Texas Books

Like the last reviewer, I too was considering a work-related move to Austin. I wanted a guide book that could give me a quick and easy entry into what Austin had to offer a tourist and potential resident. This guide book gave me a good overview of Austin while I was there -- it wasn't just an index or list of area attractions and businesses: It contained a lot of useful 'tips' interspersed through out the book and the maps were clear and well integrated with the text.

I had some reservations before I bought this because the maps were not in color. However, the maps were clear and concise. Rather than clutter up 1 map with icons for restaurants, attractions, etc., the maps were repeated in each section of the guide, and contained only the relevant data for that section; this made using them very easy. I'd also say that the authors of the book were very generous with the number and variety of maps.

Overall, the design of the book made reading and finding information easy. Good use of bold type made flipping through and finding stuff easy too.

In the end, I got the Austin job and will be moving there soon. As a future Austin resident, I think this will still be the only guide I need.

"City Smart Austin" is an indispensable guide to aculturally-rich and multifaceted city.

Austin natives EleanorS. Morris, Paris Permenter, and John Bigley wisely present the city in six geographic zones. And they cover everything from Austin basics (weather, homes, people, etc) and day trips to recreation areas and where to shop/eat/stay.

Whether they are writing about "BookPeople" (one of the largest bookstores in the U.S.) or the 'Dillo Express (one of the city's laudable forms of public transportation), the authors speak with warmth and home-town credibility.

I was especially pleased with their accessment of Austin's accommodations. Yes, they duly point out the grandeur of the historic Driskill Hotel. But they also note the convenience and affortability of the La Quinta at the Capitol, which not only has a gracious new manager, but renovated "Gold Metal Rooms," which have new decor, 25-inch TVs, and speaker phones!

The book's maps are clear and helpful, with inset-captions for easy referral; and the b&w photos--while a tad too small--are often bright and sharp.

An added treat of "City Smart Austin" are the valuable coupons in the back of the book. Don't miss them!

I am a longtime Austin resident and discovered some hidden treasures about my city in this useful guide! I will be referring to this book often when I have company in from out of town or when I'm looking to enjoy a little one day vacation without leaving Austin's borders!

I am considering a move to Austin and found a lot of useful information in this guidebook. I used it to plan my freetime following a job interview in the city and found it right on target regarding the restaurant reviews. Good buy!

This is one of the best books ever written on a lifestyle all Americans would be better off living today. There is a peace, contentment, and satisfaction exuded by the people and stories in this book that should be the envy of all who struggle with the problems of modern society. As a child I heard my grandparents talk of the things covered in this book. I realise they were the lucky ones to have lived in such simple times. Men and woman were truely free and a man's word was his bond. Neighbor helping neighbor and, though times were hard, there was a satisfaction in making ones way in the world without expecting government or society to come to your rescue. Recommended for anyone who feels like they were born in the wrong historical time.

This book is the best book I`ve ever read about the area known as "The Big Thicket" in Southeast Texas!

My family was among the first settlers in the Thicket and I feel proud that someone took the time to really understand the culture of the people that live there. They are very old fashioned and plain folks, and they still cling to the "Old Ways"... Their "Indian Ways", as the author often reminds us.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would be interested in knowing the truth about these people who are always dismissed as ignorant and lazy. That is not true, no not by a long shot, as the author gives you insight into their daily lives, in their own words!

This book lets you in on their secret. The secret that `True Freedom` still exists in at least this one part of America. And that nothing or no one can really change them. The author shows you how self reliant they truely are, and you get the sense that they will stay that way, as much as the law allows. (and they do push the limits of SOME laws, for sure!) But no matter what changes happen around them, they will stay the way they are... A humurous, independent and determined people who instinctually know how to live off the land.

This book made me feel very nostalgic and on the last page, when the old men are recalling the "Hunt" it just brought tears to my eyes and I`m not even a hunter. I Love this book! I`m gonna read it again and again, and I highly recommend it.

The book has mentioned my own family in this book. I am very interested in this book because it speaks of my grandfather and some of my other relatives. It also speaks of my grandmother and her family. I was told about the book by my father and he went out and bought the book. I have been trying to get a copy of it but I have been unsuccessful. I hope some day to own it myself. I do appreciate the mention of my family by the author of the book. My family that I speak of is Brooks Williams and Fannie Jane Martin Williams. They were good people to get to know by anyone that ever met them. Anyone who ever met them would agree with me that they were the friendliest people they ever met. I know this is not the kind of review you were looking for but I was thrilled to have my family in a book on history of the past in Texas. They deserve to be remembered as part of the history of East Texas.

