Washington Books

Life in the colony of Virginia in the 1730's and 1740's -- the time that George Washington was growing up -- is described in lively detail with wonderful watercolor illustrations! Food, clothing, work, games, education, news, fashion, medicine and more are all brought to life for young readers.

How wonderful for children to get an idea of what kind of childhood formed the mind of our first American President.

I have several of the "If You Grew Up...." titles in my free-reading area of my sixth grade classroom. The George Washington title is one of the most-often chosen titles--probably because they are curious about our first president. This title also gives a good description of what life was like for the gentry class of Virginia in the 1740s-1760s. Students have been able to use the information to write comparison pieces about GW's life and their own. I highly recommend this title and the others in the series for both the literature and social studies classroom. Weak readers have a high interest in the subject matter; strong readers enjoy a quick read.

Although I don't have all the books in this series ("if you..."), the six that I have are so fun and interesting, that I intend to get them all asap. My three children (3-8), my husband and I LOVE them.

Outstanding look backwards in time to discover what it would have been like to grow up with George Washington. The book answers lots of questions; What kind of clothes would you wear?, What about the bathroom?, What did children do to have fun?, What would you learn in school? How did people carry their tabacco around?, Who made the laws for the colony? and many more... Loads of cheery illustrations cover the pages.

I've read the first 2 in this collection (Julip & The Seven Ounce Man) and I have to say that Harrison is quickly becoming one of my favorite American authors. His language is witty, but diverse. He can describe the heck out of a patch of woods using concision only guys like Fitzgerald could find, and then go ahead and give you a wildly humorous anecdote about a mistaken bar fight (one of my favorite scenes from The Seven Ounce Man). This will appear all within the same story and--more importantly--the two segments will actually be connected. Some authors make you forget that every word, every sentence, means something. Jim Harrison is not of that school. Every word is an important part of the story.

Harrison is merciless with his subjects. In Julip, he brings to bear all of the violence, fear, promiscuity, hatred, incest, drunkennes, and irresponsibility that permates the lives of these characters. Somehow I come away from the story liking each character (some more than others, mind you) and I don't feel like I was given any kind of direction to. I feel like I ought to have strongly disliked some of them, actually. But Harrison's style is such that it creates these beautiful portaits of such terrible things. I know the content is disturbing, but I love how well everything has been rendered!

The Seven Ounce Man is more overtly concerned with reservation of the North. B.D. is a remarkable character who--again, even though I can't sympathize with his lifestyle--I admire as a character. It's easy to see how his character is misrepresented time and time again, while he goes on to admit (during his stint in 1st person position) that a lot of the time he's just thinking about sex or how to avoid getting beat up. Meanwhile, well-intentioned, but ultimately hyper-empathetic characters like Gretchen are wrongfully attributing descriptions like 'fascinating' to this drifter. I can't help but like him myself, since he seems an honest narrator and overall quite a good person (barring some minor role in contributing to the national statistic of marital infidelity).

Jim Harrison really knows how to create a dynamic character. And by reading the stuff in this book, I am led to believe that he has an intimate knowledge of the landscapes in which his characters move. If I am wrong, he is faking very well.

Not the best by Mr. Harrison, but enjoyable. The 7 Ounce Man is especially funny. I liked all of his characters and they even reminded me of a few people I know. Read "The Woman Lit by Fireflies", it's one of my favorites.

read these 3 novellas on plane from New Zealand to Jakarta. Not much business to be had in Indonesia but the book made the trip worthwhile. A new writer for me and I was impressed with the ironic, slightly weary style and with the gentle humour - not taking itself too seriously. Highly recommended.

This collection of novellas by acclaimed poet and novelist Jim Harrison is to savor. He once said, "Art should be a process of discovery, or it's boring." Reading Julip is an engrossing emotional discovery as we share the lives of characters that only this author can create.

