Blair Books

This book was well written. I'm glad that I can read it any time that I want to.

If you enjoy spicy romantic novels, this one is for you. Sandy Blair tells a great story, set in historical accuracy. There are three stories thus far in the "Kilt" series so start at the beginning, "Man in a Kilt", then "Rogue in a Kilt" and most recently "Thief in a Kilt." Don't miss one of the, and lets hope she will continue the series.

This was a book that I read as fast as I could. It takes you back to that place and the characters are alive. Great author! I look forward to more books!

Setting - Scotland, 1410 --- Sir Angus MacDougall wanted desperately to be liege of Donaliegh keep and had accepted the wager of his best friend Duncan to find a willing `lady' bride to be chatelaine of the keep - and he had three months to do this or forfeit six months pay. Well, it seemed easy enough, Angus had never had trouble before bedding the wenches but his nickname of `Angus the Blood' a name he had cultivated, was not helpful in attracting the fair `ladies'. With less than a month left in which to find his bride, Angus came upon a vision emerging naked from a pool and when a wolf came out of the woods towards her he threw his dagger to save her.

Birdalane, a healer, lived alone in the forest glen since she was a child. She had the ability to heal through a remarkable but painful process absorbing injuries and sickness into herself. Seeing her pet wolf wounded she immediately pulled the dagger out and laid her body across him to absorb the injury. By the time Angus arrived at her side, he thought he'd missed the wolf and hit her instead. Knowing he was responsible he raced her from the glen to find help in the nearest village. A mission, which proved to be very strange as most people recognizing Birdalane, and frightened of her powers, slammed the door in his face! With no one to take care of her but himself, plus being in enemy territory, Angus was forced to take her along on his journey, knowing he had little time left to find, woo, and wed a `lady' in order to win his wager. Along their adventurous journey, Angus who had inadvertently hand-fasted with Birdie to save her, discovered that the only female he'd truly like to take as his wife was the accident prone and incredibly infuriating lass at his side.

*** Well, I am happy to say that this second novel proves what I said of Sandy Blair's first novel MAN IN A KILT - "...this is an author one should keep their eye on..." In this, connected novel she has again brilliantly created a most unusual and absolutely wonderful heroine in Birdie. Not only is Birdie lovely, she has unique gifts for healing, as well as being quite myopic - a condition that the author uses to generate both humor and compassion. She crafted Angus' anguish at finding Birdie both so intensely desirable and innocent that he was being driven completely bonkers in attempting to do the right thing by her after mistakenly thinking he'd wounded her. The different adventures they encountered on their journey kept a plethora of emotions going from sadness to pure unadulterated joy. You'll laugh, you'll cry but you will so totally enjoy this author's latest offering that you'll just have to agree with me that this author is definitely on her way to becoming a star in the making in her sexy, funny and tender love stories!

If you enjoy the historical romance genre and haven't read anything by Sandy Blair, please do so. In A Rogue in a Kilt, Blair has written an inviting, exciting, intriguing and tender love story. It is the story of Sir Angus McDougall and Birdalane.

A hasty bet has Angus McDougall scouring the countryside to find a bride. He must do so within three months in order to claim the prize of a castle. Should he fail in his quest, he will lose six months' salary and be humiliated as well. Of course this strong and bold man has no fear of failure. Yet, after two months of searching, Angus is no closer to finding a bride than when he began. He decides it might be time to step up his search and broaden his criteria.

Birdalane lives alone in the woodland. She has a mystical gift that allows her to heal others, but not without cost to her. A chance meeting with Angus and a careless phrase binds them to each other for a year and a day. Birdalane bravely leaves the only home she has known to follow Angus throughout Scotland. Their travels are filled with danger -- there are gifts that are received and selflessly given, joy and grief -- all before they reach their destination and accept the truth of their hearts.

I wiped a tear or two, laughed more than a little and felt warm and satisfied when the story ended.

I have always been a fan of way-out-there lunatic sci-fi/horror but unfortunatly most of the sci-fi and horror out there is just really insipid banal mainstream garbage. This book is different, the stories pull no punches and will blow you away. There is some violent violence and BIZZARE sexual stuff in this book so it is probably NOT for kids. Highly recommended and far better than the other Delta Green fiction "Rules of Engagement."

I really enjoyed reading this book. As with any collection of short stories, I liked some more than others, but there were none in here that I didn't like. There were a couple that I consider to be real gems. My only real complaint is that it's not much book for 12 bucks. It's about half an inch thick, with eight stories in it. I guess maybe it's priced higher than most paperback books because of the cost involved for a small company to have smaller quantities of a book like this printed, but I must admit I was a bit disappointed with it in this respect.

DELTA GREEN is the modern adaptation of Call of Cthulhu. Drawing on the same body of UFO lore and paranormal activity as the X-Files, DELTA GREEN has tapped into something very deep. And of course, once you have a successful RPG, you might as well start the fiction flowing, right?

"Alien Intelligence" is a collection of vigniettes that explores the world that DELTA GREEN inhabits and adds further detail to many hints, clues, and allusions from the DELTA GREEN RPG book. It gives more substance to the conspiracy of silence by our goverment on the supernatural, extraterrestrial, and subterrestrial.

Some situations explored by the authors are a resurgence in the colonization of humanity by aquatic beings who seem almost human, a review board examining a failed mission to stop a dimensional disturbance in South America, a sojourn into a spirit-realm by two ghouls, alternately trying to save or damn the soul of an unwitting agent, the last testament of a man who has spent his life trying to decode a message in alien technology and intends to use that message to escape from his captors, among other stories that will give you an idea of the psychological torment that must wrack these defenders of humanity.

Because the monsters, magic, and aliens are just a backdrop; the story is about men and women who become something they don't want to in order to protect those that they love. Who lose thir humanity to protect it in others. Who were just following orders until they realized it was what they wanted all along. Because when you take away the monsters, all that remains is a mirror, and you see yourself.