Fascinating and accurate insight to the culture, geography and ways of life in Eastern Texas. Describes the hunting, fishing and stock raising methods practiced by settlers in the forests of East Texas and how they have evolved into the 20th century. Includes stories of local lore and first hand accounts from those involved. Very interesting reading for anyone who grew up in the South, particularly in the Neches and Trinity river basins. Gives insight and perspective on attitudes and values of a slowly disappearing population of stockmen and outdoorsmen.

Geralyn Dawson is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. After reading THE BAD LUCK WEDDING CAKE and THE BAD LUCK WEDDING NIGHT, I was dying to read the first installment, THE BAD LUCK WEDDING DRESS. And to my pleasure, I was not disappointed.

THE BAD LUCK WEDDING DRESS tells the story of the seamstress Jenny Fortune who moves to Fort Worth to pursue her dream of dressmaking. Her shop does very well until the superstitious Big Jack Bailey accuses Jenny of making a "bad luck wedding dress," which he claims caused the accidents of two of his daughters when they wore the supposed cursed dress. Jenny's business falls on hard times, for the people of Ft. Worth have no desire to buy bad luck dresses.

Enter widower Trace McBride. The father of the three McBride Menaces, Trace is in need of a mother for his rambunctious daughters. He soon realizes that Jenny would be the best choice for the job. The two agree to marry - Trace gets a mother for his children and Jenny gets financial support after her business does not bring in enough money.

And, of course, the pair fall in love. Jenny helps to heal Trace's demons, and she, in turn, receives the family she's always longed for.

THE BAD LUCK WEDDING DRESS is an adorable story. Trace McBride is the kind of man any woman would dream of having: kind, tender, yet all too human. Jenny is fiesty yet bighearted. The chemistry between the couple leaps off the pages. The McBride Menaces, although naughty, are sweethearts who just need a mother's tender touch. By the end of the novel, you'll be sighing in contentment and brimming with the infamous "warm fuzzing feeling." This book is just that wonderful.

Elaina S.

...

Jenny Fortune is struggling to keep her seamstress business afloat. It seems that all three of Big Jack Bailey's daughters have met up with a streak of bad luck after wearing her masterpiece wedding dress. Being a suspicious fool, Big Jack Bailey determines MissFortune (as he dubs her) has placed a curse on the dress and sets out to destroy Jenny and her business.

Trace McBride, local saloon owner, widower and father of three wild girls also known as the "McBride Menaces", rents out the space Jenny uses for her business. Because Trace is extremely busy trying to earn money so he can build his girls' a dream house and gain back his respectability as an Architect the girls begin to spend a lot of time with Jenny and decide she is going to be their new Momma. Continually placing their women weary Father and Jenny in constant contact by their antics the Menaces are determined to force this stubborn pair to fall in love.

Jenny figures the only way to turn her luck around is by getting married in her own "Bad Luck Wedding Dress" and proving to her clientele that the dress and her creations aren't cursed. Trace seems like the most likely candidate, unfortunately, he has been seriously burned by his former wife and is dead set against remarrying. But his daughters, who are even more stubborn than he is, have other plans . . .

This story is filled with endearing characters. There's a wounded hero crying out for love to heal his tortured heart, a charming, understanding and unpredictable heroine and three adorable little girls who add touches of humor and warmth to this terrific love story. If you're like me and like your books brimming over with emotion, sensuality, tenderness and laughter you will cherish this book

Not your typical cookie-cutter romance novel where they fall for each other, hate each other, FINALLY sleep together and then live happily ever after. The typical ending is halfway through the book, and then it gets interesting. We laughed, we cried, we had a wonderful time, this book and I. Even the second time around. Cliches are true too, ya know. And this book makes them refeshing.

Big Jack Bailey blames dressmaker Jenny Fortune for the calamites that beset his three daughters after they wore Miss Fortune's showcase wedding dress at their weddings. Jack believes the designer cursed the dress since she can not find a groom of her own.

