Texas Books

Just finished the print edition, great read - got to the last 50 pages and couldn't put it down till I'd finished it. These values are what made the "Greatest Generation" great and even though it was written more than thirty years ago it is a dead on analysis of what the country is going through today. This book should be required reading in every civics class in America, and it is not a political book with an agenda. My grandfather was a poor dirt farmer who never had a social security number because he wasn't some damn government number. If he couldn't kill it, catch it, grow it or as a last resort buy it - he didn't need it. He fed his family of 8 and his hired help without any damn help from the government. This book brought him back to life for me. Thanks Mr. Kelton.

This is a beautifully told story about west Texas during the 1950's that examines several topics that are incredibly relevant for American in 2009. Although it is a work of fiction, it broaches the subjects of dealing with a horrible economy, government bailout programs and the short- and long-term benefits and costs of those bailouts, race relations, immigration, and how employers and employees each perceive layoffs and downsizing. And despite all that, it is not depressing. But it was very thought provoking for me. I keep it next to my copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. It is that good! I will re-read over and over as I do very few other books.
Thank you Mr. Kelton,
Barrett Hansen

I have read Elmer Kelton for years. He is outstanding fully developing the characters and the geographic setting, especially for those that do not know the country of which he writes. Though he is quite prolific, I have never read a bad Kelton story....and some have carried me through much if not all of the night.

As we're headed into what nobody seems to want to call a recession, might be wise to turn to Kelton, McMurtry, B. Traven, Steinbeck and others who wrote of the hard times of our forefathers and mothers. My life and those of my generation, by comparison, seems to be one of kingly comfort and ease, our problems a shadow of what the "hero" goes through in this novel. I almost gave it 4 stars, then realized that it was only because the ending is one of the bleakest in any Kelton novel. Kelton doesn't end on a note of triumph (as he's wont to in some of his other books), unless you count the fact that the protagonist is still--against all odds--alive and kicking. He's wiped out but he still has a bit of land, a renewed relationship with his wife, a shred of hope. That's it. I wish Kelton would write more of this era. A great book, may ultimately be the one he's remembered for.

My face is a bit red. Matter of fact, I'm almost embarrassed to admit this. I am a lover of Western novels, but had never heard of Elmer Kelton. I have been visiting my daughter's (second home) ranch in Colorado and started doing some horseback riding - at the tender young age of 71! In connection with this I started a subscription to American Cowboy magazine, in which I found an article about Kelton. On my next visit to Barnes and Noble I looked for Kelton's books and lo and behold found a shelf full. I selected The Time it Never Rained as a trial read. I quickly discovered that I couldn't put the book down. I am now on a mission to read all of his works. Definitely five stars.

Books like these are what everyone should be reading. It's damn near a crime that they aren't, but I guess it makes those of us who ARE fans a special little group.

Lansdale is completely unafraid to do what he has to do to further his stories. That means people you like will die, or turn out to be bad folks. It means you can't get too comfortable and think you know what's going to happen when you settle down with one of Lansdale's masterpieces.

"Two-Bear Mambo" continues the Hap & Leonard friendship: a white heterosexual Democrat and a black homosexual Republican, respectively. The story begins on Christmas Eve, where Leonard is burning down the crackhouse next door for the third time. The two friends are approached by their police buddies and sent on a mission to track down their friend: Florida Grange - Hap's old flame and Leonard's lawyer. Grange was last seen in Grovetown, a real, live throwback to the heavily segregated racist '60's.

Of course, they leave right away, and once again start stirring up trouble and townfolk in the flooded little town. As previously mentioned, no one is ever who you think they are, and things are never what they seem.

Bravo, Lansdale.

Sad to think this book is already out of print. This one is the third installment of the Hap/Leonard series and picks up where Mucho Mojo left off. The pair rush off to the aid of a friend, but pay the price for their outsize egos as they find themselves in a part of the South where the calendars seem to be set 30 years behind schedule. There are no quick, easy resolutions to be found and the Hap and Leonard at the end of the book are markedly different from the two at the beginning. As always, Mr. Lansdale's keen ability to understand and describe human nature is evident. Highly recommended!

Lansdale delivers another fine novel featuring Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, one of the oddest (and toughest) couples in mystery fiction. Hap, straight and white, and Leonard, gay and black, travel to Grovetown, Texas, a city that makes Johannesburg look like a bastion of racial unity. They are searching for Hap's ex-girlfriend Florida Grange, last seen there. Wisecracking all the way (even when they're getting the s**t kicked out of `em), the boys stir up a hornet's nest, and in the process learn some hard lessons about themselves and the nature of their friendship.

