Texas Books

I had heard Dr. Dawson for speak sometime and each week he told true stories about how God provided for people he had met long before their need was even known, even by 100 years. The book tells of the wonderful provision that only God can provide. I highly recommend this book.

Jerry Dawson is a master story teller and has more than ample experiences to fill this book with laughter, sometimes tears, and wonderment at every turn of the page. The book gets its title from one of those experiences that taught Dawson, then a young preacher, the true meaning of "grace." Many of the stories are about answers to prayer. Others observe the field of higher education where Dawson served as distinguished teacher, dean and college president. Most of the anecdotes are about two pages long, making it a book that is easy to start and stop -- but I found it almost impossible to put down. It's not advertise as such, but "Elmer and the Peas" is a treasure of good stories for the public speaker. Read it to be entertained and uplifted at the same time.

Jerry Dawson is a master story teller and has had more "experiences" than anyone I've run across. He has a true gift of being able to laugh at himself, and he leads his readers to do likewise. The anecdotes -- usually about two pages long -- bring side-splitting laughter one moment, tears the next, and wonderment at almost every turn of the page. The book gets its title from one of those stories, a story that taught Dawson a lesson of grace when he was a young preacher. Many of the stories tell of remarkable answers to prayer. Others deal with the world of higher education, where Dawson spent distinguished years as teacher, dean and college president. Not only will this book entertain, it will uplift the reader. It is not advertised as such, but it is a treasure chest full of stories "with a point" for public speakers.

Houston is the perfect subject for a book of this kind, it lends itself so well to current trends in urban planning and what a lack of zoning can facilitate. The text is scholarly and well researched, uh that should be an oxymoron, but alas it is not always. The authors really nailed Houston and I recognized the city completely. If you have any interest in urban planning or Houston in general, or frankly just well realized books, then I highly recommend this book to you. Well done indeed.

Great compiliation of Cite articles masterfully edited by Scardino & Co.

The best book on Houston that I know. This collection of articles on the architecture of the city captures its aesthetic history (or lack thereof) wonderfully. The book's production quality is clean and beautifully done, and the narratives reveal Houston's vicissitudes - its humble origins, its disinterest in history, its deification of power, and the origins of its sprawl. Excellent.

Evil among the saints is a haunting tale that enriches your senses with everything from drama, intrigue and deception. I enjoyed the spinning web of on going deception between the Reverend Paul Stone and his predecessors, Don Jacobs who you love to hate, Nova Powers determined to find out the truth about her murdered friend, The Miller sister were delightful and the devil himself, was depicted exceptionally. The many characters in the story line were always rich and the writer moved the story effortlessly. I thoroughly enjoyed this first debut by Jade Alex's and can't wait to read more! Pick up your copy today.
Shayla McClellon author of "Hypnotic" [...]

Jade Alex begins her story with an intense excitement from the beginning. I was riveted to my sofa; book in hand. This author has effectively combined her intimate knowledge of Dallas' Highland Park Society along with her familiarity of the mean streets of South Oak Cliff in this simple, but thought-provoking and well-written tale of murder, faith and redemption.

This book provided a great escape for a night. I did not put the book down once I had started because I was interested in how the author would develop the characters and resolve the issues thrust upon the reader from the beginning of the story. I really enjoyed the story line.

If you like Michael Connelly, you'll enjoy Raymond Benson's Evil Hours. Unresolved questions about her mother's murder lead Shannon Reece to explore the seamy secrets of her home town. Along the way, Shannon must come to terms with her personal demons as she questions just how much she really needs to know.

