Texas Books

This book is awesome! I beleive that Texas Angel is better but
This book is to great to put down.I love the fact that Judith Pella didn't end the Fued between Micha and his father.Even though we feel sorry for Micha.We also hate his stubborness at times.Especially when almost throws away the best thing in his life because she's mexican but we still love the story. I personally believe that Texas Angel+ Heavens road should be made into a movie. But no adding or removing from the book.And no Unnessary scenes about Elise being a slave Prostuite.
Thanks for a great books Judith Pella!

There were several places in the book where I would have liked to knock some sense into Micah Sinclair for his stubbornness. His father and stepmother, Benjamin and Elise, are minor characters in the story, whereas a trail guide in "Texas Angel," a minor character in that book, is now a Texas Ranger and saves Micah's neck more than once, especially when he is sentenced to be executed as a horse thief.

Micah takes several years to finally forgive his father for the past, and to overlook the fact that the lady who loves him (despite her father's misgivings) is half-Mexican. The ending seems rather hurried to me, as though a whole year is suddenly thrown into the last 2 chapters and leaves you wondering, "what were these people doing since the the previous chapter?"

This was A wonderful sequel to Texas Road.Micha Sinclair played a man still furious at his father for Killing his mother.But he found a way to love again.There were many times I grew so angry at him.I mean he almost through the best thing in his life away because she was mexican. Silly boy. But all in all it was a great book.I think I liked Texas Angel better. I also beleive that Texas angel and Heavens Road should be made into a movie.But no adding or removing from the book. And no specifics on Elise Job in Texas Angel. Thanks!

Again and again, Pella shows her talent for creating flawed characters that have to learn the hard way. Micah is a perfect example of this, as he struggles with hate and anger and must learn both how to accept love and how to return it. Though I was expecting Book Two to be a continuation of Elise's story, I'm now glad that this one focuses instead on Micah, who has matured from a bitter and confused fourteen-year-old (see "Texas Angel") to an angry twenty-two-year-old with an agenda for revenge. Though this novel can be read alone, the depth of Micah's feelings cannot fully be appreciated unless one has read the prequel. I must again salute Ms. Pella's skill as she creates people that "just happen" to meet and are changed forever in 300 pages. As always, secondary characters do not disappoint, and the main plot sweeps us off our feet and carries us to 1830's Texas for an unforgettable tale of hate and love, sorrow and joy, tragic darkness and sweet light.

Taking up a few years after "Texas Angel" ended, "Heaven's Road" features preacher Benjamin Sinclair's oldest son Micah, who is still a teenager and estranged from the father he hates. Micah has fought a war and desperados and has seen death too many times. He now finds himself in less than desirable company.

Alone except for his outlaw friends, he is sentenced to be executed, but his life takes a surprising direction, due to the fact he is so young and the intervention of a dear, old friend. Micah is forced to choose between hanging and serving as a Texas ranger, on the other side of the law.

There are several things which Micah hates violently, most notably his father, religion, and Mexicans for their part in the slaughter of his beloved Uncle Haden.

It is his hate which seems to drive him and keep him alive. All that changes when he meets young, beautiful Lucie Maccullum, whom he is determined he will NOT love, will never be beholden to, and will never, never allow to change him or tame him.

Micah's loyalties are torn forever at the discovery of who Lucie really is, who it is that leads the notorious, dangerous Mexican fighting men, and who and what his father has become in his absence.

Truly a cliff hanger, as well as a tender, religious fiction love story, and one which covers politics, history, and family relationships.

I sincerely hope and trust that Judith Pella is planning book #3 and soon! This book really deserves more stars than the 5 allowed on this site!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I first picked up this book. From the moment I cracked it open, I was completely hooked. Mudaine train rides to work and back were suddenly filled with the crazy adventures of two (nearly) fearless California gals, staking their claims and burning their initials into the heart of Texas. Before I knew it, I actually started dreading the announcement that my stop was next. I absolutely loved every chapter and recommend this to anyone who is looking for their next favorite book.

These are two chicks you'd wanna hang with, but we can leave the reds behind. All the talk of the dancers at Antone's, how a midnight run to Gardenridge and the yearly Marie Calendar's pie special is my Austin too. To hear a newcomer's view of our bugs, the heat, the twang and the rodeo made my laugh alot. I think most Texans would get a kick outta Heidi and the Reds.

I truly enjoyed this book of short stories. The chapter about Georgia's sister was very endearing. I loved that each story was independent of one another and yet they all seemed to fit together because of the city's backdrop. You really get to know the two main characters, Georgia and Vivian as they go through their everyday lives, from minimum wage jobs they love, to their friends that visit and give life to their adventures. The chapter about Georgia's Uncle relating back to the songs of Tom Waits reminded me about how different songs and movies can jog someone back to the memories of loved ones. I highly recommend this book.

As a long time Austin local, I must say that I approve. I'm not one to want to encourage Californians to move on out here, but Heidi & the Reds doesn't lie. We got the bugs, we got the slackers, the singers, the blues, Stevie, Antone's, you name it and Heidi's got it. The book's more about family and friends and dreams then about any city or state, but I think that's why everyone will like it. And if you ever was curious about rodeos, carnivals, the blues and the Southwest you won't be disappointed either. I'd recommend it to all my buds.

I read The Doldrums and have been waiting and waiting for Mel's next book. Heidi did not disappoint. Although this was totally different from The Doldrums, I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. 'The Bug Killer' was my favorite chapter. I think everyone can relate to that fear of cockroaches and she paints Austin, Texas so vividly that I felt like I was there. It almost seems like a little Berkeley in the middle of the South. After reading 'Heidi' I'm ready to cruise on down to 'Pint Nite at Antone's.' Maybe we'll run into Mel.

The book I Remember the Alamo, by D. Anne Love is a breath taking book that shows what it was like to have lived during the Mexican and Texas war. People in this book go through horrible and great times that make you notice how much you have in life that you take for granted. This book has made me think of how hard it would be to be put in such a situation like some characters are put in, in this book. They have to go through such hard times, that it will change their life completely forever. Reading this book has changed my veiw on what happens in war. This book is truely one of the best books i have ever read. It made me think of what it was like to live back in the time of war, and being a girl who had to go inside the Alamo, and leave everything she had back at home. I Remember the Alamo experiences themes of family, love, friendship, and sadness all at the same time. You will never want to put this book down until you're down!

The book I Remember the Alamo, by D. Anne Love is a breath taking book that shows what it was like to have lived during the Mexican and Texas war. People in this book go through horrible and great times that make you notice how much you have in life that you take for granted. This book has made me think of how hard it would be to be put in such a situation like some characters are put in, in this book. They have to go through such hard times, that it will change their life completely forever. Reading this book has changed my veiw on what happens in war. This book is truely one of the best books i have ever read. It made me think of what it was like to live back in the time of war, and being a girl who had to go inside the Alamo, and leave everything she had back at home. I Remember the Alamo experiences themes of family, love, friendship, and sadness all at the same time. You will never want to put this book down until you're down!

I am a 4th grade teacher in Texas. I teach Texas history and we have always complained there were no Historical Fiction books we could use in our classrooms to support our Social Studies Curriculum.
That has all changed now! This book moved me to tears several times. It describes the essentials of Texas History in relation to the Alamo, Texas Revolution, and The Runaway Scrape. The story brings a very personal twist to living in Texas during the time of the Revolution as well as a very moving look at friendship and how they can support you through times that are utterly devestating. I recommend this book to everyone!
I love this book!

This book is so sad.I first read it at my school libary now my mom is ordering it for me.this book is sad and good.I love the story.It is the best book I ever read.I also like the way side school series.But this book is better than all of those put together.I reccommend this book to anyone who can read.I also reccommend the wayside school series to anyone who can read.But I still think that I Remember The Alamo is better than all of the wayside school books put together.

