Texas Books

I need the book-equivalent of methadone to wean myself off the the genius that is Lonesome Dove.

This is one of my top three books of all time. The characters are well written, the story is exciting, sad, happy, scary and tender. It's a story about friendship, hardship, making a living, and a great history of what the West once was. I read this book at least twice a year, and still, it effects me the same way it did when I read it for the first time 15 years ago. I recommend it to anyone who likes a sweeping story full of great characters and emotion. It is also part of a great series of books. If you like this one, be sure to check out the others in this series.

I originally saw the movie "Lonesome Dove" which intrigued me and interested me in the book. I loved the book! It had even more info then the movie (as is generally the case) and though the 8 hours of movie are very true to the book, there is a lot that you miss until you see it in print.

I disagree strongly with the reviewers who say this is not a western. It is a story rich with action and human interactions. The characters are developed and become so real - I cried along with their triumphs and tragedies. There are many stories in this one book. Each character has a history and story to tell and McMurtry does this very well in "Lonesome Dove". (Not so much in other books - In "Sin Killer" he creates characters barely enough to kill them off two pages later.)

This is definitely a rich story well worth your time. It is a heavy read - literally and figuratively. Enjoy!

Count me among the many people who completely loved this book. Even at nearly 1,000 pages, I didn't want it to end. To say it's about a bunch of cattlemen making a drive from the Texas-Mexico border all the way up into Montana hardly makes it sound exciting. To say it's a romance between a cowboy and a reformed whore makes it sound more melodramatic than it is. But to say it's about the American spirit in the 19th century, or pointless ambition, or blind allegiance to an outdated code, or aging heroes, or the disappearing wilderness--and it's about all of those things--makes it sound too grand and high-minded. The charm of McMurtry's writing lies in its simplicity. It's about a lot of things. Mostly cowboys.

The Old West, as portrayed by Hollywood and popular fiction is said to be in large part a myth. High-noon duals, standoffs between train robbers and sheriffs, and gunfights between cowboys and Indians are more legend than history. LONESOME DOVE has to be considered among the canon of the old west, as one of the archetypal books of the genre. It is a story full of stock western players--the heroic Texas rangers, the sheriff, the whore, the cattle rustlers, the Indians, the wide-eyed cow hand. But in the end, the characterization of these players flies in the face of everything we'd expect of them. They are each flawed in their own way, and none completely lives up to our expectations of what he should be. They're decidedly not stock characters. They're real. They surprise us at every turn with their actions and inactions. And while it's tempting to call this the quintessential western, it's more a deconstruction of the western. A reality check. It's more about romance than gun fights. The conflicts are internal. And it's more about character than characters. That's the greatest strength of LONESOME DOVE. McMurtry makes you fall in love with the cowboys, then breaks your heart twice--once at their fates, and once when the book comes to an end.

Taking it as a given that you have little or no interest in the old west or cowboys, in general, or in cattle drives, specifically, you should still read Lonesome Dove. The character development, of Gus and Call, especially, and the evoking of a time and place very remote from the present are absolutely remarkable and you'll be glad that you didn't miss it ... a very, very good book - truly excellent literature!

And, as in so many cases, in case you saw it and drew a conclusion ... the TV version couldn't begin to do justice to the book.

All 3 books in this series are great. I wish it was possible to award more than 5 stars because these books are much better than the typical book that gets a 5 star rating.

There have been many in-depth reviews of this book so I will make this short. If you spend time going through this book it WILL improve your game. The strategy is well laid out and the explanations in the examples gives insight into a top poker players thought process. Many examples state that some of the other answers are also plausible for certain reasons, but he states clearly why HE thinks one play is better than another. A must read for any No Limit Poker Player. str

This is the best poker book i've read so far. Very well written, cover all the aspects of the game, specially No Limit Tournaments and SNGs. Everyone who wants to play really well should read this.

What's your bottom line? What were your results? My results after reading Harrington on Hold Em Volume One, I finished 22nd and 13th in the 1st two tournaments I entered. I like his style of play and I see a lot of what I do in poker as the same. I believe this book is worth every dime and finish in the money like I have and it's already paid for itself. Just started Volume II.

Keep writing them Dan, thanks for the insight and go Sox!!!