Raymond Benson is known for writing the continuation James Bond novels, so when I picked up this, his first non-Bond book, I expected a tightly crafted fast moving mystery thriller. I wasn't disappointed. But what did surprise me was how darkly moving EVIL HOURS was as a neo-noir crime drama. I've heard other reviewers liken this book to Twin Peaks, and while I do see similarities, I think that's selling this book a bit short. I was reminded more of intense real-life crime dramas like The Onion Field and The Thin Blue Line. Benson's masterful use of detail makes the book so believable that, by the end, it has evolved from a mystery thriller into something that's very tragic and profound. And darn right creepy in a "this-only-happens-in-real-life" sort of way. The emotional reality of the book is what sets it apart from other thrillers by better-known authors, and what makes it surpasses even Benson's Bond books as a work of fiction (suggesting a bright future for Benson after Bond). By the end of this book -- with the ultimate revelation and CHILLING reenactment of the crime -- I found myself creeped-out and moved at the same time. Wild. This book was a real experience and one I would recommend highly, especially if you're a fan of character driven true-life crime. It would also make a terrific film.

Raymond Benson, author of the recent James Bond novels, has given us something completely different: a novel that reminds me of that movie "Lone Star" or similar-- it takes place in a small Texas town and is the story about a murder, or a mystery of a murder, and how one woman searches for the truth about what happened. The narrative is interesting, moving back and forth from the present to the past, and slowly revelations are unravelled. I found it to be haunting, moody, and compelling.

If you have ever wondered what really goes on at the White House, this is the book to buy. David Kennerly had more access to the inner workings of the White House than any other photographer, before or since. These photos certainly prove it. For any student of history, or photography, this is one book to have on your shelf. As a working photojournalist for 35 years, I have had the pleasure of working beside Kennerly and can say that besides being a great photographer, he is one of the gentlemen of the business, an old-school hero to many an up and coming photographer. Don't miss out on this book.

David Hume-Kennerly is one of the most gifted photojournalists of our generation. He was chosen by Gerald Ford to be the "eyes of the nation on the presidency" after the insanity of paranoia that was Nixon's Whitehouse. This resulted in David becoming a "member" of the Ford family and thus having total access to the reality of The Pardon, The End of The War, and everything else that happened in those short Ford years. (As a fellow Shooter, his was the only job that I was INSANELY jealous of because he was the permanent `fly on the wall'!)

This book shares with us those times and shows us how lucky this country was to have had this strong and honest man at the top when we needed those qualities the most.

I truly hope that DHK is awarded another Pulitzer for this work.

Marshall Darling on The Cape

Aside from the stunning photography which I'll get to, this important book gave me new insights into a mostly overlooked Presidency. Kennerly documented the Ford Presidency and shows us the actual moments that some of the most significant decisions in American history were made- the Nixon pardon and leaving Vietnam to name two- thus revealing Ford as a true leader and rare politician willing to act on his beliefs regardless of consequences. (I say this as a lifelong Democrat!) As you go through the book, the range of images and perfect moments add up to a master class of great photojournalism, timeless, classic and relevant. The access he gained to intimate family moments, such as Betty Ford recovering from breast surgery, is astounding and says much about Kennerly's sensitivity and the trust he gained. It feels very emotional, intimate and world's away from our current super-posed, photo-op political culture. What is truly amazing is how easy he makes the photography look. Almost every image here is archetypal, profoundly primal, and about the subjects, not the photographer. The beauty of his work is the Zen of it; the essence of the story and person is revealed in the most graceful way. "Extraordinary Circumstances" fills an important gap in American history from a rare talent given a ringside seat, an incredible achievement.

I'm the proud owner of the entire Eyebeam series. They are constantly out on loan. This book shows that humor can be brilliant, but not vulgar or cynical. Adults get it on a certain level and kids on another. Rare in that it has the nationally syndicated chracters from the Universal Features "Peaches" strip, as well as the ones that were too "grown up" for that strip, interacting together. Rod and Ratliff are developed in this book. I sure miss the old "Eyebeam" Strip..... This reminds me why.

This book of Eyebeam cartoons contains some classics--Ratliff leading the cops to the mall parking lot because a windshield sunshade says "Help! Call Police!"; the one about the Night Pedestals for cats (cars parked along the curb); the sequence in which Three-Initial Corporation is taken over by Brand X.