I read I Remember The Alamo by D. Anne Love. This book was about an eleven year old girl named Jessie. In the beginning of the book, Jessie's dad announces that he wants to move to Texas. The next day, they are on their way. When her family arrives, Jessie becomes friends with a Mexican girl named Angelina. However, they have to meet secretly due to the war between the Mexicans and Texians that is about to begin. One day,Jessie's father and old brother announce they are going to fight for Texas. While gone, the rest of the family hides in the safe Alamo. Suddenly, the family gets some shocking news, however, Angelina knows the truth! What happens next? I won't tell, you'll just have to read it.

I liked how the book was very exciting and really grabbed me into it. Especially towards the end of the story. I recomend this book to people who like to laugh, and yet learn. D. Anne Love definitly knows how to write great childrens books.

This book taught me a lot about friendship. It shows that no matter who you are, you can have a friend from a different culture.After all, the hand of friendship has no color. This book also shows that war doesn't solve problems. When you think about it today, you know it was wrong because a bunch of people from different races live in Texas. I would consider this book my favorite, not only because it is great, but how it has a moral too!

I first read this book when I was about nine years old. I won a copy in a book reading contest when I was in the fourth grade--a copy of the book went to the boy and girl who read the most books in a certain time period. The books were autographed by Ms. Hoff on her deathbed. Tragically, the book was lost in a move many years ago, but I still treasure the memory of the story of Johann and the deep love he came to have for Texas. I still get choked up over the part where, believing that he will soon be leaving Texas, he is moved to tears by the song of a mockingbird. What a treasure this book is!

I read this book when I was in the second grade. It's about a family from Germany that settles in Texas, during its formative days. Their young boy, Johann, is soon re-christened "Johnny Texas" in recognition of the family's new life.

One day, Dad comes home with a slave, a young black man named Tobias who seems eternally morose, because they need help on their farm. Soon, Dad decides to give Tobias his freedom; thereafter, Tobias is a much happier fellow. He puts his bill of sale (proof of freedom) in a leather pouch and wears it around his neck.

Later, Dad gets involved in the war for Texas independence, and readers are treated to a BRIEF recap of the Battle of San Jacinto, wherein Sam Houston routed the Mexican army and captured Santa Anna.

This is a good book for seven-year-old Texans because they will, if they have been properly educated, recognize much of the Texas history -- plus, it's a simple story organized into chapters, and serves as an excellent introduction to the world of literature.

I recommend this book to kids throughout the United States. Texas history is more interesting than the history of any other state, and everyone should learn about it.

We home school our children. We are going to use this book as a back drop for introducing Texas history.

When I was 6 years old in 1950, my grandmother took me to a special event at the local drug store in Yorktown, Texas, which as of three years ago still had the original iron hitching posts along the sidewalk. The event was the local release of Johnny Texas, and Carol Hoff was signing copies of her new book. Recently my sister came across my copy and sent it to me. It's pretty ragged by now, having been read several times by me and having subsequently gone through a number of other kids. But I was overjoyed to find that it still has the same magic it had 50 years ago. I recently reviewed a number of books for a school curriculum program, and it was daunting to find just how muddy, disjointed and confused--both emotionally and philosophically--most "modern" juvenile fiction has become. All these years of pop psychology and political correctness have taken their toll. We no longer tell stories kids are expected to enjoy; we indoctrinate future citizens of the gray zone. Johnny Texas is about real people confronting and handling challenges in a real world. Their motivations are recognizable, their moral choices unambiguous. The history is fascinating. More importantly, real kids in or out of Texas will still find this one heck of a great story. Given current literacy levels, I'd say it's good for ages 8 - 12--also for English as a Second Language programs.

This book packs adventure, strong characters, and an accurate account of early Texas history into a literary delight for young readers. Perfect as a "read-aloud," this book captures the interests of students ranging from those with "sensitive souls" to the "rough-and-tumble" variety. Chronicling an immigrant family from Germany who left Europe to find freedom, readers experience authentic pioneer adventure as the main character, Johnny, a ten year old boy, learns some of life's hardest lessons. I appreciated this book for its eye-opening treatment of the slavery issue. Many of my third grade students developed a deeper sensitivity and gratitude for their personal freedoms after the reading of this book. There are many "cliff-hanger" moments in this writing and be prepared,you may need a tissue every now and then. You'll enjoy reading this book again and again whether you are from Texas or not.

