Tennessee Books

I liked it--thus the for four stars.

This is a good study in the use of POV to contol the narrative. By Wendell describing more of Dove's events, thereby lessen the focus on himself, the more we learn about him.

This is not a story or book about what happens, but more to what the teller, Wendell, does not tell us.

Recommend.

This is the first book i've read by Whorton. The book droned on through the vast majority of the plot, but his occasionally poetic, sometimes southern style made it interesting. The story was slow to evolve and the readers attention seemed ill focused. Dove, the main character's friend seemed to steal away the attention in this novel. I think the book would have been better had more attention been focused on Dove and less on the main character. Don't expect monumental things from this book, however Whorton show's promise as a unque new author.

The first half of this book is a little slow, and a little sad. But hang in there... it's truly a laugh a minute after it gets rolling (literally rolling, in some chapters). As a native Southerner, this book hit home on many snort-with-laughter levels. No matter your level of education, you WILL know someone, or perhaps even have a (distant, if you're lucky) relative who simply IS the main character in this book. Buy this novel, you'll love it. Mr. Whorton's capacity for wry, self-deprecating humor in his characters is quite praise-worthy. I'm looking forward to his next effort.

This book was not what I had expected, but it turned out to be better than what I thought. I definitely enjoyed the characters in the story as well as the plot, as ridiculous as it may seem to some. Jim Whorton is a great writer and instructor.

Raymond Carver meets "King of the Hill."

This is a great book. I had a hard time putting it down. I don't see how anyone could NOT like the book. Yes, Alex does do some stupid things that a P.I. would not normally do, but he is human, and it IS his brother. You wouldn't use your skills from police school as much or your common sense for that matter when it was your brother that was the abuser/killer. Human nature would make you want to think that surely your own twin brother was not as bad as he appeared to be. I can see clearly how the whole book could have happened. It was very realistic in my opinion and a true heartstopper!!! I sure hope that we get a part 2 out of this.

It saddens me when I come across a truly bad book, mostly because I understand that this book is a "baby" for its author, Michelle Perry, but I have to say it's the first book I have wanted to burn in quite a while.

The plot is completely improbable and had me rolling my eyes almost continuously. Twins are always a tricky thing to handle in a story and as soon as Alex, a supposedly smart PI who once was a cop, calls his estranged twin brother, Cole, to break the news that his wife who's been "dead" for five years is in a local hospital half-way across the country because she was so terrified by his face thinking Cole had found her that she stumbled out in front of a car, I knew it was going to be a rough ride. The characters were not complex and I honestly couldn't root for either Jess or Alex because every time they turned around they were doing something incredibly stupid. And Alex's declaration of "love" was way too soon and just felt false. The cliffhanger ending was supposed to send a chill down my spine but I just laughed, relieved to have finished it.

So while this first effort by Ms. Perry isn't stellar, I also have on my TBR pile In Enemy Hands and I'm hoping that it will be a better plot, with better characterization and a believable conflict. So while others have obviously enjoyed Cain & Abel, it just wasn't enjoyable for me at all.

This is an excellent book! I started reading it, and couldn't put it down. All of the characters are engaging, even the bad guy! It's an intriguing story with a seamless blend of complex character development, plot twists, romance, and humor. I read it until 3 am and hope to see a sequel soon!

The only thing I didn't like about the story was that there wasn't enough romance. I was also dissapointed in the ending, I mainly read romance because I like happy endings, in this story I wasn't sure if it was happy or not, kind of left you hanging.

The reviews had me gambling on an author I have never read. I lost.

This might have been a book I could finish if the female lead wasn't constantly portrayed to be a TOTAL whimpering pathetic victim while the male lead was boring white bread who found this appealing for some strange reason. It was such a turn-off, I only made it halfway through.

I was disappointed in the layout of this book because there seemed to be such a confusing way of hearing the historical accounts out of chronological order. I would not recommend this book to any serious history student.

This book was a gift and an unexpected plaesure. I read a little bit each day, as it is set up like a calendar. It was so much fun to read about my state each day and to have something unusual, fun or sad to share with colleagues. the reading is easy but the content makes you think. I bought a copy and donated to my son's elementary school...but they already HAD one. Great book.

