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Texas Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

At the Bonehouse (Texas Review Southern and Southwestern Poetry Breakthrough Series)

Published in Paperback by Texas Review Press (1998-03)

Author: Jack Bedell

List price: $11.00

New price: $11.00
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Average review score:

His Home, My Home

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-07

Dr. Bedell's poetry is what inspires me to be a proud Louisianian and writer. I am a bit biased since I personally know Dr. Bedell, but his poems really do "speak" to me. This book and anything else by Jack Bedell is well worth the buy.

His Home, My Home

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-07

superb, beautiful narrative!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1999-05-11

This book is full of engaging, accurate stories that bring to life the culture and landscape of south Louisiana. Bedell knows exactly when to pull back and let the story tell itself; he never forces preconceived or contrived emotions on the reader. Like it says on the book, I'd buy one and send one to a friend...

This book sings to me.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-12

It is easy to forget the beauty and richness that real life - real people have to offer. Jack brings the reader home with him, offering beauty and reality with the wonderful trip.

This book is one of the greatest influences of my life.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-05-18

Jack Bedell's "At the Bonehouse" takes me back to a time and place in which i had forgotten. Many of us do not absorb the surroundings captured in his work. I have learned to not take life for granted because it is all beautiful. As a teacher, writer, editor and friend, Jack shares his view of life with us willingly. His work has greatly influenced my own writing in poetry and also fiction. In my eyes Jack Bedell is a mentor and he should be for all other aspiring poet's.

Balenciaga and His Legacy: Haute Couture from the Texas Fashion Collection

Published in Hardcover by Yale University Press (2006-12-24)

Author: Myra Walker

List price: $50.00

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Average review score:

Balenciago, Claudia de Osborne, & Neiman Marcus

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-27

The pictures are stunning and cover a range of designs. What surprised me was how much I enjoyed reading about a woman who collected the textile art of Balenciaga and the history of Neiman Marcus. The author included pictures of Balenciaga creations being worn by their owner. Somehow that added a special touch and made this more than a collection of photographs of elegant clothing. I look forward to enjoying this book for many years.

Seminal Text on Balenciaga

Helpful Votes: 12 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-19

My company produced the mannequins used to exhibit the couture in this fine text, so for me it was a delight, that bias aside, the forward by Givenchy is worth the cover price alone. The text my Myra Walker is insightful and the book is beautifully ilustrated. Seeing Balenciaga's illustrations along side his creations is a joy for any true fashionista. The book is a homage to Balenciaga's work, but not Balenciaga, who was a private and complicated gentleman, and who would like to remembered that way, for his work, not for himself.

Superb!

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-01

M. Balenciaga was a master couturier so lacking today as one considers haute couture, especially, as the French houses of haute couture are virtually gone. At the time of M. Balenciaga's impact from the 1930s through 1968 when he closed his Parisian house, there were many more houses of haute couture. He, like Chanel, Christian Dior, Pierre Balmain, Mainbocher, Jacques Fath, Schiaparelli, Vionnet, and Gres to name a few, flourished as women from around the globe turned to the tradition and process of the haute couture as the pinnacle of what it meant to being well-dressed. Out of this number, the creations of M. Balenciaga stand-out. There is that certain something about his work which commands and rivets the attention. Yes, unquestionably elegant, imbued with masterful design, quality, and exacting a nobility for the wearer which she may or may not have actually possessed, but still whenever I view his creations I think to myself "more". Unlike today where being anonymous seems to be the rule of what passes for style, M. Balenciaga assured a woman would never be forgotten. This volume pays homage to that certain something and begs the question "where are the contemporary talents?" At the moment, in Paris there are only in my view, Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and Valentino. These individuals know how to dress their haute couture clients (especially, those not wishing to dress perennially 18 years old) whereas the remaining haute couture houses present nothing but a media circus, for too long lead by that dreadful costumier posing as a couturier at Christian Dior. For the sheer pleasure of pondering something beautiful, I recommend this volume as well as Balenciaga by Marie-Andrée Jouve and Jacqueline Demornex published in 1991.

absolutely beautiful

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-30

gorgeous pics of gorgeous clothes. this guy is my fav. when it comes to couture and this book won't disappoint. well worth the money. yeah, Dior is great too but this guy really is the 'master'

Balenciaga and his legacy

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-17

This is a fabulous book! I love the images and history. I would recommend it to anyone who has an appreciation for fashion history and photography.