I think Harrington's book and it's sequels are the best books ever written about no limit hold'em tournaments. The first part of the series covers strategic concepts about tournament poker, the second part tells how to play in the ending of a tournament, and third part is the workbook for reviewing the concepts of first two books.

Before reading this book (and the sequels), I have been mostly playing online cash games and occasionally some sit'n'gos, but I am still a beginner in NL hold'em (mostly concentrated on limit games). Totally I have read some 10+ books in poker. Well, after reading this book series I finished 14th out of 2000 players in my first large NL hold'em tournament simply by following Harrington's advice, and slightly adapting in some points.

What's best here is that Harrington is quite a practical guy, and practical guys win. For example, compared to Sklansky, one of the finest authors in poker, Harrington is actually able to teach how to play poker in practical level. In my opinion, Sklansky provides theoretical foundations for some very advanced strategic concepts, but more responsibility about how/when to utilize them is actually left to reader. I think these approaches complement each other very well, and both are great poker authors.

I would say that the first book is also good reading for NL hold'em cash games, especially if you're a beginning player (I am not sure anymore though, since Harrington's cash game series is now out as well). The second book (excluding first chapter) relates only to tournament concepts.

"Same Kind of Different as Me" is an excellent read; in fact, I rate it among the best I have ever read! I read it through without putting it down, as did my brother and my son. Highly recommended!

A powerful testimony of how God works in the lives of His children for
"His good". We certainly can't understand the process and the outcome is
not what we would always desire, but God is in control and we must trust
Him in all circumstances.

Here is a copy of an email I just sent my friends, and I want to share it with anyone reading these reviews.

I'm reluctant to impose my spiritual beliefs, such as they are, on anyone - I wouldn't have made a very good disciple! - but I can't help but share this book with some of you whom I think would appreciate reading a very inspiring book called "Same Kinda Different as Me". I certainly will give a copy to each of my girls, knowing they may not get around to reading it for a while, but someday they will see it in their bookshelf up and say, "I wonder why Dad wanted me to read this." The book was suggested to me by a good friend in Texas, and I am thanking her by sending this recommendation along to you. It's a pretty quick read - I thought it was extremely well written and edited, and while not in the genre of your favorite page turning author, from Robert Ludlum to Dan Brown, I can tell you that I spent an entire Sunday sitting by a mountain lake reading until I finished it -- and I hope any of you who take my suggestion to read it feel it was worth the time and money. The book certainly gives new meaning to the fishing practice of "catch and release".

I thoroughly enjoyed this one - it's very thought provoking and insightful with many life lessons. I liked the way the narration went back and forth between the white man and the black man with their personal thoughts on the same situation. Very interesting and I highly recommend it for anyone.

I bought this book because of a recommendation by my late father's lovely 88-years-young lady friend (she recently quit tap dancing). FABULOUS read, and keep the tissues handy. This is such a wonderful, incredible story about two of the most unlikely men to ever become lifelong friends. One seems hopeless beyond repair, and spent the majority of his life working for no pay; he is black and named Denver. The other man is white, and has been lucky in life AND mostly lucky in love; he is Ron. Ron's wife is the "cook" who adds the ingredients of this friendship, and stirs it to make it happen. No one is more surprised by the results, than Ron and Denver and their entire community in Texas. This is a gift of a true story, that filled me with such pride and wonder, and gave me hope for the world. What an incredible woman Deborah Hall turned out to be!! Great book to give as a gift, especially to a friend who needs a mental boost! LOVED this story. Just an outstanding read. I especially loved the way the authors alternated the chapters they wrote.

This is a good book to get one beyond the "como estas Senor Lopez" many text books start with. It contains common pitfalls, words that are cognates, and words that aren't (embarazada anyone?) - and lot of good examples of these. Highly recommend this book to unlearn some of the things you learned from your Spanish textbook.

I purchased this book when I was diving into learning the Spanish language. Although not fluent, this book is a tremendous reference source indicated which word to use when. I still use the book to this day. The author makes it interesting and fun. I'd recommend it to anyone wishing to explore and break out of their gringo culture. I've written my own book and I've included some Spanish dialog that is not "proper spanish" in it.

