Boone Books

I have to agree with the first reviewer. My 11 year old is a reluctant reader, and he was totally engaged by this book. (My 8 year old advanced, voracious reader loved it,too!) It was just very accessible in the way it was written, and the friendly black and white illustrations on many of the pages create an inviting appearance. There are timelines of Boone's life and concurrent world history in the back, which I appreciate as a home educator. I will definitely be checking out some of the other biographies in this series.

My daughter (age 10) is a reluctant reader. I have a hard time getting her to read anything. She LOVED this book! She wouldn't put it down until she was finished! I think the illustrations really held her attention. I will definately be getting other books in this series!

I have loved this book for some 45 years or so,wonderful stuff for thought, and I'm so glad it is still available!

I can't remember now how I first became acquainted with this book - but it must have been more than 20 years ago when I first read it and it has remained one of my favorites. J. Allen Boone's unfailing good spirits, his enthusiasm for life, and his excitement about adventures - both physical and mental - are an inspiration. I was going to call him an optimist - but "optimist" doesn't really go deep enough. Boone was absolutely fearless. He was also a wonderful humorist, and I suppose it's his humor in the book that first drew me into it. I highly recommend this book, as well as his book, Kinship With All Life.

Karen Molenaar Terrell, Author of Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist

Pascal Quignard's reconstruction of life and works of Roman novelist Albucius severely disturbs confidence in our "modernity" and our courage as spectators to 'all that is human." Its aggressive brief 'stories' and still more aggressive commentary on our expectations place even a mature reader back to some fearful beginning of experience. This is an uncommon book in form, and substance, by an uncommon and learned novelist and critic of present and past fictional norms.

This was one of the best books I have ever read! Even though it was a little old it was great. I think I liked it even more because it was true and I had been to the places described and could follow it on the map. This was a great book that I would read over again and again!

This is one of the best books about the Aztecs I have seen. Despite its price it offers great and beautiful color photographs as well as very interesting and well written essays. You will not regret it!!!

"Blind Boone Piano Prodigy" is a triumphant biographical telling of the life story of one of the most accomplished, and most neglected, American composers and musicians. John William Boone, born during the final months of the American Civil War, and blind from the age of six months, was once a household name in the United States. Never rightfully acknowledged as the true Father of Ragtime, Boone nevertheless toured major cities in the United States and Canada as a concert pianist, wrote countless original compositions and arrangements in folk and classical style, and was most famous for his ability to accurately recreate any composition at the piano after only one hearing.

The task of placing this remarkable story in the hands of young readers would be daunting at best. For award-winning author Madge Harrah, it has obviously been a labour of love. She has been acquainted with the legend and lore of Boone since her college years, and she has remained involved in the legacy of his amazing life across the decades. This hardcover volume is her gift to children everywhere: the story of a youngster who could have allowed the stigma of his ethnicity and his disability to turn him into a bitter young man, but who instead chose to rise to new heights of achievement which were only being dreamed of in this young country for African-Americans in the years following the Civil War.

Harrah's writing style is engaging and moving; she is a natural storyteller and has a knack for placing the reader in the context of the story without the endless explications which often clutter historical books for young readers. From his early years of learning to cope with blindness whilst falling in love with music, through his exciting years as a touring concert pianist, Harrah weaves an exciting story which proves the old adage that truth is often stranger than fiction. There is no trace of pity in her writing, nor should there be; the motto of Boone's music company was "Merit, Not Sympathy, Wins."

An added bonus is the opening Author's Note and Postcript in which Harrah shares her personal story of discovering Boone through his last manager, Wayne B. Allen, and of her continuing fascination with this American music legend. Released in a beautiful edition by CarolRhoda Books, the volume is amply illustrated with photos, many of which were taken by the author's husband. Although "Blind Boone Piano Prodigy" is geared to young readers, it will be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a terrific addition to the small but growing library of material newly available on John William 'Blind' Boone.

If you are thinking of a gift for someone that happens to be an Alumnus of Appalachian State, this is it! A great look into the past. Lots of pictures, lots of information. It offers up some geneology information, but not focused on it at all, a great read. No color pictures, what a drag.

I love to hunt elk, deer and antelope and wrote the book Colorado's Biggest Bucks and Bulls, so I found this book very helpful when including B&C big game from Colorado in my book listings and index. The field photographs are excellent and the design is clever. I am especially fond of the records listings because it helps me plan my future hunts.

The book is phenomenal. Anyone interested in trophy North American big game animals should deffinitely check out this book.

It's rare to re-mention a title which has been on the market for some time; but then, it's rare to find a title which has relatively few competitors on the market even years after its publication MEASURING AND JUDGING BIG GAME is such a title, however: it's an ongoing recommendation for the serious big game hunter seeking a manual to improve upon field judging skills. Spiral binding lends to lay-flat take-along use, making it an easy choice for hunters who have in past only had large-size cumbersome references to consider. 288 pages pack in everything the hunter needs to score a trophy, from charts and directions to illustrations covering all big game recognized by the Club's Records Program. From black and white photo analysis to charts and diagrams, it doesn't get better than this.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch