Texas Books

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

This is the first book our 2nd/3rd/4th grade bookclub did. It is funny! The characters are colorful and the narration by Hank the Cowdog is clever and enjoyable to read. It is a light-hearted, fun read and we were able to have a great discussion if it.

This book to me is very funny. In the book a new dog comes to the ranch and Hank has to prove to Benny that he is the top dog. Hank gets mad because Benny tries to take the dog the Hank likes. He tries to prove to his master that he is the top dog but gets tied up why Benny has the time of his life. Hank acts like he is the head of security, which is called Head of Ranch Security. Hank is in a battle to keep his job at the round off. If you want a book that is super funny, then this book is for you.

Among his many other attributes, Hank the Cowdog has an uncanny ability to keep our entire family amused on long trips. Next to The Original Adventures of Hank The Cowdog (Vol. 1), this one is our favorite. Benny, the prize-winning cowdog-for-hire, very quickly gets under Hank's skin when he bumps Hank off the job of a roundup. Erickson's voicing of Benny is oddly reminiscent of William F. Buckley Jr., and works to great effect. Add the romantic element of Hank's love interest, Miss Beulah ("Mercy!", exclaims Hank) and the perceived threat Benny places there too, and the story becomes even more interesting. All against the regular backdrop of ranch life and supporting characters Drover, Plato, Loper and the rest of the gang, and the story is one of Hank's best romps. Enjoy!

This is a great and heartwarming addition to the "Hank the Cowdog" series. Along with tons of hillarious gags, this is one of Hank's best!

ALL I CAN SAY IS " WHAT A STORY" .

This is a fascinating and disturbing tale that illustrates just how hard it is to convict somebody who has a lot of money and power. Cullen Davis, warped little rich boy dominated by his incredibly wealthy and megalomanic father, grows up to inherit most of the fortune and position. What does he do with it? He chases sex kitten type women, showers them with lavish gifts, and abuses them.

Naifeh and Smith raise the true crime genre to something close to literature here. We have the usual litany of sickies and psychopaths, the usual police incompetence, prosecutors who can't prosecute, etc. The "final justice" in the title is somewhat ironic since multimillionaire Cullen Davis is never found guilty of any of his crimes, the worst of which was the cold-blooded murder of his wife's 12-year-old daughter; the least of which, perhaps the killing of her kitten. The juries in Texas just would not convict him (although they have put a number of poor people on death row). Instead they admired him for his money, stupidly since he just inherited it. And before the book is over, he blows most of it.

We get a terrible sense here that people with riches in positions of power really can get away with murder. People look up to them regardless of their crimes. It helps us to understand how murderers like Sadaam Hussein and what's his name in Yugoslavia continue in power. It's not just that people are afraid of them, they look up to them and find ways to excuse their crimes. This is the human tribal mind at work: better our corrupt and evil leader than theirs, and better a corrupt and evil leader than no leader at all. The women in this one come off as particularly subject to manipulation by power and money, although that was not necessarily the authors' intent. They wanted to show just what a sick, sick man Cullen Davis is, and they succeed in that. But incidentally they revealed the women around him, especially his gold-digging wives, as sad, sad creatures who would be abused and wallow in it for the sake of being close to all that money and power and maybe getting a little of it. One has the sense that they couldn't help themselves.

This is a good read that will rouse your sense of indignation.

it actually happened!!!

Don't look at the facts. Facts are **BAD***!! Let's attack the victims and divert attention away from what the case was all about...the murder of a twelve year old girl and a family aquaintance.

OJ's "Dream Team" (what a joke) must've used this case as a template for OJ's defense, because the similarities are eerie.

Highly recommended.

This book is really, the most precise account of the murders and trials. Some of the other books on the murder trials of Mr. Davis are very goddy and don't focus on the facts of the case. I really think that Mr. Naifeh did an excellent job with the content and details of this novel.I hope that people will not simply judge a case or story by one book, and know that you must have a numerous amount of facts and reality before you try to judge someone or something.