There is a good deal to recommend this book. It is for the most part well-written, and the idea behind the book is outstanding. However I have quite a few problems with it. The opening tale by John Tynes is somewhat too short to overcome by backstory and characterization a rather ugly incident that takes place within it, equating experience with the Deep Ones to a version of combat syndrome, and that taints the rest of the book. Other tales fare somewhat better, and have some very thought-provoking concepts, adding a bit of science fiction to the world of the Mythos. One can become a ghoul, for instance, by reading a certain book, and a certain Great Old One can tear holes in the spacetime continuum in order to attract males for her followers (kind of silly, but effective within the tale). On the whole, I liked it, but for me that is the crux of the biscuit-I wanted to love it, and did not. Fell far short of the expectations that were engendered in me by the blurbs on the back cover and the front cover recommendation from Lucius Shepard. Can't give it a thumbs-up, but worth looking at if you have the money. Slim for the price.

Note: mild spoilers are included.

Not to keep anyone in suspense (not that anyone was in suspense), I really liked this story collection. It may be hard to come by so if you really want this title (and you should!) just be diligent.

One overall impression: this was a relatively new genre, outside of RPG for the DG crew. I found The Rules of Engagement and the first few stories of Dark Theaters to be superior. I have not read the original source book but it did not lessen my enjoyment of the stories.

John Tynes - The Dark Above: There were certain things
about this story I thought were too over the top, particularly the lead man going ballistic when he smelled a fish-like odor from a woman. Also I don't know if Forrest was a character from the source book, because you just had to accept his hardened attitude toward the deep ones half breeds. What I mean was this emotional aspect of character development wasn't as well realized as the rest of the story. Too bad, because the actual substance of the story and its imagery were terrific.

Dennis Detwiller - Drowning in Sand”: A great read!

Ray Winniger - Pnomus: Another great read!! Both of these stories epitomize the best of modern, creative mythos fiction.

Bruce Baugh - Climbing the South Mountain: An OK conventional brain robbing mythos type story in poem form. I'm not
too into mythos poetry. The very end of the narrators's poem and the memo from Delta Green were the best parts for me.

Greg Stolze - Potential Recruit: Yet another great read, this time about trying to infiltrate cult with darker connections than suspected.

Adam Scott Glancy - An Item of Mutual Interest: Perhaps
the most coventional type mythos story in the book. Enjoyable but nothing special.

Bob Kruger - Identity Crisis: Did not knock my socks off. Maybe it tried to cover a little too much ground and would have
worked better as a short novel. Still a very agreeable read.

Blair Reynolds - Operation Looking Glass: A fast paced roller coaster ride to ice the cake of this nifty anthology.

My complaints are perhaps too cantankerous. This collections beats out any of the Chaosium collections (except maybe The Hastur Cycle) for consistent overall quality. Those anthologies have too much chaff with the wheat. It tops most of the Fedogan and Bremer collections too (except Cthulhu 2000, the first place I saw Black Man With A Horn).

Essential reading for the modern Cthulhu mythos reader.

This is a colorfully illustrated book and with a very simply story. It is fun to use different voices for each of the goats.

Was looking for this little book and knew Amazon would have it. As always, pleased with the product and the service.

Thank you for sending the book. I lost my copy and all the libraries around here said their copies were lost. It made the classroom enjoy doing their writing/reading assignment. They could compare and write easier because of your quickness in sending the book.

When I was younger I would read this book every night before going to bed. I now have a three-year-old sister that I thought would appreciate the story as much as I did. She loved it, this book is a classic through and through.

This is not the best version available of this fairytale...Stephen Carpenter's is much better. In this version, the illustration and text don't even match. The troll is described as having a nose as long as a poker and eyes as big as saucers...but the troll in the pictures has a bulbous nose and unremarkable eyes. I don't know if it's an exact translation from Norwegian, but the grammar is occasionally ackward. The metaphors in the speech given by the biggest Billy Goat to the troll have to be explained to a younger audience...which isn't bad in itself but contributes to the uneven flow in the text. The pictures are good, too bad the writing isn't.

Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander (Adams, 1975) is an engaging narrative describing the birth, struggles, and successes of the Highlander Folk School from its beginnings in the early 1930s through the retirement of its founder, Myles Horton, in the early 1970s. Set in the backcountry of Tennessee, the unconventional school is not about textbooks or teachers or personal enrichment, but rather the school promotes meaningful content created by participants, informal workshops, and community empowerment.
Horton, having grown up in the impoverished Appalachian coal communities of eastern Tennessee, was moved to establish Highlander after becoming disillusioned with education which had little relevancy to the every day struggles of the poor. Recalling a summer administering a vacation Bible school program on the Cumberland Plateau, Horton said, "I couldn't put this in words...but such education failed to connect with their lives" (p.2). After college in both the South and the North and a trip to Denmark to visit the Danish Folk Schools, Horton learned not only to put his ideas into words, he put them into action. In the fall of 1932 Horton and a colleague opened the Highlander Folk School in Grundy County, Tennessee. The new school was dedicated to "social change and community action" (Merriam and Brockett, 1997, p. 57). Highlander would, "get behind the common judgments of the poor, help them learn to act and speak for themselves, [and] help them gain control over decisions affecting their daily lives" (Adams, 1975, p. 24).
Highlander was run as a residential school where those suffering from social and economic injustices could come and voice their problems, work through solutions together, and create plans for community action upon returning home. As Adams details in his book, Highlander began its career empowering Southern workers to unionize for better pay and working conditions. Later Highlander proved instrumental in empowering Southern blacks to press for civil equality. The school's method of bringing people with like problems together and facilitating their efforts to understand and combat their problems proved to be highly successful; however, such methodology, as it resulted in structural change, proved to be controversial. Those advantaged by the status quo frequently threatened the school, its personnel, and its participants, and, moreover, denigrated its technique. Highlander was condemned as being communist, socialist, and anti-American.
Historically adult education programs for the lower classes and minorities in America had been instruments of social control, whereby individuals such as Native Americans were taught to be 'civilized' farmers or African Americans were taught 'useful plantation skills' (Stubblefield and Keane, 1994). Too, the focus of adult education for all groups had generally been the improvement of the individual. As far back as the days of the early Republic, adult education was primarily viewed as a means to personal enrichment or personal advancement (Stubblefield and Keane, 1994). By the 1920s however, the idea of adult education as a path to social reform and social change--an idea championed by the likes of Edward Lindeman and Joseph Hart--had gained recognition and was an oft discussed topic during Horton's college years in the North (Adams, 1975); in the end, what Horton's professors preached, Horton, through Highlander, practiced.
Unearthing Seeds of Fire is an unassuming book, written in both a matter-of-fact and intimate manner. Adams' style is straightforward and uncomplicated, seeming to evoke the very atmosphere of Highlander itself. Yet, the reader is also introduced to an endless stream of individuals and events, giving the reader a sense of the breadth and depth of the personal connections made at Highlander. Perhaps most remarkable to the uninitiated, is the history of the Southern labor movement and the fight for civil rights which the book provides. It is inspirational to learn that one man who put his vision into practice was able to establish an alternative institution which proved to have such a positive and profound effect on the lives of so many people and on the very conscience of a nation.
The story of the Highlander Folk School should be known to all Americans, for it is a tale of the struggle for justice and equality by the most maligned in our society. It is a story of hope and empowerment. Educators, activists, social workers, community advocates, and those interested in marginalized groups or part of marginalized groups have much to learn from the educational methodology developed and followed at Highlander. Unearthing Seeds of Fire provides a solid introduction to the ways and means of Horton and Highlander.