Dan Reles is a gritty cop set in a gritty time period in Austin. This book is the 4th in the series, and continues the excellence of the first 3. I highly recommend reading all 4 books - but read them in order as they truly build on each other. The books could probably stand alone, but the true richness of Michael Simon's writing comes out through the development of the characters and storylines from book to book. Excellent suspense tale, great characters - highly flawed and deeply human.

The title of this one suggested to me that there might be a political or
religious subtext, which I do not like in mysteries. But this one is from
beginnng to end a top notch novel that shows Simon's growing skills and
depth of characterization. The title refers to the old days of a Jewish
mafia and brings some marvelous, credible characters into the mix. As usual,
thoughtful insights into interesting characters together with hard
boiled action. A great read for those who love good mysteries and good novels.

Michael Simon's "The Last Jew Standing" is his fourth book starring Dan Reles. In the first three books, "Dirty Sally", "Body Scissors", and "Little Faith", Reles was a detective for the Austin, Texas Police Homicide Squad. In this latest installment, Dan Reles has made lieutenant, and bought a new house for his live-in girlfriend and son. Things are looking up. That is until his father, Ben, an ex-mafia leg-breaker, shows up on Dan's doorstep with a prostitute, both fleeing from mob boss, Sam Zelig. Now Dan is torn between what's right and helping his father. As Zelig closes in, it becomes a struggle to stay alive and keep his family safe.

Suspense and thriller enthusiasts will enjoy this tightly woven, dark tale. I found myself so submerged in its pages, life stopped around me and I couldn't do much else.

I have found Michael Simon's Dan Reles novels irresistible from practically the first paragraph of his debut, DIRTY SALLY. Reles is a character who is not entirely likable but attractive nonetheless. A fish out of water, he is a Jew from New York in the Austin, Texas, Police Department in the early to mid 1990s, feeling less than welcome and doggedly hanging on for reasons good and bad. Simon's plot lines in each book are much more complex than they appear; even when something explicitly good happens to Reles, be it a promotion or luck in love, something bad is going to occur as a result. And so it goes with THE LAST JEW STANDING.

This book is as much concerned with Reles's past in New York as it is with his present in mid-1990s Austin. The occurrence that causes Reles to confront his childhood is the sudden arrival of his father --- who he hasn't seen in many years --- with Irena, a young Russian woman (and a self-proclaimed prostitute) in tow. Ben Reles, a small-time Mafia errand-runner, has himself been on the run for two decades. Now his past (as well as his present) has led him to an uneasy and unwelcome reunion with the son from whom he has been estranged for many years. It is no small irony that Dan Reles is on the cusp of coming to grips with his own new family, consisting of a son he didn't know he had until just recently and a woman he spends all too much time wishing he had never met.

All are in the headlights of Sam Zelig, a New York mobster whose history with Ben Reles goes back for decades and whose all-consuming anger is directed at Ben for stealing (from his perspective) Irena away from him. Zelig is possessed of an uncanny ability to get things darkly and maniacally done, and within hours after his arrival in Austin he is holding Ben, as well as the city of Austin, hostage in a crazed effort to get Irena back. Zelig exercises an inhuman brutality, one from which Simon does not flinch. Yet there is an odd, simple beauty to the narrative as well. Somehow, one knows from the very beginning of the book that things are not going to end well, yet Simon so seamlessly welds the plot together that the hard-won redemption and justice that occurs by the end of the story seems not only natural but also inevitable.

THE LAST JEW STANDING is by far Simon's best work to date --- a statement that has been true with the publication of each of his novels --- succeeding in every way imaginable and even in a few that are unexpected. I cannot imagine Simon writing a better book, but somehow I know he will.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This is the fourth in Michael Simon's series featuring Detective Dan Reles of the Austin TX PD. Beginning with Dirty Sally, the previous three were all fast-paced, gripping stories, peopled with colorful, believable characters. The Last Jew Standing does not disappoint - it is a first-rate addition to the series. As with the previous books, once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.