At the time of the Davis murders, I was living in Fort Worth and had a second-hand acquaintance with some of the people involved. Smith and Naifeh got it exactly right: not merely the facts but the "feel" of the case. Texas is a microcosm of the U.S., with all our best and worst qualities exaggerated. The Davis case exemplified our fascination with sex and sleaze, our love/hate relationship with the wealthy, and a legal system that's as much showmanship as The Majesty Of The Law -- and the results were an ironic commentary on what we truly value. (Somehow, the fact that Priscilla Davis was a mother whose 12-year-old daughter was brutally murdered got lost in the shuffle.) The book is engrossing and truly scary, and I highly recommend it.

This book is about the events leading to the Battle of Gonzales, which was the first conflict in the Texas war of independence from Mexico (October 2, 1835).

I started reading this book to my daughters (ages 7 and 9) after dinner one evening, and we didn't put it down until bedtime more than 50 pages later. They didn't want me to stop reading, and I didn't want to stop either. The characters felt like real people, the story was involving, and just like the people of the times, we didn't know what would happen next.

Melinda Rice gives the reader a Texan's-eye-view of the looming war with Mexico by putting us in the perspective of an 11-year-old girl whose older brothers sympathize with different sides in the conflict. The characters and story have an authentic feel throughout -- I've been to the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum many times, and I found myself reading this book using the same breathy accent used by the historical speakers in their video exhibits. Rice did an excellent job of bringing the reader into history as it happens and making past events feel like they're unfolding around us.

At the end of the book there is a short historical section that gives additional information about the Battle of Gonzales.

The book should be a comfortable read for fourth graders, except for some place and people names.

The unique and historically accurate Lone Star Heroines trilogy by Melinda Rice brings real events in Texas history to life as it shows young readers how girls living at different eras experienced and contributed to dramatic events. In Messenger On The Battlefield (1556227884, ...) is set in 1835 when 11-year-old Isabelina Montoya is happy to hear that her older sister has accepted the marriage proposal of a handsome Mexican solder. But when Texas goes to war against Mexico, dividing Isabelina's family, a decision must be made as to whether they should remain true to their Mexican heritage or fight for their new Texas homeland! Fire On The Hillside (1556227892, ...) is set in the spring of 1847 and finds 13-year-old Katherine Haufmann arriving from Fredericksburg, Texas with her family as immigrants from Germany. As she struggles to get used to her new home, Katherine becomes intrigued by the mysterious fires that start appearing in the nearby hills. While the rest of the townsfolk focus on peace talks with the Comanche, Katherine decides to discover the cause of those mysterious fires. Secrets In The Sky (1556227876, ...) is set in 1943 as World War Two is raging overseas. 12-year-old Bethany Parker lives in Sweetwater, Texas, when the Women Air Force Service Pilots come to town. When one of the women dies during a training flight, Bethany is convinced the mysterious crash was the work of a Nazi spy -- and sets out to prove it! The Lone Star Heroines is an outstanding and very highly recommended series of historical novels for young readers that are each enhanced with a "Sources" bibliography for the further study and more detailed study of Texas history.

The unique and historically accurate Lone Star Heroines trilogy by Melinda Rice brings real events in Texas history to life as it shows young readers how girls living at different eras experienced and contributed to dramatic events. In Messenger On The Battlefield (1556227884, [price]) is set in 1835 when 11-year-old Isabelina Montoya is happy to hear that her older sister has accepted the marriage proposal of a handsome Mexican solder. But when Texas goes to war against Mexico, dividing Isabelina's family, a decision must be made as to whether they should remain true to their Mexican heritage or fight for their new Texas homeland! Fire On The Hillside (1556227892, [price]) is set in the spring of 1847 and finds 13-year-old Katherine Haufmann arriving from Fredericksburg, Texas with her family as immigrants from Germany. As she struggles to get used to her new home, Katherine becomes intrigued by the mysterious fires that start appearing in the nearby hills. While the rest of the townsfolk focus on peace talks with the Comanche, Katherine decides to discover the cause of those mysterious fires. Secrets In The Sky (1556227876, [price]) is set in 1943 as World War Two is raging overseas. 12-year-old Bethany Parker lives in Sweetwater, Texas, when the Women Air Force Service Pilots come to town. When one of the women dies during a training flight, Bethany is convinced the mysterious crash was the work of a Nazi spy -- and sets out to prove it! The Lone Star Heroines is an outstanding and very highly recommended series of historical novels for young readers that are each enhanced with a "Sources" bibliography for the further study and more detailed study of Texas history.