Biggie and the Fricasseed Fat Man

Published in Hardcover by Thorndike Press (2000-11)

Author: Nancy Bell

List price: $27.95

Used price: $2.16

Average review score:

Soothing

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-23

If you read mysteries for intricate plots, this probably is not your cup of tea. Plot in the Biggie mysteries is secondary to atmosphere and quirky characters--and the books have plenty of both. Jobs Crossing, Texas becomes very real, and the reader comes to feel he actualy knows the inhabitants.

There is a charm to it all, a soothing feeling. Cozy must have been especially chosen as a name for the sub-genre, just for this series. Oh, there are villains, but they aren't really all that evil. And there are murders, but only for the sake of a plot that can allow the writer to lay in atmosphere and character. I do wish I could have gone home with Biggie (who is really quite small) and J.R. and had a meal with them and played a game of Chinese checkers with Rosebud.

The book is lightweight, to be sure, but so is angel food cake, and I like that as well.

Corny, Colloquial Cozy

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-25

With plenty of stops for chow time (and chow chow) and a policeman whose priority is his pie, this homespun mystery novel (set during the Christmas season) has an accent almost as thick as the gravy covering the body of fricasseed fat man. In Job's Crossing, if the cholesterol doesn't kill you the colloquialisms might. Please note that the term "funeralized" really ISN'T an every day term in Texas, nor do we all talk like this. The charm of grandma/detective Biggie and grandson/detective J.R. almost overcomes the hokey-ness of the time warp they appear to be stuck in. While the local actuarial tables would surely indicate that Job's Crossing could be hazardous to your health, never fear, for Biggie and J.R. will surely sort things out. Gossip, glop, and a spare grandma all garnish this very corny, colloquial cozy mystery.

Big entry in the Biggie regional amateur mystery series

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-08

Biggie Weatherford takes her grandson J.R. to the opening of Job's Crossing, Texas' newest eatery, The Fresh-as-a-Daisy Restaurant. However, instead of enjoying a meal, the amateur detective duo discover the restaurant's owner, Firman Birdsong, has been murdered and stuffed like a chicken to be roasted.

Biggie personally believes that it is her divine right to investigate the murder. She and J.R. soon find several suspects with motives. However, before she can complete her

inquiries, the maternal grandparents of J.R. arrive to take the lad back with them. Feeling that his beloved Biggie is obsessed with sleuthing, an unwanted J.R. runs away, leaving Biggie with two cases to ponder.

If anyone has read the two previous Biggie tales, they might initially feel that their third novel is a repeat. In many ways, it is. However, the story line is freshened up by the crack in the relationship between J.R. and Biggie, and the appearance of the other grandparents. The mystery is well written and built around hoe-down humor and cardiac-giving (but delicious) food. With BIGGIE AND THE FRICASSEED FAT MAN, Biggie remains a big player in the regional amateur sleuth sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner

Murder with gravy on top

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-07

Nancy Bell has whipped up some wonderful characters residing in Job's Crossing, Texas. There is the wonderfully big hearted, but minute Biggie, and her resident 12 year old grandson J.R. and a cast of other fun characters.

Biggie and J.R. go out for a big night on the town, the opening of the town's brand new, all chicken restaurant. The proprietor is nowhere to be found in all of the hustle and bustle, until he is found, served up dead with gravy on top! Biggie takes it upon herself to help her cousin, the local sheriff solve this crime.

During this Christmas holiday season, J.R.'s other grandparents arrive, with intentions of taking J.R. back home with them. The boy is forced to learn about love and loyalty v.s. the value of a dollar. What choice will he make? Is Biggie to busy for him anymore? What would it be like to spend Christmas, or to live with his rich grandparents?

