people get stuck at that point in their lives where they think they are at their best. She believes the personalities of her mother and brother died at the same time, a period when a third child choked on a lego piece.

Ginger discovers her friend Melanie has been on the wagon for ten months and is married to her ex-husband. She is a bagger at the supermarket, an ego-smashing undertaking. Ginger learns something from her brother that seems to make his life make sense. Almost too late she discerns some of the features of her mother's life, too. This is a wonderful book.

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This is the story of a young intellectual woman's return home from her happy, productive - if low key - life as an academic and biographer in New York City, to her colorfully dysfunctional family in a small town on the Canadian border, for Christmas holidays. The strength of the book is the author's unfailing ability to observe and report even the smallest of events, with an honesty and insight which is clarity itself.

By turns laugh-out-loud funny, touching, and often thought provoking, it is an exploration of family, especially of the relationship between mothers and daughters; of establishing oneself in the world, and the ghosts we do - and do not - leave behind at home, to do it; of being a woman, succeeding at it, and perceiving oneself to be succeeding at it.

This would be an excellent gift for the daughter of an alcoholic mother, or anyone who has dealt with family alcoholism. It's not a lighthearted read, but worth the time for the insights, and for the well turned phrases. One of the very few books I've finished and then immediately re-read.

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As the book jacket says, 'closely observed.'

This is the story of a young intellectual woman's return home from her happy, productive - if low key - life as an academic and biographer in New York City, to her colorfully dysfunctional family in a small town on the Canadian border, for Christmas holidays. The strength of the book is the author's unfailing ability to observe and report even the smallest of events, with an honesty and insight which is clarity itself.

By turns laugh-out-loud funny, touching, and often thought provoking, it is an exploration of family, especially of the relationship between mothers and daughters; of establishing oneself in the world, and the ghosts we do - and do not - leave behind at home, to do it; of being a woman, succeeding at it, and perceiving oneself to be succeeding at it.

This would be an excellent gift ............ It's not a lighthearted read, but worth the time for the insights, and for the well turned phrases. One of the very few books I've finished and then immediately re-read.

This is a wry and understated book whose emotional power sneaks up on you. Stowe's prose is clean as a whistle, with not one false note. I love her sense of humor -- bone-dry, slightly twisted, wicked but never mean. She feels for her characters and makes you care just as much as she makes you laugh. If your family drives you insane (and whose doesn't?) this book is for you.

I'm really hoping to recommend this book to my Women's Book Group. Upon reading the synopsis, one might infer that this is just another dysfunctional family novel. The actual story-line is somewhat sparse and the "family mystery" unfolds slowly. I was _most_ impressed by Ms. Stowe's use of language...her descriptions and the carefully crafted introspections of the narrator make this book a very enjoyable and thoughtful read.

Well seeing as this book was written about my father, Grandad and Grandma, I totally know how factually it is. Still I read it cover to cover when he wrote the first draft and it was wonderful in its infants stages. These were truly remarkable people, hardworking, honest to a fault, and helping always when they could. I have many homeschooling moms wanting to read this to their kids and the kids beg for more. We are very proud of this piece of my history and was so glad Uncle Rex got it done. I hope you have many hours of happy reading. Sandra Southwell Harold's daughter)

Tall Trees, Tall People by Rex Southwell is a deftly written novel that takes place in northern Michigan and tells the story of one family's struggle against a background of cutting virgin timber, clearing land, and making a life in the far north woods. Set in the early twentieth century, it tells of a young man made a ward of the state, and placed with a farmer who won't let him stop working long enough to go to school. When the young man turns eighteen, his father returns, only to find his son consumed with bitterness. The road to forgiveness is a long and rocky one, amid financial pressures, the perils of an untamed wilderness, and bonds of family love that at times stretch tenuously thin. Highly recommended.

For someone who grew up in Northern Michigan, this book certainly grabbed my interest. However, it turned out to be more than just a historical account of the early mid-west.

This book will appeal to anyone interested in a touching story about a boy and his struggle to be a man. It covers his efforts to build a family and mature as a person through the years before and during the great depression.

The book started strong and finished great. In the middle of the book there were a couple chapters which seemed to simply record history than tell a story, but otherwise this is an excellent book.

I highly recommend it to anyone.

This has got to be one of the best books describing in detail living in the early 1900's. Mr. Southwell, keeps you so interested and the book is so hard to put down. It is excellent..would advise anyone interested in history, especially in the history of Michigan and the lumber era to read this book and pass it to your children and grandchildren. An excellent excellent book..well done.

Masterfully written, this book takes you through the tragedies and triumphs of everyday life as a family struggles to survive and succeed during the logging days in Northern Michigan. I found this book had the perfect blend of detailed descriptions, humor, and life lessons to leave me feeling as if I knew Grover and Grace personally. This is certainly a must-read, especially if you have any interest in accurate portrayals of life during this era.