Eleven-year-old Isabel Montoya lives with her family on a ranch near Gonzales, Texas, in 1835. Isabel feels as if everything in her life is changing. Her older sister has left home after marrying a Mexican soldier, and the family is divided over the conflict between Texas and Mexico, with Isabel's two older brother on opposing sides while Isabel and her parents struggle to remain neutral. When her brothers run away from home - Joaquin to join the Texans, and Alonso to join the Mexicans - the family is devastated. And when Isabel's father is shot and may be dying, Isabel knows it is up to her to reunited her fragmented family - before it's too late. This was a wonderful novel about a young girl caught up in the beginnings of the Texas Revolution. I wish, however, that the book had been a little longer, and that the ending was less open.

The year is 1847, and thirteen-year-old Katherine Haufmann lives with her family in Fredricksburg, Texas. The Haufmanns and their neighbors are immigrants from Germany who founded the town the year before. Even though she has been in Texas a year, Katherine still thinks of Germany as her home, and longs to return. After her father joins a peacemaking expedition to the Comanche Indians, Katherine and the other residents of Fredricksburg notice strange fires on the hillside outside of town, that appear each evening at dark in the same exact two places and last until dawn. With fear rising of a possible attack, either by the Comanche or by bitter Americans who feel the Germans have stolen their land, Katherine takes it open herself to find the origin of the mysterious fires - and puts herself in far greater danger than she ever could have imagined. Based on real events in Fredricksburg, Texas, in the spring of 1847, this is the story of a spunky and courageous young girl who, in her quest for the truth, finds that her home is where she least imagined it being.

For most presses, East European studies is a dying breed, consigned to the periphery by Europe's metamorphoses and other global challenges. However, Granville (history, Stanford Univ.) examines an event that retains stinging memories almost 50 years later--the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The author explored archives accessible only after the Cold War, and had extraordinary cooperation from archivists in Moscow, Budapest, and elsewhere. Kadar, Nagy, Rakosi, Tito, Khrushchev, Eisenhower, Dulles, and other personalities, as well as arcane communist and democratic bureaucracies, are revealed through countless archival fragments. Granville is at her best telling the interwoven story of 1956. Ultimately, Granville's analysis leads to a no-fault conclusion, suggesting that misperceptions and misconceptions among all actors led to the disastrous outcome. Recommended for graduate students and above.-- D.N. Nelson, University of New Haven