Julip, the title piece in this presentation of three stories is about an irrepressible 21-year-old whose name is "the mixture of a flower and a drink." Apt description that. Julip tries to convince her brother to say he is insane so that he might be released from prison. Brother Bobby is there for shooting (not fatally) Julip's three wealthy boyfriends.

In The Seven-Ounce Man another appearance is made by one of Harrison's familiar characters, Brown Dog. Many met Brown Dog, a rapscallion and ex-Bible student who lives in Michigan's Peninsula, in The Woman Lit By Fireflies. This incarnation finds Brown Dog the victim of Native American activists. B.D. enjoys the simple life - he reads Popular Mechanics and likes pork and beans.

The Beige Dolorosa, the title of the third story, is the name that a defrocked academic, Phillip Caulkins, has given to a bird, one bird among the 700 North American varieties he has decided to rename. Caulkins's daughter comes to his rescue and deports him to Arizona, where he becomes interested in ranch life and being a cowboy.

As always, Harrison's prose is entertaining and humorous. He is an original.

- Gail Cooke

This summer 2005 I used this book to kayak the inside passage from Anacordis WA to Glacier Bay, AK. I left Anacordis on 18 June 05 and reached Glacier Bay on 25 Sept O5. This book was my guide the entire way. I tried every recommended campsite, and paddled the recommended route almost entirely, without stopping, for 1400 miles, and 3 1/2 months. So ... perhaps, in a small way, I am qualified to review this book.

The book's recommended route is impecable - perfect all the way from Anacordis to Glacier Bay, with one exception, as follows: Between Petersburg and Juneau AK, the author routes the kayaker along admiralty island to see a bear sanctuary, and then into a blind lagoon where the kayaker is forced to use a land trolley to transport his kayak across a peninsula. This route is a poor selection because 1)The bear sanctuary is impossible for kayakers to see because of beligerant forest service policies requiring advance reservations. No exceptions; 2)The blind lagoon's trolley has the rails disconnected at the north end, requiring the kayaker to CARRY his kayak on his back down a steep, high hill to finish the portage. Instead, kayakers buying this book would do best in ignoring the author's Petersburg to Juneau route, and instead paddle along the mainland shore, where multitudes of iceburgs float, where the second best whale-watching area in north america is, and best of the best, where the Tracy Arm Glacier is, arguable the finest, most impressive and actively calving glacier in all of Alaska. Why the author bypassed the miraculous Tracy Arm to NOT see a bear sanctuary that doesn't permit impromptu kayakers ... we can only guess.

Campsites: The author openly admits that he lost his notes on what his campsites were for much of the trip. Thus, the campsites recommended on the book's maps are anotated in the book with painful phrases paraphrased like "... the topo map shows this to be flat ground, so there maybe SHOULD be a campsite there...." OUCH. Speaking as a traveller who has visited all the author's recommended campsites, the author is right only better than half the time, and when the campsite he recommends turns out to be a swamp ... or indeed IS flat ground but is fronted by jagged rocks impossible to haul a kayak up the beach on ... that means the tired kayaker must continue paddling blindly and exhaustedly, perhaps with light failing and conditions deteriorating, looking for a campsite on his own. Now this wouldn't be so bad, except that for the vast majority of the inside passage, the mountains fall directly into the sea, leaving jagged cliffy coastlines where campsites appear only once every ten miles or so. Campsites are as scarce as hens teeth. So ... a tired kayaker having timed his paddling day to end at the author's recommended campsite ... has only a 50-50 chance of indeed finding shelter there, and will perhaps be forced to continuing paddling on ... and on ... and on.

Author's commentary and background research is superb. Many times I found myself teaching the locals about their own area by reading them this guidebook's commentary. The book is very readable and fun, yet is highly educational. The author's anecdotes had me rolling on my tent floor in laughter many times. Exceptions: The author comments that one can expect to see one to five bears a day along the inside passage. This is not so. I paddled 3 1/2 months, and only saw 6 bears, all of them black, none of them browns. Bears, and signs of bears, were few. Land wildlife is actually very rare along the entire inside passage ... but marine wildlife abounds. Only three places in 1400 miles did I see a deer, for example.