As I detest spoilers I won't give any more plot elements. The sub-plots were all woven together very well. The gore factor was very light. (I will say that it was a murder tastefully done, with a flourish and garnish at that!) I don't recall any strong language or adult situations in the book. With the story taking place in the holiday season, while this book can be read at any time during the year, it may be a nice addition to the holiday reading pile.

Interesting a real charmer

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1999-04-16

This is the third in the series bringing readers smack-dab into the grits and gravy lives of Biggie Weatherford and those close to her in Joe's Crossing, Texas. The grand opening of the Fresh-as-a-Daisy Chicken Restaurant and take-out (featuring sweet-and-sour to southern fried chicken) is the unlikely setting of a murder. The body of the owner, Firman Birdsonis found under a table covered in gravy and garnished with tomato and parsley. Biggie, the grandmother we've all wished for, rounds up her posse-Willie May, the best cook south of the Mason-Dixon. Rosebud the handy man-driver-raconteur, Paul and Siles the one man (yes, one man) police department and Jr. Biggies ten your old grandson and they unite to uncover this tasteless killer. To add to the chicken-pot-pie, JR's other grandmother and her ersatz cowboy husband Skinny crash into town to take JR to live with them at their ranch. The reader will eagerly await the next glimpse into Jobs Crossing and the southern-fried charmers Nancy Bill's stories evoke.

The Biker's Guide to Texas: 25 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Lone Star State

Published in Paperback by Maverick Publishing Co. (2005-07-19)

Author: Dorothy Waldman

List price: $18.95

New price: $11.43
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Average review score:

Try it, you'll like it!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-16

25 rides covering the majority of the state, ride distances and styles. I throughly enjoyed the way various rides are themed. Ms. Waldman gives many useful tips and valuable information, for example "Be sure your tank is full and you have replenished your provisions before you set out from Alpine. There are no towns for the next eighty miles. There is no place to stop for food or fuel. All you have is what you take with you." Ms. Waldman did her homework, she lists many interesting resturants, muesumes and local attractions for the many varied areas she travels. The wealth of diversity alone makes this book stand tall among Texas travel guides. I will be utilizing this guide when planning trips, to look for destinations, attractions, eateries and other entertaining distractions. I recomend it . . . Try it, you'll like it!

Great tour guide.

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-30

Just got this book and have read about half of it. Have riden some of the roads but not in the layout this book offers. I will be riding as many of the routes shown in the book. Has some really great information on what is ahead and what to look out for.

Rev it up with this great book!

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-01

You need not be a motorcycle rider or a Texan to benefit from this latest contribution to the travel genre.
In her eloquent lyrical style, Ms Waldman takes us across the varied terrain of Texas and magically transports the reader to such diverse locales as Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle and the Big Thicket forests of deep East Texas.
I have ridden many of the routes described in the book and find the information accurate and helpful.
This book is a wonderful resource for the serious rider and also a vacation for the mind for the vicarious reader.

Bikers Guide to Texas

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-30

I am a native Texan and have been a bike rider since 1962. This book does more for the novice, general or expert rider than any book on riding in Texas that is currently on the market.
I was luckly enough to meet the author and the three riders on the cover are from the midlifecycles.com riding group.
Enjoy and buy an extra copy for Christmas and send it to any rider you know. They will really appreciate it.
Chuck Boyd

Great new guide book!

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-10

I recently received this book as a gift, and it makes me want to get out on the road! The book has clear, carefully delineated maps to go with each of the rides across Texas. The directions are very clear but not dry because the author spices them up with relevant tips and cultural/historical information for each area. My favorite part is the "Highlights Along the Way" section at the end of each ride. Did you know you can visit vineyards near Stonewall, TX and try French Bordeaux wine? (ride #15 in the Hill Country) Or visit a museum dedicated to Texas' Danish culture and Viking heritage in Danevang? (ride #20)

Though the book is marketed to bikers, many of the rides would be appropriate for cyclists looking for longer rides. Some of the rides are in the 60-70 mile range.