Simon's writing style is concise, clever and witty, with lots of snappy dialog and wry observations. I hope that Simon is busy working on another Dan Reles novel - the series is addictive!

This - third in the Dan Reles detective series - is every bit as gripping and entertaining as its predecessors. If anything, Reles's ever-more-cynical views on life and crime-fighting give this book even more of a sadly and wistfully satisfying perspective. The story, again, involves government and Big Business corruption at its most hideous, but the most compelling aspects of the book are the searing human tragedies - the individual characters whose hopeless and wretched lives are touchingly and believably depicted by Simon. A gem of a book.

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!

Michael Simon has done it again.With Dirty Sally i thought he was the new James Ellroy,with Body Scissors he confirmed it and now with Little Faith he's surpassed him.

Dan Reles,his been through the ringer anti-hero,is up to his neck again in murder and corruption and more murder.After reading this in 3 nights flat i felt i needed a steam clean its so gritty.

If you like Ellroy read Simon,if you like Don Winslow read Simon,in fact READ SIMON NOW!

"Little Faith" is set in 1995 Austin, Texas, seven years after the 1988 time period of Michael Simon's first hard-boiled crime novel "Dirty Sally" and four years after the 1991 setting of his second novel "Body Scissors." "Little Faith" contains new characters as well as the continuing central character and others who survived the first two books. It's a great read on its own, although for maximum enjoyment I would recommend reading the three books in time sequence beginning with Dirty Sally.

The protagonist of Little Faith is again Dan Reles, the Austin police detective and transplanted New Yorker who battles his own corrosive cynicism and damaged psyche along with the criminals he pursues. Murderers, incestuous relatives, pornographers, loan sharks, and faux-religious power mongers are all in a day's work for detective Reles.

One reservation: I felt uncomfortable with the author's heavy-handed treatment of the fictional (and un-named) state governor, whose characterization struck me as a transparently disdainful portrait of the real-life Texas governor of that period. No doubt some readers' reactions will be more akin to glee; nonetheless, I think it is distracting and doesn't serve the story well.

Austinites will feel very much at home as they visualize Reles' travels around town. Those not familiar with Austin likey will pass over most of the geographics, with no loss of essential detail. Everyone will appreciate Simon's storytelling prowess, his gritty and epigrammatic narrative style, believable and well-constructed dialogue, and his spot-on depiction of the more reprehensible aspects of human nature. I certainly did.

The theme of "little faith' in TX and national poltiics is fun, disturbing and timely.
I enjoy getting to know Simon's Austin Police Department and his other recurring characters.

Simon's mysteries improves with each new novel.
The plots get tighter and faster and there are always surprises as the pages turn.

I like Reles -- he's a good person but he's not the very nicest guy -- kinda like real life.

I can't wait for the next one!

Eros on the Nile
I have just ordered Love Songs of the New Kingdom and have three comments. One of the poems quoted in Eros on the Nile,(which I have and recommend) is from Love Songs of the New Kingdom. It is a beautiful and charming translation of this poem. Second, I have clicked above to read an exerpt from the book and notice that the hieroglyphs are well and economically drawn. I have been studing Middle Egyptian for about two years, and have been struggling with the problem of writing some of the glyphs quickly and yet with a bit of style. So I look forward to adopting Foster's renditions of them. Third, for those bothered by the comment of another reviewer that the hieratic has been transcribed by Foster into hieroglyphs, I have read that this is a near universal practice of Egyptologists in rendering hieratic text for publication.