Two Bear evoked memories of the best of Robert B. Parker and John D. MacDonald. Parker, because of the dialogue, and MacDonald because of the characterization. Lansdale's characters are real people who can get hurt, even killed-- he really puts them through the wringer. Their adversaries aren't cardboard villains, twirling handlebar mustaches. Menacing and memorable, driven by hate, greed, prejudice, lust and ignorance, these folks are scary because you might meet them in real life.

In short, The Two Bear Mambo is classic Lansdale--a good, tough thoroughly enjoyable book that you will remember long after finishing.

THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO by Joe R. Lansdale continues the saga of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine where MUCHO MOJO left off. It starts out with Hap arriving at Leonard's house on Christmas Eve night. Blasting out of his friend's home is the music to "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and Leonard is next door, kicking righteous butt and burning down the neighborhood crack house once again. The police pull Hap and Leonard in, but Lieutenant Marvin Hanson gets them off the hook, provided they do him a small favor. It seems that Hap's old girlfriend, Florida Grange (the one who left him for Hanson) took off to Grovetown, Texas to do an article on a black musician who supposedly hung himself while in the custody of the local police. Florida has suddenly vanished, and Hanson wants Hap and Leonard to pay a visit to Grovetown to see if they can find out anything. The only problem is that this particular Texas town is right out of the fifties and sixties. It's a viper's nest filled with Klansmen, led by Jackson Brown, who enjoy murdering the black folks and seem to be getting away with it. Both Hap and Leonard know that they're going to have their hands full just trying to stay alive as they attempt to investigate Florida's disappearance. Even together, as tough as they are, both men are going to find out that they've bitten off more than they can chew when they take on the populace of Grovetown. They'll find themselves in the middle of free-for-all that would put Billy Jack to shame and come very close to getting beaten to death. Both men will discover true fear for the first time in their lives and have to find a way of dealing with it as their injuries heal, if they want to be able to face each other again, as well as solve the mystery of what happened to Florida when they eventually return to Grovetown to face the evil of its people. THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO will give you a slightly different perspective of our two heroes this time around, making them more flawed and human. As tough as Hap and Leonard are, they're not invincible, and both of them come very close to death as they seek to right a wrong. They will find out things about themselves that will at first be difficult to face; yet, in the long run will make them stronger. Though a part of me knows that these two characters are fictional, the writing is so good that another part of me almost believes that they're real. These are guys that I'd simply love to hang out with, and it's a tribute to the talent of Joe R. Lansdale that he's created such believable characters...characters who are funny, skilled martial artists, almost always unemployed, who have the same kinds of problems with relationships that real people do, and who have a strong sense of honor and justice that gets them into trouble more often than not. Mr. Lansdale is able to do this because he has a unique skill in writing that comes off as being natural and down to earth, but is actually a master craftsman at work. He knows how to make each and every character in the novel come alive in ways I wish other authors could emulate. I never know how each book is going to end; and, quite often, I find myself stunned by who gets killed off. As you can probably tell, the "Hap Collins/Leonard Pine" series has swept me off of my feet in a way that few other books have, and it's one I can highly recommend to any reader who loves novels filled with action, humor, self-reflection, and characters that make you truly believe. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do after I read SAVAGE SEASON and then CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS. I wish I could sit down with Hap and Leonard, have a beer, and talk about this particular problem. Of course, I wouldn't get any sympathy from them. In fact, I'd probably have to spend an hour or more listening to their problems!!

Hap and Leonard just can't seem to keep themselves out of trouble. At the beginning of The Two-Bear Mambo, Leonard is yet again setting fire to the drug dealers' house next door. Their friend Lt. Hanson has to take them in just because, but when Hap's ex-girlfriend -- and Hanson's current squeeze -- Florida Grange goes missing, Hanson agrees to drop the charges if Hap and Leonard will go look for her in Grovetown, a burg in East Texas known for its violent Klan members, and where Florida was last seen.

The Two-Bear Mambo is so far the most unflinching in its portrayal of Southern racism. Grovetown is even worse than I could have imagined and Lansdale does not look away for a moment. Leonard is the obvious target, but Hap's association with him brings him into the fray of violence as well. And as for Florida: well, no one as yet has admitted to even seeing her...

My white Southern guilt was intensified while reading The Two-Bear Mambo; the characters, their ideas, and their violence are all-too familiar from my upbringing. So much so that I could barely even bring myself to read it in public, afraid of what the people around me -- seeing the N-word on nearly every page -- would think I was reading (as if the barely euphemistic title weren't embarrassing enough).