Every Day in Tennessee History is a new concept, at least to me. It is not watered-down, "happy history" for lay persons and is not "techologically unavailable" history for professionals. It tells history to common people in a way that is not insulting. I am African-American. I found more about my history in this little book, than in all of the texts in college. I mean, besides noting that slavery did exist, did Africans contribute anything to Tennessee history? One would not think so, reading conventional textbooks. Dr. Jones' book gave me some small insight into contributions by Africans. For this, I am able to recommend this book. I wish he'd do more books on minorities. Thanks for this opportunity to speak up for a person breaking the mold. I am sure his book is not understood by a lot of people who cannot think of history being accessible to everyday people.

I am a laborer. Never went to college. This books was a birthday gift and I tell you, it packs a powerful punch. This is a great easy reading book. I learned a lot, too. It showed me that Tennesseans are, indeed, a rare and worthy people. Before I had felt that the "average Joe" was not worthy of scholarly research or comment. Dr. Jones' book made me realize that ordinary folk are the backbone of this country. He takes a risk by not following customary wisdom of writing about famous White men and their battles. I am sure he received criticism for this.
However, while I never went to college and worked hard allmy life, this book did not talk down to me. It made me feel that my contribution to my state was worth my long days of constructions work that I do. THIS IS A GREAT FATHERS DAY GIFT.

Dr. Jones has made a positive contribution to Tennessee History with many tidbits of information. Some humorous, some thought-provoking, some serious, and some unusual. The "tell only the positive stuff" history has many books to its genre. Some people protest Dr. Jones'writing about common people, as if common, everyday folk had no part in our history.

This book is not one like that. This is light-but-realistic writing, carefully researched, and interesting to read. Give it as a gift...well, I gave one to Vice President Gore who subsequently gave it a rave review. Negtive? No, only in that it does not glorify the rich and famous. This tells it like it was. It leaves the well-known out, pretty much.

Did Dr. Jones make an error with the KKK and ONE date? Gee, give the guy a break, for pete's sake. This is original work and I thoroughly enjoyed his approach and style. I've given it as gifts many times and will continue to do so.

I understand it also is a standard textbook in many history classes at Middle Tennessee State University. How bad can it be?

This was a wonderful topic for a book -- how Southernness and Jewishness came together in the Jewish kitchen. Cohen Ferris, herself a Jewish woman from a small town in Arkansas, has done exhaustive research, no doubt a labor of love, and has perpetuated many people's memories.

The problem with the book is that it is quite repetitious. Ferris Cohen correctly points out that the culture and history of Atlanta, New Orleans, the Mississippi Delta, and so on are all distinct from each other. Then, however, she spends much of her time recounting menus of long-ago occasions and concluding, over and over again, that the balance between kosher and non-kosher food and between European and American Southern delicacies was important and hard to navigate, because food is so important in daily life.

It is not so much a question of Ferris Cohen's writing style but of the fact that she seemed compelled to put on paper all of the results of her painstaking interviews. Perhaps a more insightful historian could have made more of Ferris Cohen's material, but this book just seemed too long.

As a Deep South Jewish expatriate, I can't say enough about how thoroughly Marcie Cohen Ferris did her research. There is no doubt that she has covered the differences-and similarities-of the various southern states with great heart and accuracy! The sheer volume of names of those she got family information from is more than admirable. The book belongs in every Jewish household-northern and southern! And non-Jewish readers will get a wonderful picture of the influence food had in Southern Jewish homes-part of American culinary history.

This book is a wonderful compilation of Jewish history of the South and Jewish food of the South. Fascinating reading about the history and excellent eating. Enjoy!

Good book if your into a history lesson but I was looking for more receipies.

Fascinating subject matter as I grew up in an area where Jews were a vocal and very assimilated minority. The author's extensive research came to the same conclusions in every chapter: it was hard to keep Kosher in the South and black household help did much of the cooking. As a Jewish woman I am proud of our reputation for a sense of humor and delicious cooking. There are very few recipes; even those were not particularly tempting or typical. The book's major flaws lie in the author's dry, labored, one-note writing style that had me laboring to stay awake.