Notwithstanding my recent romantic desires for a certain woman of Latin origins, and that I am a student of Spanish, I am not compelled to "speak Spanish like a native". The "gotta get it right" tone of this book (and many courses oriented to the beer-swigging tourist) isn't a selling point for me. But this is a good read, very informative and entertaining. Worth every penny. The discussion about the subjunctive is maybe a bit off-putting, not because the author fails to grasp the Spanish application of that somewhat unecessary tense (all you need is "maybe")--but because he seems confused about the English non-use of it in similar "situations" for which, he says, Spanish requires it.

It is not a good idea to ever over-concern yourself with idiomatic expressions, in any language. They come, they go. Like, read some dialog from an aging novel:

"Dig this," says one character, holding up a glittery item.
"Far out!" says another character ...

I am left, by Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish, with the feeling that Spanish, deep down in the nitty gritty grammar, especially compared with English--whose main "problem" is its spelling--see, for example, The Future of Fonics: Spelling and Literacy--might be a bit too fraught with ancient cultural freight for a foreigner to worry much (not anymore, say, than using the big fork for salad) about ephemeral idioms and uttering shamefully quaint constructions. One asks himself how much of his personality, at home and away, is the result of his use (choices) of idiomatic speech, and, for that matter, perfect grammar? In other words, wherever your travels take you, just put your heart in the right place and ¡hablabla!

I bought this book on a recommendation. I took Spanish in high school, and even got a high enough score on the AP exam to qualify for college credit. But that was about 15 years ago. Since then I don't get much opportunity to use or practice Spanish, but I still enjoy trying to learn the language by occasionally attempting simple novels in Spanish, watching movies, etc.

This book conversationally and entertainingly explains a lot of subtleties that you will not find in your standard language text. Basically, it will help you avoid making particularly embarrassing mistakes. I also thought its explanations of the subjunctive mood and when and how to use it pretty good.

My son is serving a Spanish speaking mission for our church. He is wanting to improve his Spanish and has asked for my help. He told me this book was recommended to him. He has thanked me for all the help I have sent him, so I assume this is a good help.

I guess some of the most important things I feel I've learned from this book is: don't dwell, take pride in your work, and focus on the power of beauty. This man (as thousands and thousands of others) had to endure more mental abuse in his life so far, then a million men, but was able and lucky enough to swim to top of that putrid pond of a life he was given and see the good in it, as fleeting as that was. I was thinking of this book as a mirror and what message I saw in it, that would be "Have a Lion's Heart" .

This book enlightened me and really got to me, much more than I expected. I was delighted to read about the life of a 102-year old african american man from the south, as I am a 30-something white woman from MT. He has a lot to teach us, and a lot to remind us of and has a way of doing so that makes us thankful for what we have. George Dawson is a gem and I am pleased that someone took the time to put his story on paper. What a great book!

Even though this book was published six years ago, the message of "Life is so good" is timeless. It is a window into a world that we are all a part of, but some of us rarely see. Truly memorable! Dawson sees literacy as an incredible gift and he in turn gives the reader numerous ones in return.

Richard Glaubman's "Life Is So Good" is a real comeuppance for anyone whose outlook towards life runs along the lines of "I wish I had done X, but I'm too old to start now." Here's a man, George Dawson, who learned how to read at age 98. As a USA Today review aptly summarizes, "Dawson has become a literary hero, a testament to the power of perseverance." First-time author Glaubman expertly fleshes out Larry Bingham's award-winning 1998 Fort Worth Star-Telegram short story.

Dawson's tales of life in the Jim Crow-era South, his unquenchable work ethic, and his travels throughout North America make for compelling reading. Here is a man who was never given a shot to read when he was younger - economic circumstances forced him into full-time manual labor at a very early age. Despite significant hardship, his optimism and sense of self-worth never waver. The title really sums it up well here. Glaubman's final words from Dawson are "Life is so good and it gets better every day."

As other reviewers have noted, Chapter 1 of this book could stand alone as among the best short stories you'll ever read.