But the trademark Lansdale humor abounds in sarcastic remarks and in the first-person narration of Hap -- whose difference from the author himself seems to be getting less and less. Lansdale has said that he is very comfortable with the voice of Hap and the easy-going prose makes that obvious. Despite my emotional reaction to the book, I look forward to continuing the adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. I'm glad they can't keep away from trouble; if they did, I'd be reading some other book that isn't nearly as fun.

This is one of the most fun card games I have ever played. It takes a lot more prediction and guessing than many games I have played before, so experience is a big help, but it is very fun. I recommend it to families, though younger children can really struggle with it.

Have been playing "Oh Hell" since I was kid (now in my 50's) and this game adds some new twists to the game that really up the fun factor.

This game is lots of fun and addictive once you start playing. Plenty of challenge for older players and also easy to learn for younger ones. The game wheels are not very durable but do help to keep players honest. They are nice to have but not necessary to play the game.

My friend introduced me to Wizard a year ago. Since then I bought a set and play it with all my family and friends. They went out and bought their own sets. My wife is a card hater and she insists on playing it at family get-togethers. It is a great and easy game.

If you like to play cards, have 3-5 friends to play with, want something different with a couple new twists to keep it interesting, Wizard is for you. A variation on a game we call "Oh, Hell" that is played with a standard deck, Wizard takes it to a more exciting level. By the addition of "Wizard" and "Jester" cards the makers of this game have created a better version of a basic card game. The bidding wheels (shown outside the box in the picture) add another dimension if you want to change things up a bit. We play this game every holiday and many days in between. For $10-15 dollars, you can't go wrong.

I read all three Katie Parker books back to back, and was sorry to see the series end. There is a lot of potential for a fourth book, and I hope someday that will happen. Jones does a great job of showing the complicated relationship Katie has with her mother, the heartbreak of being taken from her foster parents (who she has grown to love) and the roller coaster relationship she has with Charlie. Thoroughly entertaining fiction for both young and old; highly recommended for all high schoolers (and beyond).

Fresh and honest are the two words that came to mind as I read Jenny B. Jones latest installment of the Katie Parker series (The Big Picture, A Katie Parker Production Act Three). Katie lives in In Between, Texas with her darling foster parents and endearingly crazy foster granny. When her mother is released from prison, she wants to start a new life with her daughter in a new town, and Katie is forced to walk away from a town she loves and a family who dotes on her. She also leaves behind a fabulous church, friends, and a boyfriend who suddenly can't take his eyes off his ex. Even though life with her mom in the trailer park goes downhill very quickly, Katie falls in with a nice group of kids from a quaint church, including the pastor's son, who's dreamy enough to make her and the reader forget about that guy back in In Between.

What most impressed me about Katie Parker (and Jenny B. Jones) is the true portrayal of what it is to be a Christian teenager these days. Katie listens to Fallout Boy and Chris Tomlin. She loves Diet Dr. Pepper and the Lord. She talks as honestly about her relationship with Jesus as she does her swimsuit riding up. What a beautiful example she is to teenagers of today.

Jones talks about some very serious subjects and confronts them with honesty, but also humor. Don't read this book in a crowd, unless you're okay with people turning and giving you weird looks during all the laugh out loud moments.

The worst part of reading The Big Picture was finishing the book and leaving behind characters I loved. Katie, Maxine, Tate, and many of the others will stay with me for a long time.

Katie Parker returns in this third book in the Katie Parker Production Series. Jenny B. Jones has once again written an entertaining story of youth, trials, faith, and forgiveness. Sometime when you get to the third book in a series, the story has weakened and the characters lost some charm. This is not the case with The Big Picture. You will welcome the opportunity to become involved in Katie Parker's life again.

She settles into life in her foster home, and then her mother gets out of rehab and reclaims custody. Katie must move back to her mother's home and start again. She leaves her best friend and her boyfriend, who appears to be more focused on his ex than her. As she starts over in the new location her newfound faith struggles to understand God's plan. Katie makes friends with another young man who never questions her background, but always manages to be by her side when she needs help.

When the situation with her mother changes for the worse and becomes dangerous, Katie's life seems condemned much like the local drive-in, The Big Picture. As she and her friends, both new and old, work to save the local landmark, Katie faces destruction in her world. Her mother returns to the old criminal ways. Can one lonely teenage girl find a happy ever after in a life is tough world?

The Big Picture is an excellent book which I highly recommend. The final book in the Katie Parker series leaves you hoping maybe someday to return to the small town of In Between. Jenny B. Jones has a creative way of writing from the point of view of a teenage girl trying to find her way in a lost world. You will laugh, cry, and sigh with contentment as you read this book. I also recommend the first two books in the series, In Between and On the Loose.