Saloon owner Trace McBride, who raises the three female "McBride Menaces" by himself, rents space to Jenny to run her business. His three girls decide that Jenny is the perfect Momma to replace their dead mother; being menaces they will do what it takes to bring their dad and momma Jenny together. With Jack's word of mouth accusing Jenny of seemingly every catastrophe in the region in the last year, her business suffers; who wants to buy a happy occasion gown from a woman who creates curses. To prove her best wedding dress is not a bringer of bad luck, Jenny decides she needs to wear it at her wedding; she agrees with the menaces that Trace is perfect for her, especially since she loves the dope, who refuses to have a second wife after the mistreatment he and the girls received from spouse number one.

This is reprint of a fantastic mid 1990s often amusing with plenty of pathos western romance that grips the heart and soul of readers due to the key cast especially the once burned Trace and his girls. Jenny is a courageous person who sees the three menaces as precocious children needing love, warmth and hugs to help guide them. Fans will appreciate this fine tale that holds up quite well and seek the sequels (THE BAD LUCK WEDDING CAKE and THE BAD LUCK WEDDING NIGHT).

Harriet Klausner

This book is full of funny short anecdotes with lessons to be learned. It is highly recommended for the person on the go. And who's not? The stories are light and breezy, only 2 to 3 pages in length, so if need be, one can put the book down but it won't be by choice.

Mr. Sumerlin's common sense approach to life's problems is a breath of fresh air. One would think that the neighborly, value driven "Barber-osophies" defined by Mr. Summerlin would be a naturally occurring thing, but everyday interaction with people and buisnesses show that they are not. Mr. Summerlin shows show practicing such credos can lead to a happy and productive life.

The philosophy behind Barberosophy is that, with keen observation, extraordinary life lessons can be learned from everyday settings and ordinary people. The author takes an opportunity to draw principles of human relations, happiness, and success from daily encounters in his barbershop. Because this book is formatted into short vignettes, I found the stories and lessons to be accessible, and the book hard to put down! The author writes with an easy, down-to-earth style and a wit as intellegent as it is funny. I highly recommend this book for anyone who's become bored with the standard self-improvement niche books- but would appreciate a perceptive insight on human nature.

The philosophy behind Barberosophy is that, with keen observation, extraordinary life lessons can be learned from everyday settings and ordinary people. The author takes an opportunity to draw principles of human relations, happiness, and success from daily encounters in his barbershop. Because this book is formatted into short vignettes, I found the stories and lessons to be accessible, and the book hard to put down! The author writes with an easy, down-to-earth style and a wit as intellegent as it is funny. I highly recommend this book for anyone who's become bored with the standard self-improvement niche books- but would appreciate a perceptive insight on human nature.

I strongly recommend and encourage anyone taking the TeXes teaching certification exam to purchase this book!~

The book is well organized with each chapter representing a specific compentency. Tons of information!! Excellent review of information needed. Easy to read!

This book is extremely well put together. I credit this book for the successful passing of the TEXES. I read this book from cover to cover, it not only gave me pertinent information for passing the TEXES but it was an excellent read as well.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is struggling to pass any of the TEXES PPR examinations. This guide is essential for anyone who is serious about becoming a teacher in the state of Texas not only will you feel confident in passing your examination, but you will have gained the necessary knowledge as to how to shine as a teacher as well!

Wonderful book -- need I say more . . .

If you want to pass the PPR for the state of Texas, this is the book for you! The book is extremely easy to read.

Beneath the Texas Moon by Elle James
Harlequin Intrigue # 906 - March 2006

Eve moves to Spirit Canyon with her son, Joey, looking for a fresh start and a quiet town to heal in. Eve's hoping to escape from her nightmares and she's praying that Joey will heal from the trauma of watching his father being viciously mauled to death by his own dog. Mac recently returned from Iraq and also recently resigned from the Special Forces. The scars of his last mission run deep not only on his body but in his spirit as well. Spirit Canyon isn't as peaceful as Eve was expecting. There's an animal attacking livestock, it even got one of Mac's breeding goats. And someone wants to scare Eve by leaving her threatening messages. Though trying to fight her attraction to Mac, Eve finds herself accepting his protection and admires the bond he's forming with Joey.

This is definitely a paranormal. I liked the characters that Ms. James has created and I hope that there will be more to come about Spirit Canyon. The climax was most unexpected. A very memorable debut for Ms. James!