Direct, clear humor. Unusual drawing style. Characters include lawyers, children, pompous yuppies, hapless students, and the all-time favorite--"Hank the Hallucination." Captures Austin's surreal reality perfectly.

It is absolutely outrageous that the Eyebeam series is out of print. Example: Ratliff is in the tub singing Michelle Ma Belle, Eyebeam enters and says " is that ABSOLUTELY necessary?" and Ratliff innocently replies, "well no, but it sure makes me smell better." This was bar none the funniest comic ever done. OUT OF PRINT? Criminal.

I have become a Harvey Girl re-enactor with the El Paso Railroad Museum since January 2006, giving presentations & doing research. FAR FROM HOME is the main resource for Harvey Girl uniforms. Our number of re-enactors is increasing, so we now have begun monthly meetings to discuss scripts for presentations, costumes for the span of time periods that the Harvey Girls existed, along with participation in historical events with other groups covering a similar time period. In addition, we are collecting & exhibiting Fred Harvey dinnerware & Santa Fe Railway dinnerware & preparing/serving food samples from the HARVEY HOUSE COOKBOOK. Since I am a retired school teacher as of May 2005 & a nutritionist, this is a perfect retirement activity for me. Thank you Lesley for all that you have published on the Harvey Girls ! !

A story/paperdoll book that even adults love

I've been collecting paper dolls for years, and this is one of the best books I've found. There are 6 dolls (4 women and 2 men) with a nice variety of costumes. The clothes are beautifully drawn and obviously well-researched (but kind of tricky to cut out). As an easterner, I know almost nothing about western history, and the diary entries that tell the stories of two sisters who become Harvey Girls are very interesting and definitely made me want to learn more about them.

The book was very interesting. I am in disaster cordination for our funeral directors Assn. I fond it elpful in knowing there procedures used and agencies involved.

Funeral director Byron Starr presents Finding Heroes: The Search for Columbia's Astronauts, the true story of his participation in mass volunteer search to find and catalogue the debris and human remains from the tragic space shuttle Columbia explosion that happened in 2003. Part memoir, part firsthand chronicle of sad history, Finding Heroes narrates not only the difficult hunt through the pinewoods of East Texas, but also the coming together of a community, and compassion amid fellow human beings in the wake of national loss. A touching and inspirational chronicle.

Having worked with Mr. Starr as he completed this book, I found myself fascinated by his account of his personal participation in the search for the astronauts from the Columbia shuttle. He introduces the widely varied searchers and support people involved, who outnumbered the entire population of the tiny town that was the center of the search. Old and young, from many areas, from organizations and alone, volunteers came. Local people worked endlessly to offer them food, housing (mostly tents) and all kinds of support. Starr manages to make everyone come to life, so that the reader feels he knows them personally. I am proud to have worked as his mentor as he produced this work. I think anyone will find i interesting and enjoyable.
Ardath Mayhar

In the first lines of Rex Anderson's fourth and latest novel we meet the main character, Private Investigator Tony Aapt-- a clever and, well, apt name considering that anything is apt to happen in this fresh and funny story about a David-Duchovny-ish gumshoe who finds himself suddenly reunited with an aging bartender pal, 30 years a widow now and recently come into BIG money, who throws the goofy, charming Tony, teller of tall detective tales, a BIG job-- to prove her husband's alleged suicide was actually cold-blooded murder. It's questionable at first if Tony has the, uh, aptitude to investigate this long-dead case-- thus far his forays into solving crimes and misdemeanors have earned him only an apartment full of shabby furniture, a refrigerator full of low-end domestic beer, and an ancient auto. But off goes Tony through a labyrinth of crossing paths-- from esteemed professors at Rice University to gay bars and their sometimes surprising patrons, from a high schoo! l football star turned big-bellied baseball fanatic to the richest of Houston's rich to the pinnacles of political power. And, in the midst of it all-- the seemingly clear-cut autopsy photos, the clear-eyed newly rich widow who KNOWS who killed her husband and why-- stands the forlorn and baffling lawnmower...