Great book! It would make a good gift for the biker who has everything. It's hard to believe it took so long to get such a good guide book for bikers in Texas on the market.

Body Scissors: A Novel (Dan Reles Mysteries)

Published in Hardcover by Viking Adult (2005-08-18)

Author: Michael Simon

List price: $23.95

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Average review score:

Great sequel to a dazzling debut novel

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-20

Michael Simon proves that Dirty Sally was no fluke. This masterful second novel in the Dan Reles detective series is just as riveting, gripping and engrossing as its predecessor. Corruption at the highest levels of government and business in Austin, Texas are at the core of this intricate confluence of storylines involving outsider police detective Dan Reles. A believable cast of colorful, funny, grotesque and sad characters inhabit this noirish world, brought vividly to life in this exciting page-turner.

Blast from the past part II

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-10

I was born and raised in Austin. How cool is it to have a fictional account my hometown,(home neighborhood for that matter) from my teens and up. WOW. Thanks. Well written, smart, exciting thriller. I'm telling my friends about it...and can't wait for book four!

above average

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-03

get your freak on. Characters are one of a kind. No one is good. Grim and gripping.

Cuts Deep

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-04

Friends in Austin have advised me to get on the Michael Simon bandwagon, that he is the future of hardboiled cop thrillers. They point to the eccentric DIRTY SALLY, Simon's previous novel, as proof. In that outstamnding debut, which he Amazon readers voted as one of the best detective novels of 2004, we first got introduced to Dan Reles, a fish out of water if ever there was one, first off he's from upstate, and secondly he's Jewish, which apparently is a fantastically big deal in a town like Austin.

So I went ahead and bought a copy of BODY SCISSORS. In this book Dan is still thriving at the APD, except that he's under a lot of pressure from within because he's keeping a dark secret from Rachel Velez, the true story behind her husband's death. The husband, once Dan's partner, died with his skeletons locked up securely with extra large skeleton keys. You'll gasp when the book opens up, an armed attacker bursts into the rooms of a nice single mother and kills her baby in front of her. Whites fear Virginia Key, and blacks hate her, Simon tells us, and she's a fascinating character, sort of like Pam Grier but a bit younger. It would be a good part for Alicia Keys if she ever wanted to take a flier in the movies. She's an anti drug activist in a bad part of Austin, and when she comes to she finds out that her daughter is dead and her brave, unfortunate son is in the Pediatric Unit at the hospital . . . in a coma. Who did this, wonders Dan, while his associate, the black detective James, movs in attracted to Virginia's bewitching combination of hauteur, vulnerability, and sexual power.

Meanwhile, young wealthy white students are dying from a rohypnol like drug that just knocks them out, into the arms of death. Naturally, when they're white it grabs the attention of the news media. Some people would say, If recreational drugs kill the people who take them, that's a punishment that fits the crime, but Michael Simon sees it differently. In the Austin of the early 1990s, when this book is set for some reason, drugs were very much a part of the scene, and life couldn't have continued on any large economic sense, with them.

Kudos to author Simon for creating a dismal world of danger, drugs, dementia and daring--the five D's of a good thriller. It will remind mystery lovers with long memories of the Roger Simon books that Richard Dreyfuss starred in the movie version of. Same name, Simon, and same sort of fish out of water vision of the world. Also, Carly Simon with her perpetual outsider pout. But you know what they say, he who is the outsider sees more of the big picture. BODY SCISSORS cuts deep.

A novel equally as dark and gritty as its prequel, DIRTY SALLY

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-23

In 2004 Michael Simon immediately caught the attention of fans of noir fiction with DIRTY SALLY, his dark, gritty debut novel. Set in Austin, Texas in 1988, it introduced Homicide Detective Dan Reles, the only Yankee or Jew on the force, a complex and brooding man trying to stay upright in a crooked world. In BODY SCISSORS, Simon continues to build on the topics and themes introduced in DIRTY SALLY while further developing Reles's life and personality, using the dirty underside of Austin as an angry backdrop.