Like usual, my seventeen-year-old snatched Jenny's book before I could get my hands on it. That's when the torture began--hooting and guffawing erupting from the other room for hours while Her Royal Highness refused to tell me a single joke!
When my turn to read The Big Picture finally came, I laughed at Jenny's snarky humor till I cried. Katie Parker and her wacky foster grandma, Maxine, walked off the page and into my kitchen till I fed them pizza with the rest of the teen fixtures around here. When Jenny's next book comes out, I'm buying two copies--make that six--one for me, one for Her Royal Highness, and the rest for the kids who have pizza smudged my whole series.

Katie Parker's past closes in on her in The Big Picture, Jenny B. Jones' final volume of A Katie Parker Production. Katie's mom gets out of rehab and wants Katie back. The Scotts drive Katie out to Middleton, Texas, to her mother's mobile home and her new life--or old life, depending on how things go. Katie leaves the Scotts, her best friend, Francis, and her boyfriend, Charlie, and sets forth on a new journey, hoping her mom is ready to make their family work.

From the start tensions are high between Katie and her mom. Katie often finds herself home alone when her mom disappears for days at a time, even missing the social worker's visit. Katie wants her mom to make this work, but she isn't making it a priority. Nor is Charlie making their long-distance friendship a priority, despite his claims to care about her. Katie finds in instant friend in Tate Matthews, who goes out of his way to make Katie feel at home in Middleton. When the situation with her mom escalates and becomes dangerous, Katie is forced to make some hard decisions that will affect her future forever.

This book is a wonderful end to the trilogy. I was concerned about Katie not being with her In Between friends for most of the book, but Tate Matthews was a wonderful surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed his character. My only disappointment was the absence of letters from Katie to Mrs. Smartly, which were my favorite parts of the previous two books. Still, a satisfying read until the last line, The Big Picture shows that happily ever after isn't always perfect, but a girl can get through it with the GOG (grace of God). Highly recommended.

If you haven't read them, you must read books one and two:
In Between: A Katie Parker Production Act 1 and On the Loose: A Katie Parker Production, Act 2

The life - project of Pessoa in his making of multiple poetic alter egos, reminds of the life - project of Kierkegaard who explored various aspects of the religious life through use of alter egos often representing different faculties, approaches and moods of life. But if Kierkegaard's aim is to bring the reader to realization of what it might be to be in true connection with God, Pessoa's seems to be more to dissipate the notion of unique identity completely out of existence. Thus the fragments he shores around his own ruin and attributes to alter ego , heteronym Bernard Soares have within them a strong nihilistic self- and - world denying element.
Yet and here is the contradiction and the deeper truth they also reveal a kind of beauty both in perception and in the varied motion of the mental life itself. Lonely solitary lost fragmented Pessoa knows no human sacrifice like that of Kierkegaard with Regina, knows no dedication to his father's task of doing God's duty in the most ultimate way. He instead seems to reveal hidden realities as he conceals that beyond them all may well lie an eternal nothing. Kierkegaard is the many- selved servant of God, and Pessoa the many - selved servant of nothing more holy than human poetry.

Poetry often speaks to us; we see something in it, something recognizable, and it's like we are shown a piece of ourselves that had been hidden for a lifetime before. Finding Pessoa's *Book of Disquiet* was like finding a piece of myself. In the pages of this poetic novel you will find honesty, often self-disparaging, and you will find beauty in the smallest observation. However, be forewarned, this is not a book that should be picked up with the idea of light reading in mind. In fact, you may find that you have to put it down, repeatedly, to get away from it, to think, but you will always, always come back to it. Keep it close to hand.

"If i think, it all seems absurd to me; if i feel, it all seems strange; if i desire, he who desires is something inside of me."
Sums up the book perfectly. Pessoa explores one of his many personalities. "The Book of Disquiet" explains, in complete depth and faith, the beauty of a lonely, existential, moment by moment life. He explains the beauty that people forget. He explains the world, his perception, as if every moment were the last.
"The book of disquiet" is one of the most insightful books a person can read, but only if one has imagination and an ability to let go. Bernardo Soars, Pessoa's personality who wrote the book, is extreme and eccentric. It isn't easy reading, and it won't affect you if you can't overlook the fact that life doesn't go on like Soars'; that there is more in thinking, dreaming, and desiring than Soars admits. What makes the book so special is how Soars can forget everything but the thought and the moment, and how he can analyze and critique and put into words something that most of us forget to remember. "The book of disquiet" reminds me, at least, of how to appreciate my own mind. It is the only philosophy-like book that i enjoy (as yet) because it is the real thing and encompasses a forgotten part of real life.

