Mustang Books

Let the reader of this review be aware that the reason I wrote it is because it was written by a former local Boston author that was also a neighbor of mine for a while and we share a lot of friends and acquaintances. I like my readers to know if I have a personal bias about a book I'm reviewing. It doesn't usually affect my reviews other than influencing me to do review the book in the first place.
While the young medical student and researcher who was doing a study on safe sex practices at one of Nevada's legal brothels (called ranches) she realized there was enough interest in this subject that she should also write a book about her experiences while doing the research project at the Harvard University School of Public Health. This ranch was later seized by the IRS for non-payment of taxes by the owners and at one time was going to be turned into a museum and park for the namesake wild horses that inhabit the area. It's since been literally moved to another location.
Alexa Albert spent three years trying to get permission to do her study on the use of condoms at The Mustang Ranch. She was finally given permission since she was an accredited medical expert on the subject from Harvard School of Public Health. Since the state regulators and the ranch managers insist that only sex with a condom is allowed, they already knew what the medical research study would confirm and weren't worried about any additional adverse publicity that would have the public up in arms to shut down Nevada's legal brothels. The author was most surprised at the reaction her study produced from the 100 plus working prostitutes at the ranch. They were dying to tell their stories. They individually confirmed that they never, ever practiced unsafe sex at the brothel. They knew such an action would not only endanger their lives, but would also get them fired from a job that annually paid many of them more than the President of the United States gets in a year. The women at Mustang were neither poor nor unwilling to be sex workers and were drop-dead beautiful. Most of them were supporting other family members.
The author had previously worked with and studied street prostitutes in NYC and found that they better fit the stereotypical mold of battered women, druggies, and were often working against their will. While they preferred practicing safe sex, their customers didn't want to cooperate and even their own pimps would not provide them with condoms even though they could be gotten from medical authorities at no cost. Many of those pimps and boy friends used drugs and violence to control their posse of "whores."
Albert discovered the difference in the unregulated and licensed brothels was like night and day. The experience convinced her that regulating prostitution was by far the best for the prostitutes, their customers and society in general.
The book is full of interviews and personal stories and even a few unbelievable sex practices which probably weren't necessary to fulfill the book's main purpose but that make it infinitely more interesting to read. Some things are just plain hard to believe and are weird enough to be included in the "Guinness Book of World Records."
The reader of this tome won't be bored, but will learn much that they didn't expect when they started reading about the almost legendary Mustang Ranch that is only miles from Virginia City fabulous "Comstock Silver Mnes" and the world Mark Twain wrote about as a young news reporter. Brothels and prostitution have always been an institution in Nevada, The Silver State.
Albert also wrote a brief forward for "Brothels of Nevada: Candid Views of America's Legal Sex Industry." This book of fine art photography will provide the curious reader with a good look at the inside of the Mustang Ranch as well of most of Nevada's other Legal Brothels. The reader won't find any pictures of the girls themselves in that architectural study by award winning photographer Timothy Hursley. The book is published by the Princeton Architectural Press, which should provide a good clue as to the subject matter. (See my review).

This book is a very powerful, moving, and professionally written look into the workings of what was once one of the largest legal brothels in the country. The author is essentially sympathetic to the concept of legalized prostitution, but conveys very clearly her own ambiguity, and makes no effort to gloss over the admitted negatives associated with the trade. This is a very balanced look at a subject that it is very hard to be evenhanded with, and gives very clear insights into the lives that legalized prostitution touches.

I'm a sucker for books that take me into a subculture I know nothing about and have no intention of visiting, and this exploration of legalized prostitution in Nevada certainly fits the bill. The author originally approached the Nevada Brothel Association in the early 1990s with the aim of conducting surveys of prostitutes as part of a public health study looking at condom use and efficacy in preventing STDs. However, when she finally did gain access, it turned into a larger anthropological study of Nevada brothel life, focusing on the largest and most well-known of these, the Mustang Ranch.

The author was a live-in guest there off and on, from 1993 until the brothel's closure in 1999, and the portrait she emerged with is an invaluable one for anyone seeking to understand prostitution as a legal, moral, political, and personal issue. She conducted formal and informal interviews with dozens of the women working there, the staff, and others on the outside involved in pro or anti-brothel lobbying, all the while struggling with her own assumptions and attitudes. The only thing more impressive than her fieldwork is her keen synthesis of everything she heard into a compelling straightforward account that is both fair-minded and likely to challenge most reader's assumptions.