Overall, this book earns its 5 stars. But note the exceptions above to correct the book's few quirks. Hats off to the author on doing such a good job guiding us through such a demanding, lengthy, and thrilling journey.

Mr. Miller has a wealth of knowledge in kayaking, the passage, and the environment. He shares this with humor and historic accuracy. I particularly enjoyed his observations of human interaction. However, it would be a much more digestable read if I didn't have to use the dictionary every ten minutes to discover the meaning of the obscure language he uses throughout the book. Although I clearly understand the gist, the audience (me)... would be more interested in a text that had a manageable rhythm. Perhaps he is trying to prove he is a literate, intellectual outdoor person. I will use this book to help plan my own month long trip in the inside passage.

Miller's book is filled with delights on every page. I picked it up because I'm heading up The Passage by ferry for the first time and I thought a kayaker's perspective could be interesting. I was not disappointed! Every page is an entertainment. From the trials of flood and ebb tides to the ever-present danger from bears to the capsulated history about almost every one of the 3,000 islands along the way. I felt I was present.

This is not just about paddling, which is detailed to the max, but about economics; and the climate; and the sheer brutality as well as the compassion of the men and women who braved it;

As I go on my comfortable armchair cruise, I will now know not only what is in front of me but what transpired at this spot 100 years ago, 500 years ago and even how the surface of the earth came to this spectacular visage.

How the eminent naturalist, John Muir got his come-up-ence from an elderly chief; how the first settlers crossed the land bridge into the new continent; how the more recent "discoverers" overcame hardship and missed opportunities to enter into a struggle between nations that, although currently without bloodshed, is still continuing.

I received much more than I was expecting from "Kayaking...". I received a wealth of background which will make my coming trip a true "delight".

Full of history, regional politics, and local knowledge, this book is not just for kayakers. Anyone planning or dreaming of an Inside Passage voyage will enjoy this read. And yes, it has the maps,references, and all the hard-to-find details for actually doing this trip.

I bought this CD last Halloween, and I just ordered one as a gift. I read the Library Jouranl review. WOW! has this reviewer ever read the book?? The "acting is over the top??" The BOOK is over the top! This recording nailed Washington Irving's beautiful words and brought the whole flavour of the book to life. The acting is great! Lincoln Clark is THE definative Ichabod Crane. The narration draws you in, and the music score deserves a CD of its own. This will surely be a Halloween tradition in my family. Library Journal - dust off the book and read it again. You will see that this production by the incredible Colonial Radio Theatre hits the nail on the head. It is a masterpiece!

This is excellent...5 stars...It does not get any better than this! How is that for a simple review? Well, I love audio dramas, and have been listening to them almost exclusively now for over a decade. I also love the writing of Washington Irving..So I feel the need to let the world know that finally someone has done my boy Washington Irving justice with his superb "legend of Sleepy Hollow". Colonial Radio hit the ball out of the park when they recorded this gem. The acting is FANTASTIC! They all captured the essence of these wonderfully absurd characters...I loved Icabod, as I loved Brom Bones. The narration too was a joy to behold (as he let Washington's prose speak for itself, though it was certainly performed with flair and pinache, just as one would perform a one man show...no dull audio book drone here). The Musical score was inspired (Three cheers for Mr. Gage), and the surprise musical number was a joy. I used to read this classic every October, now I make it a point of catching this chestnut while it is airing on XM radio, or I just pop in my CD. Great job Colonial, this truly is as good as it gets!

I make no bones about it. I am an Legend of Sleepy Hollow fanatic. I have loved the story ever since growing up in that wonderful region along the Tappan Zee. Every Autumn, I look forward to reliving what WAshington Irving so lovingly captured. This production is simply a wonder to behold. It captures the flavor and feel of what Mr. Irving with our doubt meant to present. I was stunned to discover (to their credit) that this production remained very faithful to the book (something rarely done in this Hip Hop age). This is a great CD and I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy the acting and very powerful music score. Get a copy, you will be glad you did.