References

Adams, F. (1975). Unearthing seeds of fire: The idea of Highlander. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair, Publisher.

Merriam, S. B., and Brockett, R. G. (1997). The profession and practice of adult education: An introduction. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Stubblefield, H. W., and Keane, P. (1994). Adult education in the American experience: From the colonial period to the present. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

In Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander, Frank Adams describes the many successes and struggles of Highlander Folk School, brainchild of Myles Horton. Following years of education and research to open a school that would help improve the lives of poor country folk, Horton began Highlander in 1932 in Grundy County of Tennessee. It operated under Horton's notion that students "would learn to act and speak for themselves and would learn to gain control over decisions affecting their daily lives" (Adams, 1975). Horton believed this was the way to rid America's social structure of poverty and racism.
According to Adams, Highlander Folk School had a mission of "what ought to be" rather than "what is." Horton believed people will always work to improve the future and have dreams and took a vested interest in education that could impact both these positively. The Highlander education model was an ongoing process for its Southern, poor adult students that tapped into cooperative or collective, yet independent thinking under the realm of democracy, brotherhood, mutuality, and united social action to solve problems. Highlander fit itself into its students' culture, allowing students to feel comfortable sharing thoughts with teacher and peers while learning.
After describing the unthinkable living conditions of New York City's tenements in How the Other Half Lives, Riis proposed education as a solution to breaking the poverty cycle of those victimized by the tenements (Riis, 1997). Adams' book about Highlander Folk School shows that the right form of education can break the cycle of poverty and inequality, though not without challenge and strife.
Just as in the tenements of New York City described in Riis' book, many of the South's poor country folk had terrible working conditions and low, unfair wages, if work could be found. Highlander Folk School helped the South's poor find a means to improve their lives at home and work using a theme of communication, such as group singing and peer group discussions. Students, through direction of their own learning, found ways to organize unions and effectively strike against employers when necessary. Highlander's role in helping organize unions led to improved working conditions, and therefore livelihood, for many of its students as well as their coworkers.
In the early 1950's when labor unions in the South seemed to have accomplished as much as they would with Highlander Folk School, the board decided it was time for the school to move its focus to the civil rights movement. Highlander's first African American students wanted to learn so they could register to vote and conquer prejudice. The school room was in the back of a grocery store with like teachers and students. These students had previously been in classrooms in which children's chairs, tables, and books were used, immediately turning them off.
Through Highlander, many African Americans learned to read by referring to material that was immediately relevant to their purpose as adult learners. They studied the U.S. Constitution, sang, and discussed issues surrounding their lives. Much of their education at Highlander taught them to be self-directed learners. Self-directed learning can lead to autonomy and promote emancipatory learning and social action (Merriam & Caffarella, 1999), which Highlander's poor adult African American students much needed. Rosa Parks exemplified the autonomy gained from Highlander's self-directed learning groups when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white person in 1955 (Adams, 1975). She had learned that many others were in her same position and realized she could take a stand.
Due to the empowerment Highlander Folk School gave to its poor or minority students and its unique educational methods, many outsiders opposed the school and attempted to close its doors. Government officials and local police forces were often part of the opposition, which at times was violent. In their crusade for equality, many students were injured or murdered, not to mention the emotional turmoil they experienced. Highlander itself was raided several times and went through many court battles. Horton went to jail a few times defending his quest for a successful form of education to improve the lives of the South's poor and oppressed. Horton said that Highlander could not physically be closed because it was an idea, not an institution, just as the book's title refers to it.
Adams states that Highlander did not achieve its original goal to educate for economic and political equality for the poor and powerless, as these inequalities continue to exist today in America. However, Highlander was successful in making large strides toward this goal and educating many individuals who have in turn fought for equal rights or improved working conditions (1975).
Horton stated, "Learn from the people, start their education where they are" (Adams, 1975). Unearthing Seeds of Fire gave me hope that learner-centered education can be successful for making positive change in the world. It was intriguing to read about Horton's methods of teaching and his perspective of how education fits into American life and social change. Benjamin Franklin would have been a proponent of Horton's school, as it promoted a true democracy, just as Franklin himself worked to create throughout his life (Isaacson, 2003).
Adams' description of the struggles and strife Highlander went through to have its presence makes one wonder how something so logical, practical, and beneficial could have been opposed. The struggles Highlander experienced reinforce just how inequitable the balance of power is between various classes and races, largely as a result of governmental politics and economics. We certainly could stand to have more Myles Hortons and Highlanders in the world.
This book should be read by anyone who is interested in learning about alternative methods of education or ways to a true democratic society. Anyone interested in learning about the labor union or civil rights movements of the twentieth century would benefit from reading this book as well.
References:
Adams, F. (1975). Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair.