The range of topics covered is vast, including: brothel pricing and business strategies, internal cliques and feuds among the prostitutes, attitudes of customers, attitudes toward customers, feelings of kinship among prostitute, the debate among prostitutes as to whether or not "enjoying" their work is acceptable, online "customer" forums, and much more. Perhaps the most surprising (and depressing) aspect to me was the extent to which many of the women interviewed were emotionally blackmailed or coerced into prostitution by family members (usually husbands, but at least one mother and one mother-in-law were mentioned). Indeed, the extent to which informal pimps exist in legalized prostitution is rather a shock. Throughout it all, she presents what she is told in clear, concise, and compassionate prose that raise the veil on a shadowy world and will likely challenge many readers assumptions.

Note: Academy Award winners Joe Pesci and Helen Mirren are starring in Academy Award winning director Taylor Hackford's (Ray) 2009 film, "Love Ranch," which is about the rise and fall of the Mustang Ranch.

It's too bad this isn't required reading for "I've got my mind made up, don't confuse me with the facts," anti-prostitution people. Alexa Albert is a graduate from the Harvard school of medicine, and she brings a balanced, non-emotional, non-judgmental perspective to the topic of legal prostitution in Nevada (which is pretty rare for this topic). This book adds a candid, human dimension to the lives of sex workers. Highly recommended reading for anyone who wants the real story.

Overall, this is an easy read, nothing too filthy, nothing too disturbing, and most definitely a window into a world most of us know nothing of. But make no mistake, this is very adult content.

I found the narrative simple and straightforward, basically a story following the Mustang Ranch until its demise in the summer of 1999.

Author Albert approaches the Mustang Ranch and its women, and her initial research project from a solidly anti-prostitution perspective, viewing it--without the benefit of truly knowing the subject--clearly as the manipulation, subjugation, and entrapment of vulnerable women. But quite interestingly, by the end of the book, having seen the business and its commodity up close and personal, she has had what appears to me to be an almost total change of heart, now seeing prostitution, at least in the context of a legally constituted and regulated industry, as an empowering profession lived by real people who more or less choose their involvement within it.

So, this is not necessarily an objective study on legalized prostitution. For a woman with the kind of medical and research credentials which author Albert professes to have, the book is remarkably devoid of research language, descriptions of her research methodologies, her trials, observations, etc. The book is virtually sanitized of just about any trace of her research, its methods, and its outcome. The entire reason for her to be at Mustang in the first place was for her to conduct research, but that issue and story is quickly left behind for the clearly far more interesting and compelling story of the Mustang Ranch, its ladies, and the business.

If you're looking for graphic descriptions of sexual encounters, this book will not deliver. There are a couple of passages in which she describes sexual acts and encounters, but the descriptions are not titillating. Thankfully, she also dispenses with any kind of medical or clinical descriptions of the acts as well. Yes, the f-word does creep in a couple of times, and there are some passages containing graphic language, although these are usually not from the author, but her quotations of her brothel-mates.

No, author Albert does not become one of the girls, although she is accepted as one by the ladies of the ranch. I was very much reminded of Patpong Sisters: An American Woman's View of the Bangkok Sex World, which I think would be a great companion-read to this book.

As a male reader, it was very refreshing to read the passage in which Albert actually buys a set of hooker lingerie to bring home as a gift to her husband. Now that's education in action.

More than anything in this book, I was heartened to see this story of an author with an established set of beliefs who set out to confirm them, only to have them changed almost completely, all because she kept an open mind and listened to her subjects.

Sam just came back from San Francisco
after two years. She fell of her colt blackie
and she got a concussion. Blackie was never found.
But Sam is sure a wild stallion every one calls
the phantom (because he's a gray) is her Blackie all
grown up. Especially when he shows up at the ranch.
pretty amazing scenes. Really good.

I really loved the Phantom Stallion books, and I recommend you start with the first one so you can follow the series. It's a great story, and hard to put down. My mom and I read it together and she thought the writing was great. I liked it because it really tells a lot about how Samantha loves horses and gets over her fear of them after a fall.

I read three more books in the series after this one and will read more. Highly recommended.

IF YOU LOVE HORSE'S YOU WILL LOVE THIS SERIES! IT IS GREAT FOR EVERY AGE GROUP AS WELL! I AM 27 YEAR'S OLD AND COMPLETELY CAPTIVATED BY THE CHARACTER'S BOTH HUMAN AND HORSE ALIKE!!!!!! THE AUTHOR TERRI FARLEY HAS AN SUCH AN ABILITY TO DRAW HER READER'S IN AND GIVE THEM A WILD, DRAMATIC, AND EMOTIONAL RIDE!!! THE CHARACTER'S REALLY COME TO LIFE AND YOU FEEL FOR THEM ( AGAIN BOTH HUMAN AND HORSE)!!!!!!