After listening to a friend's copy of Colonial Radio Theatre's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" I decided to purchase some for myself and to give as gifts for next Halloween. Of all the audio or movie productions I know of, this is by far the only one most like Washington Irving's book.
What fascinates me is that Irving's sumptuous and colorful writing style has been lovingly captured by the actors. Even his wonderfully descriptive--not to mention extensive--narration is performed with ease, gently drawing the listener into the spirit-filled world of Sleepy Hollow.
I applaud the producers who, employing excellent production values, have chosen to maintain the integrity of the original book.

I was managing editor for this project. The story is interesting and the suspense is well handled. It is well written. In my opinion, J L Peters is a rising star in the literary world. This is what we came up with for the book jacket:

When a young reporter sat down to interview Industrial Tycoon Danny Dowd he didn't know what to expect. He had known Danny for years and had enjoyed his confidence and trust. He had no idea how this interview would turn out. It certainly couldn't hurt his career as a writer.
The wealthy bachelor took out an old package of lemon flavored cigarettes,lit one, as he had done every Valentine's Day for the past eighteen years. He took several puffs and then snuffed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
"That's the last of them," he said, "you can't get them any more, not since early 1975."
He leaned back, suggested that the reporter set up the chessboard and he would tell him the story behind the cigarettes. He said the conversation would be taped and the reporter would get the tape at the end of the session. There would be no questions allowed.
This is how we are introduced to the story of Danny Dowd, a tale of joy and sadness, of love, tomfoolery and tragedy. It is built around the lives of two young people who meet in college and immediately fall in love.
The path they follow is not easy. They are constantly confronted with problems that challenge their love for each other. This is a story of gripping suspense that involves sex, fraternity and sorority life, a life-threatening disease
and a struggle with families that disapprove of the relationship.
This is a hard book to put down, based on a true account. You'll be torn between chuckles, tears and memories as you follow this fascinating tale.
Enjoy,
W. Olchesky

I laughed, I cried, then I laughed at myself for crying. This is a well-told and interesting story. It's nothing less than AWESOME!

I felt 30 years younger, like I was back in college in 1974!

I was managing editor for this project. The story is interesting and the suspense is well handled. It is well written. In my opinion, J L Peters is a rising star in the literary world. This is what we came up with for the book jacket:

When a young reporter sat down to interview Industrial Tycoon Danny Dowd he didn't know what to expect. He had known Danny for years and had enjoyed his confidence and trust. He had no idea how this interview would turn out. It certainly couldn't hurt his career as a writer.
The wealthy bachelor took out an old package of lemon flavored cigarettes,lit one, as he had done every Valentine's Day for the past eighteen years. He took several puffs and then snuffed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
"That's the last of them," he said, "you can't get them any more, not since early 1975."
He leaned back, suggested that the reporter set up the chessboard and he would tell him the story behind the cigarettes. He said the conversation would be taped and the reporter would get the tape at the end of the session. There would be no questions allowed.
This is how we are introduced to the story of Danny Dowd, a tale of joy and sadness, of love, tomfoolery and tragedy. It is built around the lives of two young people who meet in college and immediately fall in love.
The path they follow is not easy. They are constantly confronted with problems that challenge their love for each other. This is a story of gripping suspense that involves sex, fraternity and sorority life, a life-threatening disease
and a struggle with families that disapprove of the relationship.
This is a hard book to put down, based on a true account. You'll be torn between chuckles, tears and memories as you follow this fascinating tale.
Enjoy,
W. Olchesky