Let's go way back to the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, specifically the reign of the Ramesside pharaohs (roughly 1305-1080 BC). To put the era in its proper historical perspective, this was half a millennium before the blind Greek poet Homer composed The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Literature, mainly for moral instruction or in praise of deities, already thrived in the days of the pharaohs. We have some poems and stories inscribed on papyri and ostraca (bits of pottery or limestone). There are temple inscriptions. In terms of size, the most impressive achievement is The Book of the Dead, a bewildering mish-mash of myth and ritual incantation which remains essential reading for morbid-minded folks till today.

Ancient writing can seem intimidating and arcane to our impatient modern sensibilities. There are all these references to gods and demi-gods, whose hierarchic structure and tangled web of familial relations would put any soap opera to shame. You feel that you should just chuck it all aside and down a few cappuccinos instead.

But wait! We have with us today about 60 secular love poems,translated from Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics by the American John L. Foster. They are delightfully accessible, and more entertaining than a month of TV dramas. Some of these poems were discovered in archeological digs conducted just a few decades ago. What's even more amazing is that they read as if they were written not in the 12th century BC but yesterday.

Yes, the poems are all about love. But this isn't the hackneyed,soppy mush that you can get today. This is love not just as sweetness 'n' light but as game-playing and subterfuge, as sexual warfare, as delicious torment. In terms of psychological complexity, they match the blues and torch songs recorded early in our own ravaged century. There's no moralising here. Foster's book is called Love Songs of the New Kingdom (1974) but it could have been tagged "Papyri Don't Preach".

Instead of being goody-goody, love poetry should acknowledge the violence, kinkiness and deception which exist in any reasonably interesting relationship. The Ancient Egyptians knew this, for they were wise.

An example? Listen to this young man's melancholic cry:

"I think I'll go home and lie very still / Feigning terminal illness / Then the neighbours will all troop to stare / My love, perhaps among them / How she'll smile when the specialists / Snarl in their teeth! - / She perfectly well knows what ails me."

Appreciate the startling, passive-aggressive psychodrama being played out here. Although the authors in all cases are unknown, their works range freely through the human sensorium. The agony and the ecstasy brought about by lust, affection, jealousy and longing get full play.

The poetic personae are men and women but, unlike in some ancient Greek and Persian poetry, entirely heterosexual. Despite this handicap, there's a whole lot of kinkiness going on. Check out this guy's sado-masochistic relationship with his dominatrix girlfriend:

"How clever my love with a lasso / She'll never need a kept bull! / She lets fly the rope at me / (from her dark hair) / Draws me in with her come-hither eyes / wrestles me down between her bent thighs / Branding me hers with her burning seal / (cowgirl, the fire from those thighs!)"

Something even more delightfully perverse can be found in this straight man's transvestite fantasy, which reminds me of the great Prince song If I Was Your Girlfriend:

"I wish I were her Nubian girl, / one to attend her (bosom companion), / Confidante, and a child of discretion: / Close hidden at nightfall we whisper / As (modest by day) she offers / breasts like ripe berries to evening - / Her long gown settles, then, bodiless, / hangs from my helping hand."

This touching fantasy reminds me of the way I spent Valentine's Day ... but I digress.

Poetry from the Ramesside period is significant as the oldest extant literature spoken by non-deitic females. Some of the personae are worldly and sexually explicit ("Would your fingers follow the line of my thighs/ Learn the curves of my breast, and the rest?") but others are artfully naive and ingenuous, like this voyeuristic girl who is "accidentally" at the right place:

"I just chanced to be happening by / in the neighbourhood where he lives / His door, as I hoped, was open - / and I spied on my secret love."

Some of the poems may seem sweet and simple, but they already use striking similes ("Love of you is mixed deep in my vitals/ Like water stirred into flour for bread"). Nature, represented by flowers,gardens, orchards and, of course, the Nile, also provides poetic settings and metaphors in a way which anticipates the Western pastoral literature that emerged centuries later.

The fact that the poets are so good is surprising without being surprising, if you catch my drift. I mean, their ancestors built the Pyramids (in the era known as, ahem, The Old Kingdom), which are structures of such weirdness, ingenuity and complexity that we still haven't found out everything about them.