Phantom Stallion The Wild One is about a girl named Sam. When she was little she fell off her horse Blackie, and was injured very badly. Her dad sends her away to live with her aunt in San Fransisco for two years. When she comes back home Zanzibar (Blackie) has run away and didn't come back. That night, Sam sees a silver horse walking around outside. It has been appearing every night. It has also shown Sam a secret place in the desert where there's a whole herd of wild horses. When Sam, her dad, and some cowboys go on a cattle drive, Sam meets Linc Slocum who wants the phantom for himself. Can Sam stop him?? I really liked this book because it's about horses and I love horses. It is also a great adventure, and the author really describes it well. I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I did!

There is a very simple way to sum up my review. This book, and the rest of the series, is fantastic. In comparison to other horse series, this series ranks the highest, far above most others. This is my favorite horse series.

Here is a list of other horse series I've tried:

The Saddle Club - The books were pretty good. I read the first two, but since the books were never avaliable to me, I never read any more. However, the two books I read were pretty good. The television series was a little too corny for me. The acting and script was awful. There were some decent actors, but some over-acted. Dialogue in the script was not well done. There was a lot of, "Oh, will my horse be okay? Whatever will we do?!" One hundred plus books in a single series is not recommended, either. The main reason this series was a turn-off.

The Horseshoe Trilogies - I read one of the books in this series. It was pretty good, but it didn't make we want to read the rest. The book was too short and lacked a certain zing.

Thoroughbred - I think I read one of the first ones in the series, and I thought it was good. So, I friend went out and bought one of the books further into the series. A different author had taken over and I stopped after the first couple of pages. Not much in comparison to the original author, even if I only read one book that she wrote! Besides, this wasn't the series for me anyway. I don't have the feel of horse racing, because I've never been to a race and it has never been a huge thrill to me. Of course I love watching gorgeous Thoroughbreds race around a track, but I'm biting my nails at the same time, worrying that one will trip or break a leg. Take Barbaro for example. So this series didn't cut it.

Heartland - I liked these books. Many people say the books were too dark, but I disagree. I think they were scary at times, and made me worry, but that kept me reading. Best of all, these books were realistic, unlike other horse series I have come across. The events, characters, dialogue, ect. all seem real. HOWEVER, the books sometimes veered off the subject of horses. I felt there was too much romance and not enough horses. Problems with the horses seemed realistic, though. This series still didn't hit, but it was better. At least it kept me reading.

Chestnut Hill - I read the third book in this series and it was wonderful! Again, realistic characters and horses. However, in the first book, why would Dylan do something so stupid? If she was experienced with horses, she would know riding at night and taking a bet from one of those girls would lead to trouble. In the third book, there wasn't as much romance as Heartland, so that was an improvement. And this series seems more on my age level. Plus, the characters dealing with the horses seemed realistic. Lauren Brooke is a very good writer, but again, this series wasn't the best in the world. All of these series seemed to be following a pattern. They were all in the English style and some of them either spoiled their horses rotten, or veered off the subject of horses too much.

Phantom Stallion - That's when I came upon this series. From the first book, I was instantly attached. The author has such realistic characters, plots, dialogue, events, and settings.

Samantha Forster was in a riding accident two years ago. She fell off her colt, Blackie, while riding through a gate. In Blackie's attempt to escape, Sam fell from his back and catapulted to the ground. As she was falling, Blackie's hooves caught her head. Jake Ely, Sam's friend, galloped back to Sam's family's ranch to get help. Two years later, Sam is returning from living with her Aunt Sue in San Franscico, California. She was in a coma and, deciding that being closer to a hospital in California then two hours away in Nevada would be better for Sam, Sam also lost Blackie during all this. He had galloped for the range, the wild blood from his mustang father, Smoke, carrying through the tough events that life on the range can bring.

The night Sam comes home, a stallion comes to her and she knows it's her beloved horse grown and gone wild, with now earning the name of the legendary Phantom. Sam's horse was no longer the midnight-black colt named Blackie, he was now the silver stallion known as the Phantom. But along with every good friendship, their are tough times thrown at them. The antagonist (bad guy) named Linc Slocum, is determined to get the Phantom off the range and own the stallion himself as a "trophy". Sam won't let that happen. She knows the Phantom wants to be free, but how can she guarentee his freedom? Linc Slocum pulls a totally horrible and very realistic stunt that threatens to take the Phantom off the range. Only Sam can help him. But how?