I was thrilled to discover a book dedicated entirely to the history of this seminal piece of theatre. Imagine my disappointment when I found the author constantly injecting himself into the proceedings and peppering his prose with cheesy "insights," mainly about Brando's sex appeal or catty tangents that don't further one's understanding of the play/film. The editors must have been asleep at the wheel on this one as the book hopscotches around and, sadly, gives short shrift to the actual writing of the play. Ultimately the title's promise of something "Scandalous" is never really delivered, aside from some scandalously bad writing. The upside to this book is that it is meticulously researched and does contain some revelatory moments, especially interviews with long-forgotten actors, designers and behind-the-scenes players that helped shape the legend of "Streetcar."

I enjoyed Sam Staggs' book about "Streetcar!" However, I didn't find it as thorough as his other books about "All About Eve" and "Sunset Boulevard." There were plenty of details about the Brando-Tandy & Brando-Leigh versions of "Streetcar," but hardly a mention of the Ralph Meeker and Anthony Quinn/Uta Hagen productions of "Streetcar...!" There was one humourous mention of Judith Evelyn as Blanche, but I would have been more interested in hearing about these two versions rather than all the other operatic and various foreign productions of "Streetcar"!

i enjoy sam staggs retelling of history. it is so obvious that he loves the films he researches. and it's just as obvious that he's a gay as a bunch of purple tulips!

i read through this book a good three times because the amount of research and interaction with the information is so dense that you just don't catch all of it the first time.

which film is next in his lexicon--'the women'--of course!

Having been in love with Tennessee Williams works, particularly a Streetcar Named Desire, this book was a thrill to read. A man who has obviously done his research covers every nuance of the play and film.

I am now proud to know how everything was produced, the stories behind everyone from the costumer to the producer to actors, and continue to recognize them in other films. He gives you a view of many many different Blanches and productions, as well as a through view of the most famous ones.

And unlike the Tennessee Williams bio. by Donald Spoto, it rejoices the play rather than tries to find the negative.

It is everything you wanted to know about the play and more. And all in all the author clearly demonstrates a love for the play, and all it's beautiful details.

I don't want to be harsh, but here goes.
'Exhaustively researched' is accurate, given the bibliography he consulted and referenced whatever he could mine from a daunting pile of works. One is grateful it all seems to be compiled in one volume but in the end was it necessary?

Staggs can't help but butt in with his personal opinions and unfounded speculation every now and again and you know he is scraping the bottom of the barrel when he starts obssesively listing every actress who ever played Blanche, tried on her costume or even contemplated playing Blanche, any headline that was ever printed that used the phrase 'kindness of strangers' and perhaps the most pitiful excuse ever to keep going with the topic, going so far as to invent backstage gossip.


I don't know if this amounts to a whole pile of beans or not, but you do feel that he took the lazy tabloid route and picked the film to pieces looking for scandal that wasn't really there. The author sheepishly admits as much. There have been brilliant assessments of Streetcar that have appraised the play, the social undercurrents and madness which inspired it, and it's impact to the public. Don't look for it here. This book doesn't have this solid foundation of academic scholarship or critique. It's thesis is mere curiosity. It's more of a complete idiots guide that goes in all directions rather than an studied annotation. Maybe it is simply that the story of putting Streetcar out on film isn't as fascinating as Gone With the Wind (see the excellent 'Scarlett, Rhett and a Cast of Thousands) but still there is good stuff there, only it might have come off better had the material been given more thought and placed in context.

With regards to Vivien Leigh, not much is actually said. Of course she did have a mental breakdown afterwards but Staggs completely misses how dangerously close she came into the psyche of Blanche in real life, or why. Likewise no assessment of Brando, and his interpretation of Stanley other than he might have wanted to bed Leigh (but then, what man wouldn't?) . The book seems to run out of steam after the intial foray into the shooting schedule. Even Tenessee Williams creative role is glossed over.