This one came in my Intrigue subscription. I've been trying to clean up a lot of my older books in the TBR pile, so this one has been waiting. But reading the back blurb brought it closer to top of the pile; I just had to read it now. I'm glad I did. Excellent debut and I look forward to Ms. James' next release.

Reminded me of the "skin-walker" in the movie, Shadowhunter with Scott Glenn.

Eve Baxter moved to tiny Spirit Canyon, Texas to escape her nightmares and to raise her son in a safe place.
Her ex-husband was more interested in his dogs than his son, Joey. Thereby making his son a witness to his mauling and death by a dog.

She had been in contact with Miss Addie, who is a bit of a matchmaker, and suggests that Eve use the help of Daniel Goodman and Mac McGuire to help turn her house into a Bed and Breakfast. [never did learn if it ever was finished]

Mac had retuned from Iraq just six months ago and still was living with his guilt at having survived his troup and healing from his wounds.
He and Joey had identical wounds across the forehead which intrigued the boy. Until he met Molly, Mac's forty pound Aussie.

Daniel Goodman was his friend and foreman who kept his ranch running while Mac was away. He and Daniel were trying to find a lost goat and lamb. Strange losses of animals was occuring around the ranches.

It seems that the drought-ridden town has it's share of secrets and skeletons.
Eve also meets the Mayor, Clint Logan who had showed up about 5 years ago and he tried to put the move on her. She gently tried to discourage him.

Because of her hang-ups about her unloving step-father she was determined not to subject her son to the same problems. The only thing that I disagreed about was that she tended to get a bit hysterical and you can't do that when raising a child.

Joey seemed to develope a rapport with Mac which made Eve very uneasy. Yet she felt drawn to the brooding rancher. Eve's dreams tended to be a bit spooky without being explained why she had them. Did she tend to be a bit psychic?
Well she sure did come across in the end.

A great mystery with great characters and not sluggish.
Definitely Recommended -m

This story grabbed my attention from the opening pages and held it throughout. The suspense kept me concerned for the character who seemed like people I might meet in my everyday life. I love a tough-on-the-outside hero who has a soft spot for kids.

From the first poage of this book Elle James grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. You'll fall in love with her hero, be fascintaed by the mystery, and find yourself absorbed in a w=mystical world that captures your attention. If you want a book to reread again and again, this is one to buy.

Sitton and Hunt recap the Great American Story, told many times in many places in this great nation. Blending a worthy narrative with an amazing array of photographs from Larry Jene Fisher, the authors remind us why and how America became so great and why East Texas is such a magnificent story of its own. Read this book if you want to understand what made America and Texas rich and dynamic. Study this book if you want to recall what we must build on to keep our nation great. There's a reason we are who we are and Big Thicket People captures that story superbly.

This book does a magnificent job of capturing a poorly documented chapter
in our nation's history. Sitton and Hunt's text combined with Fisher's
amazing photography magically transports you to the East Texas of the 1930s and 1940s. In reality, the book transports you to the Old South for these "lost" lifeways were common throughout the South before WWII. If you'd like to know more about the Old South, whether it be fox hunting, tie hacking, turpentining or just the old free range livestock culture, this book is a must.

Again, Sitton and Hunt do a great job of telling/showing the history of the rural South which has not been heavily documented. I highly recommend this book, it is a MUST have.

This book offers wonderful photography of an almost lost era in American history. The history of the rural South has not been heavily documented. Sitton and Hunt combine the outstanding photography of Larry Fisher with their wonderful text to make this era come alive. Many of these photographs provide extremely rare documentation of old Southern lifeways, such as turpentining, marking ears of free-range hogs, stave making, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the South or East Texas. It is a fabulous resource.

Big Thicket People by Thad Sitton and Charles Hunt provides an invaluable pictorial record of a back woods culture that has faded from the scene.
Larry Jean Fisher moved to Saratoga, Texas and the area called the Big Thicket in the mid 1930s when his first career as a silent movie pianist was ended by the "talkies". We are extremely fortunate that he chose to apply his artistic talents to photography for his pictures provide authentic images of a lost culture.
The Big Thicket is a unique ecological area whose major feature is quite well described by its name. For some the "Thicket" provided a hiding place and for others it meant a meager livelihood, but its harsh and also bountiful environs shaped the lives of those who established homes there. Fisher took pictures of the rustic culture that he found in and around Saratoga. The negatives of his pictures were fortunately passed to the custody of the Lamar University Library where they were finally published by Sitton and Hunt.
The natural history of the Big Thicket was significantly altered by timber-cutting and oil exploration, but it is now slowly reverting to its original state under the protection of the National Park Service's 100,000 acre Big Thicket National Preserve. The Preserve, however, can not bring back the way of life so we are left with the Fisher pictures and the descriptions by Sitton and Hunt.
This short volume provides an excellent review of life in the Big Thicket, but it leaves one wanting more than just this taste of what once was.