I like the memoir because George Dawson never gave up his dream to read and write. George was born in the late 1800's. His parents were not slaves, but his grandparents were once slaves. George was raised in Texas. His family was poor, and he never attended school. Georges started working at a very young age, drawing water from the well each morning for the house. George worked alongside his father in the fields. The work was hard, so was their life. They had to watch what they said and went in fear of the K.K.K. Twelve year old George went to work, and stayed with a white family to help out at home. His cousins came to live with his family because their parents died, so George was needed at home. George left home at twenty-one and worked in Tennessee building levees. It was two years before he returned back home.

Life is So Good is a story about George Dawson's dreams of receiving mail, learning to read and write at the age of ninety-eight, and his work ethic. I can relate to George's hard work and his work ethic. I beleive in hard work and doing it right the first time.

This book is sad and tells of struggles he had to go through. It is not easy reading at first because the chapters jumped around. But overall, it is a good book to read.

Got this book for my husband, an online poker fan. He loved the first one in the series and doesn't like to put this one down either. Reads them multiple times to get the most out of them.

There have been many in-depth reviews of this book so I will make this short. This book builds on the concepts in Volume 1 to further improve your playing. Some of the concepts and strategies are not as intuitive but make perfect sense and are statistically sound (e.g., As your M and the M of your opponents decrease - avoid playing small pairs and mid to low suited connectors since the implied pot odds can not reach a level to make these hand profitable late in a tournament). Many, many, many advanced topics covered to improve your game late in No Limit tournaments. Mor great insight from a top poker pro.

This book does a fantastic job of discussing the pressure of late stage tournament play. Want to know how to react when the blinds are eating your stack and other players are moving all in on you constantly? Get this book!

This is a great series of books for anyone who is fairly new to the game of No Limit Texas Hold'Em. Volume I provides some basic concepts that every player needs to know. From which hands to start with and pot odds, to raising, to how your seating position affects your play, this series is a great introduction. And the more table experience you gain, the more his discussions can help your game. Highly recommended. Also, the workbook, Volume III is great to test your decision making within his framework.

This book was recommended to me after I finished in the top third of a tourney. I've read Vols 1, 2, and 3 - and I've learned so much from these books. Easy to read, easy to understand. I'll be going back in a few months to pick up anything I may have missed. Highly recommended.

Finished in top 15% in another tourney after reading this book - easily accounted by the stuff I've learned. Looking for better results I apply the knowledge.

Great book...good quality...arrived in record time. I will highly recommend ordering this book for a Christmas present for any age.

This story will rank among my all time favorite Christmas stories! It is heartwarming and humorous, and conveys the true spirit of Christmas!

This book is a GREAT human interest story that uses a man's skill-carving, with a family need for a nativity. In the process of carving the characters and the friendliness of a woman and her son, Jonathan changes from a bitter, lonely man to a believer.

Each year I buy myself a new Christmas book, looking for something unique..Just ran up on this book at a company book sale and stood in awe as I read the story. I knew this was "the one" for this year. Not only is the story heartwarming but the illustrations are perfect. My children are grown as well as my granddaughters and I plan to buy copies for all of them.

A friend and I are often comparing notes on wonderful new and old books and stories for children (and adults), especially at Christmastime. When I saw this book, I knew it would fill the bill as a perfect gift to her to add to her wonderful collection of children's books. I was right--she loved it. I'd never heard of this story before, but, in my opinion, it should be much better known and read. It's so sweet. I'm certainly sharing it. It's perfect for reading aloud. Again, a real good experience with you folks.

As the owner of more than 700 Cookbooks, I can't honestly say that both books by this Author are my Favorites. I am planning a trip especially to visit the Bakery & Cafe for the real experience.

This cookbook is terrific on all counts--great recipes (the Sugar Saucers are the end-all, be-all sugar cookie), beautiful coffee table book, and entertaining read. The fact that the book is printed on glossy paper means the pages will stand up to the occasional butter sputter and drool from looking at all of the wonderful photos. I really enjoyed reading the introduction and narratives that precede each chapter and recipe--a nice addition for those of us who can only dream about visiting Rather Sweet's Bakery & Cafe. I look forward to working my way through all the recipes!

Just the recipe of the ALL SOLD OUT CHICKEN POT PIES alone is reason enough to buy this book. They are incredible!
The Texas tortilla soup is a favorite. The desserts are extra yummy too.