It seems inevitable the reader will, by the end, finish by sighing 'so what?' I know I did. It's an exhausting and dare I say it, in the end, pointless read. I kind of prefer my stories to have at least a moral to them. In then end it's All About Staggs Desire To Know Everything About Streetcar than anything else.

This is the third of an apparent series. Perhaps Staggs will keep going on a fourth? What next.. Lolita?

I knew the author way back in high school (Hi, Steve) and and he has certainly made a name for himself with his self-depracatory, humorous but exciting books. I especially like this series with our lovable down and out reporter turned Private Investigator. It's especially nice to have a book set in the city you grew up in. Over and over I'd think, "Hey, I've been there" or "Yeah, I know exactly what he means - that place is the pits."

Folks wanting a more serious, complex novel centered in Nashville should check out Reed Arvin's "Blood of Angels" and "The Last Goodbye". Steven will not make you sit and brood though. Instead you will find yourself laughing out loud, something expressly forbidden in modern libraries where you are given looks of impending doom. The story is classic: Gambling debts, past loves, murder and discovery. A long ago lover shows up asking Denton to investigate her famous surgeon husband and his compulsive gambling. Our her literally stumbles over the dead body of hubby in the hospital and the action begins.

It is much better than most first novels and better yet, provided the entry point for a whole slew of Harry Denton novels. Congratulations on a job well done.

This was the first in the Harry James Denton series...and I devoured it in one afternoon. I had to have more! Went out and got as many of them as I could find...and read them all just as fast. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the books down. I was addicted...sigh.

What was cool is that I lived in Nashville at the time, and the setting was there. I learned more about the city through reading his books than I had in the entire time I'd been there.
What even made it better is that Harry lived pretty close to where I was living in real life! He even wrote about the very grocery store I went to every week...

The main character was endearing, yet rough-edged to say the least. I loved everything about the series. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up...I betcha get the next in the series, too...and the next, and the next.....

I really enjoyed this book until I became sure who commited the crime. Unfortunately, this was half way through the book. I continued to read it, and continued to enjoy it until my prediction came true. How very disapointing. The dialog and the characters are very funny and engaging but the story that had promise, fissled. This book was an Edgar Award Winner which considering the forseeable ending, I found very surprising. I will definately read more books by Steven Womack and hope that the stories are as good as the rest of the book.

This was the first in the Harry James Denton series...and I devoured it in one afternoon. I had to have more! Went out and got as many of them as I could find...and read them all just as fast. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the books down. I was addicted...sigh.

What was cool is that I lived in Nashville at the time, and the setting was there. I learned more about the city through reading his books than I had in the entire time I'd been there.
What even made it better is that Harry lived pretty close to where I was living in real life! He even wrote about the very grocery store I went to every week...

The main character was endearing, yet rough-edged to say the least. I loved everything about the series. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up...I betcha get the next in the series, too...and the next, and the next.....

In DEAD FOLKS' BLUES, the protagonist is a newspaper reporter who is fired and becomes a private investigator. All fictional detectives have to have some type of other professional background, and this one for Harry James Denton seems to really work.

When an old-college fling comes to his office wanting him to get her doctor husband out of trouble, Denton is extatic to land his first case. Rachel pays him in advance, and he heads to her husband's hospital to do a little background checking. In the process, he is knock out while Conrad Fletcher is murdered. The story really takes off from there, as Harry soon finds out that there are a multitude of suspects. No matter where Harry turns, he runs into a dead end.

Steven Womack does an admirable job of mingling several different characters. They are all tied together quite nicely in a good, cohesive plot, chock full of witty dialogue and humorous situations.

DEAD FOLKS' BLUES is a fairly entertaining novel, and a good solid effort for the first novel in the series. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, there are enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. This is pretty good thriller.

This book is childish and boring. It's tiresome and dull. It might work for children since they won't know how cliche it is. As for adults, . . . is there anything less than "one star?"