This is a wonderful book, and was the start of a wonderful friendship with the author. I had purchased the book in a local bookstore, read it (not once, but twice) and just loved it. Then I was weeding thru my bookshelves to make room for more books and decided I would sell my copy of "Galveston Memories." That on-line sale prompted the author to eMail me, demanding to know why I was selling his book. Didn't I like it? Well, of course I did. Then why sell it? I need to make room for newer books. Well, if you agree to sell something else, I'll come over there and personally sign a hardcover copy of my book for you. And Bill Cherry did just that, and he's been a very good friend to me and my husband ever since. All I can say is this... read "Galveston Memories" -- you will love it, even if you've never heard of or been to Galveston. Just don't try and re-sell it because you'll get a phone call from the author.

Only in America can one person grow up in a city, remember the details almost to the letter, and then WRITE about his friends, fellow citizens, interesting characters, etc. as Bill Cherry has done. He brings the past, and in some cases the present, to life in Galveston. Anyone who finds people of all kinds interesting will find this book INTERESTING! I am Professor Emeritus of Music, University of North Texas and have followed Bill's career rather closely through the years!

I like to go to the Mosquito Cafe in Galveston to hear Bill Cherry tell stories. The coffee and scones are great. But the main attraction is the pure pleasure of hearing Bill tell stories about a quirky island off the Texas Coast that has been home to famous pirates, gamblers, bamboozlers and other assorted characters. The stories in this book originally were published in The Galveston County Daily News. As the editor, I can tell you they passed the muster of tough critics. These are the kind of stories islanders like to read about themselves. The stories Bill tells so well at the cafe over coffee are here in this book. It's not exactly the same as a trip to the cafe, but it's mighty close.

I've never read a book quite like this, and I doubt you have either. It's a collection of sixty essays, catagorized by subject: Love, Humor, Nostalgia, History, Hurricanes, Religion, Characters and Memories. And these tales could have as easily been written by Daymon Runyon as they were by this talented story teller, Bill Cherry.

Consider some of the titles: "Joe Pajucie, His Red Cadillac and the Four Cheap-Looking Women;" "At Miss Dorothy's: Arthur and Summer Saw the Midnight Sun;" "Baby Doll Pajamas, Spoolies and Tabu Marked Rites of Passage;" Smooching Can Make a Boy and Girl Say Things They Don't Really Mean;" and "Rose, Curly, the Priest and the Doctor above the Dime Store.

And then there's one simply titled "Homer Sectuals." It's about a circa 1954 mayor inviting some teenage boys, who one night were sitting at a drugstore soda fountain, to go with him for a raid he was staging at a public men's room on the beach. Since they had never heard the term "homosexuals" before, the boys thought Homer Sectuals was a dangerous wanted criminal, so they took the mayor up on his offer. This cops and robbers story is a scream because the homophobic mayor gets his just due.

If you've lived or visited Galveston, you may have a 10% advantage on those of us who haven't, but this book is a wonderful experience for readers everywhere, and what makes it exceptional is that these stories are totally non-fiction!

I saw Mr Shrake on Evan Smith's Texas Monthly Talks, & learned that he'd written books where much of the action takes place near and around where I currently live: east of Austin in the fertile riverlands around Bastrop.
That made me want to order two books & see what could be learned about the lives people led in this area before the turn of the century. What I discovered was probably an accurate "novelized" glimpse into the rugged, rough, dangerous country that bears no resemblance to the present-day idyllic countryside peopled with artists and university types! The stories about McGill and Custer's brother's horse were mesmerizing & I could hardly put them down, no doubt partially because areas that I am familiar with kept cropping up. All in all, both tales provided valuable insights into exactly why and how this part of Texas was the wild, deadly, lawless frontier back in the days before and after the Civil War. Good stories about real people on their own, the stories take on special interest if the geography is personally pertinent.

As a student of Texas history in general and a reader of fiction about Texas and the Southwest in particular, I found Blessed McGill by Edwin "Bud" Shrake to be rich with descriptive color and accurate detail about the rugged lives and times of both settlers and natives in the 19th century. The characters are developed in depth.

His repeated use of sensory descriptions such as the smells of things adds a dimensional aspect not usually found in this kind of fare. In my opinion, the only other Western fiction writer who stacks up with Shrake is Elmer Kelton.

McGill is an inspiring hero, immensely capable, with a huge zest for life. He packs incredible adventures into his short life, yet tells his story in a delightfully laid back style. He combines an interest and tolerance of all ideas, religions and philosophies, with a violent intolerance of certain purveyors of them. McGill is a warrior/philosopher, born, raised and ideally suited to this harsh land. His story is one of violence, love, sin and redemption, but it is often hard to distinguish which is which.

This book is a "must read" for all lovers of powerfully written adventure stories, but may make all other westerns dull and unimaginative in comparison.

This is an incredible tale from beginning to end. Shrake has developed a character that is the first person born on the American Continent to achieve sainthood, and until the last pages of the book the reader is kept guessing how he could deserve such an honor. The book reads as a memoir written by McGill as he tells the story of his life while awaiting his death. He lives the life of an indian scalper, buffalo hunter, and gold miner in 19th century Texas from the time of the Texas War of Independence until after the US Civil War. The more you read of this man's account of his life, the less you can believe he could ever desert to be Sainted.

This book has long been out of print, and its re-printing is an excellent opportunity for new readers to discover a classic western. Any fan of Larry McMurty's books in the "Lonesome Dove" will love "Blessed McGill" and recognize that McMurty has probably gotten some of his writting style from reading this book.

The Blessings of Hard-Used Angels is an enjoyable and rewarding collection of short fiction. John Cottle's stories are fresh with unique, sometimes off-beat, but always-believable characters. I have no qualms in comparing his approach to development with that of more well known Southern writers in an extremely favorable manner. I would then erase the Southern writer categorization, not wanting to represent the collection as anything other than great stories and excellent writing. Annie McGill, my selection for one of the better stories in any collection, is subtle but unrelenting as it delves into and renders an attorney's emotional response to a quandry. Simple enough, short, but accomplished in such a manner as to create a picture far more intricate than its length might indicate.

John Cottle's writing is like a clear mountain pool--the kind you might be lucky enough to find wandering the deep forested ends of the South. It has that kind of arresting clarity and simplicity and yet such richness of detail--light striking the surface just so, wheeling cascade of ferns, the dark reaches of shadows, rocks stacked in centuries--that tells you from the first you're looking at something you'll remember a long, long time. Of course you will reach your hand to touch such beauty, and the cold shock of that clear water will go straight through your bones--it's that powerful. You'll laugh but you won't leave: in fact, you may even jump right in, boots and all, splashing and swirling, floating for hours, remembering how wonderful it is to be warm-blooded, to be human, to be alive.....If you love masterful writing, memorable characters, and language that tells the truth of living, buy this book now.

A wonderful debut short story collection from Alabama writer John Cottle. If you love language, you'll love these stories. There are descriptions in The Blessings of Hard-Used Angels that are as lush as the landscape that inspired them. A rich cast of characters, too, their lives tragic, humorous, hopeful and ill-starred. The law is a central theme, what it takes to uphold it, break it, get used by it or simply ignored by it. There is a long tradition of great writing from the South, William Faulkner, Carson McCullers and Flannery O'Connor come immediately to mind. John Cottle's writing is of this tradition and continues it. Do yourself a favour and check this book out. You won't be disappointed.

John Cottle is a master storyteller. One tends to forget, in the midst of all the pseudo-fiction of today that is passed off as literature, that classic, poignant, 'real' literature is still being written. Cottle is one of those Southern writers who has stepped out of the traditions of Tennessee Williams' and William Faulkner to give us touching and masterful art in The Blessings of Hard-Used Angels. But for all of that, he is still lending his own fresh views to the plight of those men and women, the hard living, the hard working, the people we all know, mesmerizing us with prose that is so well wrought that it sweeps the reader right in. One story after another is guaranteed to knock your socks off, so I highly recommend this book. If you only buy one title this Christmas for gifts, make it this one; you can't go wrong.