The poems, too, are creatures of remarkable engineering. They teach us about the twisty, turbulent, uncanny mysteries of love and lust, which still survive in today's blessedly pagan pop culture. Read them instead of writing to newspaper agony-aunts about your tacky little problems. The poets show us that love is a battlefield, sex is a weapon, and we all sleep alone. Confused? But that's the story of, that's the glory of, love.

If you want to warm your lady's heart through her mind, the potency of this book has no equal. I bought this for my girlfriend two years ago and she still reads it over regularly. You know guys, the gift you are looking for to prove that your mind functions outside of the physical? If she is even remotely open to ancient civilization this is the ticket, this is "The Gift." I am not usually into poetry but I like this a lot. This is the Total Recall of poetry: just enough plot, just enough action. Seriously, she will love this and you will not mind it yourself ;).

Finally a book of Egyptian love poetry for people with enough of Budge to recognize a hieroglyph or two :-) More seriously the hieroglyphs are primarily "atmosphere" in this text. Curiously, the hieroglyphs are not the original but rather transcriptions of the original cursive hieratic ... a bit of posturing that mildly concerned me when I first saw the book. Fortunately, the quality of the translated poetry more than compensated for my qualms.

Having been introduced to Egyptian love poetry by the use of Michael Fox's work in a class on the Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon), I was delighted to find this gem. The poetry is translated without footnotes - a feature I appreciate.

An example of the joys of the poems: "He had made a hushed sell in the thicket, for worship / to dedicate this day / To holy elevation of flesh"

Because of the relationship of Egyptian love poetry to the Song of Songs, this scarely known poetry has had an effect on our culture - one as worth exploring as the Greek or Latin.

I LOVED it! I bought it on an impulse, having found it on the backshelf at a bargain store. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but, like I said, I loved it! It is SO romantic! "when I hold you close, and your arms steal around me, I am like a man transplanted to Punt, or like someone out in the reedflats, when the whole world bursts into flower. In this land of south-sea fragrances, my love, you are the essence of roses!" HOW ROMANTIC! I would love to have been that woman to whom the poet was saying such things! I highly reccomend this book to anybody, especially those wo are just getting into poetry, like me. It is truly a beautiful book.

This is such a great song to sing and the book is a fun accompaniment, as well as the CD.
These types of books are great to bring in the car for some family fun time!

This is such a great book. I've used it with many many preschoolers and children, and the remark I always get is "again, again"...

I bought this book for my nephew and the entire family has enjoyed his singing the pages, he had it memorized in no time and he is only 2 years old!!! I would recommend this book to anyone with young children, not just for their enjoyment but for the entire family.

The younger loves the beautiful pictures and singing along. The older loves looking for all the little details in the pictures. They both love substituting the names of the characters for their own friends' names! Both learned their colors through this book without realizing what they were actually doing. This is one book I don't mind reading over and over.

I remember reading this book back in kindergarten and the first grade. It was the first book I ever learned to read. I loved this book so much that I read it until I had it memorized. It's too bad the original cover is not printed in this edition. I'm going to pass this one down to my cousin, Adam, whose only 4. Hopefully, we can continue the tradition so this will be his first book he ever learns to read.

"Monday's Meal" is aptly named . These stories are salty and pungent with a hint of bitter chicory. No one serves these morsels, the reader has to dip his fingers into the pot. They might come out burned, or dripping grease, but the tidbit they clutch is never bland. The characters are alive. We know them well, or we know someone who knew them and told us their stories. No one tells them as well as Les Edgerton. Some stories can be gulped down and digested later. Some like "Hard Times" cannot be gulped. It must be taken in small sips, sometimes days apart. It will take you that long to identify the taste.

When I finished the last story in Monday's Meal I paused, reflected, and then read it right through again from the beginning. Part of the reason for my re-reading was a simple desire to repeat the pleasure; part of it was a desire to understand what made these elegantly constructed stories tick. Just where was I drawn from a realistic beginning into the banishment of the ordinary - the strange, ordinary world that some of these stories inhabit? Just where is the edge in these finely drawn personalities, the edge that leads to the end? One can also learn from these stories. The craft, the amazing economy deserve study, but one can just go along for the ride and enjoy. I would compare some of the plots to Ray Carver's in their structure, but Edgerton has it all over Carver in his depiction of personality. Edgerton's people have depth, they are all different, and the actions flow entirely from their natures. This is a collection not to be missed.