This book is so cliche'It is full of the things you are probably thinking about by looking at the cover. If you want a story about a woman's struggle, find it elsewhere. This book is only for people who can't get enough of Appalachian literature. I found it to be so terribly boring and full of "appalachianisms" that I wanted to vomit. Besides this, there is far too much generalization in here. It would be more fun wathching someone pull my fingernails out than reading this again.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so inspired by Lydia that I didn't want the book to end. She was truly a modern woman living in a past time. She did the best she could do with what she had; loved, lost, and went on, trying to make her small world a better place. Indeed, I felt a better person for having known her.

This book is in its 40th printing. That should say something
about its popularity and timelessness. Lydia McQueen grows up, marries, has many children and dies. That describes many of us but the setting is the Civil War and the many years after the
Civil War in Appalachia.
Lydia is a strong woman with many doubts about her actions and
those around her. But she acts and that makes her powerful.
Read it!

A magnificent view of life in the beautiful mountains of Appalachia after the Civil War. If you love to read about strong women the likes of those who made this country what it is then you must not miss this book. I'm so thankful my mother steered me to read what has become my all time favorite!

Finally, a Norah Hess hero who doesn't constantly think of getting into the heroine's pants,thank you.I do get tired of reading about her randy cowboys,mountain men and trappers.Having said that why does the heroine have to be a clueless nitwit? Kaitlyn moves to the cumberland Gap after losing her mother.She meets two men who want her she chooses the "frog' disguised as a "prince" and ignores the "true prince." She continues to fall for the villain despite the many red flags thrown up;his abuse of his horse,unreliabilty,laziness his lies,his temper and the straw that broke the camels back his giving her an ultimatum that she sleep with him or their relationship would be over.The hero Matt is always there for her and tries to protect from his brother's lust.He does something to protect her which I've come to think of has "the end justifies the means" I won't reveal what it is for those who haven't read this book yet.Suffice it to say Matt marries Kaitlyn after his stepbrother Nate rejects her for being "frigid" I wasn't too keen on how Kaitlyn fell him love with Matt as I saw no development of her feelings over a period of time.MY other complaint is I have no idea how Nate died or how he made enough enough to be extremely wealthy at the end of the book.But Norah Hess does have a habit of letting the villains in her novel get off rather easily.Is she planning on writing a sequel in which there will be an explanation of how Nate died? Also did her stepfather get what he deserved which a horrible death?

I thought this was good read and very romantic. I like'em fun, sexy and exciting as in my newest favorite "Anything, My Love" by Cynthia Simmons. A sizzling page turner with a hero you'll never stop dreaming about.

This was the first boot by Norah Hess I have read and I have to say I didnt get off to a very good start. I am an AVID reader, and usually when I get done with a book I have a sense of fulfillment. I know it sounds corney, but I walk away thinking WOW that was realy good. I like to be absorbed by the book. I wasnt with this one. It has really good characters, and a so-so plot. For me the two biggest problems were the villian didnt get what he deserved. He was pretty much completely "cut out of the book". The second problem for me was that the book ended to aburuptly. I like a book that winds down slowly, leaving you feeling happy that the hero and heroine finally got together and fell in love. It seemed to me that this couple had just started their "adventures" together, when I turned the page and the book was over. I will read more of her books however. Maybe I just picked the wrong one.

I SELDOM PICK UP A BOOK THAT I CAN'T PUT DOWN AND I READ THIS BOOK IN TWO DAYS. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I READ IT ON THE WAY TO WORK IN TRAFFIC, ON BREAK, SNUCK AROUND ALL DAY AT WORK, I JUST COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes! Was it one of the better books I read NO. It annoyed me for several reasons. Kaitlan escapes her abusive step-father only to fall in love with an abusive man but she doesn't see it. How dumb can you be? Towards the end of the book something happens to Nate the villain that is completely unexplained another annoyance. This was a very easy read that is what I liked about it. It kept my interest except the development of Kaitlan and Matt's relationship it just didn't develop. This was the first Norah Hess book I read so I have nothing else to compare it to. Has the completely turned me off no. I think I will try another book of hers to determine if I will read anymore. This is not a keeper.