La commemoration du bi-centenaire de la vente de la Louisane a pris fin, celle de l'expédition transcontinentale du Corps of Discovery (1804-1806) bat son plein, comme on peut facilement l'imaginer. Après la monumentale publication de la Nebraska University Press, édition « definitive » de l'intégralité des journaux de Meriwether Lewis et William Clark (sept volumes de la plume des deux capitaines, quatre volumes constitués des journaux parallèles de Gass, Floyd, Ordway, Whitehouse, plus l'herbarium et un atlas...treize volumes donc depuis 1983, le tout coordonné par Gary E. Moulton...), voici Lewis and Clark Trail Maps, A Cartographic Reconstruction. En trois tomes grand format, Martin Plamondon II met splendidement à profit ses doubles compétences de spécialiste de l'expédition et de cartographe chevronné. Ce qui nous vaut un travail exceptionnel, tant au niveau de son utilité scientifique et historique (et ce sur une multitude de plans...) qu'en ce qui concerne sa capacité à ré-alimenter le rêve. Les amateurs savent ce rêve là, qui semble devoir vous quitter un jour pour revenir un autre, parfois bien plus tard, toujours en un coin du vieux Missouri, quelque part entre la rivière Dubois (Wood River depuis longtemps) et les white cliffs au delà de la Roche Jaune, ou plus loin , dans les montagnes ou en vue du grand océan. En trois volumes donc, c'est l'intégralité du périple qui est cartographiée, jour après jour, à raison d'environ quatre centimètre pour un mile.Chaque campement, chaque particularité topologique référenciée dans les journaux, chaque rencontre...tout est là. Plamondon a effectué ici ce que Clark n'avait finalement pu réaliser : une véritable reconstruction géographique de l'expédition. Au delà de son rigoureux argument historico-géographique, l'ouvrage présente sur chaque page l'état actuel des lieux, en regard de ce que voyaient et expérimentaient les membres de l'expédition : le Missouri a bougé, son cours n'a cessé de changer ( déjà Lewis et Clark ne le reconnaissaient parfois plus entre le voyage aller et le voyage retours...), il est parfois noyé sous les retenues d'eau ( Fort Peck, pour n'en citer qu'une...). Bref, le pays a changé. On le savait, pour sûr. Là, on peut le voir maintenant, on peut le voir avant, surtout avant. Comme on l'imaginait, mais en fait comme on ne l'avait jamais vu. A suivre et resuivre, les Moulton d'un côté, ces trois atlas de l'autre. Bon rêve.

With this volume, Martin Plamondon has created a wonderful resource, fulfilling a dream of William Clark. Once you see this volume, you will wonder how you ever got along without it as a companion when reading the journals. The feature of showing dual footprints of riverbeds now and then is fascinating and the list of identified campsites is truly useful for following progress of the Corps of Discovery. Martin's love of, and dedication to this "little" project of his shows clearly throughout the volume. I can't wait for volumes 2 and 3 to complete the trail.

What an immense and high quality work! I never saw a comparable one. There are the maps, and in the maps quotations of the diaries of the explorers. You can exactly follow the route in word and maps. And underled the reconstructed maps you can see side for side a modern map, who allows to find your way today. The size of the maps is perfect, also the clear print. Everyone, who is interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition needs this books (vol I and II edited) and for a fruitful scientific work it is simply a must.
I can only say: Excellent and congratulations.

Everyone with any interest in Lewis and Clark shoul own this book, and the companion Volume 2.

I find it so much more interesting to read "The Journals of Lewis and Clark" (Moulton Edition) or Stephen Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" with these books at my side. To be able to pore over them and see where the Corps of Discovery was is great fun.

Last year I taught a class on Explorers for 6th to 8th graders and we ended the year with five weeks of Lewis and Clark. They were fascinated by these maps and spent lots of time with them.

This book is a must read for children to get a proper perspective of history. Public school textbooks will not reflect our Christian roots. Parents should read the regular version. My 9 year old granddaughter says this is her favorite book.

Great and educational book. My son loved it and he does not care to read. This is a must for all out there.