Fernando Pesoa's genius lies within who Pesoa was as nil and not. He wasn't anyone. Only somene who continually writes in "disquiet" his persona's variable exegesis. The writing is in the book but the author who wrote it, Fernando Pesoa does not "feel himself" as actually being who he is. So, maybe he's actually a different author, with a different name who begins to write a different book. There's all of the writing there, its genius evident in the mystery of the writing itself. All the writing invested with absolute revelation of numinous absence. The absence is that of the author's presence. Magic? Truly. The author is not there. But he must be "there" because he has no choice but to write. What's the answer for the author who is finds himself as absent? He must undertake the creation of the abent author's presence. How? By literally creating a utterly unique form of literature. A literature whose grammar is of being literal by making it possible to write of the absence of an author to himself into a presence to be known as the once absent identity. Writing through a textual hermeticism capable of transmutation through written words of the emanation of an author as "logos," or the Word. "In the beginning there was the Word." Through the Word as logos, all identity is created in the appearance, ex nilho, of the writer mediated solely through himself in this the new logos of writing itself. Pesoa is not himself. He's a man who achieves glimpses of a unmanifest self-referential identity only through his books. In the work of writing these books, this identity is made manifest as the author's anamnesis. Seemingly he finds out (remembers) he is, and always was, a certain author he now "remembers" as himself as a manifested presence. An absolute genius manifested as the author himself being (repeatedly) annihilated through radical self-doubt. Only later remembering who he was as absolute presence never to be lost again. Until this is accomplished all of the laborious, literal negotiations must of necessity begin anew, and are written as literature whose search arises from absence's discontent becomes the new discourse as the art and improvisation of real identity forged in the alchemy of narrative. This peculiar narative reaveals itself as a lived experience of self-discovery. One man of many parts dismembered in his own identity become self-inflicted and religious. Pesoa's own holy inquisition seeking and finding the indentity he is spurious, a phantasm of derealized personality perpetually guilty of having a persona found lacking, Wriiten out in texts as being found guilty of the "heresy" of having an identity. Never before Pesoa has an identity crisis of infinite magnitude been witnessed in Pesoa absence made real presence in some of the 2OTH century's finest writing and poetry. of the 20TH century in The writing of a man named Fernando Pesoa. A man lost to himself, in search of the "person" underneath the name. Personality and identity as reality grounded in a mystery only to be known by itself: self found through words that are the artifacts of the self discovered. A genius lost to himself and calling his absent identity into gradual existence by a person's absence fading into a personality that's presented in multiple, shifting Heteronyms, or cases of terminal identity lost and regained.

there are few poets able to assume so many diferent personalites as Fernando Pessoa. But Bernardo Soares is not a diferent personality, is just the other side of his personnal mirror, an escape to his tortured soul. Probably that is why The Book of Disquiet is so universal, a portait of the human fears, an example of a lonely man,travelling across his own mind, looking at the world through the most ironic eyes. Fernando Pessoa was able to understand dissapointment and regreat in a intemporal way, as a natural part of human nature. So, this book has the ability to make you look inside yourself, guide by one of the best poets of all times!

A great 1st book by the author filled with suspense & humor. The story keeps you glued to the pages wanting to know what happens next. Can't wait for the next book from Kiki Curry!

There is never a dull moment in this fast-paced thriller. Mysteries are
my favorite genre, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Curry kept my
attention with several humorous subplots going on, woven into the death
of a girl in Marble Falls, Texas.
I don't believe in coincidences, like the story suggests and to follow
your intuition. Today, after reading Crows Calling, I found and bought
a piece of art named, "Yellow Bird Ascending." It has the Kachina gods
representing the animal totems. The bird representing the soul.
In this book, the story told of the Indian lore of the crow medicine
being the avenger of truth. It was interesting how the plot captured
the Native American ways of seeing nature as a way Spirit speaks to us
if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear in a very believable
way.
Crows Calling would make an excellent movie because of the nonstop
action, and humor. I loved the characters and would like to see them
continued in her Curry's future books. By the way, if it is ever made
into a movie, I see David Leach as a character, or maybe Billy Bob
Thornton as one of the thugs.
I can't wait for her next novel to come out. I read her bio on her
website and noticed she was a standup comic. This really was apparent
reading this entertaining book!

As a screenwriter living in Texas, I found this book to be very interesting. Set in the Texas hill country, it is rich with local color. Kiki Curry gives us a new age spiritual woman's point of view of events concerning the death of a young woman in Marble Falls, Texas. The book contains lots of humor and suspense. Curry's narration is very visual and filled with Texan idioms and cultural references. In addition to a fun supspense story, it is an interesting cultural study.