The rest of the series is fantastic. All of the books are packed with adverture, realistic events, exciting plots, believable dialogue, and horses! And the subject does not veer off horses. There is the occasional couple of pages with Sam being in school at Darton High, which is always interesting and fun to read! Every book is a pleasure to read and the best horse series I have ever come across.

The idea for the series is also original. This series, unlike most horse series, features the Western style of riding. It also includes ranch life and mustangs, unlike the usual stable-bred, glossy horses in a fancy riding stable with girls running around pampering them and slipping them horse cookies every second. Sam and her family treat the horses on River Bend Ranch where Sam lives with respect, but they don't spoil them rotten. Sam tries to see through the horse's eyes, but she doesn't make a big deal out of petty things. She uses the same saddle for years, and never complains, she doesn't polish her saddle every time she spots a speck of dirt, and she makes her horse Ace work for his food, a nice warm bed, and a long curry-combing session.

Character personalities, actions, and dialogue are also what keep the series moving. Sam has two best friends, Jennifer Kenworthy and Jake Ely. Jen is extremely intelligent, but is always cracking me up with her sarcastic sense of humor! Jake is the quiet, silent type and is a cowboy through and through. He is always teasing Sam and it's always fun to read about what this mysterious, quiet, and horse-loving guy will do and say next! Another antagonist, although not as big as Linc Slocum, is Linc's daughter, Rachel. She has perfect clothes, hair, and is popular in school. But she has a horrible personality and is determined to make Sam's life miserable every chance she can get. Whether that's by dissing a horse, questioning Sam's clothes, embarrassing her, or flirting with Jake, Rachel will do anything to make Sam want to sock her. Terri Farley depicts all of her characters well and realistically.

The author also doesn't talk down to her readers. For some unfamiliar phrases, she'll take a moment to explain, but she'll expect you to know horse colors, breeds, tack, habits, ect. Terri also goes in vivid detail when describing a horse, a herd of mustangs, or a new character, which keeps me reading. This is a fantastic series. It's adventerous, exciting, realistic, heart-wrenching (but not dark), the horses are treated with respect, but not spoiled rotten, the dialogue is interesting, the characters are fun to read about, and the series is one of the most realistic series I have ever come upon. And most original!

Keep up the FANTASTIC work, Terri! And every horse lover should read this series!

COW CRIMES AND THE MUSTANG MENACE
By Sharon Dunn
Review by Laura V. Hilton

Ruby Taylor's place of employment has been robbed twice in as many weeks--and other local farm supply businesses and ranches are targeted too. The thieves are following a pattern -robberies are occurring every Thursday night without fail. Ruby and her boss hide in the feed store to try to catch the thieves themselves, but even so, the robbers come and get away with several items, among them Ruby's boss's cat, Her Majesty.

Ruby and her friend, Wesley, are supposed to baby-sit Wesley's sister's kids, but soon after they start, Wesley disappears, leaving Ruby to attempt to control the kids herself. Peanut butter painted walls and several messes later, Wesley's sister finally comes home, and Ruby starts looking for Wesley to give him a piece of her mind. But his vehicle is parked along side of the road, and there are blood stains in the seat. Is it Wesley's blood or someone elses? Does his disappearance have anything to do with the recent robberies?

Even though COW CRIMES AND THE MUSTANG MENACE is the third book in Ms. Dunn's Ruby Taylor Mysteries series it easily stands alone. However readers will want to read the first two books in the series just to be brought up to speed on when certain events happen in Ruby's life. Ruby is a delightful real character and I couldn't wait to see what happens next. She seems to land in scrapes without much effort and is able to make friends easily when she gets caught. I admire that about her.

Since the book is written in first person, I didn't connect with Wesley or other characters as much as I would have liked, but they are still authentic. Ms. Dunn kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page of COW CRIMES AND THE MUSTANG MENACE all the way to the final pages. I highly recommend this book. 284 pages. $12.99.

Ruby Taylor is at it again. In her third book, as she and Wesley are trying to figure out their relationship, Ruby stumbles across a string of robberies targeting her work. This leads to her finding out a town's shady history involving a murder. Amid a missing bull and a county fair involving potato recipes, Ruby tries to find out who is committing all the robberies and how it somehow connect to that story from yesteryear. Her attempts at sleuthing lead to comical and scary situations.

This was such a great book. I like Ruby more and more with each book in the series. I liked her friendship with Starlight and I was glad that Ruby kept trying to point out to Wes that he needed to stop suspecting them just because they were new in town. The whole scentless hairspray made me curious as well as to how it works. I don't want to spoil the ending but the reasons for all the "activities" happening in the area had a sad story behind it. You almost feel sorry for the perpetrators. It's intersting to think how much a father's acknowledgment means to someone.