Johanna Granville is one of the most industrious and talented of the scholars who have seized upon new archival opportunities to deepen our understanding of the Cold War. For _The First Domino_, the author has scoured archives in Europe and the United States in an effort to find out how the principal actors arrived at decisions regarding the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Matters, as she writes, were not as simple as they once appeared. Nikita Khrushchev and other Soviet leaders bad difficulty, for example, deciding whether or not to suppress the uprising by force. In fact, they voted not to intervene one day (October 28)before they ordered decisive military action (October 31). Some of what she has uncovered is already known: that Imre Nagy denounced some of his countrymen during his years in Soviet Russia (1930-44) and that he did not invite the initial Soviet invasion of October 23-24. But thanks to Granville's linguistic abilities, she has shed new light on the seemingly inexplicable conduct of Poland's Wladyslaw Gomulka and Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito. Moreover, she has helped to clarify Janos Kadar's decision to betray Nagy and the revolution. In a particularly compelling chapter, Granville examines the role the United States played before and during the revolution. She concludes that the Eisenhower Administration's talk of "rollback" and "liberation," when combined with U.S. intelligence operations and psychological warfare, may have led Soviet leaders to fear a U.S. intervention and, thus, to opt for a harder line. Above all, however, Granville reminds us of historical contingency. Those who have studied the revolution have sometimes taken the view that Hungarians and Soviets acted out of necessity. Granville herself thinks that given Hungarians' historic detestation of Russia and communism, revolution was bound to erupt; and Nagy's "trial and probably ... execution were inevitable." She should have written "were very likely," because elsewhere she observes that if the Soviets had removed Stalinist dictator Matyas Rakosi sooner, there might not have been a revolution; and that had there been no Polish crisis of October 19-20, Budapest's students might not have demonstrated on October 23. "No event," she wisely concludes, "is ever predestined; individuals can make rational choices to change the course of history at any given moment." ---Lee Congdon, Professor of History, James Madison University._History: Review of New Books_ (Summer 2004),v 32, i4: p 147.

Dr. Granville's book is without question a first-rate, well-researched monograph. She uses Hungarian documents that even Hungarians have not read, sometimes presenting them in dialogue form (Chapter 3). The books reads like a novel in some places. (...)

This long-awaited review of archival records dealing with the Hungarian uprising of 1956 is destined to appear on numerous Cold War historians' bibliographies. It is a meticulously researched study, a grand example of erudite scholarship in its truest sense. Dr. Granville's examination of declassified documents is exhaustively and exhaustingly thorough.

Johanna Granville's The First Domino: International Decision Making during the Hungarian Crisis of 1956 (...), a pioneering work on East European Cold War history, confirms that when President Eisenhower had his chance to redeem the Republican campaign pledge to "roll back" the Soviet occupation of Hungary, he failed and thus perpetuated that occupation for three more decades.
This is a remarkable study of Cold War history because the author, at home in Russian and other languages, has availed herself of recently opened Soviet and other archives to describe how Hungary became the first "domino" in a process that "resulted ultimately in the Soviet Union's loss of hegemony over Eastern Europe in 1989."
The Hungarian revolt resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and the flight of over 200,000 refugees to the West. It is worth noting that a far smaller group of earlier Hungarian refugees, who fled to America from a Nazi-endangered Europe, helped build the first atomic bomb during World War II.
Chapter 6 of "The First Domino" is the most fascinating, since it explores U.S. psychological warfare and covert activities in Eastern Europe during the 1950s, including broadcasts by Radio Free Europe.---Washington Times, March 21, 2004 by Arnold Beichman, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University

The start of the book was slow but necessary to get some background into the characters that populate the book. Then, things really start to take off. 1/3rd of the way through, I could not put it down.

As a Texas genealogist, I found this book really compelling. As I read through it, I surfed over to Ancestry.com to pull the 1920 census from Freestone county Texas. This helped to flesh out the characters all the more. I was amazed to learn that of the sampling of the census records I reviewed (2 of 10 districts) over half of the inhabitants were black or latino. This points up another injustice that is often overlooked historically: These were taxpayers that were supporting the government that was hobbling them in every way.

While some may be amazed at what "God fearing" citizens would do in a mob, I, for one am not. I am never amazed at the violence perpetrated by our White fore fathers though I am often saddened. A land born of blood will take a very long time to shed itself of that origin. We can't do it over night and it seems as though a couple of hundred years won't be enough time either.

Kudos to Mr Akers on his well researched work.

What can cause civil, "God fearing" citizens of a small Texas community to commit such atrocities? What can cause the breakdown of rule of law and complete abandonment of American values? What can convince individuals that it is necessary and proper to burn a man alive on the town square of their community?
This book is a reminder that hatred and evil does not just live in some foreign land or some corrupt urban metropolis. It exists down the street and may be harbored by our neighbor or our drinking buddy.
While the events of this book happened more than 80 years ago, the author conveys what we Texans know; Too many civil "God fearing" people in our communities would say "he had it comin to him".
This book is important not just to Texans but to everyone to remind us that the monster is still there and can still be awakened. This book reminds us that we must be forever vigilant, not just in a small Texas town but anywhere.