BODY SCISSORS is set in 1991 at the beginning of the Persian Gulf War. Reles is living with Rachel Velez, the widow of Joey Velez, his best friend and homicide partner. The opening passages, wherein Reles and Rachel seem constantly on the verge of connection, foreshadow the events of the book on a number of levels. Reles is assigned to assist in the investigation of an apparent assassination attempt on Virginia Key, an activist community leader. The attempt on Key's life is a failure but results in the death of her daughter while leaving her son in a coma.

From the moment of her introduction Key is an enigma who captures the attention --- and appreciation --- of Detective James Torbett. While Torbett struggles with his attraction to Key, Reles attempts to unravel the surprising connection between the attack upon Key and the seedy Austin drug scene. Key's personal and professional past have the potential to explode at any moment, but she is not the only one with a past; everyone, including Reles and Rachel, has secrets. As Reles's investigation uncovers a surprising revelation about Joey's past, Reles and Rachel join Key in becoming the targets of a powerful madman who seeks to enact a penultimate revenge upon each and every one of them.

Reles's Austin is not the Chamber of Commerce dream that hosts an annual music festival and free weekly events in front of city hall, and in general is a cultural and financial boomtown. Rather, it is a city cast in shadow, where actions at the highest and lowest levels are carried out in a furtive manner with dangerous ends, where one who expects betrayal, pain and death is never disappointed.

BODY SCISSORS is a story populated by evil characters on both sides of the law, in which the sins of the past fulfill their promise of dire consequences in the present. And Michael Simon? He writes like an angel sitting in a blackened room full of spiders. Highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Border Raiders: A Jim Blawcyzk Texas Ranger Story

Published in Paperback by iUniverse, Inc. (2005-05-16)

Author: James J Griffin

List price: $13.95

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Average review score:

Better than the First One!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-22

Showing the indomitable spirit, while being respectful of other cultures, Griffin paints a great picture of the Ol' West. Full of lots of action, and a wide pallet of great characters from all walks of life, this reads like a classic pulp western from bygone days. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Action is back in the saddle

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-15

It's hard to find a good old-fashioned western anymore. Most of those on the paperback stands are sex-in-the-west stuff. "Border Raiders" is for those of us who want the emphasis on more traditional action, and it delivers. It starts off almost leisurely, with a scene of the ranger/hero at home before the start of his mission (tracking down renegade Comanches and rustlers). The action builds gradually and, once started, gathers momentum like an avalanche. The band of rangers has real challenges to overcome in this outing.

A look at REAL cowboys

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-14

I enjoyed this book because Mr. Griffin showed us that it took many types of people to tame the West. In this book, he's remained true to history by including cowboys who were former slaves or of Mexican heritage, as well as having women and girls helping out in time of need.

I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Jim Blawcyzk, Texas Ranger, rides high again....!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-14

Once again I was captivated by the adventures of Texas Ranger Jim Blawcyzk. The author, James Griffin, has written another action-packed western novel with just the right amount of Western adventure to keep my interest and without the use of overly graphic violence to make this short novel an excellent read. It is a welcoming relief to be able to read a book that does not contain overly graphic sex, violence or profanity. I highly recommend this book to fans of Western novels.

Another Action-Packed Western Story

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-08

Once again, James Griffin has given us a fast-paced, action-packed tale of frontier Texas. This time, Ranger Jim Blawcyzk must help a company of Rangers track down white rustlers and renegade Comanches in the Nueces Strip. The action comes fast and furious, and holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. And, as in Trouble Rides the Texas Pacific, there's not a curse word nor overly graphic scene to be found. A great story in the style of the traditional Western.