I am glad that Ruby had realistic reactions to the way Wesley reacted in the beginning of the story. He doesn't tell her where he's gone so of course she's worried and angry when she does find him. I also want to know if they ever have a talk about the letter that Ruby found. If Wesley feels that he has to be a perfect Christian, this might hinder their relationship. I was also glad that Ruby found the Proverbs 31 woman slightly frustrating as well. As good of a role model as that passage is, sometimes I think some Christian women strive too much to attain that status. While Ruby's faith is tested many times, she doesn't lose it instead it helps her to grow. I hoping there's another Ruby Taylor mystery in the future.

Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace is a great read! Sharon's colorful characters and crazy plot make this book a page turner! Even without reading Sharon's previous books, I was able to jump right into the story and get involved. Sharon has spun another tale of fun, excitement and drama, all wrapped up with a ribbon of laughter! I can't wait to read other books by Sharon Dunn.

The feed and supply store where Ruby Taylor works has been robbed several times. So, Ruby and Georgia, the owner, decide to hide in the darkened store and catch the thief, or thieves. But the women are caught by surprise anyway, and the strangest thing stolen that night is Her Majesty, Georgia's cantankerous Siamese cat.

Ruby's sometime boyfriend Wesley is missing. She's found his pickup abandoned not far from an ostentatious house built by new arrivals in town, and there is blood on the seat of the cab. In typical Ruby fashion, she decides to launch her own investigation because local authorities are less than cooperative.

First thing is to meet the new folks in town who own that house and the Ruby way to accomplish this is to climb through a window. Elementary. Meet Lance Kinkaid and his wife Starlight. Lance? Starlight? You've gotta be kidding.

Now a prize bull has disappeared, Her Majesty is still missing, a drugstore is robbed and somehow Ruby is tangled up in the middle of it. An ancient family dispute brings more questions than answers, but Ruby believes there's a clue in there somewhere.

It is time for the Potato Queen competition and Ruby and Starlight concoct an interesting recipe for potato chips and decide to enter. They arrive at the fair but before the judging, Ruby is kidnapped.

This is a rollicking, fun read. But don't be fooled . . . there is mystery and tension here, too. You may be able to connect the Cow Crimes part of the title with the aforementioned missing bull, but I'll leave the Mustang Menace part for your discovery.

Our Ruby is an irrepressible spirit endowed with a natural instinct that too often leads her beyond common sense and straight into danger. Her tenuous, newborn faith is tested time and again, and her romantic relationship with Wesley and his reluctance to commit drives her crazy.

Sharon Dunn has a knack for telling a good story filled with surprising insight and lots of just plain fun. I really like Ruby.

Review by Gigi Hoffman

The final installment of Sharon Dunn's A Ruby Taylor Mystery is just as entertaining as books one and two. If you've read the first two in the series, the third is a must!

Ruby, sassy and quick-witted as always, gets herself into even more crazy situations. Take a Potato Festival recipe contest, a murder, old town family secrets, and curious thefts. Throw in some quirky friends, a mocha, and her strong faith, and you've got Ruby's life. And don't forget about Wesley--her unpredictable, sometimes infuriating boyfriend. What can come from all this? Only time will tell. So, sit down with a cup of coffee and prepare to ride along with Ruby Taylor in one of her craziest adventures yet!

Mustang Moon is really good.
I'm interested in photographing
horses so I can relate to Sam in
alot of these books. I can perfectly
visoualize the picture Sam takes of
Hammer at Gold Dust Ranch. Exciting and
interesting.

I AM AN AVID READER AND HORSE LOVER! I STUMBLED UPON THIS SERIES LOOKING FOR A BOOK FOR MY NIECE. THIS SERIES IS PERFECT FOR ALL AGE'S!! I AM 27 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS CAPTIVATING BOOK FOR ME TO READ AS WELL AS MY NIECE!!!! A PERFECT SERIES TO COMPLETE YOUR FAMILY LIBRARY!!!

This is one of many Phantom Stallion books. I would say it's my favorite one so far. The reason this is my favorite book is because I like action books, and horse books. This story has both.
This story is about a girl named Sam and her old horse the phantom(Blackie). Mr. Solcum was accusing the phantom of stealing his new filly. Sam knew that the phantom had nothing to do with it because a blue roan had come and stole her gram's horse, Sweetheart. Can Sam find Sweetheart and the other horses that are missing.
I would recommend this book to people who like horses and adventures. I wouldn't recommend this book to boy because it has a lot of girl things in it like crushes and some stuff like that.