"Flames After Midnight" is an expertly researched and documented bit of history that reads like a suspense novel. I was so interested in the drama of the events and people that it was easy to forget it is real - its reality of course, makes the book even more important. A great read for fans of suspense and history buffs alike.

Much of what is taught of Texas history in schools points to the proud and honorable past of our state. Flames After Midnight tells of a part of our history that we are too often reluctant to relate, but a pert of our past that we should never forget. The outrage of which should never be repeated.

Much of what is taught of Texas history in schools points to the proud and honorable past of our state. Flames After Midnight tells of a part of our history that we are too often reluctant to relate, but a pert of our past that we should never forget. The outrage of which should never be repeated.

"Foo, A Japanese-American Prisoner Of The Rising Sun" by Frank "Foo" Fujita, with Stanley L. Falk. Subtitled: "The Secret Prison Dairy of Frank "Foo" Fujita". University of North Texas Press, 1993.

This is an interesting book on many different levels. First, it is the story of a World War II Prisoner Of War. But not just any POW: Frank "Foo" Fujita was a Japanese-American, perhaps the only Japanese-American who was held as a POW in Japan. And, on the third level, "Foo" was a Texan and a member of the Texas National Guard. His unit was called up, to be sent to the south Pacific, and, after the sneak attack, on Pearl Harbor, they were diverted to Australia. The 2nd Battalion, 131st field Artillery was assigned to the defense of the Dutch island of Java, where they were overrun by the Japanese. Most of us have forgotten the American units that were part of the ABDA, American, British, Dutch and Australian forces in this theater, with, perhaps the major exception being the cruiser, the U.S. S. Houston. (See, for example, pages 345-346, where a contemporary "bird-colonel" does not believe that Fujita's unit was never in the Pacific.)

To make the story even more interesting, Sergeant Fujita was an accomplished sketch artist, and he includes contemporary drawings of himself and of the Japanese mistreating POWs. So, on this level, he has enhanced his story visually. His entire diary was in a code of his own fabrication. His diary and his drawings were hidden in a wall of a building in his POW camp; the diary and drawings were recovered after the war. This recovered material makes this book a primary source for the history of Japanese-held POWs.

Excellent primary source supported by explanatory notes supplied by Stanley L. Falk.

Foo, A Japanese-American Prisoner Of The Rising Sun is the true and riveting account of Frank "Foo" Fujita's experiences of being a Japanese American combat soldier who was captured by the Japanese during the Pacific campaign of World War II during the defense of Java in early 1942. Based on his secret prison diary, we are provided a "window in time" regarding the daily life and experiences of a prisoner of war which vividly recounts the privations of the POWs and the living conditions in Japan. The text is illustrated with drawings, maps and photographs. What is surprising is the humor that was to be found -- even in the midst of the most severe circumstances. Foo, A Japanese-American Prisoner Of The Rising Sun is a unique contribution to the annals of World War II literature and highly recommended for academic, community, and personal library collections.

I met Foo in a restaurant in Abilene, TX, sitting in a booth next to him and two other gentlemen. His book was to be released the next day. My wife, after evedropping on their conversation, introduced her and myself. Foo sold us a copy of the book....and autographed it for us. This was several years ago. We have learned he has since died. He was very warm and personable with us. His story is facinating. (His reason for being in Abilene was that there was to be some sort of POW reunion the next day.)

I knew "Foo" (he died last year) and many of the other men (my father among them) who were taken prisoner with him. This is an excellent book about a little known page in American history. Although, in many ways, Foo's captivity was atypical of the treatment most of the "Lost Battalion" received, it is a fascinating, well written book which shouldn't be missed by anyone interested in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Having known Foo since High School days and later being a sister-in-law, I read the original dairy and saw the pictures he drew of the atrocities experienced there in prison. This book is an excellent account of the way it was. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a factual story of what it was like to be in a POW Camp in Japan during World War II.

