Boone Books

Wow, what an interesting, exciting, factual book! Just as engaging and excitingly written as any Louis Lamour or Zane Grey novel, except very factual. Based on tens of thousands of pages of interview notes taken from those who lived during this period of history. You will learn a lot of American history and enjoy it, to boot, if you read this book! Don't miss this one!

Eckert has written a truly engrossing book on an amazing figure in American history. Simon Kenton, like Daniel Boone had the lust to wonder the woods for days and both had a immense memory for the scope of the land he wondered. The narrative writing is excellent. It puts you back in the 18th century when America was truly wild. It was a harsh land when one false step led to an early death, often times gruesome. The Shawnees were none to compliant to give up their lands and sold it at a high cost of human life. Tecumseh also emerges here, also one of the greatest figures in history. A Sorrow in Our Heart, which is about Tecumseh is also a must read. In the Frontiersman, the Ohio River flowed blood red with hatred for intruders. There are captivating stories here of the many clashes that took place between whites and indians. It was a time period of two cultures clashing, one wanting to hold on to a way of life etched into the land through balance and harmony, aganst a culture that produced men who were determined to see new vistas and experience the thrill of blazing a trail that many would soon follow. But it was this migration which ruined the very thing they loved most, the feeling of true wilderness. This book captures it all. A must read for those who find history a fascinating subject.

I was assigned to read this book for my 10th grade American History summer reading. I loved to read as a teen. I loved history -- I went on to get my degree in it. This book threatened to change all of that.
A ponderous piece of agonizing minutiae, this book brought me to the breaking point. I read it -- the whole thing. As a fifteen year old. I think it actually made me cry, I hated it so much. It's well researched, but seemed almost masturbatory in its envisioning of the motivations of frontiersmen. And excruciatingly long. Some people obviously enjoy this book. To each their own. But for the rest of you, it is okay to hate it. Really. You know you want to.

I first became acquainted with Mr. Eckert's books a few years ago while shopping for a gift for my son-in-law who loves local history and someone recommended one of his books. I took it home and while wrapping it, read a page. I was hooked, I went out and bought one for myself. We live in an area rich in history and his books cover our area extensively. I only wish all the history classes I took in high school and college had been this interesting. Our whole family now enjoys Mr. Eckert's books.

After picking up our pots in Seal Bay we ran over to Port Williams for a few days before continuing on around the northern tip of Afognak Is.We lay overnight at Bluefox Bay where my sister was then living.She lent me her copy of this book,of which,at the time,I thought to be rather a large chunk of reading.However,upon returning to town for more supplies,we were stuck there because our skipper ran over himself with a snowmachine.Now I had much time to read,and read I did! Non-stop.This is history as it should be presented.Real people.Red,white and foreign.Simon Kenton,the man who is the common thread throughout the book,is one man I had never heard of,in history or elsewhere.
The words "WOW!";"AWESOME!":"UNBELIEVABLE!" have lost their power in our current age from over-use,but their original applications do fit this book.
The above trip took place in early 1978 and from that time I have kept my eye out for this book.All inquiries were met with either "Out of Print" or exorbiant pricings of a collectors' item.While I was not looking for it this recent order,by long habit, the title matches for the search criteria were imprinted in my mind and the book is now part of my collection....CliffThe Frontiersmen: A Narrative

I have to say this book is just wonderful! It is great as a casual read as well as excellent for the researcher and/or family historian! It helped me to fill some gaps in my families history (Daniel's sister, Sarah Boone) and gave other avenues in which to reasearch.

Wanted to read this book as a celebration of Daniels life Yet I found it to be long statements made directly following his death It is told that none ventured into writing of this man during his life I guess that makes it appealing The man had big family and was known to beat the Indians at there own gam that I found Admirable the book on a whole was simply a bore due to the accounts of how Boone tryed to purchase this or that But to those who want to build homesteads in the 1800s It will be to your liking

This is the one to get. This one, and John Mack Faragher's BOONE biography (Henry Holt, 1992). Anything by Belue is worth getting; he is precise to the point of obsession, and his works--four thus far--will stand the test of time.

Occasionally a book that has been available for a while deserves another look just because of its intrinsic value. In 1998 a book was published that combined the names of two legendary individuals who will be associated forever with the history of the American backwoods-Daniel Boone, the famous adventurer, and Lyman C. Draper, the renowned nineteenth-century interviewer and collector. It was only through the painstaking efforts of editor Ted Franklin Belue that Draper's highly significant tome on Boone finally came into being a century and a half after it was started. Before the ink was dry on the printed page, this book had become a backcountry classic. It instantly went to the front rank of Boone biographies. For the previous hundred years few but the serious historian had been drawing from Draper's handwritten manuscript on Boone; now even the casual reader would have the material readily available in print. Despite the fact that Draper never finished writing the biography and didn't take Boone's exploits beyond 1778, The Life of Daniel Boone (596 pages hardcover, $39.95, Stackpole Books) has proven to be well worth the long wait.
The book is a treasure trove of information about Boone, including such highlights as: his early years in Pennsylvania and North Carolina; activities during the French and Indian War; hunting in the Appalachian region; long hunting in Kentucky; adventures in Dunmore's War; the establishment of Boonesborough; and the first half of the Revolutionary War in Kentucky. While perusing these pages, the reader will be reminded constantly of Draper's monumental research that involved extensive travel to obtain interviews with people who had known Boone personally or with relatives and friends of such individuals. He also endeavored to collect important documents before they disappeared. His efforts were literally a race against time. Belue sets a standard for excellence with his very interesting preface as well as his editor's note (following the preface) that explains how the book finally came into being. The outstanding notes at the end of each chapter by both Draper and Belue are a further wealth of information. Draper's 44-page appendix provides a Boone genealogy and biographical sketches of many other frontier figures.
From Smoke & Fire News, November 2004, by Bob Holden

Lyman Draper wrote the single best account of the life of Daniel Boone. This source, while not well known, has been mined by virtually every biographer of Boone since 1850. This book and the biography of John Bakeless are the best two volumes ever to appear about the life of Daniel Boone. Also the Memoirs of Nathan Boone and his wife are of extreme value. These books provide the basis for the study of early Kentucky history.

I was hooked from the very first chapter. I bought a copy for my sister and told my friends about it. I believe that young people could easily get lost in the story and wish they were right there with the characters. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens to everyone. Keep up the good work.

If you've ever read a book about magic and liked it, this is the book for you. Not only does the magical atmosphere and simple wonder of this book draw every young and old reader inside it's pages, its original and exciting storyline holds them there. There's a character in there somewhere that everyone can relate to and they wide variety of magical-life can put a smile on anyone's face! Most people's minds will immediately go to Harry Potter if they hear about a book about magic, but don't be detered by that! This book is completely orignal and it's ideas are refreshingly new. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down, and I only wish I could've given this reveiw sooner!

A great story for everyone, you'll like the way it hooks you in. The Stormholder is a book about two normal kids, or so it seems. The Stormholder is filled with many twists and surprises. the way the author shapes the story is remarkable! The way the book ends will want you to read the next book.

This book is a must read for all ages, once you start reading you are hooked and can't put in down. I will be waiting for the next book. I loved the way the kids found out about there magical powers.

My friend said......Marie, I think you will like this book.
Well, my fingers stuck to it as though Raam were barring me from entering a forbidden portal! A hint of C. S. Lewis and a smidgen of J.K. Rowling. This is analogous, however, to comparing Liz and Linda based on the fact that they both have blue eyes. "The Stormholder", aside from the "hint" and the "smidgen", is a whimsical fantasy both unique and original.

From the onset, the story pulls one into a magical funnel. "The Stormholder" introduces the young reader to herbs, to astronomy via Andromeda, to inspiration via Maya Angelou and physics via Einstein.....at times succinctly, but significantly.....at other times constructively didactic. Youngsters will revel in the mystery of the Black Hole and ponder the existence of the Wormhole whilst conjuring up images of elves, giants and witches. This book is more than delightful reading, it is a true learning experience. There will be those who dash to the computer or to Mom and Dad for more details, and there will be those who simply continue reading. The latter, most assuredly, will retain those golden nuggets deeply imbedded in their gray matter only to recall them in later studies. "The Stormholder" is, quite simply, a gem.

Eagerly await a re-visit to Coffer Cove and August. Precipa Mundo !
CMHD (Color Me Hook-ed)

This book is OK but "Cooking Up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook" is a much better book for teens. A good addition if you want more than one cook book for kids.

My daughter received this book and we both love it. The entree recipes provide clear directions and come with side-dish suggestions and general cooking tips. Any teen who wants to move cooking skills beyond the microwave should own this book and the partner book Teens Cook Dessert. The recipes in both are delish!

This recipe book gives such a wide assortment of recipes for young people to use almost everyday. The recipes are easy to understand, ingredients are everyday items, and there are plenty of hints and tips to help the novice chef. My niece (high school)and daughter (college) both received copies from me and both are enjoying their cooking experiences from this book. I have even used some of the recipes since they are great for working women who need to put something together quickly and still feel like they are putting on a "home-cooked" meal.

I am having a back to school program for my teens at the Library teaching them how to make easy and delicious after-school snacks. This is a great book. Just looking at the flyers I have up, they are psyched that we will be making snacks created (and taste approved) by teens. The recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to find, and the best part is these will be healthier for them than microwavable, perservative-riddled frozen "snacks." I also like that there is a section on breakfast food since many teens tend to skip this very important meal. The cool thing is that a lot of the breakfast recipes (like the scones and even the breakfast casserole) can be made in advance and grabbed when their scurrying out the door.

My daughter checked out this book from our puplic library,she was sooooo excited when she was able to cook the things in the book without much help from me. When she would finish,it would be GREAT!!!!! I will defiantly be purchasing this book.

This is my second Recknor book. I find her to be one of the freshest most original writers that I've read in a long time. Her plots are unconventional, yet convincing. She's utterly enjoyable from start to finsih. I love her "bad guys." I can't wait for her next book!

No wonder PROPHET ANNIE won the coveted Western Writers of America Spur Award. I couldn't put it down.

I did enjoy Prophit Annie to a point. After awhile it just felt like it rambled until I couldn't wait until the ending. I enjoyed the style it was written in. Reading it felt as if you were talking to an older relative relating what it was like in their time. Where Prophit Annie was good, if you want to experience a fantastic western story - pick up Ellen Recknor's "Me and the Boys" (out-of-print service). I think Me and the Boys was way above better than Prophit Annie.

Fast moving, exciting and extremely funny.......There is no other way to describe Ellen Recknors' latest book, "PROPHET ANNIE". This writer has taken the age old fear of ghosts and put a new and interesting twist to it......Anyone and everyone who enjoys a tale of the old west with a heavy dose of comedy should pick up this book and read it....Keep up the good work Ellen.....

With PROPHET ANNIE, I discovered a new favorite author. Annie Newcastle is a sassy, hilarious heroine with a distinctive voice. This book reminded me of one of Larry McMurtry's funnier westerns because it combined humor and pathos. The characters and dialogue are priceless. I especially loved Sam Two Trees' dry wit. I'm heartbroken that Ms. Recknor's earlier efforts seem to be out of print (What is Avon thinking???) but I'm off to search for them in an out-of-print store. After reading PROPHET ANNIE, I would definitely buy anything this author writes--paperback or hardcover--as soon as it hits the shelves because you just don't discover a treasure like this very often.

Not only is this book excellent reading it is so funny. The writer is so true to form. Sherry W. Boone deserves a standing ovation. I have the cassette and laughed from beginning to end. Hope those who bought either or..enjoyed as much as I did.

One word......PERFECT.....
and to Sherry Boone, thanks
so much, write more!!

A bloomin bouquet letters from myrtle is one of the most uplifting books I have ever read. I love all myrtle's letters. The book makes you feel like you are visiting with your best friend. I looking forward to more in the future.
Vivian Greene
Deep Gap, NC

"A Bloomin' Bouquet: Letters from Myrtle" is one of the most uplifting books I have ever read. You need to read each and every letter. Some are funny and some tug at your heart strings. Sherry Boone has such an insight when it comes to people and it really shows in her "Letters from Myrtle." I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This book makes you feel like you are visiting with your best friend. You want the letters to go on and on. I look forward to more in the future.

This is a great book. The only things is that I don't have the Hilary Duff 2004 Calendar. If you please can order this item to me, I apreciate that. Thanks. Ruben from Orlando, FL 32811 Lady Bell Dr.

As someone who has read numerous biographies about Hilary Duff, I will tell you right now that this is one of the best. Boone has outdone herself in putting together a beautiful 80-page book featuring not only large, color photos of Hilary, but also tons of information about her, her family, friends, career, up-coming projects, her music, her charity work, etc. There is also a cute quiz for readers in the back, where they can test their Hilary knowledge, and also quotes from the teen queen herself, and from her many celebrity fans, including Roger Ebert.

This is a must have book for all Hilary Duff fans. Whether you are 5 or 50 you will be pleased with everything that it has to offer. Two thumbs up to Mary Boone for creating a biography that is much like a work of art.

Erika Sorocco

It took me an hour to read it, yep, it's that short and that easy to read. Maybe if I was younger this would be more difficult, but it has lots of great facts about hil, and not to mention, tones of great photos, mind you, I could live without the one with her and Aaron, seeming as I now despise the guy. This book is well-written, you even get questions and answers and a test at the end of the book, with a neat way of finding out the answers, it's out of 10, I got 9, so maybe I'm not as big a know it all about Hilary as I thought, but I did only get one wrong, so I settle... wink! Anyway, any Hilary fan should own it no matter how small the book is(80 pages), it's still a good read and worth the price.

This book is like her whole life.Whenever I bought this book I knew NOTHING about her but after I read it's like i've known her my whole life! I loved it!!!

This is a great book that all Hilary Duff fans should have!!!!! It gives you information about everything. It's only 80 pages but still is a great book. This is one of the best ones out there.

The Demise of Luleta Jones by Mark Allen Boone is an excellent literary novel.

The first chapter immediately tells of the suicide of Luleta Jones--an eccentric 39-years-old African American, public school teacher. Clayton Hemphill, a 75-year-old retiree and unwavering fan of Luleta, finds her body hanging from a rafter on the second floor of his 2-flat apartment building. Theophilous `Theo' Pugh, who tells the story through interviews, is an unrelenting reporter for the Chicago Weekly Word.

Theo comes to Lincoln Manor on the West Side of Chicago to profile the community and stumbles upon the story of Jones's suicide that had happened two years prior. He slowly uncovers how she died, power grabs by African American bourgeoisies, backstabbing, and family infighting. What becomes apparent is that Luleta was a person capable of seeing good in all people, a woman who believed that all human beings had worth. This cause love and hate relationships for the talented, self-confident, beautiful, independent woman. Theo's life is touched in startling ways. In his decision to put her life on paper, and in interviewing various members of the community, Theo falls in love with the deceased woman and is obsessed with her story. Could his obsession with Luleta cause Theophilous Pugh to lose his grip on reality?

Mark Allen Boone's methodical descent to the end is emotional, heartwarming and much unexpected. He is an excellent writer; his characters are so close to reality that you find yourself lost in each of their lives--so very true with the life of Luleta Jones. The Demise of Luleta Jones is indeed an excellent, fresh read. I hope to see more of his work in the near future.

Why do people get sidetracked with nonsense, things that don't feed the soul but rather things that fuel the ego and causes anger, jealousy, hatred and disruption? Some are able to nip nonsense in the bud before it consumes them - for reasons that we may never know some actually choose to be consumed as shown in the story - The Demise of Luleta Jones.

Luleta Jones, a free-spirit, caring, regal, phenomenal creature was not afraid to go against the status-quo. By simply being herself, uproar was created in a local African American community that eventually led to Luleta's downfall. The Demise of Luleta Jones shows what happens when ill-will feelings are invoked and allowed to control your very existence. Luleta - you either hated her or you loved her. What an intricate WEB we weave when we chose to hate. Without a doubt I loved Luleta - her character reminded me of a treasure - a treasure that was full of life and vitality with an aura that demanded respect.

And then there's Theo, the moralistic, happy go lucky, compassionate journalist that brings Luleta back to life; Theo is someone that I certainly hope to see again. Mark Boone created a captivating novel; he managed to eloquently intertwine so many facets of life into this story; human behavior, murder, drugs, greed, mystery and most of all love - it's a book that I highly recommend.