Mustang Moon is probably one of my favorite PS books. It's got such a great and different story line then the others. Linc Slocum is out to get the Phantom-anyway he can. He buys this fancy appaloosa named Hotspot and then this stallion comes and starts stealing all these mares, Hotspot to name one and Sweetheart too. Sam knows it's not the Phantom but Linc tries to prove it-even posting an award for the capture of him! Sam has to prove that the Phantom is not stealing the mares!

I love all of the books except #3 because she lets a bratty girl train her horse. This book is awsome. Every book has an adventure especially number 1 "The Wild One". I love these books and I recommend them to anybody who loves horses. I recommend them to 11 and up becauseyounger children won't understand the amazingness of this book. Do not read this if you don't like horses. You don't have to love them but don't hate them or you won't understand the girl's deep love for the horses. I love horses and would have done everything she did to save them. I'm currently on number 7 and I just bought number 8. I have yet to read it.

I was looking for some info on how to rebuild a T-56 6spd transmission and this book came up in the search. It only mentions the T-56 a handful of times. Aside from that, the "principles" of rebuilding a transmission were covered very well. The only thing I would improve upon would be to add more picture diagrams of the labeled individual components.

i got this book so in case of future questions i may have. between 2 harley's, & a couple of ol' chevy's with 4 speeds, your going to need to fix something @ some point or pay someone else. i rebuilt my turbo 350 in my '77 gmc 7 yrs. ago & it still runs great. this guy did a great job as this book is good reading informative! i recommend 100%.

Excellent organization and structure. Lots of information on how manual transmissions work, and how to check and rebuild them. Many excellent color photos to go along with the text.

(NOTE: I am the author so this is a biased review):

Manual transmissions aren't as sexy as some other engine parts that I could think of (like cams, or turbos), but that doesn't make them boring!

This book covers the little-known and little-described topic of manual transmissions. I attack the subject from the angle of a "weekend warrior" mechanic or car builder, which means it's neither dry and academic nor lowbrow.

Manual transmissions, clutches and even differentials are covered in enough detail to be useful without drowning in theory. Unlike many automotive books it's full of meaty details and tips - the chapter on manual transmission diagnosis alone is worth the cost.

Even if you're not a die-hard stick shifter, it's a fun read and an interesting look at the technology behind a manual transmission. If nothing else, you could read it and impress the guys at your local hot-rod spot with your knowledge of gear oil additives.

Besides, where else can you get all the current thinking on manual transmission modifications in one place?

I just got this book and Have to say that it is one of the best automotive books I have ever read. Most automotive Books are either to Dry and Technical or have very little info. This Book is both easy to read and has a ton of information. I'll be referring to this book any time I have a problem with a manual transmission.

If you want to know how someone truly feels about wild horses, "Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West" by Margurite Henry will take you there. It's a story about Velma Johnston, "Wild Horse Annie", who, in 1959 and 1971, was most instrumental in bringing about much-needed change to the welfare of the wild horse herds, by causing Congress to author bills that would protect the animals from mass murder. If you care about horses, read this book!

I'm really surprised that a book by Marguerite Henry which is still in print has only nine reviews (now ten), especially one that is so deserving to be read. Having read Henry's King of the Wind twice as a child, and Brighty, Misty, and Justin Morgan as an adult, I have been collecting her books for my classroom - her stories do not disappoint.

As another reviewer (Beverly) said, some books can "stay with you and impact your outlook after so many years." I can see this book having that effect on my fourth graders. When one of my college profs said that teachers who think they're going to change the world should look for another profession, I said to myself that teachers who DON'T think / hope they can change the world absolutely scare me and should definitely look for another profession! Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West, a true account, is about Annie Bronn Johnston, a woman who has this kind of save-the-world spirit herself.

Born and raised in Nevada, Annie has horses in her blood from her early years onward. As she is put into a full-body cast in her childhood to help overcome the effects of polio, she learns to become a fighter, a trait she carries into adulthood. One day, on her drive home from work, Annie happens upon a truck filled with captured wild mustangs, in very rough shape, being transported to slaughter. Annie follows the truck, and thus begins her fight to save the Mustangs from the cruel fate of being hunted and captured with airplanes and motorized vehicles, sometimes being chased as far as fifty miles before being captured, killed, and sold for dog food. Throughout the book, she finds that if the mustang is to be saved, she will need to be the one to lead the fight. Though she leads a simple life, living on a ranch with her husband and working as a secretary, she takes her fight first to the state legislature, where she is partially victorious. Realizing that this partial victory is not enough, as it has too many loopholes, she continues her fight all the way to the U.S. Congress, eventually saving the wild mustangs from extinction.