I read this book in 2 days, couldn't put it down. It is well written. Cheryl Wolverton blends reality, romance, faith, and plenty of humor. For those who like romance novels but love to laugh too, this book is for you. Very interesting. A great read.

I read this book in 2 days, couldn't put it down. It is well written. Cheryl Wolverton blends reality, romance, faith, and plenty of humor. For those who like romance novels but love to laugh too, this book is for you. Very interesting. A great read.

My favorite,{so far}, of the McCade Brothers books. Julian "Hawk" McCade has a lot to learn about families. And Susan "Freckles" Learn is just the person to teach him. This book was a lot of fun to read! The "accidents" that keep happening over and over are hilarious. But once Susan learns to relax around Julian they find that God has placed them in each other's lives for a purpose. I love all three of the McCade brothers! This is truly a good, lighthearted read, but don't miss the depth that Cheryl has woven into the story.

This book was wonderfully funny and enjoyable. Freckles, the main character is a clumsy idiot around the man she loves, and both are afraid she's going to kill him! But when she forgets to be nervous around him, she's warm and caring and very lovable herself. I very much enjoyed reading this book. There were some drawbacks for me, though....I would have preferred this book to be longer and deeper. I wanted to have more description and a better feel for the setting and characters. I also would have liked the author to have explored the heroine's relationship with her family more instead of having it tossed in at the end. But, in retrospect, I don't think the author was trying to make any profound statements, but rather give the reader an enjoyable read. And she succeeded very well. I would definitely recommend this book for a quick, funny read.

This book reminded me of my family, funny, silly and makes you smile a lot. I'm a teenager and would tell all my friends to read it. Freckles makes the story one to remember.

Description from the back of the book:

Sanford Colston left his hometown of Saints Roost to hire it's school a new teacher - but instead found himself stuck at the Dallas train station, robbed of the clothes off his back! It was clear to Ford that this thief wasn't your ordinary outlaw - and he was right. Hannah was a beautiful woman on the run, desperate for a disguise that would help her escape her dangerous past. But when fate forced their paths to cross again, Ford couldn't get away twice.

Ford wanted to help his charming your bandit, but didn't know how - until she had a most exciting idea. Hannah could hide in Saints Roost! Back in the strict little town, Hannah made quite a first impression...and, with Ford at her side, learned that sometimes life offers second chances...

* Another fabulous book from my favorite author. I have yet to be disappointed with any of Jodi's books. If I had to have any complaint about this book it would be that it took too long for these two to become intimate but it was completely understandable. The storyline in this book is wonderful & it makes you keep turning the pages even when you really need some sleep. The secondary characters were a huge plus to this book & I hated to see the book end. I highly recommend this book.

I started this book last night at nine and read it all the way to the end. It was one that I just couldn't put down. Jodi has a way of building her characters to where you really know them so it seems before the "climax" comes.
I appreciate her lack of bad language, too.
Thanks, Jodi!

Ford Colston left his hometown to find a teacher. After failing to do so he is returning home when he's robbed by Hannah, a woman on the run from killers. She takes his clothes and leaves but later comes face to face with Ford again. Trying to start a new life she convinces Ford to let her pretend to be the new school teacher, however when she and Ford are caught kissing they are forced to marry. Part of the agreement between Ford and Hannah is that in one months time she will leave and Ford will tell the town that she died, therefore becoming a widower. The rest of the story covers the killers that are still hot on the trail to find her and Ford's mistrust of Hannah, since items are being stolen from the town stores.

Now normally I'm pretty picky on Jodi Thomas's female characters, since they all tend to seem whinny or afraid of relationships for no reason. In this book I feel that Thomas wrote a fairly strong heroine, who at first was afraid of intimacy, but at there is a reason for that and it is explained in the story. Hannah is able to overcome her fears and wants to be closer to Ford.