Sharon - Sisters Sippiin' Tea Literary Group - Tulsa Chapter

I found The Demise of Luleta Jones to be a well-paced, well-conceived novel that leaves me looking forward to Mr. Boone's next work of fiction. I enjoyed meeting each character and how he/she intersected with Luleta Jones. While I would not classify the book as a 'thriller' it certainly did hold my attention. I was readily able to visualize the characters and settings which lent to my enjoyment of the book.

Mark Allen Boone captured my attention (and bemusement) in the opening chapter - an evicted woman on the street with her grand piano and a passerby with a sudden urge to rescue the woman and the piano. No motivation, no long description of how the impulse was nutured, just one of those random things life throws at one; and, therefore, quite believable. He had me until chapter nine - Mrs. McBride, the wealthy snob whose sole purpose in life seems to be putting others down (she'd say, of course, that she's merely putting them in their (rightful) place.

Roughly, the structure of the book is that each chapter provides another character's perspective on the late (possibly lamented) Luleta Jones. As I continued with the book, I understood that Boone was deliberate in his use of characters to represent a social group's perspective - not to the extent of loosing individuality - to make the story a social commentary about human nature. As the plot and structure unfolded, I saw why he presented Mrs. McBride as he did.

What I appreciated most about the novel, however, is a very minor point - Boone has the perfect touch in finding an uncommon, perfectly-fitting aphorism. You have to find them for yourself - I'm not giving away the best part of the book :-)

I can't say that the book held my attention as well as some mysteries - until two-thirds of the way through, I could put the book down; I was never tempted to quit. While a mystery is an appropriate genre for this work, its focus is much more philosophical - what makes a person an example of life lived to the full, and why do others hate such a person? Boone's analysis is precisely on target - that makes the book well worth reading.

In 1996 Theophilous (Theo) Pugh, a writer for the "Chicago Weekly Word," composed an article about Lincoln Manor, a Chicago neighborhood that had undergone both racial change and gentrification to become "the West Side's crown jewel." He becomes fascinated, however, with the mysterious death of Luleta Jones a thirty-nine-year-old African American music teacher. The police made little of her death, ruling it as a suicide; but many people who knew her, including Clayton Hemphill, who keeps her memory alive with a museum in her honor, believe that she was murdered. Theo sets out on a dangerous journey in Mark Allen Boone's beautifully written novel to find out the truth about this elusive woman.

The novel opens with a unforgettable image of a woman (we soon learn it is Luleta) standing in the pouring rain with all of her possessions, including a grand piano that she has covered with plastic to protect it. Both Hemphill, the man who sees her, and the reader are both mesmerized by this character. A jeweler by trade, he compares Luleta to a diamond with many facets. Everyone sees her from a different angle and has his or her own opinion about her. I would love to know if she is based on a real person. I certainly would have liked to have known her.

Mr. Boone deftly brings serious topics into this mystery without being didactic: insurance redlining, white flight, racism and finally the plight of teachers and others who challenge the status quo by bringing fresh new ideas both into and outside the classroom. They listen to their own drummer but at their peril. (Luleta believed, for instance, that her responsibility as a music teacher was "to facilitate, to enable, to fling open the doors and throw up the windows so the music can get out to do what it was meant to do." Tell that to a high school principal who probably is sitting on two degrees in physical education.)

Mr. Boone's language is smooth as silk and highly descriptive. One character's skin is "eggplant-smooth," and another's is "raisin brown." He gets his Southern colloquialisms right too, ("you're not from around here, are you?") and reminded me that you make a military bed so tight that you can bounce a quarter off it. My favorite line, however, belongs to the character Mozelle when she speaks of her honesty: "As the old folks say, 'If I tell you a rooster dips snuff, you can look underneath his wing and find the tin.'"

This really good mystery that should appeal to all thoughtful readers does not turn out the way I had hoped it would, but then life doesn't either. Perhaps Boone will write more novels with Theo as the central character who will solve other cases while subtly teaching moral lessons much as the way Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins does. We certainly hope so.

As a teacher, this book is delightful. We never outgrow good picture books. These photographs are marvelous and the story tells us how funny black bears can be. The "bear facts" at the end make it an educational book for all ages to enjoy. One to be read again and again.

Petunia: The True Story of a Naughty Pigeon-Toed Boone Hollow Bear
What a terrific book for all adults and youngsters, whether they read it themselves or have it read to them.