Annie illustrates that the power of one individual working passionately for a cause she believes in strongly can indeed change the world. This is a great book for girls, with a female heroine, and it illustrates how everyday people can and do have a say in the political process. We study government in my fourth grade classroom, and this would be a great book to use along with this study.

I'm eager to read more of Marguerite Henry's books, and will continue to stock my classroom with them. And for younger / lower readers, the horse books by Lois Szymanski (some, like Henry's, taking place at Chincoteague and including factual details) are a nice way to introduce this kind of stories to students.

Though I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars on the Amazon scale (as half points cannot be awarded), I would rate it 9 out of 10 (or 4 1/2 out of 5) on my own scale.

I never read a heck of a lot of Margueirite Henry, but this was one I read over and over again as a child. Henry takes on a distinctly more human view point as she deals with a very human woman who falls in love with the beauty of the wild horses and is horrified at their treatment and fate. It's inspiring for all people who want to change the world or at least save a few animals and Henry's passion for horses is evident. Great book.

I have always been a cowgirl, western, country girl my whole life. I bought this book a while back when I was into the Misty series and I wanted to know what were some of hte other books Henry wrote. This book was truly inspiring and beautiful. I was rooting for Annie the whole time! This is the perfect book for the biggest cowgirl and horse nut.

When I was in Elementary School, I read all of the books in the school library that had to do with horses. Of all of them, this was my favorite. I've remembered it until today when I decided to refresh my memory from 7 years ago. I think it's so neat that books like this can stay with you and impact your outlook after so many years. This is such a beautiful and inspiring story, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

The previous reviews have said it all!! I would just like to add that I have purchased both the book and the calendar and have never once been disappointed in the content.

I also bought this book online to support The Cloud Foundation and found it to be so much more than I expected. The photography is breathtaking! I am drawn back again and again to look at the visuals and read the material she has written about these beautiful horses. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves horses, beautiful photography and who cares about the plight of Cloud's band in the Priors.

The BLM needs to hear from people who care about what they are doing to these horses. Thinning the herd and using contraceptives on the mares has not worked and will only cause inbreeding and weakening the blood lines of these wonderful mustangs.

I bought this book because it looked "pretty" but more to support the wild horses since part of the proceeds goes towards the Cloud Foundation. I bought it online, and when I got it into my hands a few days later I was stunned by the rawness and sheer beauty of the photography. The closeups are amazing. This book is coffee table quality even though its a paperback!

Visually stunning as well as a compelling read.
A great gift for any animal lover. Rich and informative in our great but threatened America heritage.

Wild Hoofbeats is documentary art of a tragically vanishing world. I love horse calendars and there are many either poorly photographed or trite. Being familiar with Carol Walker's work and mission with the Pryor Mountain Herd, I was delighted to learn she was releasing a calendar. After seeing the images in the calendar, I had to have the book, which has proved to be not only visually stunning, but meaningful. The book is important enough to gift a copy to your local library as well as your own.

Do you feel isolated and judged at work, simply for being who you are? Then you may well be a Mustang Sally, insists journalist Fawn Germer ("Hard Won Wisdom"). Mustang Sallys (from the song) don't go along to get along, says Germer, which means great rewards, but also great trouble - especially in business, where women have little leeway as outspoken leaders.

Peppered with interviews from some 75 different women like Hillary Rodham Clinton, Erin Brockovich and Eve Ensler ("The Vagina Monologues"), Germer offers advice on being true to yourself, fighting for what matters, getting what you want and daring to make mistakes. While Germer suggests little in the way of self-examination, she will definitely reassure courageous yet criticized women who refuse to kiss up in order to move up.

If these stories of women who made a difference despite all odds don't inspire you to achieve to your fullest potential, it's doubtfull that anything else can. The spectrum of women chosen is a testament to diversity. This would make a great holiday gift for anyone and everyone.

I just discovered Fawn Germer's books thanks to a friend who saw her speak in D.C. last year. What great advice for someone who is struggling career-wise. I am in a situation where I am unwilling to compromise my beliefs in order to fit in to a work environment where I am not respected or valued. To read this book and hear what ultra-successful women have gone through in order to just be themselves has given me hope and renewed energy. I am presenting "Mustang Sallies" to my reading group next month and I feel confident thirteen other women are going to find strength in Fawn's writings.

I highly recommend this book to any and all career women who have felt undervalued and conflicted about their careers.