Now Ford is a sweetie. He grew up being told he was ugly and had an animal nature. He always wished for a wife but never thought he would find one that would be able to tolate him. He's honest and caring but at times did have trouble trusting Hannah but I guess that can be expected. She did rob him, remember. The part I like the most was when he kissed her hand in town. That was incredible. And when she is pulling her hand away she runs her fingertips across his palm because she couldn't bear to let go. Now that was intense.

If your lucky to find this out of print book buy it, because you won't be disappointed.

I'm not usually a romance reader--although there has to be romance in anything I read--but this book drew me in from the beginning with its atypical hero, Ford Colston. He's hardworking, honorable, and honest to a fault, and he believes no woman would ever want him because he's not handsome in the traditional sense and harbors inside him a "wild" passion that has always alienated him from his insensitive family and the puritanical town he lives in. When he meets Hannah of the orphaned gypsy spirit, she sees the goodness in Ford and is drawn to him despite her need to run from the hired killers chasing her because she witnessed a murder. She and Ford strike a deal that keeps them together for a month, and although they both want it to be forever, they both also think they're not worthy of the other's love. Hannah is a likable heroine, but Ford captured my heart from the first page. A touching, satisfying read I recommend highly.

I've read many romance novels, but this one had an appeal totally separate from the run-of-the-mill. The secret is the hero, Ford. He's face is not that handsome (although his body is rock hard!) and he's given a background that makes your heart break. He's grown up in a town where everyone thought he was ugly, his sister calls him an animal, his father didn't want him around...rejected again and again, he's resigned himself to be the lonely outcast no one loves.

But in the opening of the novel, a girl on the run robs him of his clothes, then ties him up on the bed to keep him from following her....but before she goes she kisses him. And then the human drama and romance begins.

The "suspense" of the plot (will the bad guys catch up with the heroine?) is mimimal, but I really didn't care, as the depth of emotion of the love story made this more than a worthwhile read.

My daughter is a volunteer firefighter in Southern California and says this is the best. They just got it and are busy trying everything.

Read the introduction. Absolutely hilarious. Old geezers indeed! My husband couldn't (wouldn't) boil water if his life depended on it. Besides the fantastic recipes, this cookbook has a lot of charm and personality. I believe that for a firefighter (just like other professions), their job is a "calling." Contributor's bios and photos reflect the passion for their jobs and their love for family and fellow firefighters.

The recipes mirror the personalities of the firefighters; diverse, hearty and no fancy frills. Just simple good cookin'. A few of my favorite recipes are Captain Ward's Goulash, Galveston Gumbo, Southwestern White Chicken Chili (have you noticed there is always a great chili recipe in a Firefighter cookbook?), Milky Way Cake, and Sore Throat Cookies.

I especially liked Erasmo Lopez's chapter (page 99). I grew up in Florida and my cooking background was southern style cooking. When I moved to the southwest, I struggled with learning a new style of cooking, wanting to take advantage of regional produce and spices. "Mo's Guacamole" recipe was a winner. Simple and perfect!

I actually got this book because of the jambalaya recipe that I tasted at a party. As it was cooking, I read the accompanying writeup on the fireman who gave the recipe and ended up reading the entire book. I thought the stories of the fireman added a nice touch. Recently I gave a copy to a firefighter friend of mine and he was delighted (which was definitely a first). There needs to be a "More Firehouse Cooks", so I'll have a Christmas present for him next year.

I stole the above title because it's perfect. I've only had time to try a few recipes, but so far, so good (agree with the above recommendation for the Jambalaya on page 150). It's the stories of the firemen that make this book so special-like the stories about the chefs in Top Texas Chefs: Favorite Recipes. Great gift idea!

This is a great cookbook but a lot more. The stories of the firefighters, their families, how they feel about their jobs, were funny, moving, inspirational, and more. Get this one even if you never intend to enter another kitchen. (The receipes are great, too. Check out page 150, for sure.