'Monday's Meal' is aptly named . These stories are salty and pungent with a hint of bitter chicory. No one serves these morsels, the reader has to dip his fingers into the pot. They might come out burned, or dripping grease, but the tidbit they clutch is never bland. The characters are alive. We know them well, or we know someone who knew them and told us their stories. No one tells them as well as Les Edgerton. Some stories can be gulped down and digested later. Some like 'Hard Times' cannot be gulped. It must be taken in small sips, sometimes days apart. It will take you that long to identify the taste.

This collection will grab you by the heart and wrench it right out of your chest. The characters are hauntingly authentic as are the New Orleans and South Texas settings they inhabit. These are deeply troubled individuals coping with other troubled individuals who find solace only in the bottle and the arid soil underneath the soles of their battered Tony Lamas. Edgerton reigns as a supreme American author. A sort of Ray Carver meets Denis Johnson. A literary man who succeeds where the academics fail--he knows plot, he knows story, he knows action! The last of a great breed that includes Hemingway, Mailer and Jim Harrison. It's simple. If you don't read Les Edgerton, you lose.

Edgerton's stories takes us down those side streets or out into the backwoods most of us have passed by. What we meet there are the people we have avoided all our lives. What we find is the human heart, its brightness and dark corners. And we leave and return to the same world we have always known, but it doesn't look the same. Joyously disturbing work, hard to ignore.

I give this book five gold stars--five thumbs up--five pats on the back--five nods of joy. (See more about my work www.WordsBySusie.com) Lloyd Mardis takes his readers along with him on his cycling quest into the human spirit. You cannot read his new book, Mother Nature Ain't Nobody's Mom, without coming away feeling as if you have known this gentle and insightful guy forever. Mardis captures the landscape--both interior and exterior--of life. With each turn of the page, I found myself riding alongside Mardis, seeing the world and the people he met through his eyes and heart. This is a gem of a journey book. A must have for every bookcase. Check it out today--enjoy the cycling--enjoy the humor--enjoy the poignancy. Who knows? One day when you're out on the road cycling across the countryside, maybe you'll run into author Mardis--if so, I'd bet you'd be in for the adventure of a lifetime.

My book club thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mr. Mardis' prose enabled us to settle into the rhythm of the road along with him, and we found much to savor in his humorous telling of his many adventures. We enjoyed his descriptions of small Texas towns, his retelling of local legends, and his stories of the interesting people he met along the way. His poetry reveals the sensory impact of months alone living outside and traveling through open country and the resulting self-knowledge. There are so many things to enjoy about this book that I found myself turning page after page, long into the night. I couldn't put it down.

Mr. Mardis's book is wonderful. It can be read from front to back, or as I have discovered by reading sections in no particular order. I find this a relaxing and enjoyable way to read his book! However, my favorite section, where I am able to get the feel of the trip, is his poetry. Here the nitty-gritty, the tedium, the every-inch of the trip is (gratefully) accepted and absorbed, and his experiences come alive for me - the very tedium of cycling mile after mile is the very stuff of exhilaration. Mother nature is present to enjoy, to battle, to accept, to be amazed at, to be part of, but never, ever taken for granted or ignored!!! Thanks for the ride.

Being a class mate of Lloyd's back in Indiana. and hearing about his bike rides, I was a little sceptible of how interesting a book on riding a bicycle and camping could be.
Well I was quite surprised at how interesting traveling through the country on a bicycle could be along with the humor, discriptions of his surroundings and historic facts presented
in a form that kept my attention.
I live in Florida now and will recommend it to my friends.

Good luck on this and future books.

Very good. Makes you want to travel. Only give few books 5 stars, and this is one of them. Worth the time, give it a try.