This book will have a permanent place on my nightstand so I will find a little calm before going to sleep. Finally. FINALLY! Someone has explained all of my self-doubts and shown a way around them. This is a powerful book that I am giving as gifts to every one of my friends. It's required reading for any woman who has ever felt judged or criticized by others when she was absolutely in the right.

I was given this book as a gift from a friend who said, "Now you'll understand what's going on with your life, Diane. You're a mustang. That's not a negative." When I read Fawn Germer's Mustang Sallies, I knew what she meant. I've always felt misunderstood and underappreciated. Now I realize I am what Germer calls a "trailblazer." I've never been one to go along to get along, and I don't kiss up to move up. That's hurt me in the past, but Mustang Sallies is filled with strategies to make me succeed without selling out. I love this book. (...) It's phenomenal.

George Loving's memoir of his time as a fighter pilot in the Mediterranean Theater, first in Spitfires and then in the famed P-51 Mustang, ring true. He seems to have kept a meticulous diary during his time in Italy and one gets a good feel for the long periods of dull routine broken up by occasional hot combat. You see how long it could take for a pilot to achieve the status of ace, i.e., the weeks or months needed to shoot down five enemy planes. And you also see how many pilots fell to mechanical problems and bad weather, rather than enemy fire. Unfortunately, while that probably makes for good history, it's not the most compelling reading. Still, one can't help but be amazed at the courage of these pilots, and especially of the bomber pilots they escorted.

December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day, occurred as George Loving,Jr. and I were hitch-hiking to see our lady friends at Farmville State Teacher's College. We were students at E.C.Glass High School in Lynchburg. That was the first day of the war for us.

As I read his book of experiences in the air over Italy, I felt as though I was right at his side reliving the events and feeling the goose bumps as things became sticky from time to time. I cleaned my plate by reading this saga from cover to cover in a short time, wanting it to go on and on.

I'm a very big WWII buff. I can't seem to get enough information on the history of the war. The individual accounts of ground and aerial combat are very riveting. This book is no exception. Awesome! I couldn't put it down.

December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day, occurred as George Loving,Jr. and I were hitch-hiking to see our lady friends at Farmville State Teacher's College. We were students at E.C.Glass High School in Lynchburg. That was the first day of the war for us.

As I read his book of experiences in the air over Italy, I felt as though I was right at his side reliving the events and feeling the goose bumps as things became sticky from time to time. I cleaned my plate by reading this saga from cover to cover in a short time, wanting it to go on and on.

The thing that intrigued me most in reading this book was the mindset of these brave men. From their days as cadets till their discharge, the pilots who succeeded had a lust for victory. The matter of fact style of writing conveys this mindset, this "failure is not an option" mentality that made pilots pray nothing would keep them from participating in the next mission. It would be incorrect to say that fear is not addressed here, but it would be totally accurate to say that, in their pursuit of victory, these men were fearless. I could not help thinking, while reading the day-to-day story of becoming a pilot, that I would have wanted to be a cadet too. Mr. Loving doesn't make it sound easy, but he does show that it was an age of heroes, where the workingman could have the chance of becoming a fighter ace. In the end though, it is evident that, just like today, it takes a special breed of men to rise to this level, and many, then as now, washed out. On the lighter side, it was also very refreshing to hear tales of quick pleasure trips to exotic cities and nights out on the town to take the edge off the pressures of combat. All in all, the book gave me a much more realistic impression of what America's fighter pilots went through, alone but together, one plane, but a member of an indomitable force. The drive and adherence to honor and truth are values that stick with you long after the book has been read. A patriotic Thumbs Up!

Gave the book as Xmas present to recent Mustang owner. He was extremely pleased, gave him great insights into the design of the car.

This is the definitive book on the new generation Mustang circa 2005. I own the car as well as the book, so I know whereof I speak. It's a retro ride back to the muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's, and the book gives all the details of which ones influenced the new design. Ford has literally gone back to the future with this design, and if you want to know the story of the next generation pony car, this book is definately it.

Neat book. Great photos and a lot of speculation as to where the S-197 is going. Well written and researched. I own a 2007 amd much of the book still applies.

Being the owner of a brand new 07 Mustang this book hit the sweet spot, it was great to learn how this new generation of Pony car was born; the information and photographs where first class, so good in fact I am reading it a second time.
If you are passionate about these American Legends and like me want to see them live forever I can thoroughly recommend this book.

How many 2005 model cars get their own hardcover book? That's how cool the 2005 Mustang was. I own one and it was a big investment for me. At least I could buy a hardcover book on its development and history. I've enjoyed both the car and the book.