At least this guy's an original. This is my first trip in Kinkyland and I was repaid by getting a few laughs. I especially liked his frank no- nonsense tone in telling us for instance, that he goes around giving advice to people happier than himself.
He is deeply at home in the world of Austin and gives the reader a lot of local color, and a lot of advice as to where and what to visit and see.
On the Jewish side it seems to me that that part of his identity is a lot like the Jewish star on Max Baer's trunks, more for crowd power effect than anything else.
But who knows? This guy may be a genuine Longhorn Yid.
However the Kink should be aware that his love of the four- letter word will not give him an A in the big cheder upstairs which I suspect he is more likely to get to than to what he says he wishes to in this book, the Governor's Chair in Austin.

The Kinkster (Texas' next governor?) takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Austin. Anyone who has lived in Austin for a significant period of time will not find much new here. Those who have only visited might get some inkling of what makes this city unique and why millions of people all over the country consider Austin home even though the population is 600,000. This is an extremely funny journey. I can't think of a better tour guide than a man who refers to Garth Brooks as the anti-Hank

there are a few versions of this book. Don't get one that isn't read by the author. Otherwise, it isn't remotely funny!

Kinky for Governor!

Ok, so this review will be online forever and 50 years from now lots of people will probably be saying "Who the hell is Kinky Friedman?" (People in Buffalo probably already are saying it, but that's another story.)

If you want to get a quick look at who Kinky is, you can't go wrong with this slim volume. Its essentially a travelogue for the city of Austin, Texas, but the Kinkster's wit shines through. Kinky covers a lot of ground in short order to tell you where the best sites in Austin are: for music and nightlife (like The Broken Spoke), for food (like Threadgill's), for sightseeing (like Willie Nelson's house, where else?).

Along the way, we get bits and pieces of Texas and specifically Austin history. Whether you are new to Texas or have been, as I have, a lifelong resident, you're sure to find something you didn't already know. If you get through this and are dying to read more, the next step of course, is to get cracking at his mysteries (i.e. Greenwich Killing Time). In the mean time, sit back and enjoy. The Kinkster is at the wheel, and the cigar smoke is filling up the car. I can't see where we are going, but the trip is sure to be fun.

Any traveller worth their salt knows what a big mistake just showing up at a foriegn city empty minded can be; we also know an even bigger mistake exists: showing up with a mass-produced, banal "city guide." Of course, if you have never awoken on an airplane with a throbbing hangover and without any idea what you are doing there, or where 'there' is, maybe this book isn't for you. I once woke up in Toronto, the city hosting the International Conference for Progressive Psychology (ICPP) in 1968 -- before Dr. Shoozenschaurts' breakthrough work on depression was publicized. Sure his work was edgy, and progressive, but I knew it was dangerous. I tried to warn my colleagues of the inherint dangers in thinking such thoughts, after all, what we don't know can't hurt us. My fellow scientists ignored my warnings and embraced Dr. Shoozenschaurts' revolutionary concepts. After the conference of '68 I found myself and my ignorance is bliss theories discredited. Now I live on a couch. You live in a nation of depressed sociopaths. You could say I'm having the last laugh, but I'm not; because I live on a couch, and I am too depressed for laughter.

"With her countless clubs, bars, and dance halls, Austin is a whore with a heart of gold flaunting her gaudy necklace in the Texas night."

Naturally I am unemployed. This is important because this book along with the other Crown Journey books are, I believe, written for the unemployed. These books are written for the traveler with True Grit, whose idea of vacation is drinking coffee in a foriegn city and reading about one human's experience of a city that stands out from the pack; The kind of person that no longer finds excitement in visiting New York, London, Paris, or Los Angeles. The Crown Journey series captures real, unique culture in the most pleasantly unexpected places (Like Austin, Nantucket, Portland) and then combines it with real, unique personality in equally pleasant form (Kinkster, Pahlaniuk).

This book will make you laugh. This book will give you good ideas on where to go, and what to do in Austin. Perhaps most importantly, this book will give you the background perspective you need to enjoy your Austin vacation to the MAX~!