Lawnmower Blues captures your attention like rapid gunfire-- and I promise you will not stop reading this book until Anderson's done with you. If you like murder mysteries heavily peppered with hilarity and the shrewd weaving of people's strange lives and (mis)deeds, this is a must read. If you only treat yourself to one private dick this summer, make it Anderson's Tony Aapt.

Rex Anderson did a great job on this book! It reads like a classic private detective story, but in a modern day setting. The plot moves along nicely and there is the right amount of history provided to fully understand the characters. The book kept me guessing right until the last page! A perfect 3-4 hour book for a trip on the airplane!

In 1999 Houston private investigator Tony Aapt inherited a ton of debt when his grandfather died and left him the family sleuthing business. Fiftyish former bartender Maggie Hawk recently won a sweepstakes that guarantees her 500K per year for twenty years. She wants Tony, who frequented her bar with exaggerated tales of his work, to look into the death of her husband George W. Hawk in 1966. Tony looks at the detailed information she provides him and agrees with the official ruling of suicide until she begins to make a case that her spouse did not kill himself; he was murdered to steal his invention, a safe lawnmower blade.

Needing the money but feeling guilty as the clues will be cold and he has no experience with this type of inquiry Tony begins his investigation. He soon becomes convinced that people were paid off by the legendary lawnmower king Jason Woods to hide a homicide and a stolen invention, but how to prove it proves difficult especially when the target of his case offers him a job he cannot afford to refuse.

Tony makes the case fun to follow as he fumbles and bumbles the investigation, but perhaps it is in the DNA because he keeps moving forward one clue at a time. The hero is apt to fail not only due to his lack of experience, but also he is going up against a highly regarded superheavyweight who has much more power than when he seemingly bribed the world three decades ago. Fans will enjoy the twists to LAWNMOWER BLUES as Rex Anderson provides a fine mystery starring a wannabe hard boiled detective who is undercooked and truly a softy.

Harriet Klausner

Fascinating new police series starring compelling heroine, Cezanne Martin. Cezanne wants nothing more than to leave the Fort Worth police department than to take a prosecutor position with the District Attorney's Office. But the day she finds out she passed the Texas bar exam, her partner is accused of murder. Cezanne stays on with the idea of clearing him, but the pressure heats up when she's stuck in an office with the wife of her former lover. The journey to save her partner leads Cezanne into the slimy underbelly of Fort Worth's strip joints, where she links a stripper named Hollywood to the Lady Godiva murder. During Cezanne's investigation, she discovers two more homicides tie-in to her case. Cezanne has gotten too close; officer turns against officer, and Lady Godiva's killer wants her dead. I didn't see the end coming to this exciting novel and it left me yearning to read the sequel. I understand The Wild Orchid Society will be released in 2004 and I can't wait. Laurie Moore writes with authority on this police community and I loved the cameo appearances from the Constable from one of her other books, CONSTABLE'S RUN. Pick up a copy. You won't regret it.

Cezanne Martin is a Fort Worth PD homicide detective who longs to be an assistant DA. But when her partner is accused of murder, she foregoes her prosecutorial dream to help vindicate him. This makes her a pariah within her own department, but that's not the half of it...someone doesn't want her solving The Lady Godiva Murder and will go as far as murder to keep her from finding the real killer. Moore's character, Cezanne, is quick-witted and smart, edgy and vulnerable, and quite endearing with the added backstory of how she got on the police department and the enemies she's made by doing her job. The ending is impressive. I'm hooked on this Fort Worth police community and I can hardly wait for the sequel, THE WILD ORCHID SOCIETY.

Laurie Moore is giving Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich a run for their money! Cezanne' is a great character with a riveting back story. I cannot wait until the next book in the series is out.