Boy Captives

Published in Paperback by Anchor Publishing (MD) (1995-06)

Author: Clinton L. Smith

List price: $13.00

New price: $55.00
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Average review score:

My Great-Great-Great Uncles

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-26

My grandfather gave this book to each of us it is the story of my great great grandmother Amanda(daughter of H.M. and Fannie Short Smith)Lane's brothers. From the stories I have heard through the years it is written exactly as they told it, and for not having any education I was pleasantly surprised with the grammer they had.

the boy captives

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-22

I am very excited about this book and the history,This story is about my family ,, Frances Short Smith is my Great- Great Aunt ,, I recall the stories from my Grandfather ,, and looking at the origanal book was so exciting ,, this is a must for history buffs ,,,,

Phenomenal Story - Told like a campfire story.

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-02

I believe this book has recently underwent another printing. New printings of this book can be found sparsley in various shops within a hundred mile radius of Junction, Texas.

This book is a rare treasure. Excellent story of two young brothers abducted by Indians and sold as slaves to various Indian chiefs. One was actually sold to Geronimo.

Eventually, the brothers were recaptured by American soldiers and returned to their families.

Great tales of survival!

Amazing Book!

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-06

Amazing story of a boy who was captured and lived with the Comanche Indians for five years. He actually became a Comanche and identified as an Indian while he was with them. Fought with them against other tribes and the US army, etc. Told in an absolutely matter of fact manner. Written in 1927 so not "politically correct" but gives an amazing view of frontier life and life with the Indians. It is in print.

Excellent first-hand account, not "politically correct"

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-11

By pure luck, I ran across this excellent first hand account of the Smith brothers captivity by Comanches in Texas. Written before a revisionist philosophy dominated history writing, their accounts of Indian raids and murders in Texas in the 1870s are the opposite of what is usually written or shown on screen today. My sympathies are with the Texas pioneers who suffered so much. Outstanding reading from such a little book.

The bugles are silent: A novel of the Texas revolution

Published in Unknown Binding by Shoal Creek Publishers (1977)

Author: John R Knaggs

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Average review score:

The Birth of the Republic of Texas and the Lone Star State

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-08

John R. Knaggs, the author of "The Bugles Are Silent," has accomplished a rare feat: He has produced a historical novel that has pleased readers on both sides of the Rio Grande. The book provides a balanced account of the Battle of the Alamo that allots equal time to military and political considerations from participants on both sides of the conflict.

The bravery and sacrifice of the doomed defenders of the Alamo are probably better known to many American readers, but the author devotes considerable space to the motives of the Mexican Presidente and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The defense of the Alamo delayed the Mexican advance by nearly two weeks and bought valuable time in which Sam Houston, a discredited politician who fled to Texas in disgrace, was able to field and supply a small army to oppose Santa Anna. At the battle of San Jacinto, Houston's ragtag band of Texans scored a singular victory against the numerically superior Mexican army. The frontier amateurs had defeated a professional force. Several more battles followed with similar results and the Republic of Texas was created following the Mexican surrender.

As a tourist, I was surprised to learn how the growth of San Antonio was spurred by waves of German immigrants. At one time, it was considered wise for local residents to develop conversational skills in English, German and Spanish. The actual mission church of San Antonio de Bexar (now known as the Alamo) is quite small. Like many historical sites, its reputation has grown to be quite outsized in comparison to the site itself. In retrospect, this is appropriate and fitting.

"The Bugles Are Silent" is an example of historical fiction at its best.

very enjoyable read!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-22

This is an excellent book! I purchased this book at the Alamo and was fortunate to have the author sign it. I have read several books about the Texas Revolution, and this one stands out because of its format. It is writen like a novel and like a great novel, it is very easy to get engrossed in it. The book follows the revolution from the Alamo through San Jacinto. Both the Texan and Mexican sides are detailed.
The manner in which this book is written really brings history to life, making the reader feel as if they are in 1836 Texas. You read conversations between Travis and Bowie, and also Santa Anna and Houston's thoughts. You follow a young Texan from his narrow escape at Goliad to his part in San Jacinto. See Santa Anna from the view of his closest aides.
This informative book is a highly enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Texas history. If you don't know a lot about the Texas Revolution, this is a great place to start. If you already have some background knowledge, you will still learn a lot from this book, including a greater understanding of the participants in both sides of the Texas Revolution.