The battles in the Trans-Mississippi section of the Confederacy have been generally ignored by historians more concerned with battles in places like Vicksburg, Atlanta, and Gettysberg.

This book seems destined to become the standard book on the Red River campaign. It covers in great detail the cooperation between the Union Army and Navy in preparing for and in carrying out the campaign. It also covers the Confederate responses to the invasion.

After reading virtually nothing about the Trans-Mississippi, I find it strange that this year two books came out covering this aspect of the war. The other book, which I also highly recomment is Michael J. Martin's 'A History of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry and Cavalry in the Civil War.' The 4th Winconson was also a part of Banks army but presents the story from an entirely different light.

Having previously read "One Damn Blunder," I wasn't too sure whether I would get much additional information from this effort. However, I was pleasantly surprised! The book was very informative, easy to read and follow, yet still had a scholarly approach in the presentation. This will definitely be a "keeper" in my library on the Red River Campaign.

Very little has been written on this subject, the war in Louisiana, and why Texas was never really invaded by the armies of the northern aggression (a little humor here). This book is very readable the author knows his subject and has a passion for it. He covers tactical facts along side of the strategic. The ingenuity of Americans at war is shown by measures and countermeasures each side took in this tragic war of brothers. This is a small book with a lot of information. My great grandfather only four generations removed was a private in the 4th (7th) Louisiana Calvary(Bush's) who was a participate and POW during this fighting but this book will hold the attention of anyone interested in the history of The war for southern independence (the American Civil War for you yamn dankees ,a little more of that humor). A really good read.

The purpose of the Red River Campaign had little to do with the Confederacy itself. Northern textile mills were not doing so well without a steady supply of raw material, and the Union had designs on what they thought was a large supply of cotton just waiting for them in Texas and Louisiana. Also, the French had just recently installed their own puppet emperor, Maximillian, on the throne of Mexico. The Union wanted to make sure that France did not decide to use the Civil War as an opportunity to expand its dominance even further.

The Louisiana Department fought in the Jacksonian fashion with insufficient troops. The Confederates eventually had no choice but to retreat, and all of the Louisiana territory they left in their wake fell under Union control. The Union forces reached the Natchitoches area, remained there a few days, and then took a road to Mansfield toward Shreveport. On April 8, 1864 the Union forces were stretched out over a wide area when they encountered a concentrated Confederate force just outside of Mansfield. The Confederates attacked, and the Union, even with the arrival of reinforcements, was routed. This was a humiliating loss for the Union resulting in the death of 700 men and 1,500 more being taken prisoner. The Confederates also captured quite a stash of artillery, wagons, and horses from the Union forces. Thus the Union managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. However, the Confederate victory was not complete, thus this really didn't change the slow road to defeat that the Confederacy was on at the time.

This book examines all of this, including what might have been and the mistakes that were made on both sides, concerning this lesser known campaign of the Civil War. I found it particularly fascinating, being a native Texan, that Texas actually attracted the Union's military attention. Many Texans fought and died during the Civil War, but the vast majority did so on battlefields far from home in Virginia, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.

What a joy to finally have another book from Gary Joiner! I've thoroughly enjoyed every one of his outings, and he does not disapoint again. I am a little perplexed, however by the first reviewer's one star assesment of this book. I'm not sure he was reading the same book the rest of us were. This book does not in any way shape or form repeat any information from Joiner's last book, "One Damn Blunder", but complements it. In fact, having read "One Damn Blunder" made "Through the Howling Wilderness" an even more enjoyable read.

My suggestion-- order both. You will not be dissapointed.