This is a good book for Christian homeschooling moms. I bought it for my daughter, who is homeschooling her children.

Like the adult book of the same title, The Light and the Glory for Children examines evidence for America's Christian roots. The authors reveal a past that is not at all smooth. The challenges of settling this land and building a new nation are shown in their harsh reality. Equally, the faith that strengthened the people for these challenges is presented as inspiration for tomorrow's citizens and leaders. Review questions in the back of the book helped my children explore their own values and beliefs about their country. There could be no better way to raise responsible citizens than to have them investigate our Christian heritage through this book.

This book provides new information about Lincoln and his family, which is highly unusual for someone as researched as Lincoln. Based on letters and recollections of the people who saw him there, this book gives a picture of Lincoln in robe and slippers away from the chaos of the war time White House. A definate addition to what is known about Lincoln.

This is a well written book and very timely as action is being taken to renovate the Lincoln Cottage. I reside on the grounds of the Soldiers' Home where the cottage is located and know the value of the cottage in our history. The facility is now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home-Washington. The cottage has always been known as the Anderson Cottage.

This book was a wonderful find. I read it in two days on a business trip and found the writing style enjoyable, the research accurate and detailed while not at all overbearing, and the information very interesting. There are still very little details of the Lincoln's day to day activities at the Soldier's Home. None of the Lincoln's kept diaries and official documentation of purchases, visitors, and happenings were very casual compared to the entourage and details which follow a modern day president on vacation. But the author uncovered letters and diaries of the soldiers and visitors who were around the Lincoln's at this time and from these sources has discovered a wealth of information. The book parallels each of the decisive war time decisions made by Lincoln, and shows how his daily commute to the Soldiers Home from the White House and back, and the relaxing time spent with his family during summer nights and weekends, helped to shape some of his actions and achievements.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Lincoln the person, with an interest in his politics and Civil War presidency. This book is a wonderful addition to the new writings on the Sixteenth President.

In each of the years he served as President of the United
States (minus the 11 southern states which seceded launching the Civil War!) President Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary and family would journey to the Soldiers Retirement Home about 4 miles from the White House. Son Robert would visit on his trips home from Harvard. Youngest Lincoln son Tad enjoyed the Soldiers' Home where he had a menagerie of pets; got to know the guard troops from Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio stationed there. Wife Mary was often vacationing in New England or shopping in New York.
In this atmosphere Lincoln enjoyed the camaraderie of soldiers; received visitors and enjoyed the company of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton living in a nearby cottage.
It was in this location that the President agonized over his decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation; decided to fire
George B. McClellan and help plan the 1864 presidential campaign.
Every day Lincoln would ride a horse to the White House surrounded by mounted cavalryman. His wife Mary fell from her carriage in July, 1863 while traveling to the home. She was seriously injured .
Pinsker tells us of plots against Lincoln's life. He may have even been fired upon by an unknown assassin according to a soldier who reported this incident in his postwar memoirs.
Matthew Pinsker has written an outstanding book adding to our knowledge of the heretofore little known Lincoln residence at the Soldiers Home. The Home is now a National Landmark and is being renovated and opened for the public. One can imagine how awed poet Walt Whitman was as he saw Lincoln on his daily ride from the White House to the Soldiers Home.
Pinsker draws on a vast array of first person accounts, letters,memoirs and can be complimented on adding to our knowledge of the Lincoln presidency.
The book is well illustated with maps and is an outstanding addition to anyone interested in the Civil War and the Lincoln presidency. Well recommended!

I bought this book for about 7 months when I was in Seattle for a week. The book has only 200 pages, so that europeans can read the whole book during the fly. The book give you detailed information about facts about and around Seattle. A quickly reference about the history of Seattle can be founded here, but also information about the economy, arts, language and culture. There is a section of 20 pages with color maps needed for a good orientation. This book is highly recommended for all people travelling to Seattle.