Superb book!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1999-08-05

This is a superb book! I bought it and got it autographed by the author while visiting the Alamo with my wife (a Texan). As an introduction to the history of Texas, this is a real gem.

The fictional characters added to the real history are interesting and serve well their purpose in the book as presenting the story as if it could have been really seen from the real actors. The only thing I would have like is a little "Prologue" telling us what happened after the Battle of the San Jacinto Plains but I guess other books go into these details.

Highly recommended for people interested in learning more about Texas and, well, in history in general!!

Excellent Novization of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-25

It has been a few years since I have read my autographed copy that I also purchased at the Alamo. The book is an excellent read for any Texas History buff! John Knaggs certainly did his homework! Would love to see more works from this author, especially one on my favorite subject, the Texas Rangers (Not the baseball club!).

A two sided story

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1997-12-10

To my knowledge this is the only account of the Texas revolution in which both the Texan and Mexican viewpoints are revealed. The novel received solid reviews from local newspapers and an endorsement from the state of Texas, and the Library of Congress. An autographed copy may be obtained by calling the author himself at (512) 459-9404. My motivation behind writing this review is that I am quite proud of my father's work on this book and his knowledge of this historical period. The book is also sold at historical sights acroos the state of Texas.(The Alamo, San Jacinto Battlefield, Presidio La Bahia)

Burning Desires-El Paso

Published in Hardcover by William Morrow Cookbooks (1994-06-21)

Author: Park & Norma Kerr

List price: $16.00

New price: $5.50
Used price: $0.46
Collectible price: $20.00

Average review score:

Great heat!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-20

This is an incredible grilling guide. I've tried multiple recipies and they have all come out on fire with taste, inspiration, and yes, desire for incredible food. DO try it, I highly recommend it.

One hot cookbook

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-24

This book is full of great-tasting, well-written recipes. I have been using it for a number of years with consistently good results. There is a useful resources section in the back for getting ingredients you might not be able to locally.

a great summer cookbook

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-06

I love the Kerr family thinking when it comes to food-- big, blowsy, can't-have-too-much-of-a-good-thing type thinking. I've used this cookbook for five years, and everything I make has great, authentic Tex-Mex taste. I'd take any advice Park Kerr is giving out.

My most treasured cook book

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-22

This book has been my bible for entertainment since I bought it at least 7 years ago. I was on business in Austin, Texas and found it in the airport book store, luckily. Homemade salsas, bbq sauces, ointments and marinades, guides to grilling and smoking all kinds of beef, chicken, pork, fish, lamb...how to make sausages, how to make pizza from scratch and cook them on the grill, how to grill sandwhiches...tons of bbq type side dishes...alchoholic and non type drinks, and special deserts. All my most favored recipes have come from this book. Not one thing I have made has been a disspointment and this book has helped me earn the reputation of being one of the best bbq entertainers around.

My personal favorites:

spicy lemon chicken
molasses mop beef ribs
avocado salsa
picadillo salsa
Western Red BBQ sauce
bbq pizza (make dough from scratch!)
smoked t bone steaks with green chile butter
marinaded and grilled mushrooms, red onions, vegetables
rosemary new potatoes
grilled sweet potatoe planks
marinaded red pepper & jalepeno Cole Slaw (no mayonaise!)
jack daniels pudding cake
pineapple tequila
pineapple tequila margaritas
Grilled peaches with walnut oil on vanilla bean ice cream

I am going from memory on the titles, but I have captured the essence. If you like to grill, or have an affinity for chips and salsa, smoked meats, spicy foods, beer or tequila..this book will not dissappoint. Even if you don't love all those things you will find killer recipes here. And hey, I don't even know the author (unfortunately) I just love this book.

Sizzle Spicy Smackaroo

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1998-08-14

Great cookbook! The recipes are easy to understand and even better tasting. Mr. Kerr has a flair for setting the mood for each of his recipes with anecdotal descriptions of how to serve and what to serve with the dish. The only drawback is sometimes the recipes call for ingredients that are not easily obtained (common grocery store), but he warns of that in the book! It's a good read and a great cookbook.