Fun story that as a new Texan, I was able to recognize many landmarks! (Like Stephen King always made me feel about New England). The characters in the story were memorable and endearing. Quite a few sounded like people that would be fun to meet (if they exsisted of course!)
I would recommend this as a entertaining, easy read and I hope to see more from Kiki in the future!

I could not put this book down once I started to read it. Not only does Kiki keep you guessing she keep you thinking. The book was original, engrossing, and endlessly inventive; my only problem with the book was that it ended way too soon. To the Author - Please write a follow-up book very soon.

I LOVED this story! Truly a riveting read. I came across the book not planned (long story) but was unable to put it down. You know when a full time working mama of an 11 month old reads at night instead of going to bed early, you have a winner. =)

This was a delightful historical/suspense with highly comedic moments to keep the story light but inspiring. The faith element is strong but not preachy, which is a delicate balance for an author to accomplish. (whew, been there!)

I've traveled to Jefferson, TX many times, and it was neat to read about the city I have always enjoyed and hear its history (with a fictional license on the part of the author, of course)

5 stars! I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Thaddeus Bloom is the only person Bertha Biddle wants to spend the rest of her life with. However he doesn't seem to notice her. When a fancy lady from Boston comes to town, Bertha thinks she can find out how to get Thaddeus to love her. What she doesn't realize that she has the power.
So in setting out to find the answers she makes friends with Annie also known as Bessie. Annie's story is sad but she still has so much kindness she shows to others.
There is also a story of Sarah and Henry woven throughout this book too.
What I learned from this book was friendship, how God uses us to reach others, and hardships do come but we can overcome them. Little did I know in the midst of reading this book I would be praying for my brother-in-law with a brain anyruism. But this book prepared me before this hit and lifted me up faith wise.
Also within this story you can see how race can sometimes hinder friendships but one has to do the best they can and realize everyone is not the same. There is good in every race.
I read this book in 3 days and could not put it down.
Marcia is an excellent storyteller and told life's problems just as you would feel them yourself. You feel like you are walking through the pages.

Written by: Marcia Gruver
Published by: Barbour
Reviewed by: Stephanie Rollins for ReviewYourBook.com 12/2008
ISBN: 978-1-60260-205-2
"An Author to Watch" 4 stars
Thad needs to leave for college, but he loves Bertha. Bertha loves Thad, but she has no idea why he hesitates to return her love. Then, Bertha meets the Liz Taylor of the 1800's--Annie. She looks to Annie for advice on winning Thad's heart.
There is murder, love, and agony in this story. The plot is excellent, but there are too many secondary characters. For that reason, I cannot deem this easy reading; however, do not discredit this new writer. She is destined for greatness.

Review for Diamond Duo by Marcia Gruver

Marcia Gruver transports the reader to Jefferson, Texas in the year 1877, a real town with a rich history--and an attention-grabbing murder. Using the facts from the actual events leading up to the dastardly deed, Ms. Gruver brings to life a fictionalized account, a gem of a story resplendent with well-developed characters and emotion.

The story begins with the appearance of the mysterious, elegantly attired and bejeweled "Diamond Bessie" and the menacing man who holds a tight leash on her. Enter the heroine of Diamond Duo, a young woman of faith, Bertha Biddie, who wants nothing more than to attract the attention of Thaddeus Bloom. Certain the gorgeous, self-assured "Bessie," "Annie," or whomever she is knows the secret to catching a gentleman's eye, Bertha befriends her. Thaddeus, equally captivated by Bertha, must put duty before love. He heads off to military school to satisfy his domineering father, leaving his beloved behind, much to his dismay. She pines for him and yet is worried about her newfound friend, whom she fears is in serious trouble.

With a rich cast of memorable secondary characters, Ms. Gruver sweeps the reader into a story that moves her quickly from one engaging scene to the next. Sarah King, a black farmer's wife dealing with lingering attitudes resulting from the Civil War, is beautifully portrayed. She plays a significant role in the story, which we see from her perspective on numerous occasions. A powerful transformation takes place in the lives of Bertha's parents. I loved the addition of these people as well as the others who populate the town and the story. The book is definitely a romance, but it's also a wonderfully told tale of the life-changing effects the events leading up to the heinous crime have on a close-knit community and how seemingly disparate individuals overcome their differences. The growth of the major players is wonderful to witness.

When I pick up a book from a new author, I never know what to expect. In some cases, I feel a sense of disappointment. In others, I come away satisfied. Every now and then, though, I'm so mightily impressed that I add that author to my "must read" list, which is the case with Marcia Gruver. She's an artist whose canvas is the page and whose medium is carefully chosen words. The cover includes a quotation from author Kathleen Y'barbo, " A masterpiece waiting to be found." I agree.