Isaacson, W. (2003). Benjamin Franklin: An American life. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Merriam, S. B., & Caffarella, R. S. (1999). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Riis, J. (1997). How the other half lives: Studies among the tenements of New York. New York: Penguin Books.
Stubblefield, H. W., & Keane, P. (1994). Adult education in the American experience: From the colonial period to the present. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Throughout the history of America, man's inhumanity to his fellow man has been consistently present. However, some men are born with a spirit of compassion, a need to help others, and a willingness to enhance changes in people's lives. One of these men, Myles Horton, nurtured a dream and a desire and embraced an idea. An idea reinforced by years of concerted study, times of exploration, and moments of soul searching. This was a simple idea but a difficult task; help poor adults educate themselves. The beginning of Myles Horton's dream and the fulfillment of his desire started with a community school in 1932, at Ozone Tennessee. The story is shared by author Frank Adams in a book named Unearthing Seeds of Fire; The Idea of Highlander. The reader encounters information about the educating and learning of adults as well as the complexities and diversity of life and living.
The community school aptly named Highlander Folk School (a Highlander was an Appalachian), served the needs of a poor Grundy County populace (Adams, p.28). The reason for the existence of Highlander Folk School, the educational empowerment of poor adults, often led to the struggle for social change. These struggles included the social movements of unions and civil rights. Valuable lessons were learned during these controversies by Myles Horton and his staff. Highlander School learned their purpose was not labor organization, but rather labor education. Further experiences with labor and unions provided insight about the educational methods of Highlander and the people they empowered, "the education at Highlander had to recognize the fundamental ways by which people live, and change as those ways changed" (Adams, p. 71).
Highlander School provided support in the battle for civil rights. Educational initiatives empowered black individuals toward freedom and democracy. An example of the Highlander's programs included citizenship schools taught and run by blacks, where students learned necessary skills of literacy and arithmetic. The struggle for civil rights was emphasized by Myles Horton as he carried a single message across the South, that black people must decide their own destinies. The programs at Highlander illustrated both the achievement of this message and the significance of whites in a supportive role (Adams, p. 120). Additionally, the controversy over Highlander's educational assistance provoked the wrath of racist Southern segregationists. These men of hate and opposition forced the closure of the Highlander School. However the idea of Highlander lived on and the school reopened in another location.
The Highlander School still survives today. Offering the same simple message of hope; "learn from the people, start their education where they are" (Adams, p. 206), and still supports an ideology, a "process through which people could find purposeful and democratic unity with others to solve their collectively defined problems" (Adams, p. 207)..
A simple message that evolved from an innovative and utilitarian idea enabled Highlander School to plant the seeds of fire. The fire was kindled and burnt through the hearts of adults as they educated themselves to overcome illiteracy, futility, frustration, and discrimination. Accordingly, the ideals and purpose of Highlander grew from experience, adapting and changing in order to help people educate them selves.
Assuredly, Highlander School concentrated on the needs of people and included focused methods of action. The result was progress of individuals along with effective adult learning. Examples included a program of workers education intent on empowering social change in the lives and workplace of adult students, the educational advancement of adults in their fight for their civil rights of freedom and democracy, and the meetings of poor adults in discussion groups affirming Highlander Appalachian Self-Education Program (Adams, p. 187). The Highlander School enabled adults to take control of their education. This control helped lead people toward a better life. Certainly then, the ideals and the methods of Highlander achieved an important purpose; the educational empowerment of individuals and the provision of adults with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue social change.
Assuredly, the book, Unearthing Seeds of Fire; The Idea of Highlander, illustrates important principles of adult education in action. In addition, the importance of lessons imparted by the Highlander School about life and living cannot be underestimated. The idea of Myles Horton, the basis for Highlander School, is supported by forerunners of adult education. One of these men providing background was Eduard Lindeman , who previewed the purpose and accomplishment of Highlander School as he wrote "adult education will become an agency of progress if it's short lived goal of self improvement can be made compatible with a long term experimental but resolute policy of changing the social order" (Lindeman, 1961, p. 166).
The messages of the Highlander School, their processes of adult education, and the fulfillment of Myles Horton's idea are successfully conveyed by author Frank Adams. A masterful and detailed narrative with a story like approach reveals the intense and meaningful experience. Additionally, Adams developed a background and experiential knowledge by working at Highlander School while he wrote the book. This stimulating saga of the struggles, trials, tribulations, and joys of life is an enjoyable and rewarding reading experience. The interesting, stimulating, and beneficial story line along with the lessons about life assuredly touches the heart and soul of the reader. And undoubtedly, the information, the experiences, and the answers brought forth about ideas and processes concerning adult education, make this book not only invaluable, but a necessity for the adult educator, the student of adult education, and anyone interested in adult learning. Unearthing Seeds of Fire; The Idea of Highlander added to my knowledge of adult education, and as a benefit, it imparted meaningful lessons about life and living.





















References
Adams, F. (1975). Unearthing seeds of fire; the idea of highlander. Winston-Salem, NC:
John F. Blair Publisher.
Lindeman, E.C. (1926). The meaning of adult education. New York: New Republic Inc.

In the book, Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander, a few themes were dominant throughout the entire reading. First and foremost was the theme that adult education needs to meet people where they are. Myles Horton believed in veering away from education as was known in this time period and taking it to the people. "Most of the institutions Horton visited offered only what he came to call `national education,' an education not adaptable to peculiarities of the Southern mountains." (p. 15) In other words, "national education" was not working for all people, not all people fit into the same mold. So, taking education and morphing it into something the Southern mountain people could use was important for Horton to undertake.
The second theme of the book was that adult education is a collaborative effort. Through the Highlander example, Horton was able to meticulously plan for outcomes but acted as more of a facilitator than a teacher-leader. He wanted answers to questions and learning to happen through the participants interacting with one another. In his earliest experiences in education "Horton had begun to bridge the chasm between `knowledge' and `practice'; he had glimpsed learning arise from the questions of concerned citizens..." (p. 10)
Finally the theme of people empowerment through education was significant in the mission of Highlander. Even though Myles Horton was accused numerous times of having Communistic motives through Highlander, it is so much more important to recognize the outcome of empowerment that Horton was able to show through educational opportunities offered. Highlander's statement of purpose says it best. "Our purpose is deliberately to use education for the realization of certain social and cultural values. We do not consider other education any less propaganda, because its teachers are ignorant of the fact that they are supporting an unethical status quo, than our approach which consciously seeks to bring about a more just social order." (p. 194)
As the previous themes are analyzed, connections can be made between them and education and society of today. It is important to note that today's adult education takes on so many forms and happens in so many places. The idea of Highlander was a pacesetting one in its day, unbeknownst to Myles Horton, I think. So many places of employment will bring educational opportunities to the workplace for the convenience of the employees. Or, adults will seek out educational opportunities because they are conveniently located close to home or close to the heart.
Secondly, when adults today are allowed the opportunity to collaborate and exchange, the learning outcomes will increase in volume. Putting adults in a lecture-type setting and expecting them to learn can be detrimental to the learning process. Involvement and engagement are very important to ensuring learning takes place, at any age level.
Finally education at Highlander helped to empower people to act. Good education today as well should empower people to act equipped with what they have learned through a specific learning opportunity. Adult educators can accomplish this empowerment idea by taking the advice from Highlander, "learn from the people; start their education where they are." (p. 206)
Reading this book was refreshing for me to see that this sort of education began so long ago and is still alive today. Prior to reading this book, I had never really thought about how this model of adult education began and what the thought process behind it was. Now knowing that the idea began in a place called Ozone and that the Highlander concept came from a trip to Denmark, makes me appreciate the thought-process that went into the creation of such an idea and has manifested itself today into what I know as adult education practice.
Through this book, I believe that those pursuing any avenue in adult education could benefit. This is an amazing account of the success of tasking risks to be a pioneer in educational reform, or thinking about education in new ways for the benefit of the learner. Myles Horton was not afraid to try new things, meet his audience where they were comfortable and withstanding criticism all for the benefit of the learner. What a great example for those of us in education to follow!

Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander by Frank Adams with Myles Horton


Frank Adams first heard of the Highlander Folk School in 1959, when he was working as the secretary of the Local 219, American Newspaper Guild, AFL-CIO (Adams p. xi). He was looking for help with the union cause, and although clouded with controversy the Highlander Folk School was recommended. Later Adams again was intrigued by Highlander and their involvement with the civil rights movement. After being educated at Goddard College, a college that shared some ideas and ties with Highlander, Adams began his formal quest to understand Highlander. In order to truly understand the school Adams worked for the school. Documented in a recent newsletter from the Highlander School, Adams and his wife were honored at the 2005 Homecoming for their work at the school and Adam's publication of Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander quoted as "still one of the best books about Highlander's history" (Newsletter p. 5).
Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander follows the life of Myles Horton, the schools founder, and his quest for adult education. Myles grew up in a poor Southern family that believed strongly in education. While a student in 1927 Horton was sent to organize bible study schools in Ozone, Tennessee. Horton realized that the traditional bible education was not working for the people of Ozone. They needed a form of adult education that would teach them valuable lessons for their everyday life. It was here that Horton learned that "people knew the answers to their own problems" and only needed help in organizing and sharing their ideas (Adams p. 7). Although a start for his ideas, Horton still had many questions about education.
Horton continued to search for answers and moved back to New York City where he met many important leaders, and continued to develop his own ideas on life. During this time Horton became aware of his social conscious. In a specific example Horton was in favor of the teacher Scopes that was being persecuted for teaching evolution. This is when Horton "realized that he had taken a step away from the mores of his own society" (Adams p. 7). Also in his quest for the type of adult education that would help the people of Ozone, Horton traveled to Denmark to study the Danish Folk Schools that had helped the Danes rise above poverty. One of the basic principles of the future Highlander Folk School was framed after the Danish schools, and based on the ability of teachers not to teach material, but to "teach a capacity to learn" (Adams p. 23).
In 1932, along with fellow recent graduates John Thompson and James Dombrowski, Horton started the Highlander Folk School in Grundy County, Tennessee. The main idea for the school was to gather together members from the community and figure out what they needed to learn. Soon it became apparent that one of the biggest problems facing the poor Southerners was poor working conditions and wages. This started Highlander on a nearly twenty year span of continuous work for the development of strong leaders to battle the oppressive companies. The school educated students on leadership skills, union organization, and strike organization, along with other valuable skills the students believed they needed. Working with unions didn't put the school in a favorite light with many people, an issue that Highlander faced over much of its existence. Myles Horton was arrested in 1933 for the first time facing charges of "coming here and getting information, and going back and teaching it" (Adams p. 33). Later on in life this was merely a joke for Horton, after decades of battling with the law and superior powers.
In the fifties Highlander began to shift from working with unions, to working for civil rights. From the beginning Horton and his followers didn't support many of the current racial biases in the South. Horton "hoped to bring black and white students together" and after 1944 most workshops at Highlander were interracial (Adams p. 90). Dr. George Mitchell was quoted in saying "the next great problem is not the problem of conquering poverty, but conquering meanness, prejudice, and tradition," which became the next goal of Highlander (Adams p. 101-102). Throughout the next few decades Highlander focused on civil rights through education and organizing the civil rights leaders. Many influential civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King were associated with Highlander.
One of the key aspects of civil rights work for Highlander was in educating the African American population. Previously education had been used as a control for minorities (Stubblefield, Keane p. 120). Through working with leaders in their own communities, Highlander supported literacy programs for underprivileged African Americans. Just as the bible schools hadn't worked for the citizens of Ozone, neither did many of the current literacy programs work for the African Americans. Learning to read children's literature in a primary education situation did not appeal to adults, they didn't see the importance of their work. By developing programs where the adults learned how to read the Constitution segment required for their right to vote, participation soared.
Reading Adam's account of the Highlander Folk School was very interesting. Adams's truly understood the school, and believed in it. As he stated in the introduction the book was bias, Adam supported the school. I also agree with many of the ideas and concepts expressed in the book. Adult education is very important not only for traditional skills, but for overall social growth. In some cases the student has a better grasp on the necessary material than the teacher. I recommend the book to anyone interested in social growth and adult education. In more ways than one education is a means to power.

by Carrie Olsen

Works Cited

Adams, F. (1975). Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander. North Carolina:
John F. Blair.