PeTunia takes us along on her adventures and mishaps as she heads for Boone Hollow. She narrates or thinks aloud in a most endearing, humorous way. She is thoroughly entertaining and bound to put a big smile on the reader's face. And wait until you see the spectacular photographs of her on every page! I doubt you'll find a comparable book. There are educational "bear facts" at the end of the story, which is a very nice plus. I'd highly recommend this book, but beware, you will fall in love!

M. Bowen

Petunia: The True Story of a Naughty Pigeon-Toed Boone Hollow Bear
What a terrific book for all adults and youngsters, whether they read it themselves or have it read to them.

PeTunia takes us along on her adventures and mishaps as she heads for Boone Hollow. She narrates or thinks aloud in a most endearing, humorous way. She is thoroughly entertaining and bound to put a big smile on the reader's face. And wait until you see the spectacular photographs of her on every page! I doubt you'll find a comparable book. There are educational "bear facts at the end of the story, which is a very nice plus. I'd highly recommend this book, but beware, you will fall in love!

M. Bowen

This is truly delightful reading that will bring smiles to kids of all ages. The photographs in this book are exceptional, and they capture this "naughty" bear in such endearing poses. The author's love of and respect for animals clearly show through on each and every page of this fun, educational book. I love PeTunia!

PeTunia is an enchanting book. The photographer/author uses her skills well. It's almost like PeTunia knew this book would be made as her body language and facial expressions couldn't fit the text better. This book will have the reader, child or adult, smiling from start to finish while they share an afternoon in Boone Hollow with PeTunia, a young bear doing what comes naturally. Trish Kirk shares with us in such a delightful way just what a wild and free young bear does. I'd recommend this book for any age group. It's perfect for sharing with a youngster or for a teacher to share with a class. The bear facts at the end of the book are also accompanied perfectly by photos of bears in the wild.

I was in the room as my adult daughter read this book and there was audible giggling as she went from page to page and saw these real, yet often comical, poses and read the captions. A book for "kids" of all ages it seems!

If you have read any of the works by William Least Heat-Moon such as Blue Highways and River-Horse, it will be helpful to know that what he does for byways and rivers resembles in certain respects what Mattia does for 25 men named George Bush. She locates them throughout the United States, visits them, has lengthy conversations with them, and then shares her experiences (and theirs) in this book. I am impressed by the nature and extent of the variety of differences between and among the 25 as well as the nature and extent of differences between them and two other, more famous men who share their name. Mattia is to be commended on the care with which she organizes and then presents the material. Least Heat-Moon enables his readers to explore the byways and rivers with him as he travels throughout the United States. Mattia enables her own readers to explore the hearts, minds, and souls of 25 fellow human beings who share the same name, obviously, but who reveal their individuality with style, grace, and eloquence. I sincerely hope that the current occupant of the Oval Office reads this book.

Martha Boone Mattia has an astonishing ability as an interviewer! People give her the most intimate and fascinating details of their lives in America. She captures their courage, humor, and charm, making each person jump off the page. I did not want the book to end! G,T, Barnhart

The only thing that's remotely deficient about Mattia's text is the potentially misleading title. I was on a crowded beach, totally absorbed, when a passerby remarked "a conversation with George Bush...is that even possible?" "Conversations" should be on a required reading list for all Americans, especially those who think they know their country. Together, the author and her subjects paint a picture of the real America, not the distorted, media-blasted version that inundates us every day. Mattia says, "...I believe that I stumbled upon some truths along the back roads of the United States." Agreed.

... you will love this book. Extremely well-written, insightful, bittersweet, patriotic, pointed -- one to pass on to friends and family.

I don't read non-fiction as a general rule, because it doesn't hold my interest. This book grabbed me on the first page and didn't let go until the end. The lives of the Georges are so interesting that I quickly forgot they share a name with a President I don't particularly like. These are, as author Mattia concludes, quiet heroes whose inspiration is in not just in surviving life's trials and tribulations, but in triumphing over them. Mattia has a remarkable ability to step back from both herself and her subjects to allow the stories to command our attention without judgment or apology. The author's own internal journey as she travels from coast to coast is every bit as compelling as nearly 100 years of history told by the people who lived it. This is story-telling at its finest.