I heartily recommend Diamond Duo to any reader who enjoys a historical inspirational. And the good news is that if, like me, you're left wanting more, the sequel, Chasing Charity, book two in the Texas Fortunes series, is coming in spring 2009. It's on my "gotta get it" list, that's for sure.

This novel was one I could not put down until the end. The message I received from this book: You can not judge a person by how they look. You can only judge them by what they do, and sometimes you don't always know the real story then.

The story is compelling and I highly recommend it.

I've been in the Army for a long time, with tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, and this really hit home in many ways. The utter disappearance of the regimental commander, LTC Faith shooting KATUSAs that wouldn't follow orders, men freezing to death, the endless waves of Chinese attackers crashing into the American lines. Truly an excellent account of an incredibly ugly tactical situation. A great companion about the Korean war to This Kind of War.

It doesn't take too many pages to know you are reading a serious piece of work. The narrative reads as I would expect a military report to read. Three years in the field artillery (8in sp) gave me perspective enough to put myself in these grunts' boots (shoe packs). No sensational descriptions here; Appleman stone cold describes what veterans mostly don't like to talk about.
General Almond receives a balanced treatment. A tank officer during Korea said this to me, and I'm paraphrasing; We make our plans, the s--t hits the fan and the plans wind up in the latrine. Generals are human too, Almond was where he was supposed to be - up front as much as he could be, in danger to himself. There may be nothing like a general on a battlefield, but they can die just easily and a common Joe.

This was a very difficult book to read - however it seemed to be complete, concise. It is written well enough so that if you don't have the terminology expertise, you can still understand what happened. It may take time to read - but certainly worth it.

Having read several books about the Chosin Campaign, I was pleased to finally get the story of what occurred on the East side of the reservoir. Mr. Appleman exaustingly found the details through official Army and Marine combat reports as well as listening to the survivors of this tragic event. The 31st RCT was doomed almost before they started and poor weather, traffic jams, raw Korean recruits, bad luck and command mistakes caused its demise. The Soldiers fought bravely and tenaciously but being out-numbered by as much as 10 to 1 was just too much to overcome.
The author has given us a clear, detailed, hour by hour account
of this heroic but heartbreaking episode in American military history.

Never served. I've read plenty of war stories telling of brave men though. This story of the Army's fight trying to get back from the east side of the Chosin Reservoir is the saddest story I've ever read.

Bad plan. Frigid weather. Four straight days and nights under attack in the cold. No help available. Get back on your own, guys. Frostbite. All out of bandages, gasoline, ammunition. Then death in the cold cold night so close to getting back.

I've read this book twice and it effected me even more the second time.

skwirl60646@yahoo.com

Enjoyed reading this humorous manual of how to become a Texan. Easy reading, some special insights into Texan's habits. Helpful to know about the weather problems and scary insects.

Not a book for getting around Texas but a book you couldn't get around Texas without. Timeless information that covers all you need to know about the GREATEST and LARGEST state in our nation and a must read for anyone lucky enough to get to move here!!!

In reading this book (and being a native Texan) I found that every word in the book is true. There is not one lie I can find. It is a great read if you are thinking of moving to Texas. It will let you know what you are about to get yourself into. It is also a great read for native Texans who want a great laugh! If you are from Texas, you can find at least one line in the book that describes your life in the wonderful state of Texas. :)

It wasn't my choice to go into exile, my family moved to New England when I was a kid. I've lived here since, but Texas has always still held my heart. This book is a great tribute to the great Texan way of life. It's a fairly good illustration of Texas and Texans, and it does contain a few good chuckles, I wish there were more though.

My husband and I just moved to Texas and my dad bought us this book as a gift. We both read it cover to cover and it truly was a fun and entertaining read. We moved to Dallas, Texas, where alot of her advice on being a cowboy, dress, style, and culture is alittle outdated and no longer up to date with current Dallas culture. The book was still great to learn about the different facts and statistics (including those things that EVERY Texan is supposed to know (no beans in chili, the football phenomenon).

There is a whole chapter on talking Texan and how to slur your words and elongate vowels. It was fun to practice and try to match the accent examples she gave. The author also mentions places of interest, some history on the area, and all about the food (Tex Mex, Beer, Mexican & alike).

I would recommend this fun, quick read to anyone moving to the great lonestar state or anyone who is considering making a move out here.

By the way, we are no longer "fixin'" to be Texan- we are here and just loving every moment!

This book is a great tool to help siblings, other family members and non-relatives (including teachers and students) to understand some of the world of kids with autism. This is a very touching story deserving of the acclaim it has received and more. Schools systems would do well to include this book in their libraries. Great story and illustrations! Great work!