Virgilio Krumbacher

One of the nice things about the Lonely Planet guides is that they are very good about telling you which things are just tourist traps and which are genuinely worth seeing. I don't think I've yet run into any bad recommendations from this guide, and now that I live in Seattle (I bought the book several years before moving here), I've had pretty good opportunity to try out a lot of their suggestions.

There is lots of good information about interesting spots in many of Seattle's vibrant neighboorhood communities besides just the downtown and Pioneer Square areas. I also appreciated the information on various points of architectural interest, which has made me want to chase down another book about Seattle's architecture.

If you want to get to know Seattle beyond just the touristy stuff that every visitor to Seattle has seen (Pike's Place, the Needle, etc.), you can't go wrong with this book. Even if you are already familiar with Seattle, there is much you can learn from this book -- I intend to try out more of their recommended day trips to the surrounding areas soon!

The Lonely Planet Guide to Seattle is a great asset to anyone headed to the Emerald City. We found our transportation from the airport, hotel, restaurants and shops all from this book. And the trip was wonderful. The information is up to date and the maps are accurate. I relied so heavily upon this guide for my trip over a year ago, I plan to purchase another for my mother, who is headed to Seattle with me soon. This book helped to convince me that the Emerald City is definitely a place I look forward to calling home soon. Thank you Lonely Planet.

As a resident of the area, I have say that this book is a great asset to my bookshelf. I often find myself looking through the book to find new and exotic things to do around the city. Sometimes it is more useful than using the phonebook because there are tidbits on culture, restaurant styles, and where the best places are to rent bikes, canoes, and rollerblades. When friends or relatives visit, I lend them the book so they can easily find the things they need around town. I highly reccommend this book to any traveler heading to the Seattle area!!!!!

This was a great read. Ms. Golden gave us a clear view of the city through the characters eyes at a time when this, DC, was at its best in appearance. The love and struggle of this family is one that we as african americans can all relate to, not mention the voyage that carries us to and through each day of our life. Ms. Golden, as always, has done a terrific job. I could not put it down. This is much more worthy of a movie deal than some I want mention.

THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC. WHY? BECAUSE ITS A THOUGHT PROVOKING NOVEL. IF YOU ENJOY A GOOD READ, WITH AN HONEST LOOK AT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY, THEN THIS ONE IS IT. WE (AS A PEOPLE) SOMETIMES COMPAIN ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMAGES THAT ARE PORTRAYED ABOUT US. WELL IN MY OPINION THE VOICE OF THIS NOVEL IS ACCURATE AND JUST. THIS IS A VERY WELL WRITTEN BOOK. PICK IT UP AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.....

I LOVE the way this lady writes. Someone passed me her most recent hardcover(I read alot, but had not even heard of this author). It affected me so deeply, that I ordered her entire backlist. Her characters are so well-drawn out (they are literally "fleshed out") and so real, her tales of ordinary life (which easily engages the reader in a world which can be related to)and her observations so stirring and poignant, that she gives the reader of each of her stories with many verbal gifts. "Affecting" is an understatement. "Long Distance Life" starts at the present and then goes backward in time, eventually ending again with the present. It is about one woman who bravely leaves her home and husband in the South, in search of herself and a life without such narrow confines. She establishes her own business, marries and gives birth to a daughter. Her daughter grows up, has a baby with a married man, and then eventually leaves her home and child to join the Civil Rights Movement and to find her own purpose. To reveal any more of this story would be unfair because the writing is simply so beautiful,it must be experienced. This author is a real gift!

This is one of those authors who makes me say, "Wow! I hope other people see MY writing this way." The story is well-paced and intersting but what's more importnat about this writer is that she get to the heart of what the characters are FEELING and shows us all of their emotions, the good, the bad and the ugly.

There are too many Black authors out there right now who are getting success based on the boom in black fiction rather than actual talent. Ms. Golden DESERVES the praise she gets and I HOPE someone is paying her what's she's worth!