Biggs. C. (2005, May-October). Homecoming 2005. Highlander Reports, p.5

Stubblefield, H. W., & Keane, P. (1994). Adult Education in the American Experience:
From the Colonial to the Present. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

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This is a very good book to own since it's got tons of recipes in it. No photos, just recipes. She used to sell this book on QVC up until a year or two ago.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

*Cakes and Frostings
*Angel Food Cakes
*Cheese Cakes
*Coffee Cakes
*Fruit Cakes
*Pound Cakes
*Refrigerator Cakes and Desserts
*Measurements, equivalents and helpful hints
*Index

I felt that I had to write this review because there wasn't much content to the earlier reviews. For me, a cookbook is valuable insofar as it is practical, usable, clear, and enticing. Bevelyn Blair might very well be able to serve these cakes to me, and they might be delicious, but I'm not sure that this book is going to be useful for me. I should say first that I love baking cakes more than anything, and usually make about two a week. So far my only all-cake cookbook is The Cake Bible, and I've made many of the plain cakes in that book with happy results. I felt that I wanted to get more ideas for new flavors and combinations of cakes, so I decided to try this book. I just received the book in the mail, and these are some things that concern me, that I wish I'd known before I ordered:
--The book is concise almost to the point of being abrupt. Sometimes there are two or three recipes per page. At times it seems that the brevity could be confusing, like when she says "Melt 4 oz white chocolate in 1/2 c boiling water." I know how I would do this (chop the chocolate, put in sturdy bowl, pour hot water over, cover with foil for 5 minutes to let it melt, then whisk to smooth) but I'm not *certain* that this is what she intends, and a less experienced cook might just put the chocolate in a saucepan of boiling water (I'm not sure what that might do, but I think it could be disastrous).
--She often bakes with shortening, margarine, or vegetable oil. I'm used to baking with butter, and whether it's right or wrong, I'm reluctant to try a recipe that uses something else.
--She is sometimes vague about the cake pan, saying "bake in a loaf pan" or "a tube pan" or--worse--"a layer cake pan." While I don't require precise directions in all aspects of cooking, in baking it seems to me pretty essential, and what is the point of having to guess which cake pan would be best?
--Then again, she sometimes specifies strange pan sizes. She often says to use a 10 x 5 inch loaf pan, or a 12 x 9 inch sheet pan. Well, I have a good basic assortment of baking pans. I have a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and a 13 x 9 inch sheet pan. Would these work? She doesn't say. Where do you get these special-sized pans? She doesn't say. Again, small though it might seem, this is enough to put me off making a recipe.
--She sometimes uses cake mixes. Enough said.
--Her cakes are huge! I find it funny that although she insists that cakes are great for baking "everyday," most of her recipes are huge. There are only two people in my household and I like a cake that is a reasonable size. She often bakes in a big (13 x 9) sheet pan or in 3 (or even 4) 9-inch round layers. If I were looking to make a nice cake some Tuesday afternoon for no good reason (my definition of an "everday" cake), I'm not going to go in for a 4-layer cake.
--The icing is mandatory! I should say that I'm not crazy about icing. The cake is what I like most, and I love a wonderful pound cake or almond cake for slicing and eating plain with tea. But her cakes are designed around icing, and the names of the cakes often refer to the icing, which can lead to disappointment once you read the recipes. For example, there's a "Chocolate Strawberry Cake," which seems so interesting. I'm imagining strawberries or jam *in* the cake, to give an interesting berry-chocolate flavor. Instead, this is simply a plain chocolate cake with strawberry cream frosting. Probably delicious, but not what I envisioned. Same with the Coconut Cream Cake. No coconut flavor in the cake, just in the frosting.
--There are no pictures. I don't require pictures, but some people might want to know.

Having said all that, there are a *lot* of recipes here, some of which sound very delicious, and if I can find any that actually seem reasonable, I'll probably make some of them. In the meantime, though, I'm going to try Maida Heatter's Cakes, which I've browsed through. It looks wonderful and clear and thorough. You might want to do the same, or at least buy them both to compare.

I've owned this book for over a year and I've made several of her recipes. I love the book because it is simple to read and understand, and most of the items I already have in my pantry. No weird stuff, and I can whip something up last minute. You don't have to be a chef to get great results. The book also has helpful hints. No matter what your level of expertise, you will enjoy this book!

This cookbook contains a collection of recipes accumulated over 30 years of baking. Mrs. Blair is considered the queen of cakes and once you try these recipes, you'll know why. Each is delicious and unforgettable. Traditional recipes are included as well as some new surprises. One of the very best cookbooks available!

I will echo the enthusiasm of the other purchasers of this book. Don't be fooled by the small size of the book; it is chock-full of recipes. The price per recipe must be lower than any other cake book I own! In general, the recipes are very well written, all business and no fluff.

My only reservation would be giving this book to the cook without cake experience. I've got 25 years' experience in cake baking, so explicit techniques that are taken for granted here needn't be elucidated. For a beginner, though, the techniques of stirring vs. beating vs. whipping vs. folding, etc., might be unfamiliar. For those cooks, I'd still recommend Marion Cunningham's Fanny Farmer Baking Book.