Cajun Snuff

Published in Paperback by PublishAmerica (2005-11-07)

Author: W. Randy Haynes

List price: $19.95

New price: $21.67
Used price: $20.95

Average review score:

great characters

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-24

This is a new and exciting book with colorful characters! I hope this is the beginning of an adventure with Adam. Randy Haynes has the ability to bring the characters to life. This reader wants to have more!

Cajun Snuff will keep you guessing.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-04

This is an excellent mystery that introduces a new hero, who I hope will appear in a series of books. The atmosphere will draw you in. I am looking forward to the next book.

A great little tale full of intrigue and local color

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-06

It took W. Randy Haynes five years to write his first mystery, but the effort was worth it. The first time "out of the gate," as he says, he garnered a selection as a finalist for the prestigious 2006 Lambda Literary Award. Haynes is a disabled Vietnam vet who found time on his hands during the long Lake Tahoe winters. But Haynes is originally a Texan, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the Cherokees of California and started up
a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Lake Tahoe. He is presently working
on a sequel to CAJUN SNUFF.

Special Agent Adam Stephen is inexplicably tapped by his somewhat boorish boss to investigate the mutilation murder of a U.S. Congressman who happens to be Black. On his way to New Orleans, Adam meets up with a woman named Adaline Fontenot, a widow from New Orleans, who not only opens doors for him during his investigation, but who will change his life forever:
"'Mr. Herndon? I'm Adam Stephen. I really appreciate your talking to me."

Adam handed over the letter of introduction.

'Come in.' The man unlocked the office door and turned on the lights. The office was unsophisticated but functional. Herndon took a seat behind the desk and motioned for Adam to sit in a chair. 'So, you're a friend of Ms. Fontenot, huh? How did you get so highly connected?'

'It was an accident. We met on a flight to New Orleans, and I've visited her home since. She's well-known in the state?'

'You could say that. Ada is the power behind the progressive politics here in Louisiana. She prefers to work behind the scenes and avoids publicity.'"

CAJUN SNUFF is an understated, yet passionate whodunit that is character-driven and examines the politics of the South and the attempt by right-wing zealots to take over our country. Adam Stephen is a dreamboat of a character who is both as spicy as New Orleans and, at the same time, is vulnerable and strong. When Adam meets up with Homer, a neurotic bloodhound with separation anxiety, Haynes injects just the right amount of humor to enliven and lighten the tale. But Adam and Homer bond, Adam saves the day, and Haynes sees fit to give us a reverse ending. CAJUN SNUFF is extremely well done and is a great little tale full of intrigue and local color.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

Intriguing, Involved Fast Paced Murder Mystery

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-27

Having been raised on a bayou in Louisiana, gone to school in Lafayette and lived in New Orleans for 22 years I found Mr. Haynes book fascinating, imaginative and insightful of the darker side of Louisiana Politics, criminal aspects plus the goodness of Southern hospitality. The characters are from every aspect of life in Louisiana, from down home country people through the flamboyant Gallery owner to the bigots, criminals and every other group that populates the landscape.

This is a great murder mystery with many twists and turns. The descriptions of the locations are wonderful with great details. I am looking forward to the next book with Adam Stephens.

Good Murder Mystery

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-27

I can only hope that this is the first of many mysteries to be produced by Mr. Haynes. The lead character Adam Tyler Stephen is a fascinating blend of sleuth, hard-nose FBI agent, and a sexy single gay guy. He solves the mystery of the murder of a Congressman, and in the process upsets most of officialdom in Washington, at FBI headquarters, New Orleans, and the Louisana bayous. In the process, he befriends the doyen of New Orlean's Garden District, a sassy FBI secretary, an aged butler, and a college age gay kid who is allegedly a Neo-Nazi. Needless to say, the convoluted plot keeps the reader guessing until the very last few pages.

The character development of Adam is such that he could theoretically become a new gay super slueth if his creator decides to make him such. I can only hope that there are more stories for Adam in Mr. Haynes imagination.