Author Marvie Ellis, pediatric speech-language pathologist, founded Speech Kids Texas Press in 2005 for to publish children's storybooks on communication needs. Kiesha's Doors is a bilingual storybook in which English and Spanish text appear simultaneously on the same page. This technique reinforces to children and adults alike the multicultural nature of the modern world we live in, and seeing other languages on the same page may encourage children to explore secondary languages. I think this technique is superior to the alternative of publishing two separate translations. Children's brains easily learn multiple languages, so why not give them as much exposure as possible?

In Kiesha's Doors (Las Puertas de Keisha), 2 year-old Kiesha has stopped communicating with her family, become a picky eater, and taken to a favorite rocking chair. Kiesha parents and her older sister Monica (age 9) learn that she has autism, and they must adapt their communication style to reach Kiesha (to "open her doors"). The story is not just about Monica's adjustment to life with Kiesha, but about the Mom and Dad's journey to get a diagnosis and learn how to relate to their child. It is truly a family story, and it raises important diagnosis questions as well as coping skills. The illustrations are vibrant crayon-style (I loved the way the eyes and faces glow!).

Every library should invest in a copy of this book, and every child and parent should read it at least once, to learn about dealing with people who communicate differently from ourselves.

This is another wonderful tool given to us by the author Marvie Ellis and the illustrator/artist, Jenny Loehr. The author uses a little girl, the older sister of an autistic child, Keisha. This is very effective! The author certainly has a way of taking a very complex subject, and through her use of words, bringing that subject to the level that a child is able to understand. I loved her concept of "closed doors" and "opening doors." This is quite understandable to a child, and indeed, an adult faced with this devastating condition. Well done! The author takes us step by step through the process of identifying the condition, its treatment and, again, does it in a way that a young person can well understand.

I was delighted, and in fact thrilled, to see this work presented in both Spanish and English, together between two covers. Over the past five years our area of the country has gone through a change with the influx of Spanish speaking people. Our resources were, and are quite thin, and I am sorry to say, quite limited. Books such as this go along way in correcting this situation. My daughter, a first grade teacher, is faced with this language (and indeed, autistic children) problem each and every year, and works such as this are most helpful.

I personally found the illustrations in this book, by artist Jenny Loehr, quite pleasing as I like her method and style. She has the ability to capture so much with her simple facial expressions. The color choices certainly appeal to children and are quite eye catching in a subdued way. The illustrations go perfectly with the text and each, the text and the art work, complement each other perfectly.

Children have as much of a struggle understanding this devastating condition, even more than most adults. The author has done a wonderful job, in the way of explanation, at their level. I might add that any adult will also find this work quite informative. This is another valuable tool and should be included in any school program or home library were applicable. I, as a fully retired individual, do a tremendous amount of substitute teaching at our local schools. I fully intend to read these books to my younger classes. Ignorance is a horrible thing, and this book and the author's other book, Tacos Anyone?, go a long way in stamping it, the ignorance, out. Well done Ms Ellis! I highly recommend this one!

I have a son w/autism and I purchased this book because I haven't seen any af/am profiled in autism related childrens books before. I enjoyed the book very much. Kudos to the author!

Marvie Ellis is providing a great service to a significant number of people with her Autism Story Books. If you're like me, you know less about autism than you think you do - unless and until someone in your life is born autistic. And if we adults don't really understand what autism is and is not, imagine how hard it would be for a young child to understand it all. Keisha's Doors is told from the perspective of just such a child, a nine-year-old girl who doesn't understand why her three-year-old sister Keisha won't play with her or speak when spoken to. When Keisha is diagnosed with autism, we are there with her family as the doctor and therapist explain what this means and begin to teach them techniques for establishing better communication with the little girl.

The conventional, knee-jerk reaction to a diagnosis of autism would probably be one of alarm and grief, and I'm sure one of the author's purposes in writing this book is to dispel such notions. Here, Keisha's condition is described in terms even her nine-year-old sister can understand: Keisha has certain mental "doors" that are closing her off from some of the people and things around her, and she just needs help opening up some of those closed doors. Rather than tearing the family apart, the situation actually brings them closer together. Now, even Keisha's sister understands why Keisha is different - she even knows a little bit about how to go about helping her expand her awareness.

This is a very positive, heart-warming look at a family caring in the proper way for an autistic child. The story itself is printed in both English and Spanish, while Jenny Loehr's beautiful illustrations speak volumes in and of themselves. Put it all together, and you have a wonderful book - perhaps the only one of its kind - designed to reach as many different people as possible with its important message. I learned something about autism myself in these pages, and I'm sure anyone with any kind of connection to an autistic child will benefit from this book - and Marvie Ellis' succeeding Autism Story Books - immensely.