However, for someone who already knows how to bake cakes, this could be a most valuable reference, possibly the only all-cake book they'd need. It'll also make a fine gift! The beautiful retro-graphic design of the book is an added pleasure.

After 13-year-old Katie Campbell quits the flag squad, one of her friends volunteers her to try out for the boys' ice hockey team. She's apprehensive at first, but decides to have a go at it, despite the discouragement from her mother and sister (it's not "ladylike"), as well as from her classmates and coach, who think girls shouldn't be allowed to play boys' sports. This second book in the Girl Talk series is ideal for preteen girls who can relate to Katie's situation, since it encourages them to go for what they want in spite of opposition.

the typical figure skater/ hockey player story - but one that gets you involved. Having been an iceskater myself, I found the story very good and pretty true to subject. I find it hard to find books on ice-skating living in Australia so when I do I'm alwys hopeing for the best story, and I found one in this book. It is easy to read - I first read it as a 13 year old - and what I feel to be well written keeping on edge to the very end.

I am 13 and I haven't read this type of book in about 6 months ever since my sister got me hooked on Jane Austen and L.M. Montgomery. It is in a way realistic and in a way not at all. She has a crush on the cutest guy in the school and stands up to her rights and he ends up asking her out at the end. If my 7th grade year had turned out that way believe me I would have wrote a book about it too. But I honestly do not see why on earth she would like a jerk like Scottie, And why is he still dating the coolest girlin the school when he asks her out? These are questions that I am sure can't be answered so I am just gonna retire from that sort of book untill I become a genius.

Face-Off is a super good book ALL kids should read about. Face-Off is about four friends, one crush, and one perfectly bratty older sister. This story is about a 13-year old named Katie Campbell and her friends: Randy Zac, Allison Cloud, and Sabrina Wells. Katie likes a guy named Scottie Silver, but you'll have to read this book to find out how Scottie feels about Katie. To see what other suprises happen you'll have to read Face-Off.

Although I originally got the girl talk series because I had the game, I quickly bored with the substandard writing and the paper thin plots.

Other than a brief mention and discussion of Title IX, and women's rights, there was very little to keep me glued to the rest of the series. I have perpetually found the telephone conversations throughout the book anoying and space wasting. There is nothing said in those conversations that could not be said outloud.

When I got older, I naturally gave the others away for charity, but kept this one because of the quasi-feminism in the book. Katie proves that gender is artifically constructed, it is hip for young girls to know their rights under federal law and non-conventional women can get the realy hot guy. Happily, this deviates from tradditional character structure for young adults.

Because so much of what I rememeber from Junior high said the popular girls were quiet, non-activist and tradditional, I really liked the ending. Like Katie, I was beining to discover my voice at the time, unlike her, I did not have as much personal popularity after using it. Kudos for the mass media for giving another perspective and the next generation hope!!

I must tell how I came across this book. It was before Halloween, and my colleagues and I wanted to do something different this year. We wanted to encounter ghosts, not just folklore. I googled and came across this book. Traveling anywhere, is not a problem for us. If the stories in this novel intrigued us enough, we were going on a ghost hunt for Halloween. As luck would have it though, the book did not reach me in enough time before Halloween, and we were unable to go at Halloween. I cannot say that I believe in ghosts, but my colleagues do.

This book contains 30 ghost stories encountered within the Tennessee Valley and surrounding areas. Each account is related to stories pertaining to the ghostly figures, how or why they reside in that place, and knowing this, makes the ghost stories seem more real. I shall not spoil any ghost stories for anyone. You will also get a history lesson on the state of Tennessee about the Civil War.

The preface of this book will let you inside the mind of the author and who she came about to write these ghastly ghost stories.

For anyone who lives near this area, they should seek out these ghost stories for themselves. I may have to travel one day myself, just to see if I can encounter a ghost. I have never heard of any area having this many ghosts.

well written ,lots of history not that scary ,but a good read

After working at a few bookstores in the Chattanooga area for the last several years, one phenomenon I have noticed has been the enthusiasm behind this book. After it was released, it created a huge buzz around the city and it frequently sells out in the book stores I have worked in.

One thing that is great about working at a bookstore is the (sometimes quite in-depth) conversations with customers about books. That is the true honesty you get about how good a book really is, and the conversations generated about this book have been some of the most memorable. It is always fun to hear stories from customers about their own personal experiences with the unexplained as a part of these conversations as well.

When I first began reading this book I could not put it down. One good test to see if a book about ghosts is really great is how often the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, and it happens frequently with this book, especially for those that live in the Southern Tennessee Valley area where these stories hit close to home. This is not because the ghosts are malicious, for the most part they are not, but because the context of the well-researched history, setting, and eyewitness accounts make you feel like you are witnessing these happenings yourself.

The main thing I love about the book is the style of the writing. A book about "real" ghosts could just present data for reference for the ghost buffs wanting to read about hauntings around the area, but Kotarski has written this book in beautiful prose that flows well through the pages and holds interest from cover to cover.

Also, the book does not seem to try to prove or disprove that these ghost rumors are true, but rather present the accounts and folklore and let the readers decide for themselves. This makes it a great read for anyone whether they just want to read it for ghost lore and spooky stories, or for those wanting a reference guide with accounts of paranormal activity and the evidence behind them, or both.

I highly recommend this book for anyone, just as I do frequently at the book store I work at, because not only is it an entertaining read, there is a lot of history to be learned about Chattanooga and the Southern Tennessee Valley area in a fun way. I hope a sequel will be soon forthcoming!

"Ghosts of the Southern Tennessee Valley" is light reading, serious neither as history nor as spectral "science." This is not a bad thing.

"This collection leans heavily toward local history," writes Georgiana Kotarski, who leaves open whether she believes in ghosts and haints. As such, it leans heavily on old newspaper accounts, although she also interviewed people who believe or suspect they have encountered ghosts in their homes or, in many cases, around locales of the Civil War battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga.

My family settled in the "southern Tennessee valley," as Kotarski calls it, in the 1880s and did not tell ghost stories. Although one of the ghosts here, Oscar Carlson, was murdered just a hop and a step from where my mother grew up, she tells me she never heard that he haunted her part of Signal Mountain. It makes a good story, though.