I visited Rather Sweet Restaurant in Fredricksburg, Texas with a friend. We both had chocolate cake for desert and decided it was the best we had ever had. So I was on a quest for the recipe. I found it in this book, made it for a party and got the same results! Heaven, this lady can bake and tell you how to bake too!

I absolutely love this cookbook. I have made several of her recipes and all of them have turned out great. I appreciate her sense of humor, tidbits about each recipe and ways to create variations if one should desire. I own A LOT of cookbooks and this has become my favorite. I know that I can count on the recipes to get rave reviews! Rebecca Rather truly has outdone herself.

This is a good book for my 4th grade son. It is hard to find books on his reading level that hold his interest. The narator of the story is Hank the cowdog (also self proclaimed head of ranch security). The chapters are only 3 or 4 pages and give my son a sense of accomplishment for being able to read a couple of chapters each night.
Hank also has a few pronuciation problems, allowing the young reader to identify correct pronunciation and grammer. The stories are interesting and funny and have really improved my son's interest in reading as well as his grades in reading and language skills. We now own them all as well as many audio books as well. It was fun to hear Hank's voice and read along.

Some background for this review: I originally purchased Hank in book and cassette form for my nieces and nephews in the early 80's. What first caught my eye was actually The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog. Further adventures? I plucked the Original Adventures book from the shelf and was hooked after the first two pages. These stories are entertaining and funny, the characters, too; and they aren't just for kids, either. Everyone I have given Hank to over the years has enjoyed hearing and/or reading the stories. I also like that it is the author giving voice to his creations.

I loved hanks first adventures in this book.this book is great.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (Hank the Cowdog 1)

These audio books help children that are having trouble with the written word. I also use them in the car, so each trip we hear more of the story. The kids love them and I think it makes them interested in reading.

This book takes place on a ranch in Texas. The characters are Hank, Drover, Loper, the coyotes, and Bruno. Hank is the boss for guarding the ranch at night. He watches out for the chickens. But Hank got sick of the ranch. He tries to find the kill of the chickens, but eats one of the dead ones instead. Then he went to live with the coyotes and still tries to find the chicken killers. Does Hank go back to the ranch? You will have to read the book for yourself to find out. I really like this book because I got to see the author give a talk and read out of one of his books.

While this book has many innovative ideas in it, it makes perfect sense. It is easy to read, although so full of great thoughts and inspirational concepts that I had to slow the pace just to digest it. It speaks to the heart and the process of reading is healing in itself. I highly recommend it to anyone searching for their hearts desire, or just plain looking for answers.

A purported running dialog with the Christ figure with commentary/amplification by the author interspersed throughout the dialog. This is an extremely worthwhile read, being a "clarification" or "re-statement" of what the Christ's original doctrine was -with elucidation of that doctrine. That original doctrine dovetails nicely with expositions found in The Conversation With God series, Course in Miracles, and even the Seth material (which supporters would say should happen if all these sources are indeed different perpsectives on "truth"). There are enough additional and further clarifications in this work to make it absolutely a "must" for readers interested in this genre. The author's work "the Keys of Jeshua" is also a must read, being a "how to" put the principles into action in life to achieve a different life experience. This work belongs in one's special tomes on "truth and living".

As one who has been committed to the Path for a LONG time, I feel confident in saying that the new version of Love Without End is the
most complete Spiritual Teaching you will ever find.

Each sentence is a Gem ... that you could mediate on for quite awhile.

I have read this book (and marked it up really good!) at least six times.

A Miracle of LOVE indeed...

Gratefully,

Dr. David Kamnitzer

I find this book to be packed with information on the nature of reality. Unlike my experience with many books on spirituality, I find myself returning to this book again and again. The truths that Jesus reveals in modern American English hit home whether he is explaining the nature of the heart, the physics of the universe or the ten commandments. Here is revealed both the deep love of Jesus for all people and an unflinching guide to all of life. All of this is presented free from dogma, free from religiosity, and free from condemnation.

The warmth, love, compassion, wisdom and joy that radiate from this book is, at times, overwhelming! For me, this is a book that one must keep so that it can be referred to time and again, as I simply am not spiritually advanced enough to get most of the information on a first, second and maybe even third pass. I hope to hear Glenda speak some day and I'd love to see her painting up close and personal. Buy the book and cherish it!