Blood Kin is a novel about the Burden family and the struggles they endure after the Vietnam war. Will, the father, has a hard time with his sons fighting in the war, while the mother, Maddy, just wants some attention. The three sons: James, Roy and Enis, go through different struggles of their own from drug addictions to loving someone already engaged to feeling left out of the war by having no combat experience. This novel is one that critics called bleak, but I believe that is the point of the novel; to portray that everyone's life is not perfect and that everyone doesn't have a "fairy-tale ending." I thought it was a pleasant read and broke away from the staus quo of normal literature. In most novels, the ending is somewhat predictable and the ending for the most part ends decently for the main characters. It seems strange that I would call this a "pleasant read" because it is a sad story, but the way that Mark Powell includes such intimate details lures the reader in and makes the reader want to learn more about each character, even though they might not have the best situation possible. The stresses that the characters endure help channel the readers stresses through reading about the Burden troubles and realizing that their life may not be so bad. Overall, I liked this novel and would recommend it to anyone with an open mind and who is looking for a novel that is different from many others out there today.

Blood Kin is a distressing and depressing book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a commentary on life and how happy endings don't always come through in the end. Most people would say that this book was too depressing and too bleak but the bottom line is that the storyline is real. The author took the ideas for this book from his real life and different things that are known to have happened. His characters are wonderfully developed throughout the entire story and make the reader feel compassion and anger for some of these characters. The voice is wonderfully simple and it embodies what the south is.
The Burden brothers are so wonderfully named and have such different personalities. There is at least one main issue that plagues each of them throughout the book. The issues they suffer from are basic with interesting and sometimes subtle twists. I enjoyed the anecdotes that were thrown in because they fit with the theme of the story but didn't necessarily contribute anything to the main storyline. The side stories added a different level of entertainment. The story ends in tragedy for most of the characters but it leaves a spark of hope in the form of one of the brothers. He made a great choice because even though the overall tone of the story is bleak it leaves a tiny ray of hope. As sad as it is, this is a more realistic portrayal of life and how events really occur.
Blood Kin is a great read and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys the combination of thinking and entertainment. This book slowly draws the reader in with a mental death grip. The reader will find that the book is hard to put down and will not want to think about putting it down until they discover the ending for each of the characters. Do not get depressed upon reading the somewhat gloomy ending but realize that the author has left the reader with the same realization that Pandora had after she opened the box; that there is still hope. Read this book and enjoy.

Mark Powell's Blood Kin is a story about a family of war veterans. Will Burden, a pastor and Korean War veteran, is married to Maddy, and the two of them have three sons. All three of the sons go off to war at different times in the story. The oldest one, James, who was thought to be either dead or captured, returns and hides out for a while becoming addicted to drugs. The middle son, Roy, is in love with a woman who is promised to another man. The youngest one, Enis, is the only character that seems to have a decent life. The three brothers deal with love, drug addiction, alcoholism, and much more. During all of this, their father suffers some sort of mental or emotional breakdown, while Maddy is the rock of the family.
The chapters of Blood Kin move between the stories of the different characters. It is a very heart wrenching and emotional story. There is a lot of death and loss, and the story just does not turn out the way you want it to. If you are looking for a happy ending, then I would not recommend this book. The upsetting ending is almost surprising. While reading, I expected everything to end happily. I was surprised to find that that was not the case. Overall, it is an enjoyable book if you like to read about other people's misfortunes, which many people do, including me. If you do plan to read this book, I would stop before the ending if you are hoping for a happy one. Blood Kin left me disappointed at the end. However, Mark Powell is a wonderful writer and he has some great stories to tell. For the most part, it is worth the read.

the whole book is a series of interconnected, side stories containing absolutely no plot. it revolves around the main charecter james, but nothing ever happens. the book is filled with profound and incredibly detailed insigh, but it gets to a point where the whole thing just turns to "mush". 237 pagess later, I was still waiting for something (ANYTHING) to happen. there was an overwhelming amount of emotion conveyed, but unfortunately, I was never personally attached to any of the charecters due to his spastic writing style and lack of concrete action.

Powell's voice is the most original I've read in years, and his prose is dead-on gorgeous. His is a wrenching, uncompromising, and undeniably Southern vision. It is a dark vision, but not unredeemed, and in my view he is not only a good writer, he is a great one. Blood Kin is a very good novel. It has wit, beauty, honesty, pain. I'm looking ahead to what is going to come from this author's pen in future years; but for now, if you want a gripping story told with an art and a clarity of perception that never falters, read this book.