Most of the ghosts are benevolent or just wistful. Only one or two allegedly tried to harm or frighten the people who encountered them. These are not particularly scary ghosts.

All in all an amusing excursion into local history, or a part of it. Although some of the ghosts here were black, all of the relaters appear to be whites.

Being from Generations of Southern Tennessee Valley Family Ancestry, thought it was truly amazing that a book was written about this area. Really neat!! Got as a gift for my husband, also from the same area. Read about the author from our small hometown paper. Had to support her. Thanks for another take on our small towns with the amazing ghost stories.

I ordered this book for a college course, and it was great front to back! Two chapters went more into detail than neccessary considering the "Golden Age" yet the book accurately describes the history of the Islamic World from the prophet Muhammed and before up to present day. A definate buy for those who want to know more about the history of the middle east concerning Islam.

This is a wonderful introduction to the Islamic Empire and (to some extent) Islam itself. It's meant to be a companion to the PBS video "Islam: Empire of Faith." It covers the same time period (the first 1000 years of Islam), but doesn't have the same exact content as the video. There is some overlap, but not enough to make either the book or the video redundant. This book is written by a husband-and-wife team of professors (historians) at Boston College. This is not dry history, by any means, but a vivid description of Islam and its origins, practices, and political rule. It's not sensationalist and/or imbued with the "Islam as Enemy Number One" mentality that pervades so many modern books about Islam (many of which are written by journalists or other people not qualified to be writing about Islam, Muslims (American or not) and the Muslim world in the first place). It's just fascinating reading about the second largest religion in the world and how it built the most glittering civilization the world had ever seen. The authors themselves say that to understand Islam today, we must focus not on the misdeeds committed by a few in its name, but "appreciate its glorious history and achievements." It doesn't have much on Islamic beliefs and practices or Islam and politics: it really is mostly history. But it's history that puts Islam (modern and past) into perspective and that will (hopefully) help us Westerners put some of myths about Islam finally to rest.

In trying to better understand Islam, I bought this book on Amazon and have found it to be quite good- excellent, in fact.

I was not looking for an in-depth scholarly work, but an overview and perspective. Mission accomplished. Each chapter is neatly organized into topical information that follows logically and neatly dovetails into the previous chapters.

The full color photographs are excellent- I truly wish more books would offer up such visuals as well as Bloom and Blair have in this book.

If you're looking for depth ad naseum, this isn't your book. But if you're looking for an interesting read with a reasonable index and reasonable "cast of characters" outlined both in the book and in the index, give this one a shot.

This book does not give an accurate or chronologicaly coherent description of the birth and rise of Islam. The authors of the book are not Islamic historians, they are art historians writing about an age and culture that did not produce significant works of art. To a person unfamiliar with Islam it seems complete and accurate.

This book is the companion to the PBS movie, Islam: Empire of Faith. I began reading this book, full of stereotypes against Islam. This book really opened my eyes. The whole History of Islam has been filled with misunderstanding. I would recommend this book to any person. It is extremely well written, and it would help anyone to better understand Islam!

I gave this as a gift to a friend who adores all things Mayberry. He absolutely LOVED it!

This book is a delight for Andy Griffith fans and scholars alike. I have used this book for graduate work, the Mayberry Bible study, and for a reference tool when I am watching a marathon. Brower brings new insights to these old friends and makes the show even more enjoyable

Neal Brower's book, "Mayberry 101" is one of those books that you pull out before or after you watch a classic episode of the Andy Griffith show. In Brower's book, the episodes are broken down by season and a little more information about each show is given along with comments from the writers, producers, directors and even the actors. I do wish there were more comments from the actors, but the book is still a gold mine of information for Andy Griffith show fans (like yours truly).

I wonder what happened to the other two volumes of this book? This is Volume One, but according to what I have read/understood two more volumes were to be published.

Get this book if you enjoy the Andy Griffith Show!

we are trying to get into the andy griffith fan club. could
some one please help us out!
our address is Bruner's 804 Pecan Cir.
Hickman,Ky. 42050 thanks

Let me first start off by saying Neal Brower did a fantastic job on Mayberry 101, that said, all that was missing was an in depth look at all the cast members. I would have like to seen profiles of actors like Frances Bavier, what made her the opposite of Aunt Bee in real life ?

I wanted to like this book. I kept it on my shelf until I had a whole day to savor it. The blurbs and reviews were good enough to fuel my anticipation.

Sea Born Women was okay. I was interested in the story. It was fairly well told, and had a bit of everything from history, to mystery to ghosts. It was somewhat unrealistic in my opinion in the portrayal of how often an island such as the one portrayed was visited. The park department had enough employee, and it was those characters that rounded out the story. Each of them was in my opinion, more believable than Bert, the main character.

She had a completely superfluous daughter who was mentioned twice and needlessly. I do not understand what the pint was. But if my own mother was in harms way and neglected to get in touch with me I would be quite upset. But then again, Bert was rather busy fantasizing about the male Park Service employees and doing ridiculously stupid things like wandering around in the dark of night where a previous volunteer such as she died mysteriously.

Bert was a disappointment to me. She was over fifty, yet acted like a simpering juvenile when men were around. Then she did something so incredibly stupid, I kept hoping they would just let her lie in the bed she had made for herself! Sadly it was not to be. She was rescued and back in bed with one of her colleagues in short order.

Is it worth reading? If it comes your way, give it a read, but I would be surprised to find it on anyones favorite reads list.

enjoyed reading this book.. finished it in 3days.. had to put it down to go to work~!~! now i wanna know when will we find out what happened to the sea born woman's son..Jermey.. when he was taken north....

This was a great book and I have recommended it to all my friends. Held my interest throughout!!!.

It's a great, fast read... it's like I had a private tour of Portsmouth and the Carolina coast.

Book was exciting from the beginning. Twist and turns kept you intrigued and on your toes. Very well written.